To talk to your grandparents in Hindi, start with three habits: call them by their title with -ji (dadi-ji, nani-ji), use aap, the respectful "you," and learn a dozen short phrases for the things grandparents ask about most: your health, your food and when you are coming to see them. You do not need full fluency and you do not need the script. A two-minute call where you say ten words of Hindi likely means more to them than an hour of polite English.
This guide is for two kinds of reader. If you grew up hearing Hindi and your grandparents are the people you most want to talk to, everything here will feel half-familiar, which is the point. If you are the partner of someone from a Hindi-speaking family and their dadi or nani is coming to stay, this is the short version of what to say. Either way, it is the most rewarding Hindi you will ever learn, because grandparents are the audience that forgives everything and remembers every word.
What to call them
Hindi has a separate word for each grandparent, depending on which side of the family they are on:
| Word | Who it is |
|---|---|
| dadi | grandmother, your father's mother |
| dada | grandfather, your father's father |
| nani | grandmother, your mother's mother |
| nana | grandfather, your mother's father |
Add -ji for respect: dadi-ji, nana-ji. Some families drop it and some never would, so listen to what your parents or cousins say and copy them. Families also vary a lot here. Some use pet versions of these words, and some use a word from another language they speak at home, such as Punjabi. Whatever the house uses is the right word. If you are a partner marrying in, your spouse's grandmother is your dadi saas or nani saas when you describe her to someone else, but to her face you call her exactly what your partner calls her. The whole family map, including the in-law versions, is in Hindi words for family members.
Use aap, and let them tell you otherwise
Hindi has three words for "you": aap (respectful), tum (warm and familiar) and tu (very close, or rude, depending on who hears it). With grandparents, aap is the safe default. Some families are more relaxed, and you will hear grandchildren say tum to a grandmother with total affection. If that is how your cousins talk to nani, you can follow them. If you are not sure, aap is never wrong.
Aap changes the shape of a few words around it, and this is the one grammar point worth learning before the first call. When you ask how someone is, the ending follows the person you are asking:
- Aap kaise hain?: how are you? (to dada or nana)
- Aap kaisi hain?: how are you? (to dadi or nani)
That kaise or kaisi switch is the same pattern you meet everywhere in Hindi. If it is new to you, the beginner word list in Hindi for beginners: the first 50 words shows it working across many sentences.
The first minute of a call
Most calls with grandparents follow the same opening. Learn these and you can carry the first minute in Hindi:
- Namaste dadi-ji: hello, grandma (swap in nani-ji, dada-ji, nana-ji)
- Aap kaise hain? / Aap kaisi hain?: how are you? (to a grandfather / to a grandmother)
- Aapki tabiyat kaisi hai?: how is your health? Tabiyat means how you are feeling, and with older relatives it is often the first real question.
- Main theek hoon: I'm fine. The same for everyone, man or woman.
- Aapne khana khaya?: have you eaten? The question grandparents ask you, turned around.
- Aapne dawai li?: did you take your medicine? A caring question in many families, not a rude one.
- Neend achhi aayi?: did you sleep well?
- Aapki yaad aa rahi thi: I was missing you. Literally "your memory was coming."
Notice what is not on the list: small talk about the weather or long news. Grandparents, in many families, want three things confirmed: you are well, you have eaten, and you still think about them. The phrases above do all three.
What they will ask you, and easy answers
You will understand more of the call if you know the questions coming your way. These are the ones you are likely to hear, with a short reply for each:
| Hindi | What it means | An easy reply |
|---|---|---|
| khana khaya? | have you eaten? | haan, kha liya (yes, I've eaten) |
| kab aaoge? | when will you come? | jaldi aaunga (man) / jaldi aaungi (woman): I'll come soon |
| kaam kaisa chal raha hai? | how is work going? | sab badhiya (all good) |
| padhai kaisi chal rahi hai? | how are your studies going? | achhi chal rahi hai (going well) |
| mummy-papa kaise hain? | how are your mum and dad? | sab theek hain (everyone is fine) |
| shaadi kab karoge? | when are you getting married? (karogi to a woman) | abhi nahi! (not yet!), said with a laugh |
The first question gets its own guide, because it is never only about food: how to answer "khana khaya?" explains what it really means and every answer that works. The last one is a running joke in a lot of families. You can treat it as one.
Three phrases for when you get lost
You will get lost. Older relatives may speak faster, use older words, or switch into a regional Hindi you did not grow up with. These three phrases keep the call going instead of ending it:
- Thoda dheere boliye: please speak a little slower
- Phir se boliye: please say it again
- Mujhe samajh nahi aaya: I didn't understand. The same for everyone, man or woman.
And one to explain yourself: main Hindi seekh raha hoon (man) or main Hindi seekh rahi hoon (woman), "I'm learning Hindi." Said to a grandparent, this sentence often gets you more patience than perfect grammar would.
Ask for stories: the best conversation you can have
Here is the trick that makes calls with grandparents easier, not harder: ask a question that makes them talk for five minutes. You only need to say one sentence. They do the rest, and you get the best listening practice there is, from the person whose voice you most want to understand.
- Aapka bachpan kahan beeta?: where did you grow up? Literally "where was your childhood spent?"
- Aapki shaadi kaise hui thi?: how did your wedding happen?
- Papa bachpan mein kaise the?: what was Dad like as a child? (or Mummy, for your mother)
- Aapke zamaane mein kaisa tha?: what was it like in your day?
- Yeh recipe aapne kisse seekhi?: who did you learn this recipe from?
Then keep the story moving with the smallest words in Hindi:
- Phir kya hua?: then what happened?
- Sach mein?: really?
- Achha: I see, go on. Said with a rising tone, it means "oh really?"
If you grew up hearing Hindi, you will likely follow most of the answer even when you cannot reply in full. That gap between understanding and speaking has a name and a fix, and why you understand Hindi but can't speak it walks through both. Stories are where the gap closes fastest, because you already know how the sentences sound.
Words that come back to you
Grandparents answer love with blessings, and you will hear these often. You do not need to reply in words. A smile, or whatever gesture your family uses, is the answer:
- Jeete raho: may you live long
- Khush raho: stay happy
- Sada sukhi raho: always be happy
In many families, younger people touch an elder's feet when they greet them, and the elder answers with one of these blessings. Customs differ between families and regions, so follow the lead of your parent or partner on the day.
And two compliments that work on almost any grandparent who cooks:
- Aapke haath ka khana sabse achha hai: your cooking is the best. Literally "food from your hands is the best."
- Aapse baat karke achha laga: it was lovely talking to you
More food compliments, for the visit itself, are in how to compliment food in Hindi.
Ending the call
Calls with grandparents often end slowly, with several goodbyes. These carry you through:
- Apna khayal rakhiye: take care of yourself. The respectful form, for elders.
- Aapki bahut yaad aati hai: I miss you a lot
- Main aapse milne aaunga (man) / aaungi (woman): I'll come and see you
- Chalo, phir baat karte hain: okay, let's talk again soon
If you get as far as "chalo" and then switch to English for the rest, that is fine. Most Hindi-speaking families mix the two languages all the time. It has a name, Hinglish, and a grandparent who hears you mix in Hindi is hearing you try.
A weekly plan that fits around a job
You do not need a course to do this. You need ten minutes before each call:
- Pick three phrases from this page for the next call. Only three.
- Say each one out loud ten times, at full speed, with your own gender ending. Saying it in your head does not count; your mouth needs the practice, not your memory.
- Use all three on the call, even if the rest is in English.
- After the call, write down one thing they said that you did not understand, and ask a parent or your partner what it meant.
After a month, that is twelve phrases you can say without thinking and four new things you understood. If you want the bigger picture of how to learn Hindi as an adult, the full guide is how to learn Hindi, and a 20-minute daily routine is the version for people who want to go faster.
Where Hinglish Vinglish fits
The hard part of the plan above is step two: saying the phrase out loud, correctly, with nobody there to tell you whether it sounded right. That is the job I built Hinglish Vinglish for. Every word is shown in English letters, with no script to decode. You say each phrase out loud, and Ellie, the app's elephant coach, uses AI pronunciation feedback to tell you which sound to fix before you try it on a grandparent. The chapters cover the rooms where family Hindi happens: dinner time, chai time, in-laws, family and relationships, festivals. It is free for seven days, then a one-time unlock with no subscription, on iOS and Android. Learn to speak Hindi without the script explains exactly what it does and what it does not.
It will not replace the call. Nothing does. A grandparent who agrees to speak only Hindi with you for five minutes a week is the best teacher you will find. The app is for the practice before the call, so the call itself goes better.
FAQ
How do I talk to my grandparents in Hindi if I barely speak it?
Start with their title plus -ji, a greeting and one question: "Namaste nani-ji, aap kaisi hain?" ("Hello grandma, how are you?"). Add one new phrase per call. Ask questions that make them tell stories, such as "aapka bachpan kahan beeta?" ("where did you grow up?"), so they do most of the talking and you do most of the listening.
Should I use aap or tum with my grandparents?
Aap is the safe default, because it is the respectful form. Some families are more relaxed and grandchildren use tum with a grandparent as a sign of closeness. Copy what your parents and cousins do; if you are unsure, aap is never wrong.
What is the difference between dadi and nani?
Both mean grandmother. Dadi is your father's mother and nani is your mother's mother. In the same way, dada is your father's father and nana is your mother's father.
How do you say "I miss you" to your grandmother in Hindi?
"Aapki bahut yaad aati hai" means "I miss you a lot." For "I was missing you" at the start of a call, say "aapki yaad aa rahi thi." Both stay the same whether a man or a woman says them.
How do you say "take care" in Hindi to an elder?
"Apna khayal rakhiye." The -iye ending is the respectful form for elders. With a friend you would say "apna khayal rakhna."
Want the phrases to come out right on the next call? Hinglish Vinglish is voice-first: say it out loud, get scored, fix the exact sound that's off. Free to start, one-time unlock, no subscription. Download on iOS, get it on Android, or start with Hindi greetings beyond namaste.
— Akhil Madan, founder of Keeda Studios. Grandparents forgive every mistake and remember every word you get right, which makes them the best people to practise on.