Why English to Hindi is harder than it looks
You have to pick a level of respect. English “you” becomes tu, tum or aap, and the verb ending follows. Writing tum to an aunt or a client reads as too casual; aap to a close friend puts distance in. Setting the tone before translating is what decides this, not the English words.
Verbs agree with gender, including your own. “I went” is main gaya from a man and main gayi from a woman. An English sentence never says, so this is the first thing to check in the preview when writing about yourself.
Kinship words carry relationships English does not name. Hindi distinguishes a paternal uncle from a maternal one, and uses ji to add respect to a name. A flat English “uncle” or a bare first name loses the warmth that a Hindi reader expects.
English idioms have no Hindi shape. “Touch base,” “catch up,” and “let me know” become literal and confusing. Simplifying the English before translating — “I’ll message you,” “let’s meet,” “tell me” — produces Hindi that reads like something a person would write.
Written by Hardik Vegad, Co-founder, Translatify. Last updated .
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