समय पर आना

You change the verb आना based on who you talk to. For a boss or elder, use the polite समय पर आइए. For a friend, समय पर आना or आ जाना works perfectly. If you are texting a peer, samay par aana is the standard way. You can also add प्लीज (please) for extra politeness. It usually sits at the end of your sentence as an instruction. It acts as a closing reminder for any meeting or event.

Use it for professional meetings or job interviews. It is essential when catching a bus, train, or flight. Use it for doctor appointments or movie screenings. If you are hosting a formal dinner, this phrase is appropriate. It helps set boundaries with that one friend who is always late. Use it whenever the clock actually matters to your schedule.

Avoid being too firm at casual Indian house parties. If a friend says "dinner at 8," don't expect everyone then. Showing up exactly at 8 might actually surprise the host! They might still be getting ready or finishing the cooking. Don't use it in very relaxed, "no-agenda" hangouts with close family. It might make you sound a bit too stiff or demanding.

India has a famous concept called IST. Officially, it is Indian Standard Time. However, locals jokingly call it "Indian Stretchable Time." Punctuality can be quite flexible in social settings like weddings. But in modern corporate India, things are changing fast. Being समय पर is now highly valued in urban offices. It shows respect for other people's busy and crowded lives.

You will often hear टाइम पर आना which is common Hinglish. Many people prefer the Urdu-origin word वक़्त instead of समय. So, वक़्त पर आना sounds a bit more poetic or formal. To be very strict, you can say ठीक समय पर आना. This means "come exactly on time, not a minute late." If you want someone early, use जल्दी आना instead.