Bombay Hindi


Bombay Hindi, also known as Bambaiya Hindi or Mumbaiya Hindi, is a variety of Hindustani spoken in Mumbai, in the Konkan region of India. Its vocabulary is largely from standard Hindi–Urdu, but it also draws from a substratum of Marathi-Konkani, which is the official language and is also widely spoken in the Konkan division of Maharashtra. Bombay Hindi also has elements of Gujarati.

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 bindaas and Gandhigiri.
Bollywood has also incorporated many Marathi words in Hindi like weni, 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
अपुनwe/usहम From Marathi आपण meaning an inclusive "we" or "us".
तेरेकोterekoyou तुझे Influenced by Deccani Urdu .
मेरेकोmerekome मुझे Influenced by Deccani Urdu .
धो डालनाdho ḍālnāto beat upपीट देना Used in the context of a physical fight between two people or teams. Lit. to wash up, as in the loser of the fight.
येडे/येडा/येडीyeḍe/ā/īcrazyपागल From Marathi वेडा meaning crazy.
इधरिचidharīcright hereइधर ही इधर ही+च, "च" added from Marathi for extra emphasis
उधरीचudharīcright thereउधर ही उधर ही+च, "च" added from Marathi for extra emphasis
कोपचाkopcācornerकोना From Marathi कोपरा meaning corner.
कायको, कायकूkāyko, kāykūwhyक्यों From Deccani Urdu .
लोचा or लोचा लबाचाlocā or locā labācāproblemसमस्या From the Marathi/Hindi लोचा meaning "problem".
मचमच, बड़बड़machmach, badbadSomeone who annoys you by talking their problems, crib-crib, ramblingखिटपिट From Marathi/Gujarati मचमच/बडबड macmac/baḑbaḍ
झकास, फट्टे, धासू, कड़क, ढिंचक, रापचिक, फट्टांग, एक नम्बरjhakās, faṭṭe, dhāsū, kaṛak, ḍhincak, rāpcik, faṭṭāng, sallang, rawas, ek numberExcellentबढ़िया From Marathi various words meaning Excellent
मांडवलीmānḍavlīParley, negotiateसमझौता
टोपी, झोलरṭopī, jholarFraudधोखा From टोपी पहनाना, meaning to fool or con someone, and झोल+er
नल्लाnallāUselessप्रतिलिपि, छक्का, हिजड़ा
शाणाśāṇāSmart fellow, clever, wiseassहोशियार, सयाना, चालाक From Marathi शहाणा clever.
साला, सालीsālā, sālīBastard हरामज़ादा, हरामज़ादी Literally meaning "brother/sister-in-law," implying that the speaker is in a sexual relationship with the person's sibling. Due to its commonality in everyday speech, it is considered less offensive than other terms. Also sees use outside of Mumbai Hindi.
शाणापंती, शानपट्टीśāṇāpantī, śānpaṭṭīActing smartहोशियारी, सयानापन Based on Marathi 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 (word)
मामा/मामूmāmā/māmūSir /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, लैला, अग्लीchāvī, māl, laila, agliGirlfriendप्रेमिक
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 From Marathi ठासणे, meaning to stuff
हड़कनाhaṛaknāTo eatखाना
बाबल्याbābalyābus driver/conductor or ticket collectorMarathi for baby
सुट्टाsuṭṭācigaretteसिगरेट This slang term has achieved near-universal usage in India and Pakistan
सुट्टा मारना/लगानाsuṭṭā mārnā/lagānāTo smoke a cigaretteसिगरेट पीना Literally means "to hit a cigarette" or "to apply a cigarette"
वाट लगनाvāṭ lagnāto have a major problem, to be screwedमुसीबत 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 From Marathi डबा, meaning a box
सामानsāmānweaponहथियार literally means luggage or the stuff
कच्चा लिम्बूkaccā limbūrookie/ Noobनौसिखिया Literally means "raw lemon." 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 now demonetized 500 rupee note, which was green in colour
चूरनcūranLieझूठ
टालिया / टकल्याṭāliyā / taklyāBaldगंजा From Marathi/Hindi टकला
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
भिडूbhiḍuFriendदोस्त, यार From marathi भिडू, meaning a player in sports
बकरीbakrīSmartphone स्मार्टफोन literally means goat
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 arrangement
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
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
पेशाब 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 भिडू.
भन्कसbhankasuseless talk/activityबेकारFrom Marathi भंकस
पेहली फुर्सत में निकलpehli fursat mein nikalget out at first sightतुरंत जाने को कहना-
कंटालKantalBoredउबाऊfrom Marathi word कंटळा meaning boredom