Useful phrases
Hyderabad has two (three) prominent Indian languages – Urdu (Hindi) and Telugu. But the nice thing about big cities in India is that most of the people understand common English words, so when in doubt, just use the English word, and always say numbers in English. Having said that, here are a few useful phrases –
| English | Telugu | Urdu/Hindi |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | Namaste | Namaste |
| Okay | Sare | Theek hai |
| Yes | Aunu | Haan |
| No | Kadu | Nahi |
| Sorry (Stick to the english word) |
Kshaminchandi | Maaf kar dijiye |
| Thank you (Stick to the english word) |
Dhanyavadalu | Shukriya / Dhanyavad |
| Don’t want it (Casual and polite version for street sellers, etc.) |
Oddu | Nahi chahiye |
| No chilli | Karam oddu | Teekha nahi chahiye |
| Less chilli | Karam takkuva | Kam teekha chahiye |
| Where? | Ekkada? | Kaha? |
Pleasantries like “Good day”, “Good morning”, “En guete”, etc., are uncommon in India, so if you feel like saying these, stick to the English versions, and people will understand you.