English plays an inevitable role in the rapid economic development of India. Most of the Indians speak English. This makes it easy for other countrymen to interact with Indians easily. Many Indians speak flawless English. Native speakers of English may encounter some words and phrases that are part of Indian English due to various local languages and dialects.
The influence of the mother tongue affects English in India. Many people translate sentences into English literally which may confuse a native speaker. I have presented some common ‘Indian English’ usages which will help a native speaker while conversing with Indians.
Besides, this page will help Indians to correct their words while interacting with a native speaker of English.
If you want to express your thoughts and contribute to this page, send your mails to clement@mindyourenglish.com
| Indian English |
"Your good name please?" – literal translation of Hindi |
| Correct English |
What is your name, please? |
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| Indian English |
Out of station |
| Correct English |
Out of town |
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| Indian English |
Join duty |
| Correct English |
Report to work |
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| Indian English |
Deadly meaning ‘intense’. ‘The movie was deadly’ |
| Correct English |
Deadly – causing death, extreme, complete,boring |
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| Indian English |
‘hi-fi’ meaning ‘stylish’ |
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| Indian English |
(Over phone) ‘Tell me’ |
| Correct English |
May I help you? |
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| Indian English |
Tight slap |
| Correct English |
Hard slap |
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| Indian English |
Unless and until |
| Correct English |
Britishers don’t use the two words together. |
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| Indian English |
Respected Sir (in letters) |
| Correct English |
Dear Sir |
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| Indian English |
Yours respectfully, Yours obediently |
| Correct English |
Yours sincerely/faithfully/truly |
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| Indian English |
He's here, no? |
| Correct English |
He’s here, isn’t he? |
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| Indian English |
Who you have come for? |
| Correct English |
Who have you come for? |
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| Indian English |
They're late always |
| Correct English |
They’re always late. |
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| Indian English |
My all friends are waiting |
| Correct English |
All my friends are waiting. |
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| Indian English |
would instead of will as in "I would be going to New York this weekend. |
| Correct English |
I will go to New York this weekend. |
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| Indian English |
off the light |
| Correct English |
Switch off the light. |
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| Indian English |
current cut |
| Correct English |
power cut |
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| Indian English |
Speak slowly. They are studying |
| Correct English |
Speak softly. They are studying. |
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| Indian English |
He and all will not come |
| Correct English |
He will not come. |
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| Indian English |
You are gifting me a new cell phone? |
| Correct English |
‘gift’ is a noun and cannot be used as ‘verb’. |
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| Indian English |
I can able to cook |
| Correct English |
I am able to cook |
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| Indian English |
He got hundred out of hundred |
| Correct English |
He got a one hundred per cent |
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| Indian English |
"h" and "z" as "hech" and "ized" respectively |
| Correct English |
‘H’ – ‘eich’ and ‘z’ – zed or zee |
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| Indian English |
"That and all I don't know” |
| Correct English |
‘I don’t know that’. |
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| Indian English |
I like the food in this hotel. |
| Correct English |
I like the food in this restaurant. |
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Untitled Document
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| Indian English |
stepney |
| Correct English |
spare tyre |
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| Indian English |
cent per cent |
| Correct English |
100 per cent |
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| Indian English |
Today morning |
| Correct English |
this morning |
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| Indian English |
Why have you not reverted my letter? (meaning ‘reply’) |
| Correct English |
Why haven’t you replied to my letter? |
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‘Revert’ means return to a former state. to do something again you used to do in the past.
Try not to revert to your old habits.
After her divorce, she reverted to her maiden name.
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| Indian English |
I am attending my cousin's marriage next month. |
| Correct English |
I am attending my cousin’s wedding next month |
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| Indian English |
Dialogues (in movies) |
| Correct English |
screenplay |
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| Indian English |
The TV became repair |
| Correct English |
The TV is repaired and now it is working properly |
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| Indian English |
Where are you staying? |
| Correct English |
Where do you live? |
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| Indian English |
You will get used to the humidity slowly-slowly |
| Correct English |
You will get used to the humidity slowly. |
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| Indian English |
Have you reduced? |
| Correct English |
Have you lost your weight? |
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| Indian English |
"this side" and "that side" |
| Correct English |
"here" and "there |
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| Indian English |
This is my ‘would-be’ |
| Correct English |
fiance or financee |
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| Indian English |
I will be marrying my daughter next month |
| Correct English |
My daughter’s wedding is on 7th next month. |
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| Indian English |
cousin-brother, cousin-sister (to differnciate) |
| Correct English |
cousin |
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| Indian English |
crore |
| Correct English |
1,00,00,000 –10 million |
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| Indian English |
lakh |
| Correct English :1,00,000 |
one hundred thousand |
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| Indian English |
eve teasing |
| Correct English |
catcalling |
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| Indian English |
Dicky/dickey |
| Correct English |
boot of a car |
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| Indian English |
godown |
| Correct English |
Warehouse |
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| Indian English |
to prepone |
| Correct English |
to advance |
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| Indian English |
timepass |
| Correct English |
to kill time or hobby |
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| Indian English |
Updation |
| Correct English |
Update |
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| Indian English |
It is mines. |
| Correct English |
It is mine |
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| Indian English |
‘n’number of projects |
| Correct English |
many projects |
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| Indian English |
I am sorry for it. |
| Correct English |
I am sorry about it. |
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| Indian English |
Board Exams |
| Correct English |
Final Exams for 10th and 12th grade students |
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| Indian English |
brinjal |
| Correct English |
eggplant or aubergine |
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| Indian English |
Lady’s finger |
| Correct English |
Okra |
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| Indian English |
bypolls |
| Correct English |
midterm elections |
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| Indian English |
chappals |
| Correct English |
slippers |
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| Indian English |
cinema –I am going to watch a cinema. |
| Correct English |
movie –I am going to watch a movie. |
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| Indian English |
Cinema - a motion-picture theater |
| Correct English |
Movie - a showing of a motion picture |
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| Indian English |
co-brother |
| Correct English |
wife's sister's husband |
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| Indian English |
convent-educated |
| Correct English |
educated in a school run by nuns |
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Convent - an establishment of nuns |
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| Indian English |
elaichi |
| Correct English |
cardamom |
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| Indian English |
family-planning operation |
| Correct English |
tubectomy or vasectomy |
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| Indian English |
filter coffee |
| Correct English |
brewed coffee |
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| Indian English |
headweight |
| Correct English |
arrogant |
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| Indian English |
kanjoos |
| Correct English |
miser |
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| Indian English |
lathicharge |
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A lathi is basically a 6 to 8 foot long bamboo stick tipped with a metal blunt. It is used by swinging it back and forth like a sword. The metal blunt is an optional part for a lathi. It is the Indian Police's most used crowd control device. This gave birth to the lathi charge, a military-style rush (or charge) that uses lathis to disperse crowds. Lathis were now often used by Indian Police to control riots and also as a secondary weapon. |
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Indian English: love marriage
A love marriage is a union of two parties based upon affection and a mutual attraction between the individuals. The term opposite to arranged marriage and forced marriage especially in India and the countries near it.
In India, love marriages are sometimes called "self-arranged marriages" perhaps to avoid some of the negative opinions that are still held against young people choosing their own partners |
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| Indian English |
nose cut |
| Correct English |
insult |
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| Indian English |
shamiana |
| Correct English |
tent |
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| Indian English |
Peon |
| Correct English |
an office boy, an attendant, or an orderly |
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| Indian English |
Indian English : NRI – Non Resident Indian |
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| Indian English |
speed breaker |
| Correct English |
road hump or colloquially a sleeping policeman |
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| Indian English |
tender coconut |
| Correct English |
Coconut water |
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| Indian English |
trousers meaning ‘half trousers’ |
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Trousers can cover the body from the waist all the way down to the top of the foot, or stop almost anywhere from the upper thigh to the ankle. |
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| Indian English |
use and throw |
| Correct English |
disposable |
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| Indian English |
pin drop silence -so silent you can hear a pin drop. |
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| Indian English |
She was having many sarees. |
| Correct English |
She had many sarees. |
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| Indian English |
What you are doing? |
| Correct English |
What are you doing? |
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| Indian English |
Today night |
| Correct English |
tonight |
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| Indian English |
He becomes better |
| Correct English |
He got better |
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| Indian English |
I have a free time |
| Correct English |
I am free |
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| Indian English |
like green color |
| Correct English |
I like green |
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| Indian English |
I will have cold |
| Correct English |
I will catch cold |
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| Indian English |
He made a world record |
| Correct English |
He set a world record. |
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| Indian English |
I received a letter from my sister two days before |
| Correct English |
I received a letter from my sister two days ago. |
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| Indian English |
I want to take Headbath |
| Correct English |
I want to wash my hair. |
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| Indian English |
There is no weightage for your marks. |
| Correct English |
There is no credit. |
