In Hindi (one of the official languages in India), there are many ways to say thank you. Apart from the commonly used "धन्यवाद्" (dhanyavaad), there are a number of other ways of saying thank you that may be helpful for Indonesians traveling to India or meeting Indian colleagues. Learn these simple phrases to impress Hindi speakers with your knowledge and skills. With over "half a billion" Hindi speakers spread across the globe, you can say thank you to one of the world's largest populations in just a few minutes!
Step
Method 1 of 3: Formal Acknowledgments
Step 1. Use "dhanyavaad" (धन्यवाद्) as a formal thank you
This acknowledgment is a common but also formal option. This greeting is often used when you really want to emphasize your gratitude (such as when you receive a gift). It is also used to express gratitude to important business associates, respected people, and people who are older than you. This word is pronounced in three parts:
- Stick your tongue to the roof of your mouth to pronounce "dha" with a d sound that's similar to the English "th" sound. Make a short "a" sound as in the word "eye". The sound should sound similar to the word "the" in English. This section no pronounced with an "ah" sound.
- Never pronounce it "nyah". Again, don't use the "ah" sound.
- Now pronounce "vad". In this section, you can use the "ah" sound.
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Overall, a sound that sounded similar to than-yah-vad.
Step 2. Say "bahut" (बहुत) before dhanyavaad to say "thank you very much
" If you are truly grateful for something, use the word "shoulder" to emphasize it. It basically means "a lot", and is often used to express "thank you very much". This word is pronounced in two parts:
- First, a short "bo" sound.
- Then, a firmer "hat" sound. Emphasize this part - so the whole sounds like " bo-HAT.
- Say "dhanyavaad" after "bahut" to complete it. See the pronunciation guide above.
Step 3. Alternatively, use "ābhārī hōṅ" (आभारी)
This greeting is also used to convey "thank you" formally. The actual meaning is slightly similar to "I thank you" in Indonesian. This word is pronounced in four parts:
- Say "abb" (as in "news").
- Next, say "ha".
- Then say "ri". The "r" sound here is pronounced like the letter r in Spanish - and will sound like the "ri" in the word "sun".
- End with "hun" (as in "vermicelli").
- Overall, the sound will sound like abb-ha-ri hun.
Method 2 of 3: Unofficial Acknowledgments
Step 1. Use "shukriyaa" (शुक्रिया) as a standard informal thank you
This greeting is very commonly used to express gratitude in Hindi, although it is not an official choice. Meaning, you should only use it with friends and family. To thank your boss or teacher, or a respected person, or older, you may want to use one of the phrases in the previous section. The pronunciation of this word consists of three parts:
- First, say "shuk". Say this word quickly and briefly.
- Then, say "ri". Again, the "r" sound here is as soft as it is in Spanish - it sounds a lot like the "ri" in "sun".
- End with "ah". The sound used here is a switch between "ah" and "eh". You may need to practice a little to get the hang of it.
- Overall, the sound will sound like " shuk-ri-ahMastering the "r" sound is very important here. You may need to pronounce it something like "shu-uk-ri-ah", and then shorten the "u" sound until it sounds very short.
Step 2. Place "bahut" (बहुत) in front of the shukriyaa to say "thank you very much
" You can use the word "bahut" as above to change a "thank you" to "thank you very much" or "thank you very much." Even if your gratitude is greater, it's still considered informal.
Bahut is pronounced the same way as the previous section: " bo-HAT."
Step 3. Use "thaiṅkyū" (थैंक्यू) if it's easier
Just like any other language in the world, Hindi also takes words and phrases from other languages. This English word is pronounced exactly the same as "thank you" in English. Since it is not native Hindi, this word is considered less formal than the choice in the previous section.
You also need to know that English is one of the official languages in India, many Indians may know this phrase even if they don't speak English fluently
Method 3 of 3: Answering Acknowledgments
Step 1. Use "svaagat haiṅ" (स्वागत) to say "thank you again
" If you use any of the thank you phrases above, you may hear an answer like this. This phrase has a very similar meaning to "please" in Indonesian. In fact, you can even just say "svaagat" to greet someone new - just like saying "welcome." To pronounce this phrase:
- First, say "swa". The sound is similar to the "swa" in the word "self".
- Then, say "gat".
- End by saying "hey". Don't be fooled by the letter n at the end of the phrase - it's not spoken.
- Overall, his voice sounded like swa-gat hey.
Step 2. Alternatively, put "āpa kā" (आप) in front of "svaagat haiṅ
" The meaning is not much different from the phrase above. The difference is that the word in front makes your speech more complete - people will react the same no matter what phrase you use. You can pronounce this phrase in two parts:
- First say "op" (as in the word "operation").
- Then say "ka" (as in "then").
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Overall, the sound will sound like op-ka.
"Continue this phrase immediately with "svaagat haiṅ" to express "thank you again".
Step 3. Use "koii baat nahee" (कोई) to say "it's nothing
" This is another way of conveying that you don't mind helping others. You can use this phrase like "no problem" in Indonesian. This phrase is pronounced in four parts:
- First, say "koi".
- Then say "bot" (as in the word "robot").
- Then, say "nah" quickly (as in "tuna").
- End with a long "hii" (as in the word "black"). Put a little emphasis on this syllable - the last part should sound like "na-HII".
- Overall, the sound will sound like koi bot na-HII.
Tips
- As is customary in India, thanking the host after a meal is considered rude. This can be considered a bit of disrespect for the host. So you better compliment the food and invite the host for dinner another time.
- As per Indian custom, one does not always have to give an answer for a thank you. So, your interlocutor is not being rude if after you say "dhanyavaad", he just smiles or even stays silent.
