Travel phrases in Hindi

Q: How do I tell an auto-rickshaw driver to use the meter?

Say मीटर से चलिए (meter se chaliye), meaning please go by the meter. If the driver refuses, ask the fare up front with कितना लोगे? (kitna loge?) and agree a price before getting in.

Q: How do I say I'm lost in Hindi?

A man says मैं रास्ता भूल गया हूँ (main raasta bhool gaya hoon) and a woman says मैं रास्ता भूल गई हूँ (… bhool gayi hoon). Both mean I have lost my way.

Practical Hindi for getting around India — airports and stations, taxis and autos, hotel check-in, directions, tickets and the inevitable problems — each phrase with Devanagari, pronunciation and a note on when to use it.

English will get you a long way at airports, big hotels and tourist sites in India, but the moment you step into an auto-rickshaw, a small-town station or a roadside dhaba, a handful of Hindi phrases transforms the trip. They earn goodwill, head off the “tourist price”, and turn a stressful moment — a wrong turn, a missed train — into a quick exchange. The phrases below are grouped by the situations a traveller actually meets, in roughly the order of a journey.

Keep the polite आप (aap) register with everyone you meet on the road; most of these requests use the courteous -इए verb ending (chaliye, dijiye, rukiye), which is exactly how you should ask a driver, clerk or stranger for anything.

At the airport & station

For arrivals, platforms and finding your way through a terminal.

Getting oriented when you land or board.
English	Hindi	Pronunciation
Where is the exit?	बाहर जाने का रास्ता कहाँ है?	baahar jaane ka raasta kahaan hai?
Where is platform number 2?	प्लेटफ़ॉर्म नंबर दो कहाँ है?	platform number do kahaan hai?
Where is the luggage?	सामान कहाँ है?	saamaan kahaan hai?
Which train goes to Jaipur?	जयपुर की ट्रेन कौन सी है?	Jaipur ki train kaun si hai?
When does the train leave?	ट्रेन कब निकलती है?	train kab nikalti hai?
Is this seat free?	क्या यह सीट खाली है?	kya yah seat khaali hai?

Taxi & auto-rickshaw

The single most useful travel phrase: insist on the meter, or fix the fare first.

Hiring and directing a taxi or auto.
English	Hindi	Pronunciation
Please go by the meter	मीटर से चलिए	meter se chaliye
How much will you take?	कितना लोगे?	kitna loge?
Take me to this address	मुझे इस पते पर ले चलिए	mujhe is pate par le chaliye
Stop here, please	यहाँ रोक दीजिए	yahaan rok dijiye
A little further	थोड़ा और आगे	thoda aur aage
That's too expensive	यह बहुत ज़्यादा है	yah bahut zyaada hai
Keep the change	बाकी रख लीजिए	baaki rakh lijiye

Hotel check-in

For the front desk — booking, price and the basics of a room.

Arriving and settling into a hotel or guest house.
English	Hindi	Pronunciation
Is a room available?	क्या कमरा खाली है?	kya kamra khaali hai?
I have a booking	मेरा कमरा बुक है	mera kamra book hai
What is the rent for one night?	एक रात का किराया कितना है?	ek raat ka kiraaya kitna hai?
Is breakfast included?	क्या नाश्ता शामिल है?	kya naashta shaamil hai?
Is there hot water?	क्या गरम पानी है?	kya garam paani hai?
Is there Wi-Fi?	क्या यहाँ वाई-फ़ाई है?	kya yahaan wi-fi hai?
What time is check-out?	चेक-आउट कितने बजे है?	check-out kitne baje hai?

Asking directions

Open with माफ़ कीजिए (excuse me), then ask — and learn the three answers you'll hear back.

Finding your way on foot or by road.
English	Hindi	Pronunciation
Excuse me, where is the station?	माफ़ कीजिए, स्टेशन कहाँ है?	maaf kijiye, station kahaan hai?
How do I get there?	वहाँ कैसे जाऊँ?	vahaan kaise jaaun?
Is it near or far?	पास है या दूर?	paas hai ya door?
Turn left	बाएँ मुड़िए	baayen mudiye
Turn right	दाएँ मुड़िए	daayen mudiye
Go straight	सीधे जाइए	seedhe jaaiye
Show me on the map	नक्शे पर दिखाइए	nakshe par dikhaaiye

Buying tickets

At a counter or window — for trains, buses and entry tickets.

At the ticket counter.
English	Hindi	Pronunciation
One ticket, please	एक टिकट दीजिए	ek ticket dijiye
Two tickets to Agra	आगरा के दो टिकट	Agra ke do ticket
How much is one ticket?	एक टिकट कितने का है?	ek ticket kitne ka hai?
Is the train on time?	क्या ट्रेन समय पर है?	kya train samay par hai?
Which counter?	कौन सी खिड़की?	kaun si khidki?
A return ticket	आने-जाने का टिकट	aane-jaane ka ticket

Problems & emergencies

For when things go wrong — lost, late, or in need of help.

Phrases for the moments you hope you won't need.
English	Hindi	Pronunciation
I'm lost (m. / f.)	मैं रास्ता भूल गया / गई हूँ	main raasta bhool gaya / gayi hoon
I missed my train	मेरी ट्रेन छूट गई	meri train chhoot gayi
I've lost my bag	मेरा बैग खो गया है	mera bag kho gaya hai
Please help me	मेरी मदद कीजिए	meri madad kijiye
Where is the police station?	पुलिस स्टेशन कहाँ है?	police station kahaan hai?
Call the police	पुलिस को बुलाइए	police ko bulaaiye

The meter and the fare. Many autos and taxis quote a flat “tourist” price rather than running the meter. Saying मीटर से चलिए (meter se chaliye) signals you know the system. If the driver won't use the meter, agree the price with कितना लोगे? before you get in — negotiating after the ride is much harder.

A note for the road. A few Hindi words spoken with a smile change how you're treated. Even when the other person switches to English, your effort registers as respect and usually means a fairer price and friendlier help. Carry your hotel's address written in Hindi to show drivers, and keep small notes handy — बाकी रख लीजिए (keep the change) is easier than waiting for coins.

Translate your own travel phrase

Heading somewhere specific or need a phrase for your itinerary? Type it in English below and get the Hindi instantly.

Frequently asked

What Hindi phrases do I need as a tourist in India?

The essentials are यह कहाँ है? (where is this?), कितने का है? (how much?), मीटर से चलिए (go by the meter), and मैं रास्ता भूल गया हूँ (I'm lost). With these plus नमस्ते and धन्यवाद you can manage most travel situations.

How do I tell an auto-rickshaw driver to use the meter?

Say मीटर से चलिए (meter se chaliye), meaning please go by the meter. If the driver refuses, ask the fare up front with कितना लोगे? (kitna loge?) and agree a price before getting in.

How do you ask for directions in Hindi?

Start with माफ़ कीजिए (excuse me), then … कहाँ है? (where is …?). The key answers are बाएँ (left), दाएँ (right) and सीधे (straight ahead).

How do I check into a hotel in Hindi?

Say मेरा कमरा बुक है (I have a room booked) or क्या कमरा खाली है? (is a room available?). To ask the price, say एक रात का किराया कितना है? (what is the rent for one night?).

How do I say I'm lost in Hindi?

A man says मैं रास्ता भूल गया हूँ (main raasta bhool gaya hoon) and a woman says मैं रास्ता भूल गई हूँ (… bhool gayi hoon). Both mean I have lost my way.