Expert · Sound natural: phrasal verbs, idioms and Indian-English fixes · topic 43 of 59 · 18 min
Indian-English grammar slips and fixes
Explanation
Most of these slips happen because we translate from Hindi word by word (शब्दशः अनुवाद). Hindi "मैं उसे जानता हूँ" feels continuous, so we say "I am knowing him". But English uses the simple present for state verbs (स्थिति बताने वाली क्रियाएँ): know, understand, have (own), like, love, want, need, believe, belong, remember.
| Instead of | Say | Why |
|---|---|---|
| I am knowing him. | I know him. | know is a state verb: no -ing |
| I am understanding. | I understand. | understand is a state verb |
| I am having two cars. | I have two cars. | have = own: no -ing ("I'm having lunch" is fine: it means eating) |
| We discussed about the plan. | We discussed the plan. | discuss takes no "about" (but: talk about) |
| Please return back the book. | Please return the book. | return already means give back |
| I will revert back. | I'll reply. / I'll get back to you. | revert means go back to an old state |
| I am living here since two years. | I have been living here for two years. | for + a period; since + a starting point |
| Where you are going? | Where are you going? | in questions, the helper verb comes before the subject |
| One of my friend is a doctor. | One of my friends is a doctor. | one of + plural noun |
| He is elder to me. | He is older than me. / He is my elder brother. | elder only before a noun, never with "than" or "to" |
| I did not went. | I did not go. | after did / didn't, use the base verb |
| Myself Rahul. | I'm Rahul. / My name is Rahul. | "myself" cannot start an introduction |
| today morning / yesterday night | this morning / last night | fixed English expressions |
| Both of them are not coming. | Neither of them is coming. | "both ... not" is unclear: does one come or none? |
| I am coming from Delhi. (= my home town) | I'm from Delhi. | "coming from" means travelling from there now |
I know him very well. We studied together.
Say it: ai NOH him VE-ree WEL. wee STUD-eed tu-GETH-er
मैं उसे बहुत अच्छी तरह जानता हूँ। हम साथ पढ़े हैं।
Know, understand, like, want, need, believe: no -ing for these state verbs.
We discussed the budget in the meeting.
Say it: wee dis-KUST the BUJ-it in the MEE-ting
हमने मीटिंग में बजट पर चर्चा की।
discuss something, but talk about something.
I have been working here for three years.
Say it: ai hav bin WUR-king heer for THREE YEERZ
मैं यहाँ तीन साल से काम कर रहा हूँ।
Hindi "से" becomes "for" with a period (three years, two months) and "since" with a starting point (since 2023, since Monday).
Where are you going?
Say it: WAIR ar yoo GOH-ing?
तुम कहाँ जा रहे हो?
One of my friends works in Dubai.
Say it: WUN ov my FRENDZ wurks in doo-BY
मेरा एक दोस्त दुबई में काम करता है।
I'm from Lucknow, but I live in Mumbai now.
Say it: aim from LUK-now, but ai LIV in mum-BY NOW
मैं लखनऊ से हूँ, पर अभी मुंबई में रहता हूँ।
I called him last night and again this morning.
Say it: ai KAWLD him laast NYT and a-GEN this MOR-ning
मैंने उसे कल रात फ़ोन किया और आज सुबह फिर से।
Question tags: not always "isn't it?"
A question tag (वाक्य के अंत में छोटा सवाल, जैसे "है ना?") checks that the listener agrees. Hindi uses "ना?" for everything, so Indian English often uses "isn't it?" for everything. Standard English copies the helper verb and the subject of the sentence. A positive sentence gets a negative tag; a negative sentence gets a positive tag.
| Sentence | Correct tag | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| You are coming, | aren't you? | isn't it? |
| She is a doctor, | isn't she? | isn't it? |
| They live in Pune, | don't they? | isn't it? |
| He went home, | didn't he? | isn't it? |
| You can swim, | can't you? | isn't it? |
| It isn't cold today, | is it? | isn't it? |
| I'm late, | aren't I? | amn't I? / isn't it? |
| We should leave, | shouldn't we? | isn't it? |
You're coming to the wedding, aren't you?
Say it: yor KUM-ing to the WED-ing, AARNT yoo?
तुम शादी में आ रहे हो, है ना?
With Indian friends, "na?" is fine. "Right?" works everywhere: "You're coming, right?"
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Indian-English grammar slips and fixes · 1/8
Hello! Today we fix grammar habits that travel from Hindi into English.
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In real life: A job interview in Gurugram
Interviewer: Please tell me about yourself. Rahul: Good morning. I'm Rahul. I'm from Jaipur, and I have been working in sales for three years. Interviewer: Why do you want to leave your current job? Rahul: I enjoy my work, but I want to grow. I discussed my goals with my manager last month. Interviewer: You know our company works with clients abroad, don't you? Rahul: Yes, I do. One of my friends works in your Delhi office, and he told me about your projects. Interviewer: Good. Do you have any questions for us? Rahul: Yes, I have a question about the training period. How long is it?
Practice (0/4 done)
Say this about yourself (change the city if you like).
I have been living in Pune for two years, and I know the city well.
मैं दो साल से पुणे में रह रहा हूँ, और शहर को अच्छी तरह जानता हूँ।
Listen and type the sentence.
Correct these sentences, then say them aloud: "Myself Priya. I am knowing three languages. I am working here since five years. Yesterday night we discussed about the project. Both of them are not coming."
Choose the correct tag: "They live in Chennai, ___?"
Quick quiz
Related help
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This topic builds on these. If something here feels new, open them first.
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Questions people ask about this
Open a question to see the answer and why. The first ones are this topic's own quiz, so try the quiz above before you peek.
Which is correct?
Answer: I know the answer.
"Know" is a state verb, so use the simple present: I know.
Which is correct?
Answer: We discussed the problem.
Discuss + the topic, with no "about". (But "talk about".)
Complete: "I have worked here ___ six years."
Answer: for
A period of time takes "for". "Since" needs a starting point: since 2020.
Which question is correct?
Answer: Where are you going?
In a question, the helper verb (are) comes before the subject (you).
Choose the correct tag: "She can drive, ___?"
Answer: can't she
Copy the helper verb and make it negative: can → can't she?
To a listener abroad, "I have a doubt about your plan" may sound like...Related
Answer: you think the plan is wrong
Abroad, "doubt" means not believing. For a question, say "I have a question about your plan".
Which sentence has natural English word order?Related
Answer: He went to Delhi yesterday.
English uses subject, verb, then the rest: "He went to Delhi yesterday."
Choose the correct negative.Related
Answer: He isn't busy.
He + is + not = "He isn't busy" or "He's not busy".
About an Indian accent, which is true?Related
Answer: It is fine; the goal is to be clear and understood
Every English speaker has an accent. Clear sounds and stress matter, not a foreign accent.
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Next steps
- This is the last topic of “Sound natural: phrasal verbs, idioms and Indian-English fixes”. The module exam comes next.
- Module 10 exam: sound natural · 15 questions · 20 min, without help. 5 topics of this module still to finish first.
- Then the next module, Clear pronunciation and listening. 59 topics left in the course before the final exam.