SkarpChapter 6 of 8
Module 6: Getting Around: Directions, Transport, and Time Plans
Learn to navigate cities and towns in Hindi: asking for directions, understanding landmarks, buying tickets, and confirming times and locations.
New Words and Phrases (in English)
In this step you will learn essential words for getting around a city in Hindi: directions (left, right, straight), distance (near, far), and key places like station and bus stop.
| Word | Pronunciation | Translation | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| बाएँ | baa-eñ (nasal 'n', like 'ba-ehn') | left (direction) | बस स्टॉप बाएँ तरफ है।(The bus stop is on the left side.) |
| दाएँ | daa-eñ (nasal 'n', like 'da-ehn') | right (direction) | होटल दाएँ मुड़कर सीधा है।(The hotel is straight ahead after turning right.) |
| सीधा | see-dhaa | straight (straight ahead) | आप सीधा जाएँ, फिर बाएँ मुड़ें।(Go straight, then turn left.) |
| पास | paas | near / nearby | रेलवे स्टेशन यहाँ से पास है क्या?(Is the railway station near here?) |
| दूर | door | far | मेट्रो स्टेशन बहुत दूर नहीं है।(The metro station is not very far.) |
| स्टेशन | ste-shan | station (usually train/metro) | मुझे रेलवे स्टेशन जाना है।(I have to go to the railway station.) |
| बस स्टॉप | bus stop | bus stop | अगला बस स्टॉप कौन सा है?(What is the next bus stop?) |
| ऑटो रिक्शा | aw-to rik-shaa | auto-rickshaw (three-wheeler taxi) | क्या यहाँ से मॉल के लिए ऑटो रिक्शा मिलेगा?(Can I get an auto-rickshaw to the mall from here?) |
Language Pattern (in English)
1. Talking about location with "here" and "there"
A very common pattern to ask where something is:
- "Where is X?" = X कहाँ है?
- Example: बस स्टॉप कहाँ है?
Bas stop kahaan hai? – "Where is the bus stop?"
To say "near here" or "far from here", we add यहाँ से (yahaan se – "from here"):
- यहाँ से पास – yahaan se paas – near from here
- यहाँ से दूर – yahaan se door – far from here
Examples:
- स्टेशन यहाँ से पास है।
Station yahaan se paas hai. – "The station is near from here."
- मेट्रो स्टेशन यहाँ से दूर है।
Metro station yahaan se door hai. – "The metro station is far from here."
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2. Giving simple directions with verbs
We use the polite imperative form जाएँ (jaaen – "go") and मुड़ें (muṛen – "turn") when giving directions.
Basic pattern:
- सीधा जाएँ। – Seedha jaaen. – "Go straight."
- बाएँ मुड़ें। – Baayen muṛen. – "Turn left."
- दाएँ मुड़ें। – Daayen muṛen. – "Turn right."
We can combine them:
- सीधा जाएँ, फिर दाएँ मुड़ें।
Seedha jaaen, fir daayen muṛen. – "Go straight, then turn right."
Notice the connector फिर (fir – "then") to link steps in directions.
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3. Using "I have to go" for travel plans
To say you need to go somewhere, a very useful pattern is:
- मुझे X जाना है।
Mujhe X jaanaa hai. – "I have to go to X" / "I need to go to X."
Examples with this module's places:
- मुझे स्टेशन जाना है।
Mujhe station jaanaa hai. – "I need to go to the station."
- मुझे बस स्टॉप जाना है।
Mujhe bus stop jaanaa hai. – "I have to go to the bus stop."
You can add time words from previous modules:
- मुझे शाम को स्टेशन जाना है।
Mujhe shaam ko station jaanaa hai. – "I have to go to the station in the evening."
Practice Dialogue (in English)
In this dialogue, a traveler asks a local person for directions to the railway station and checks how far it is. They also talk about taking an auto-rickshaw.
On a busy street, asking for directions to the station and talking about transport.
नमस्ते, मुझे रेलवे स्टेशन जाना है। स्टेशन यहाँ से पास है क्या?
Hello, I need to go to the railway station. Is the station near from here?
नमस्ते। हाँ, स्टेशन यहाँ से बहुत दूर नहीं है।
Hello. Yes, the station is not very far from here.
कृपया रास्ता बताइए। मैं पैदल जा सकता हूँ क्या?
Please tell me the way. Can I go on foot?
जी, पहले सीधा जाएँ, फिर दाएँ मुड़ें। वहाँ बस स्टॉप है।
Yes, first go straight, then turn right. There is a bus stop there.
बस स्टॉप से स्टेशन दूर है क्या?
From the bus stop, is the station far?
नहीं, बस स्टॉप से स्टेशन पास है। आप बस या ऑटो रिक्शा ले सकते हैं।
No, from the bus stop the station is near. You can take a bus or an auto-rickshaw.
ठीक है, धन्यवाद। मैं ऑटो रिक्शा लूँगा।
Okay, thank you. I will take an auto-rickshaw.
कोई बात नहीं, आपका दिन शुभ हो।
You're welcome, have a nice day.
Check Your Understanding (in English)
Test your understanding of the new vocabulary and how to talk about distance and directions.
You want to say: "Go straight, then turn left." Which Hindi sentence is correct?
- सीधा जाएँ, फिर बाएँ मुड़ें।
- सीधा जाओ, फिर दाएँ मुड़ें।
- बाएँ जाएँ, फिर सीधा मुड़ें।
- स्टेशन यहाँ से पास है।
Show Answer
Answer: A) सीधा जाएँ, फिर बाएँ मुड़ें।
The correct sentence is "सीधा जाएँ, फिर बाएँ मुड़ें।" (Seedha jaaen, fir baayen muṛen.) It uses the polite imperative forms "जाएँ" (go) and "मुड़ें" (turn) with the correct order: first straight (सीधा), then left (बाएँ). The other options either change directions, mix informal and polite forms, or do not match the English meaning.
Key Terms
- दूर
- far; "यहाँ से दूर" – far from here.
- पास
- near / nearby; often with "यहाँ से" as in "यहाँ से पास" – near from here.
- दाएँ
- right (direction); used in directions like "दाएँ मुड़ें" – turn right.
- बाएँ
- left (direction); used in directions like "बाएँ मुड़ें" – turn left.
- सीधा
- straight / straight ahead; in directions: "सीधा जाएँ" – go straight.
- रास्ता
- way / route; used in "रास्ता बताइए" – please tell (me) the way.
- स्टेशन
- station; usually a train or metro station, from English "station".
- बस स्टॉप
- bus stop; place where buses stop for passengers.
- ऑटो रिक्शा
- auto-rickshaw; common three-wheeler taxi in many Indian cities.
- मुझे X जाना है
- I have to go to X / I need to go to X; very useful pattern for travel plans.