33 phrases · You are talking to a friend.

English for everyday conversation

Everyday conversation is the situation people most want and least practise, because there is no exam for it. It is made of small moves: starting a conversation, showing you are listening, changing the subject, agreeing, telling a short story, and ending politely. Own these and English stops being something you perform and becomes something you use.

What to say

Each one is the pattern, then the exact sentence to say here, then what it means in Hindi.

Saying what you want

I want to {VERB}
A1
“I want to go home early today.”
Say what you would like to do.
मैं ___ करना चाहता/चाहती हूँ।
say it as: I want to / learn English · anywhere
I feel like {-ING}
A2
“I feel like staying in today.”
Say what you are in the mood for.
मेरा ___ करने का मन है।
say it as: I feel like / going out tonight · with friends
I'd rather {VERB}
B1
“I'd rather walk — it is only ten minutes.”
Say which of two things you prefer.
मैं ___ करना ज़्यादा पसंद करूँगा/करूँगी।
say it as: I'd rather / stay home tonight · anywhere

Saying what you have to do

I need to {VERB}
A1
“I need to leave in ten minutes.”
Say what is necessary for you.
मुझे ___ करना ज़रूरी है।
say it as: I need to / finish this · anywhere
I must {VERB}
A2
“I must remember to pay the bill.”
Say something is necessary — strongly, and from you.
मुझे ___ करना ही होगा।
say it as: I must / finish this today · anywhere

Likes and dislikes

I like {-ING}
A1
“I like walking home when the weather is good.”
Say what you enjoy doing.
मुझे ___ करना पसंद है।
say it as: I like / reading in the morning · anywhere
I don't like {-ING}
A1
“I don't like eating late.”
Say what you do not enjoy — without being rude about it.
मुझे ___ करना पसंद नहीं है।
say it as: I don't like / waiting · anywhere
I prefer {NOUN}
B1
“I prefer tea in the morning and coffee later.”
Say what you generally like better.
मुझे ___ ज़्यादा पसंद है।
say it as: I prefer / working in a small team · anywhere

Asking for something

Can you {VERB}?
A1
“Can you pick up some milk on the way?”
Ask somebody to do something.
क्या आप ___ कर सकते हैं?
say it as: Can you / send me the file · with friends
Do you mind if I {VERB}?
A2
“Do you mind if I open the window?”
Check that something you want to do is alright with them.
क्या मैं ___ करूँ तो आपको ऐतराज़ है?
say it as: Do you mind / if I join you · polite — strangers, seniors, customers

Offering to help

Let me {VERB}
A1
“Let me get the door for you.”
Offer to do something, without making it a question.
मुझे ___ करने दीजिए।
say it as: Let me / help you with that · anywhere
Shall I {VERB}?
A2
“Shall I make some tea?”
Offer to do something, and let them decide.
क्या मैं ___ कर दूँ?
say it as: Shall I / call you later · polite — strangers, seniors, customers
Do you want me to {VERB}?
A2
“Do you want me to pick you up on the way?”
Ask whether they would like you to do something.
क्या आप चाहते हैं कि मैं ___ करूँ?
say it as: Do you want me to / wait · with friends

What you usually do

I usually {VERB}
A1
“I usually go for a walk after dinner.”
Say what you normally do.
मैं आम तौर पर ___ करता/करती हूँ।
say it as: I usually / wake up at six · anywhere
I hardly ever {VERB}
A2
“I hardly ever go out on weekdays.”
Say you almost never do something.
मैं शायद ही कभी ___ करता/करती हूँ।
say it as: I hardly ever / eat out · anywhere
Every time I {VERB}, {CLAUSE}
A2
“Every time I go there, it is crowded.”
Point at something that happens without fail.
जब भी मैं ___ करता/करती हूँ, ___।
say it as: Every time I call, / the line is busy · anywhere

Suggesting an idea

How about {-ING}?
A2
“How about going out for dinner tonight?”
Float an idea casually.
___ करने के बारे में क्या ख़याल है?
say it as: How about / meeting at six · with friends
Why don't we {VERB}?
A2
“Why don't we leave a bit earlier?”
Suggest something for both of you to do.
क्यों न हम ___ करें?
say it as: Why don't we / start with the numbers · anywhere
I'd better {VERB}
A2
“I'd better call and tell them I am running late.”
Say what is the sensible thing to do now — nobody is forcing you.
मुझे ___ कर लेना चाहिए (वरना दिक़्क़त होगी).
say it as: I'd better / go now · anywhere

Apologising

That was my mistake
A2
“That was my mistake, sorry.”
Take responsibility plainly, without a long explanation.
वह मेरी ग़लती थी।
say it as: That was / my mistake · anywhere

Talking about the past

When I was {NOUN}, {CLAUSE}
A2
“When I was a child, we lived in Bhopal.”
Anchor a story in a period of your life.
जब मैं ___ था/थी, तब ___।
say it as: When I was in college, / I worked part-time · anywhere
I used to {VERB}
A2
“I used to walk to college every day.”
Say what was true before but is not any more.
पहले मैं ___ करता/करती था/थी।
say it as: I used to / work in a call centre · anywhere
I've been {-ING}
B1
“I've been feeling tired lately.”
Say what has been going on up to now, and still is.
मैं ___ करता/करती आ रहा/रही हूँ।
say it as: I've been / working here for two years · anywhere

Starting and ending

How have you been
A2
“How have you been? It has been a while.”
Greet somebody you have not seen for a while.
आप कैसे रहे?
say it as: How have you / been · anywhere

When it goes wrong mid-sentence

What's the word for {NOUN}?
A2
“What's the word for the thing you keep ice in? A cooler?”
Ask for the word you cannot remember, instead of stopping the sentence.
___ को अंग्रेज़ी में क्या कहते हैं?
say it as: What's the word for / the person who fixes pipes · with friends

Agreeing

I was thinking the same
A2
“I was thinking the same on the way here.”
Agree and show you had got there yourself.
मैं भी यही सोच रहा/रही था/थी।
say it as: I was thinking / the same · with friends
You're right about {NOUN}
B1
“You're right about the traffic at this hour.”
Concede a specific point — which makes the rest of your view credible.
___ के बारे में आप सही हैं।
say it as: You're right about / the timing · anywhere

Describing things and people

The thing about {NOUN} is {CLAUSE}
B1
“The thing about this area is the noise at night.”
Single out the one thing that really matters about something.
___ के बारे में ख़ास बात यह है कि ___।
say it as: The thing about this job / is the travel · with friends
One of the things I like about {NOUN} is {CLAUSE}
B1
“One of the things I like about this area is how quiet it gets after nine.”
Pick out one specific good thing, instead of saying "it is nice".
___ में मुझे जो एक बात अच्छी लगती है, वह है ___।
say it as: One of the things I like about / this job / is that no two days are the same · anywhere

Talking about what will happen

I doubt {CLAUSE}
B1
“I doubt it will rain today.”
Say you think something will not happen.
मुझे नहीं लगता कि ___ होगा।
say it as: I doubt / they will agree · anywhere

Giving your opinion

The way I see it, {CLAUSE}
B1
“The way I see it, it is worth the extra half hour.”
Introduce your reading of a situation, conversationally.
जैसा मैं देखता/देखती हूँ, ___।
say it as: The way I see it, / we have two real options · with friends

Telling what happened

At that point, {CLAUSE}
B1
“At that point, the train had already left.”
Mark the moment in a story where things changed.
उसी वक़्त, ___।
say it as: At that point, / I decided to call the client · anywhere

Buying yourself a second

How should I put this
B2
“How should I put this. I am not going to be able to come.”
Buy yourself a second before saying something difficult.
इसे कैसे कहूँ…
say it as: How should I / put this · anywhere

Mistakes to avoid

Understood, but immediately marked as non-native. These are the ones worth un-learning before the day itself.

Commonly said	Correct English
I want that you come with me.	I want you to come with me. After "want", the other person takes "to + verb". English does not use "that" here.
I am wanting to go.	I want to go. "Want" describes a state, not an action in progress, so it does not take -ing.
I like to reading.	I like reading. Choose one: "like reading" or "like to read". Not both together.
Can you to help me?	Can you help me? After "can", the verb never takes "to".
I am usually waking up at six.	I usually wake up at six. A habit takes the plain present, not -ing.
I am not liking this.	I don't like this. "Like" describes how you feel, so it does not normally take -ing.

The same phrases, indexed by what you are trying to say rather than by where you are.

Reading it is not the same as saying it.

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What to say

Mistakes to avoid

Related phrase groups

Reading it is not the same as saying it.