15 Everyday Phrases Only Indians Will Understand

We Indians are just phantastic and some of our words even more so. If I were a foreigner and a proclaimed pundit in Hindi, I would still not understand the sar (head) and pair (feet) of these terms that we Indians just can’t stay without using even for a day.

1. Bhaukal/Bhokal

Meaning: Excellence in off-hand fields.
Meaning in India: Extreme excellence in a particular field of work. Usage: Laundey!! Bhokaal pel diya
Note: Most commonly found among the group of people who love to boast about their experiences that nobody would normally believe in.

 

2. Setting/Saetting

Meaning: Establishing or forming something.
Meaning in India: Some form of work/favour that requires payment.
Note: Best done when you have bundles of rectangular papers (called money) to give away. Also, it is most effective when nobody sees the process and when the rectangular papers are passed under the table.

 

3. Tum Se Na Ho Paayega

Meaning: You can’t do it.
Meaning in India: You don’t have the balls to do it/ it’s just waaay out of your league. Popularized by the movie Gangs of Wasseypur.
Note: Mostly used when you have been trying to get a girl/boy to like you and he/she has been constantly giving you ghanta (see point 9)

 

4. Thoda Adjust Kar Lo

Meaning: Actually adjusting.
Meaning in India: See picture below.
Note: Mostly heard in trains when a seat for 3 is occupied by 6… Or 7 if there’s a child.

 

5. Jugaad

Meaning: An innovative fix.
Meaning in India: A talent that every Indian starts learning from the early age of 2 and about which foreigners are discussing now.
Note: Most commonly found in college hostels, where the demand is more than the funds provided.

 

6. Dassna

Meaning: A snake bite.
Meaning in India: Talking with the same viciousness as a snake bite only not as evident.
Note: Confined only to MP people until recently, the word has now gone as viral as cat videos on YouTube.

 

7. Bhaukna

Meaning: Barking of a dog.
Meaning in India: Term of extreme endearment to ask your friend to talk.
Note: More prominently used by girls. Since they tend to use the endearing term of kutti for their friends, it is only obvious to use this word to ask them to communicate.

 

8. Keh Ke Lena

Meaning: Tell and take.
Meaning in India: A term that is actually synonymous with announcing your intent and then performing it in style.
Note: Best used when said in a deep, menacing voice and generally as a warning of taking revenge. Made famous by Manoj Bajpai.

 

9. Ghanta

Meaning: A bell.
Meaning in India: A very soft and polite way of saying BULLSHIT.
Note: Used in cases when you can smell the bullshit that the person has just said and are not ready to believe it even if you’re offered the Prime Minister’s position.

 

10. Bhai/Dost

Meaning: Brother or friend.
Meaning in India: Every stranger you meet on the street that you can exploit or ask for help.
Note: You need to be extremely sweet and have puppy eyes while saying it for maximum effect.

 

11. Phati Padi Hai

Meaning: It’s torn.
Meaning in India: Shit scared. Like literally shit scared.
Note: Extremely evident in places of exams, when being caught by your parents/teachers for doing something forbidden or during declaration of results.

 

12. Tashan/Raula

Meaning: Style and comfort.
Meaning in India: So much style that you can shame Kareena Kapoor into hiding.
Note: Best used when telling a friend how awesome his/her new (super expensive, which you can probably buy in another 10 years) phone is when inside you’re like: BURRNN!!

 

13. Item

Meaning: Commodity or product.
Meaning in India: A means of describing an extremely hot person (Siddharth Malhotra levels of hot)
Note: What your next door hot neighbour is to your best friend, since you know him/her from your childhood and can never hit on him/her.

 

14. Bhabhi Ji

Meaning: Sister-in-law
Meaning in India: Your best friend’s girlfriend whom you are morally and eternally sworn to protect and help her, but never lay eyes on. Ever. (Bro code)
Note: It is mandatory by law to call her Bhabhi ji even if she friend-zones you and even if you realize she’s just making you pay her bills.

 

15. Bhai-zone

Meaning: The Indian counterpart of the internationally infamous friend-zone; also deadlier.
Meaning in India: A zone where all guys dread to be put in. They would rather accept the torture of friend zone over this zone.
Note: Most famous during Raksha Bandhan, where every girls wants to tie a noose around the guy (his wrist to be specific)

Time to dial your friend’s number & try out a few. What say?