Bombay Hindi


Bombay Hindi, also known as Bambaiya Hindi/Mumbaiyya Hindi, is a Hindustani-based pidgin spoken in Mumbai, India. Its vocabulary is largely from Hindustani. In addition, the predominant substratum influence on Bombay is Marathi, reflecting Mumbai's location in a wider Marathi-speaking area, Maharashtra. Bombay Hindi also has elements of Konkani.

General

While many such local dialects have evolved in cosmopolitan cities around the world, Bombay Hindi is widely known throughout India as a result of its frequent use in Bollywood movies. Initially, this dialect was used to represent crooks and uncouth characters as, to quote film critic Shoma A. Chatterji, "Indian films have the unique quality of different characters speaking different varieties of Hindi according to their social status, their caste, communal identity, education, profession, financial status, etc. The villain's goons, speak in a special vulgarised, Bambaiya Hindi concocted specifically to typify such screen characters in Hindi cinema.". Lately, however, Bambaiya Hindi has become popular and prominent, particular with the success of the Munnabhai movies, in which the lead characters - being members of the Mumbai criminal underworld - speak entirely in this dialect.
Despite this increase in popularity, this dialect has its critics, and is sometimes seen as being disrespectful and demeaning.
Among the more prominent neologisms which originated in Bambaiya Hindi but have spread throughout India are the words and Gandhigiri.
Bollywood has also incorporated many Marathi words in Hindi like Thaska, Wakda, Porgi, Navri, Navrai, Kombdi, Mulga/Mulgi. Many Hindi songs have some Marathi words added.

Words and expressions of Mumbai Hindi

Mumbai HindiTransliterationEnglishStandard HindiNotes
अपुनapunIमैं Based on the Marathi word आपण meaning an inclusive "we" or "us". The word is actually आपण
तेरेकोterekoyou तुझे तुला
मेरेकोmerekome मुझे मला
धो डालनाdho ḍālnāto beat upपीट देना Often used in the context of a physical fight/competition between two people or teams. Lit. to wash up, as in the loser of the fight.
येडे/येडा/येडीyeḍe/ā/īidiotपागल Based on Marathi word येड्या meaning Idiot.
इधरिचidharicright hereयहीं पर or इधर ही ईथे इथेच
उधरीचudharīcright thereउधर ही or वहीं पर तिथे तिथेच
कोपचाkopcācornerकोना From Marathi work कोपरा meaning corner.
कायको, कायकूkāyko, kāykūwhyक्यों
लोचा or लोचा लबाचाlocā or locā labācāproblemसमस्या From the Marathi/Hindi word लोचा meaning "problem".
मचमच, बड़बड़machmach, badbadSomeone who annoys you by talking their problems, crib-crib, ramblingखिटपिट From Marathi/Gujarati word मचमच / बडबड macmac/baḑbaḍ
झकास, फट्टे, धासू, कड़क, ढिंचक, रापचिक, फट्टांगjhakās, faṭṭe, dhāsū, kaṛak, ḍhincak, rāpcik, faṭṭāng, sallang, rawasExcellentबढ़िया
मांडवलीmānḍavlīcompromise or understandingसमझौता Used primarily to agree on territory demarcation.
टोपी, झोलरṭopī, jholarFraudधोखा Slang usage, टोपी literally means cap.
नल्लाnallāTransgenderप्रतिलिपि, छक्का
शाणाśāṇāSmart fellow or wiseassहोशियार, सयाना From the Marathi word शहाणा wise.
साला, सालीsālā, sālīAs Dude, wives brother/ sisterकमीना, कमीनी Mild swear word.
शाणापंती, शानपट्टीśāṇāpantī, śānpaṭṭīActing smartहोशियारी, सयानापन Based on Marathi word शहाणपण meaning Acting smart.
चिड़ियाciṛiyāpagerपेजर literally means Sparrow
कौवाkauvāmobile phoneमोबाइल or दूरभाष literally means crow
घोड़ाghoṛāGunबंदूक literally means horse
सटक ले, कट लेsaṭak le, kaṭ leget out, beat itखिसक ले or निकल ले
घंटा, बाबा जी का ठुल्लूghaṇṭā, baba ji ka thullunothingकुछ नहींliterally means bell
टपोरीṭaporīDude, guy, hoodlumआवारा, लफ़ंगाSee dedicated page Tapori
मामूmāmūSir / Gullible Person साहब, सरजी / भोला Local slang, literally means Maternal Uncle
सुल्टानाsulṭānāTo resolve an issueसुलझाना
फट्टूphaṭṭūcowardडरपोक, कायर From Marathi slang फटरू with the same meaning
मामा / पांडुmāmā, pāṇḍuCopपुलिसवाला Local slang, literally means maternal uncle; originating from the Marathi film Pandu Hawaldar
लफड़ाlaphṛāFight, problem, Love-Affairलड़ाई, प्रेम-संबन्ध From Hindi word lafda
छावी, माल, आइटम, लैलाchāvī, māl, lailaGirlfriendसहेली
चिकना, चिकनीciknā, ciknīFair complexioned person, well dressed person, gay person, homosexualगोरा, गोरी Local slang, literally means smooth or slick/oily
ठासना or tharraṭhāsnāAlcoholशराब or मदिरा
हड़कनाhaṛaknāTo eatखाना
बाबल्याbābalyābus driver/conductor or ticket collectorMarathi for baby
सुट्टाsuṭṭācigaretteसिगरेट This slang term has achieved near-universal usage in India and Pakistan
वाट लगनाvāṭ lagnāto have a major problemमुसीबत में आना From Marathi word वाट लागणे
वट ले, फूट, वंटास की गोली लेvaṭ lē, phūṭ, vaṇṭās kī gōlī lēGet out, Run from The problem, save your soulभागना, भगाना
डब्बाḍabbāPolice vehicleपुलिस गाड़ी literally means box
सामानsāmānweaponहथियार literally means luggage or the stuff
कच्चा लिम्बूkaccā limbūrookie/ Noobनौसिखिया Usually used during gully cricket for a noob or to downright embarrass someone. To play "kaccā limbū" means to play with modified rules to make it easier for a noob.
लफड़ा नहीं करने काlaphṛā nahī̃ karnē kāDo not fightलड़ना मत or लड़ाई नहीं करना लड़ना functions a verb, लफड़ा as a noun
पतली गली से सटक लेpatlī galī se saṭak lego away from here quietlyकोई रास्ता देख के भाग ले It is used when you want to warn a person by telling him to go away from the scene
हवा आने देhavā āne deGo away, let me breathe some airIt is used when you want to warn a person by telling him to go away from the scene
अबे सालेabey sālehello friend, listenCasual way of calling when other friend is not ready for something.
थकेलाthakelāa weak personकमज़ोर used for a person who is not energetic or seems dull most of the time
हरी पत्तीharī pattīmoneyपैसा हरी पत्ती means green note, directly referring to the 500 rupee note, which is green in colour
चूरनcūranLieझूठ चूरन is a slang used to describe a lie spoken by a person
टालिया / टकल्याṭāliyā / taklyāBaldगंजा टालिया is a slang used to describe a bald person especially at the crown part of the head, although can be used for any conspicuous bald person
पेटीpeṭīOne Lakh Rupeesएक लाख रुपये One hundred thousand rupees
खोकाkhokāOne Crore Rupeesएक करोड़ रुपये Ten million rupees
तिजोरीtijorī50 Crore or equivalent to 500 million INR.पचास करोड़ रुपये 500 million rupees
बीड़ुbiḍuFriendदोस्त, यार
बकरीbakrīSmartphone स्मार्टफोन literally means goat/sheep
भैंसbhaĩsLaptop computerलैपटॉप, सुवाह्य संगणक literally means buffalo
हाथीhāthīDesktop computerसंगणक literally means elephant
सुमड़ी मेंsumaṛī mẽIncognito or secretचुपके से Local slang, Means to something without making any noise
बोल बच्चनbol baccanTalkबातचीत Generally means a disparaging address to talkative person, indicating that the content of his talk is previously known and so is uninteresting and perhaps empty talk.
झोलjholScamघपला, घोटाला Generally means scam. Sometimes can be used for arranagement
कीड़ाkīṛāPestकीड़ा A trouble or nuisance maker.
Fund / PantTo steal, scamचोरी Generally refers to a small robbery.
रे, बंटाईre, baṇṭāīHey!हे Attention grabber in conversation with another.
कटिंगkaṭiṅgHalf cup of Teaआधी ग्लास चाय तंबी, एक कटिंग दे: Waiter: I'll take half cup of tea.
डब्बा डालनाḍabbā ḍālanāto use the bathroom for poopingटॉयलेट हो के आता हूँ 'I'm going to the toilet'.
मूत मारना, धार मारनाmūt mārnā, dhār mārnāto go peeमूत्र विसर्जन करना Literally give out urine.
घुंघरू सलमानghuṅgharū salamānaCurly hairedघुंगराले बालवाला घुंघरू refers to a curly haired guy.
ऑफ हो जाना, टपक जानाŏph ho jānā, ṭapaka jānāTo Die/ Diedमर गया E.g.: Mera dost off ho gaya = My friend died.
खर्चा-पानीkharcā-pānīBribe/Pocket Money and To beatरिश्वत and मारना E.g.: कोपचे में दूँ क्या खर्चा-पानी = Do you want me to beat you in a corner.
रापचिकrāpcikLooking Hotसुन्दर E.g.: Aaj bahut Rapchik lag rahi hai tu
चाप्टरchaaptarCunning / ShrewdचालाकE.g. बहुत चैप्टर है वो, उसे कम मत समझो. He is quite cunning. Do not underestimate him.
हटेलाhaṭēlāHighly Stubbornहठी, अड़ियल उससे पंगा मत लो, हटेला है वो. Don't take issues with him, he is quite stubborn and can lose his balance.
पानचाटpāncāṭuseless, unworthyफालतु, बकवासFrom Marathi पाणचट meaning "watered down"
मेरा नया फोन एकदम पानचाट है.
हफ्ताhaphtāprotection money, bribeरिश्वत, घूस, रंगदारीLiterally means a week, denoting protection money to be paid every week. Can also mean one time bribe.
बिंदासbindaasRelaxed, laid-backनिर्भय, निडरबंदा बिंदास है भिड्डू.
भन्कसbhankasuseless talk/activityबेकारअबे भन्कस बंद कर.
पेहली फुर्सत में निकलpehli fursat mein nikalget out at first sightतुरंत जाने को कहना