Hindi · Everyday Verbs
"to speak" in Hindi: बोलना
बोलनाbolna
Note: to talk with: बात करना (baat karna)
बोलना (bolna) means to speak. Use it for languages: main hindi bolta hoon. बात करना (baat karna) means to talk with someone. Ask dheere boliye when you need slower speech.
Language ability
मैं थोड़ी हिंदी बोल सकता हूँ।main thodi hindi bol sakta hoon.
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How to pronounce बोलना
Say it
BOL-naa
/boːlnɑː/
Bolna is BOL-naa with a clear o and long aa. The b is plain. Keep bol strong and naa light.
"to speak" in Hindi: quick reference
| Hindi | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| बोलनाbolna | to speak; to say Languages, speaking up, saying something. | Languages, speaking up, saying something. |
| बात करनाbaat karna | to talk; to converse Talking with a person about something. | Talking with a person about something. |
| बोलिएboliye | please speak Polite request: dheere boliye. | Polite request: dheere boliye. |
| कहनाkahna | to say; to tell Reporting words: unhone kaha. | Reporting words: unhone kaha. |
How to use बोलना in real life
- 1Language ability
मैं थोड़ी हिंदी बोल सकता हूँ।
main thodi hindi bol sakta hoon.
I can speak a little Hindi.
A woman says bol sakti hoon.
- 2On a noisy call
ज़रा ज़ोर से बोलिए, सुनाई नहीं दे रहा।
zara zor se boliye, sunaai nahin de raha.
Please speak a bit louder; I can't hear.
Boliye keeps the request polite.
- 3Making plans to chat
कल हिंदी बोलना है, अभी मैं व्यस्त हूँ।
kal hindi bolna hai, abhi main vyast hoon.
I have to speak Hindi tomorrow; I'm busy now.
Bolna is speak; baat karna is talk.
Mistakes English speakers make with बोलना
Incorrect: मुझे हिंदी बात बोलना मिलाकर कहना।
Correct: मुझे हिंदी बोलना है। बात करना अलग है।
Languages take bolna. Conversations take baat karna.
Incorrect: अजनबी से आप बोलना—बोलो कहना।
Correct: आपसे बोलना हो तो धीरे बोलिए।
Bolo is tum. Use boliye with aap.
Good to know
People may switch to English to help you, which is kindness, not a test fail. Asking dheere boliye shows effort and usually gets a warm slowdown. Baat karna also means discussing an issue, not only chatting.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Asking a shopkeeper to slow down
ChatPal
यह कमीज़ दो सौ की है।
yah kameez do sau ki hai.
This shirt is two hundred.
You
कृपया धीरे बोलिए, मैं सीख रहा हूँ।
kripya dheere boliye, main seekh raha hoon.
Please speak slowly; I am learning.
ChatPal
अच्छा। आप हिंदी बोल सकते हैं?
achha. aap hindi bol sakte hain?
Okay. Can you speak Hindi?
You
थोड़ी बोलता हूँ, और बात करना चाहता हूँ।
thodi bolta hoon, aur baat karna chaahata hoon.
I speak a little, and I want to talk more.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to speak" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to speak" in Hindi
Bolna or baat karna?
Bolna is speak/say, great for languages. Baat karna is talk with someone.
How do I ask someone to speak slowly?
Say dheere boliye or kripya dheere boliye.
How do gender forms work?
Bolta / bolti, bol raha / bol rahi, matching the speaker.
How do I say speak Hindi?
Say Hindi boliye or Hindi mein baat kariye.
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
