In most languages there are plenty of words and usages that are never used quite in their literal sense. Here is a list of 5 common Hindi words that tend to have more than one meaning depending on the context.
Accha
Accha
This is probably the most commonly used word in the whole of Hindi language. It literally means ‘good’. It is also used in numerous other contexts, which give it different meanings. For example, at times it also means ‘Really?’, ‘I get it’, ‘want to bet?’ and numerous other meanings.
Chalega
Chalega
This commonly misunderstood Hindi word literally means ‘will move’. People commonly use it as a statement to indicate whether something is in working condition or not. It is also used to mean ‘this will be enough’ or ‘will this be enough?’ at times.
Ho Gaya
Ho Gaya
It is a compound word which literally translates to ‘became’. It is often used to specify that a particular work has been done.
Ho Jayega
Ho Jayega
Another compound word which means ‘will become’. Its usage is almost the same as ‘Çhalega’. People use it when they mean ‘this will work’, or ‘this will be enough’. Also, at times it is used to indicate if a particular work will be done on time.
Wala
Wala!
This word is probably most familiar Hindi word to non-Hindi speakers. It can be used in multiple contexts. It can be used to indicate someone’s profession, like taxi-wala, or to indicate the city a person belongs to, like Mumbai-wala. It can also be used to specify a certain quality that a person possesses, like chota-wala meaning small one. The word can be loosely translated to ‘the one who does/belongs to’.
Author: Aayushi Jain
