गर्म हवा

You use it as a noun phrase. You can say the wind is 'moving' or 'blowing' using the verb चलना (chalna). For example, गर्म हवा चल रही है means 'the hot wind is blowing.' You can also use it to explain why you are tired or why the plants are wilting. It is a very versatile phrase for any heat-related conversation.

Use it when you are complaining about the weather to a friend. Use it when warning someone not to go outside at noon. It is perfect for small talk at the office or while texting. If you are at a bus stop and feel a gust of heat, just sigh and say बहुत गर्म हवा है. Everyone will immediately agree and bond over the shared misery of the heat.

Do not use गर्म हवा to mean 'hot air' in the sense of someone talking nonsense. In English, we say 'he is full of hot air,' but in Hindi, that would not make sense. Also, do not use it for steam from a kettle or a hair dryer. That is usually just भाप (bhaap) or गर्म हवा from a machine. This phrase is almost always about the natural atmosphere.

In India, गर्म हवा is often a precursor to the 'Loo.' The Loo is a specific, dangerous, and extremely hot summer wind. There is even a famous 1973 film titled 'Garm Hava.' It uses the metaphor of a scorching wind to describe the harsh social climate after the partition of India. So, while it is a weather term, it carries a weight of discomfort and survival in the Indian psyche.

The most common variation is simply लू (Loo). While गर्म हवा is any hot wind, लू is the specific, often deadly, summer wind of North India. You might also hear तपती हवा (tapti hawa), which means 'burning wind.' If the wind is both hot and fast, people call it तेज़ गर्म हवा. Stick to the basics first, and you will be understood everywhere.