Hindi · Food & Drink
"Tea" in Hindi: चाय
चायchaay
Tea in Hindi is चाय (chaay), and it is feminine. It is the heart of daily hospitality. Offer chaay to guests, order ek cup chaay at a stall, and remember drinks use peena: chaay peena.
Welcoming a guest
बैठिए, मैं चाय बनाता हूँ।baithiye, main chaay banaata hoon.
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How to pronounce चाय
Say it
chaay
/tʃaːj/
Chaay is chaay, rhyming with sky but with a soft ch. The aa is long. Do not say chai with a short i unless you mean the English spelling variant; both spellings appear.
"Tea" in Hindi: quick reference
| Hindi | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| चायchaay | tea The everyday word everywhere in India. | The everyday word everywhere in India. |
| एक कप चायek kap chaay | a cup of tea Ordering or serving at home. | Ordering or serving at home. |
| चाय पीनाchaay peena | to drink tea Drinks take peena, never khaana. | Drinks take peena, never khaana. |
| मसाला चायmasala chaay | spiced tea Tea with ginger, cardamom, and milk. | Tea with ginger, cardamom, and milk. |
| चाय बनानाchaay banaana | to make tea Chaay bana do is a home classic. | Chaay bana do is a home classic. |
How to use चाय in real life
- 1Welcoming a guest
बैठिए, मैं चाय बनाता हूँ।
baithiye, main chaay banaata hoon.
Sit down, I'll make tea.
Offering chaay is almost automatic in many homes.
- 2At a roadside stall
एक कटिंग चाय दीजिए।
ek cutting chaay dijiye.
One cutting tea please.
Cutting means a half-glass, common in Mumbai.
- 3Office break
चाय पीने चलें? दस मिनट का ब्रेक है।
chaay peene chalen? das minute ka break hai.
Shall we go drink tea? There's a ten-minute break.
Chaay peene chalen is daily office talk.
Mistakes English speakers make with चाय
Incorrect: Chaay khana
Correct: Chaay peena
Liquids use peena. Khaana is for solid food.
Incorrect: Ek chaay masculine: ek chaay dijiye with yah chaay wala
Correct: Yah chaay / meri chaay
Chaay is feminine: yah chaay garam hai.
Good to know
Refusing chaay the first time may still lead to a second offer. Masala chaay with ginger is home medicine and comfort drink. Tea stalls, chaiwalas, and office pantries keep chaay culture alive.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Visiting a colleague's home in Kolkata
ChatPal
चाय लेंगे? अभी ताज़ी बनी है।
chaay lenge? abhi taazi bani hai.
Will you have tea? It's freshly made.
You
ज़रूर, थोड़ी चाय पी लेता हूँ।
zaroor, thodi chaay pi leta hoon.
Sure, I'll have a little tea.
ChatPal
चाय में नमक है या चीनी?
chaay mein namak hai ya cheeni?
Tea with salt or sugar?
You
चीनी वाली चाय, हल्की मीठी।
cheeni wali chaay, halki meethi.
Tea with sugar, lightly sweet.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Tea" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Tea" in Hindi
Is chaay feminine?
Yes. Say yah chaay, meri chaay, and garam chaay.
Chaay or chai spelling?
Both appear. This file uses chaay; spoken sound is the same.
How do I politely refuse tea?
Say abhi nahin, dhanyavaad or bas, pet bhar gaya with a smile.
What is cutting chaay?
A half-glass serving, popular in Mumbai tea stalls.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
