Time to put it all together! In this final lesson of Unit 4, you'll learn to narrate a full day's activities using sequencing words — पहले [pahle] (first), बाद में [bād mẽ] (after), and फिर [phir] (then). You'll also master the two ways to say 'let's go' in Hindi. By the end, you'll be able to describe an entire day exploring Delhi from morning to evening!
Learning tips
- The three magic sequencing words: पहले [pahle] (first), फिर [phir] (then), बाद में [bād mẽ] (after/later). Use them to narrate any sequence of events.
- चलो [calo] (let's go — to friends) vs. चलिए [calie] (let's go — polite/formal). In Delhi, you'll hear 'चलो!' constantly — it's the city's unofficial motto!
- थक गया/गई [thak gayā/gaī] (got tired) uses a compound verb: थकना [thaknā] (to tire) + जाना [jānā] (to go). This 'verb + जाना' pattern means the action is complete.
- Time of day words are essential: सुबह [subah] (morning), दोपहर [dopahar] (afternoon), शाम [śām] (evening). Use them with को [ko]: शाम को [śām ko] (in the evening).
Warm-up & Active Recall
| Word | Romanization | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| क़िला [qilā] | fort | |
| मक़बरा [maqbarā] | tomb | |
| बाग़ [bāġ] | garden | |
| पुराना [purānā] | old | |
| नया [nayā] | new | |
| सुंदर [sundar] | beautiful | |
| मशहूर [maśhūr] | famous | |
| देखना [dekhnā] | to see | |
| फ़ोटो [foṭo] | photo | |
| इतिहास [itihās] | history |
Dialog
Sita and Ravi spend a full day exploring Old and New Delhi — from Chandni Chowk in the morning to India Gate in the evening. Notice the sequencing: पहले [pahle] (first) → फिर [phir] (then) → बाद में [bād mẽ] (after). Also notice the two suggestion forms: चलो [calo] (informal, for friends) and चलिए [calie] (polite, for respect). The time-of-day words सुबह [subah], दोपहर [dopahar], and शाम [śām] frame the narrative.
Vocabulary
Active words
| Word | Romanization | IPA | Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| पहले | pahle | /pəh.le/ | first, before, earlier | Used for sequencing — 'पहले यह करो, फिर वह करो' [pahle yah karo, phir vah karo] |
| बाद | bād | /baːd̪/ | after, later | Usually used as 'बाद में' [bād mẽ] (afterwards) — 'बाद' alone means 'after' |
| फिर | phir | /pʰɪr/ | then, again | Incredibly common — means both 'then' (sequence) and 'again' (repetition) |
| चलो | calo | /t͡ʃə.lo/ | let's go (informal) | Used with friends — the most common word in Delhi! 'चलो, चाय पीते हैं' [calo, cāy pīte haĩ] |
| चलिए | calie | /t͡ʃə.li.e/ | let's go (polite) | Formal/respectful version of चलो [calo] — use with elders and strangers |
| थक | thak | /t̪ʰək/ | tired (verb stem) | Used as compound verb: थक जाना [thak jānā] = to get tired. थक गया [thak gayā] (m.), थक गई [thak gaī] (f.) |
| मज़ा | mazā | /mə.zaː/ | fun, enjoyment | Very common! मज़ा आया [mazā āyā] = (I) had fun (literally 'fun came') |
| सुबह | subah | /sʊ.bəh/ | morning | Used with को [ko] for 'in the morning': सुबह को [subah ko] or just सुबह [subah] |
| दोपहर | dopahar | /d̪o.pə.hər/ | afternoon, noon | दो [do] (two) + पहर [pahar] (watch/period) = the second period of the day |
| शाम | śām | /ʃaːm/ | evening | Used with को [ko]: शाम को [śām ko] = in the evening |
Passive words
| Word | Romanization | IPA | Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| भीड़ | bhīṛ | /bʰiːɽ/ | crowd, rush | Delhi's markets are known for भीड़ [bhīṛ], especially on weekends |
| गर्मी | garmī | /ɡər.miː/ | heat, summer | Delhi summers are intense — temperatures reach 45°C+ in May-June |
| ठंड | ṭhaṇḍ | /ʈʰəɳɖ/ | cold, winter | Delhi winters (Dec-Jan) can be surprisingly cold, with dense fog |
| ट्रैफ़िक | ṭraifik | /ʈrɛː.fɪk/ | traffic | Borrowed from English — Delhi traffic is legendary. Also use जाम [jām] for traffic jam |
| प्रदूषण | pradūṣaṇ | /prə.d̪uː.ʂəɳ/ | pollution | A major issue in Delhi, especially in winter — often in the news |
| शोर | śor | /ʃoːr/ | noise | Delhi is a loud city! शोर मत करो [śor mat karo] = don't make noise |
Useful chunks
| Word | Romanization | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| पहले ... बाद में | pahle ... bād mẽ | first...later / before...after |
| मज़ा आया | mazā āyā | had fun, enjoyed |
| थक गया/गई | thak gayā/gaī | got tired (m./f.) |
Grammar: Sequencing with पहले [pahle] / बाद में [bād mẽ] / फिर [phir]; suggestion forms चलो [calo] / चलिए [calie]
| Sequencing Word | Hindi | IAST | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| First | पहले | pahle | पहले नाश्ता करें [pahle nāśtā karẽ] |
| After / Later | बाद में | bād mẽ | बाद में क़िला देखेंगे [bād mẽ qilā dekhẽge] |
| Then | फिर | phir | फिर इंडिया गेट चलें [phir iṇḍiyā geṭ calẽ] |
| From...to | से...तक | se...tak | सुबह से शाम तक [subah se śām tak] |
| Suggestion Form | Hindi | IAST | Formality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Let's go (informal) | चलो | calo | Friends, peers |
| Let's go (polite) | चलिए | calie | Formal, respectful |
| Shall we go? | चलें? | calẽ? | Soft suggestion |
Two patterns to master in this lesson:
1. Sequencing:
Use these words to narrate events in order:
- पहले [pahle] = first / before
- फिर [phir] = then / next
- बाद में [bād mẽ] = after that / later
- से...तक [se...tak] = from...to (for time spans too!)
Example: पहले नाश्ता करो, फिर बाज़ार चलो, बाद में क़िला देखेंगे।
[pahle nāśtā karo, phir bāzār calo, bād mẽ qilā dekhẽge.]
(First have breakfast, then go to the market, later we'll see the fort.)
2. Suggestion forms:
- चलो [calo] = let's go (informal — friends, peers)
- चलिए [calie] = let's go (polite — elders, strangers)
- चलें? [calẽ?] = shall we go? (soft suggestion)
In Delhi, चलो [calo] is used for everything: चलो खाते हैं [calo khāte haĩ] (let's eat), चलो चलते हैं [calo calte haĩ] (let's get going). It's the most versatile word in Delhi Hindi!
Exercises
Fill in the Blanks
Complete each sentence with the missing sequencing or time-of-day word.
- नाश्ता करते हैं, में क़िला देखेंगे।(first / after, later)
- से तक — बहुत आया!(morning / evening / fun)
- बहुत गया — कहीं बैठें?(tired)
- , इंडिया गेट चलते हैं!(let's go — informal)
- को चाय पीजिए, को घूमिए।(afternoon / evening)
Grammar Application
Choose the correct suggestion form or sequencing word.
- 'Let's go' (to a friend) → (informal 'let's go')
- 'Let's go' (polite) → (polite 'let's go')
- 'First breakfast, then sightseeing' → नाश्ता, घूमना(first / then)
- 'I got tired (masculine)' → मैं थक (compound verb: got tired, masculine)
- 'From morning to evening' → से तक(morning / evening)
Translation (English → Hindi)
Translate each sentence about daily activities into Hindi.
- First let's go to Chandni Chowk, then the Red Fort.
- We had so much fun — but we're tired!
- We wandered from morning to evening.
- Let's have tea in the afternoon. (polite)
- Later we'll see India Gate.
Creative Construction
Narrate a full day in Delhi using sequencing words and time-of-day vocabulary.
Writing: Reading menus and maps — daily life in Delhi
Practice words
| Word | Romanization |
|---|---|
| नाश्ता | nāśtā |
| खाना | khānā |
| चाय | cāy |
| पानी | pānī |
You'll encounter Devanagari on restaurant menus, street food stalls, and city maps across Delhi. Practice reading these everyday words: नाश्ता [nāśtā] (breakfast), खाना [khānā] (food), चाय [cāy] (tea), पानी [pānī] (water). Being able to read a Hindi menu opens up a world of delicious food that might not have English translations!
Takeaway
Use पहले [pahle] (first), फिर [phir] (then), and बाद में [bād mẽ] (later) to narrate your day. For suggestions, use चलो [calo] with friends and चलिए [calie] with elders. And remember: in Delhi, every outing starts with 'चलो!' [calo!]