फ्लाइट पकड़ना

You treat पकड़ना like any other action verb. If you are doing it now, you say पकड़ रहा हूँ. If you have to do it later, you say पकड़नी है. Note that फ्लाइट is feminine in Hindi grammar. So, you would say मुझे फ्लाइट पकड़नी है instead of पकड़ना है. It fits perfectly at the end of a sentence. You can use it with friends, family, or even your boss.

Use this when you are discussing your travel itinerary. It is perfect for that frantic phone call while you are stuck in traffic. Use it when you are declining a late-night dinner invitation. It works well when you are checking if a friend reached the airport. It is the standard way to talk about air travel in 21st-century India. You can use it in texts, emails, or face-to-face chats.

Avoid using this if you want to sound extremely formal or poetic. In high-level literature, people might use विमान यात्रा (airplane journey). Also, don't use it if you are already on the plane. At that point, you have already 'caught' it! If you are talking about a short rickshaw ride, this phrase is too 'grand.' Stick to planes, trains, and buses for the verb पकड़ना.

India has seen a massive boom in air travel over the last two decades. Before this, everyone talked about 'catching the train.' Now, फ्लाइट पकड़ना is a sign of the fast-paced urban lifestyle. It often carries a sense of urgency because of notorious Indian city traffic. Mentioning you have a flight to catch is the ultimate 'get out of jail free' card for any social event.

You might hear people say प्लेन पकड़ना (plane pakadna) which is identical in meaning. Some younger people might use the more English-influenced फ्लाइट लेना (flight lena). However, पकड़ना remains the most common and idiomatic choice. In very casual slang, someone might just say 'Meri flight hai' (It's my flight), implying the catching part.