SkarpChapter 8 of 8
Module 8: Everyday Problems, Help, and Polite Complaints
Prepare to deal with minor problems in everyday life, from not understanding something to small issues with services, and learn how to ask for help politely.
New Words and Phrases (in English)
In this module you will learn key phrases for not understanding, asking for help, and making small polite complaints in everyday situations. These are very common in real life and often mix Hindi with simple English words.
| Word | Pronunciation | Translation | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| मुझे समझ नहीं आया | mujhe samajh nahin aayaa | I did not understand | माफ़ कीजिए, मुझे समझ नहीं आया।(Excuse me, I did not understand.) |
| कृपया दुबारा बोलिए | kripyaa dubaaraa boliye | Please say it again / Please repeat | थोड़ा धीरे से, कृपया दुबारा बोलिए।(A bit slowly, please say it again.) |
| थोड़ा धीरे बोलिए | thodaa dheere boliye | Please speak a little slowly | मैं हिंदी सीख रहा हूँ, थोड़ा धीरे बोलिए।(I am learning Hindi, please speak a little slowly.) |
| मुझे मदद चाहिए | mujhe madad chaahiye | I need help | माफ़ कीजिए, मुझे मदद चाहिए, मैं रास्ता भूल गया हूँ।(Excuse me, I need help, I am lost.) |
| ये काम नहीं कर रहा है | ye kaam nahin kar rahaa hai | This is not working | माफ़ कीजिए, वाई‑फ़ाई काम नहीं कर रहा है।(Excuse me, the Wi‑Fi is not working.) |
| थोड़ी दिक्कत है | thodi dikkat hai | There is a small problem / issue | सुनिए, कमरे में थोड़ी दिक्कत है।(Listen, there is a small problem in the room.) |
| सॉरी, मेरी ग़लती है | sorry, meri galti hai | Sorry, it is my mistake | ओह, सॉरी, मेरी ग़लती है, मैंने टाइम ग़लत सुना।(Oh, sorry, it is my mistake, I heard the time wrong.) |
| थोड़ा लेट हो गया | thodaa let ho gayaa | I became a bit late / I am a little late | सॉरी, ट्रैफ़िक की वजह से थोड़ा लेट हो गया।(Sorry, because of traffic I got a little late.) |
Language Pattern (in English)
1. Softening problems with "थोड़ा" (thodaa)
In Hindi, using थोड़ा (thodaa – a little) makes your complaint sound softer and more polite.
- "दिक्कत है" (dikkat hai – there is a problem) can sound direct.
- "थोड़ी दिक्कत है" (thodi dikkat hai – there is a small problem) sounds gentler and more natural.
Examples:
- "थोड़ी दिक्कत है।"
thodi dikkat hai – There is a small problem.
- "थोड़ा लेट हो गया।"
thodaa let ho gayaa – I am a bit late.
You can use थोड़ा / थोड़ी before many words:
- थोड़ा धीमे – a little slowly
"थोड़ा धीरे बोलिए।"
thodaa dheere boliye – Please speak a little slowly.
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2. Polite requests with "कृपया" and "बोलिए"
To ask someone politely to do something, you can use the polite imperative form, often ending in -इए (-iye).
- बोलिए (boliye) = please speak / please say
- बैठिए (baithiye) = please sit
Adding कृपया (kripyaa – please) makes it even more formal and polite.
From the vocabulary:
- "कृपया दुबारा बोलिए।"
kripyaa dubaaraa boliye – Please say it again.
- "थोड़ा धीरे बोलिए।"
thodaa dheere boliye – Please speak a little slowly.
Structure pattern:
- [polite request] + बोलिए
Example: "अंग्रेज़ी में बोलिए।" – Please speak in English.
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3. Talking about problems with "काम नहीं कर रहा है" and "समझ नहीं आया"
To say something is not working, use:
- [thing] + काम नहीं कर रहा है
[thing] kaam nahin kar rahaa hai
Examples:
- "वाई‑फ़ाई काम नहीं कर रहा है।"
vai-faai kaam nahin kar rahaa hai – The Wi‑Fi is not working.
- "एसी काम नहीं कर रहा है।"
AC kaam nahin kar rahaa hai – The AC is not working.
To say I did not understand, use:
- "मुझे समझ नहीं आया।"
mujhe samajh nahin aayaa – I did not understand.
You can add what you did not understand:
- "मुझे टाइम समझ नहीं आया।"
mujhe time samajh nahin aayaa – I did not understand the time.
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4. Everyday code‑switching: English + Hindi
In real conversations, speakers often mix English words with Hindi grammar. Notice these examples:
- "वाई‑फ़ाई काम नहीं कर रहा है।"
Wi‑Fi is English, but काम नहीं कर रहा है is Hindi.
- "थोड़ा लेट हो गया।"
लेट (late) is from English, but थोड़ा and हो गया are Hindi.
- "सॉरी, मेरी ग़लती है।"
सॉरी (sorry) is from English, rest is Hindi.
This kind of mixing is natural and polite in many everyday situations, especially in cities.
Practice Dialogue (in English)
You are checking into a small hotel. The Wi‑Fi is not working and you do not understand something the receptionist says. You ask for help and make a small, polite complaint using Hindi and some English loanwords.
At a hotel reception, asking for help and mentioning a small problem politely.
माफ़ कीजिए, मुझे मदद चाहिए।
Excuse me, I need help.
जी बताइए, क्या दिक्कत है?
Yes, tell me, what is the problem?
कमरे में वाई‑फ़ाई काम नहीं कर रहा है।
The Wi‑Fi is not working in the room.
ओह, सॉरी। मैं अभी चेक करता हूँ।
Oh, sorry. I will check right now.
आपका रूम नंबर दुबारा बोलिए, प्लीज़।
Please say your room number again, please.
माफ़ कीजिए, मुझे समझ नहीं आया, थोड़ा धीरे बोलिए।
Sorry, I did not understand, please speak a little slowly.
ठीक है, कृपया दुबारा बोलिए: आपका रूम नंबर क्या है?
Okay, please say it again: what is your room number?
तीन सौ पाँच। और सॉरी, मैं थोड़ा लेट हो गया चेक‑इन के लिए।
Three hundred five. And sorry, I got a little late for check‑in.
Check Your Understanding (in English)
Choose the best Hindi sentence to politely say: "There is a small problem, the Wi‑Fi is not working."
Which option is the most natural and polite way to say: "There is a small problem, the Wi‑Fi is not working."?
- थोड़ी दिक्कत है, वाई‑फ़ाई काम नहीं कर रहा है।
- दिक्कत है, वाई‑फ़ाई खराब।
- वाई‑फ़ाई नहीं, दिक्कत बहुत बड़ा है।
- मुझे समझ नहीं आया, सॉरी वाई‑फ़ाई।
Show Answer
Answer: A) थोड़ी दिक्कत है, वाई‑फ़ाई काम नहीं कर रहा है।
Option 1 uses "थोड़ी दिक्कत है" (there is a small problem) to sound polite and soft, and "वाई‑फ़ाई काम नहीं कर रहा है" (the Wi‑Fi is not working), which matches natural Hindi with an English loanword. The other options are either ungrammatical or do not clearly express the idea.
Key Terms
- मुझे मदद चाहिए
- I need help – direct but polite way to ask for assistance.
- थोड़ी दिक्कत है
- There is a small problem / issue – softens a complaint.
- थोड़ा लेट हो गया
- I got a bit late / I am a little late – gentle way to mention being late.
- थोड़ा धीरे बोलिए
- Please speak a little slowly – soft, polite way to ask someone to slow down.
- मुझे समझ नहीं आया
- I did not understand – use when you did not catch what someone said.
- सॉरी, मेरी ग़लती है
- Sorry, it is my mistake – polite apology with English loanword 'sorry'.
- कृपया दुबारा बोलिए
- Please say it again / repeat – very polite request.
- ये काम नहीं कर रहा है
- This is not working – for devices or services that are not functioning.