Hindi · Real conversations
Meeting people: Hindi conversation practice
Start a friendly exchange and find a connection. Read the exchange, reveal the translations when you need them, then try your part before looking at the sample answers.
A1 · Read and rehearse
Your role: A guest meeting someone at a small social gathering.
Goal: Start a friendly exchange and find a connection.
Read the conversation
Partner
नमस्ते, मैं दूसरे शहर से आया / आई हूँ।namaste, main doosre shahar se aaya / aai hoon.
Show English translation
Hello, I'm visiting from another town.
You
आप यहाँ किस सिलसिले में आए हैं?aap yahan kis silsile mein aaye hain?
Show English translation
What brings you here?
Partner
आना ने मुझे बुलाया। वह मेरी पुरानी दोस्त है।aana ne mujhe bulaaya. vah meri puraani dost hai.
Show English translation
Anna invited me. She's an old friend.
You
आप अन्ना को कैसे जानते हैं?aap Anna ko kaise jaante hain?
Show English translation
How do you know Anna?
Partner
हम विश्वविद्यालय में मिले थे। यहाँ अभी रास्ते समझ रहा / रही हूँ।ham vishvavidyaalay mein mile the. yahan abhi raaste samajh raha / rahi hoon.
Show English translation
We met at university. I'm still finding my way around.
You
क्या आप यहाँ पहली बार आए हैं?kya aap yahan pahli baar aaye hain?
Show English translation
Is this your first time here?
Partner
हाँ, पहली बार आया / आई हूँ। आना ने कहा कि वह आपको जानती है।haan, pahli baar aaya / aai hoon. aana ne kaha ki vah aapko jaanti hai.
Show English translation
Yes, it's my first visit. Anna said she knows you.
You
मैंने आपके बारे में बहुत सुना है।maine aapke baare mein bahut suna hai.
Show English translation
I've heard a lot about you.
Partner
अच्छा! आप भी जाने-पहचाने लगते / लगती हैं।achchha! aap bhi jaane-pahchaane lagte / lagti hain.
Show English translation
That's nice! You look familiar, too.
You
क्या हम पहले मिले हैं?kya ham pahle mile hain?
Show English translation
Have we met before?
Try your part first
Partner says: Hello, I'm visiting from another town. Your goal: What brings you here?
Reveal a sample reply
आप यहाँ किस सिलसिले में आए हैं?aap yahan kis silsile mein aaye hain?
What brings you here?
Partner says: Anna invited me. She's an old friend. Your goal: How do you know Anna?
Reveal a sample reply
आप अन्ना को कैसे जानते हैं?aap Anna ko kaise jaante hain?
How do you know Anna?
Partner says: We met at university. I'm still finding my way around. Your goal: Is this your first time here?
Reveal a sample reply
क्या आप यहाँ पहली बार आए हैं?kya aap yahan pahli baar aaye hain?
Is this your first time here?
Partner says: Yes, it's my first visit. Anna said she knows you. Your goal: I've heard a lot about you.
Reveal a sample reply
मैंने आपके बारे में बहुत सुना है।maine aapke baare mein bahut suna hai.
I've heard a lot about you.
Partner says: That's nice! You look familiar, too. Your goal: Have we met before?
Reveal a sample reply
क्या हम पहले मिले हैं?kya ham pahle mile hain?
Have we met before?
Make it your own
- Change where you met.
- Mention a different mutual friend.
- Discover you have met before.
Keep the useful expression and change the detail. There can be several appropriate answers; the revealed replies are examples to learn from.
This rehearsal in other languages
A note on speaking Hindi
These examples generally use respectful आप (aap). Familiar तुम (tum) changes the verb ending, and तू (tu) can sound too intimate or disrespectful in the wrong relationship. Where gender changes a first-person form, choose the version that describes the speaker.
Read the Devanagari alongside the romanization. Romanization is a reading aid rather than an exact description of every sound. Everyday Hindi can use familiar loanwords, while a literal English word order may sound unnatural.
