Expert · Sound natural: phrasal verbs, idioms and Indian-English fixes · topic 42 of 59 · 17 min
Indian-English word choices and natural fixes
Explanation
Every country has its own English. Americans say "apartment", the British say "flat", and Indians say "flat" or "2BHK". None of these is wrong. The real skill is code-switching (माहौल के हिसाब से भाषा बदलना): Indian English with Indian friends and colleagues, international English with a client in London or a visa officer.
| Indian English | What it means | Natural international English |
|---|---|---|
| I am having a doubt. | I have a question | I have a question. / Could I ask something? |
| Please do the needful. | please do what is needed | Say the exact task: "Please send the signed form by Friday." |
| Please revert. | please reply | Please reply. / Please get back to me. |
| Prepone the meeting. | move it earlier | Bring the meeting forward. / Move it earlier. |
| I passed out of college in 2022. | I finished college | I graduated in 2022. |
| my cousin brother / cousin sister | my cousin | my cousin |
| My good name is Ravi. | polite "my name is" | My name is Ravi. / I'm Ravi. |
| my co-brother | my wife's sister's husband | my wife's sister's husband (or just "brother-in-law") |
| He gave me a tight slap. | a hard slap | He slapped me hard. |
| Let's do some timepass. / Let's pass time. | spend free time | Let's kill some time. / Let's hang out. |
| updation of records | updating | an update / updating the records |
| my batchmate | someone from my year | Fine in India. Abroad: my classmate / we were in the same year. |
| I am on leave today. | off work with permission | Fine everywhere. Americans also say "I'm off today". |
| Please intimate me. | inform me | Please let me know. / Please inform me. |
| Kindly send the file. | please send the file | Please send the file. ("Kindly" is fine but sounds very formal or old in emails.) |
I have a question about the second point.
Say it: ai HAV a KWES-chun a-BOWT the SEK-und POYNT
मुझे दूसरे पॉइंट के बारे में एक सवाल पूछना है।
In India, "doubt" often means "question". Abroad, "doubt" means you don't believe something, so "I have a doubt" can sound like you think the speaker is wrong.
Could you please get back to me by Friday?
Say it: kud yoo pleez get BAK to mee by FRY-day?
क्या आप शुक्रवार तक मुझे जवाब दे सकते हैं?
Use this instead of "please revert". In standard English, "revert" means go back to an earlier state.
I graduated from college two years ago.
Say it: ai GRAD-yoo-ay-tid from KOL-ij TOO YEERZ a-GOH
मैंने दो साल पहले कॉलेज पूरा किया।
Abroad, "I passed out" means "I fainted" (बेहोश हो गया). Say "I graduated" or "I finished college".
Please let me know if anything changes.
Say it: pleez LET mee NOH if EN-ee-thing CHAYN-jiz
अगर कुछ बदले तो मुझे बता दीजिए।
Natural replacement for "please intimate me". The adjective "intimate" usually means very close or romantic, so the verb can sound odd to listeners abroad.
This is my cousin, Aditya.
Say it: this iz my KUZ-in, a-DIT-ya
यह मेरा कज़िन आदित्य है।
English "cousin" covers male and female cousins. The name or "he" / "she" shows the gender.
Could you send me the signed form by Friday, please?
Say it: kud yoo SEND mee the SYND FORM by FRY-day, pleez?
क्या आप शुक्रवार तक साइन किया हुआ फ़ॉर्म भेज देंगे?
Better than "do the needful": the reader knows exactly what to do and by when.
Can we move the call earlier, to ten o'clock?
Say it: kan wee MOOV the KAWL UR-lee-er, to TEN o-KLOK?
क्या हम कॉल पहले करके दस बजे रख सकते हैं?
Hi, I'm Ravi. Nice to meet you.
Say it: HY, aim RAA-vee. NYS to MEET yoo
नमस्ते, मैं रवि हूँ। आपसे मिलकर अच्छा लगा।
"My good name" is a kind translation of "शुभ नाम", but abroad just say "I'm..." or "My name is...".
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Indian-English word choices and natural fixes · 1/7
Hello! Today we look at Indian English words and their international versions.
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In real life: An IT office in Hyderabad: a call with a client abroad
Priya: Hi Mark, this is Priya from the support team. I have a question about your last email. Mark: Sure, go ahead. Priya: You asked us to move the release. Should we bring it forward to Monday or push it back? Mark: Bring it forward, please. Our sales team needs it early. Priya: Got it. I'm out of town on Monday, so my colleague Imran will take over. Mark: No problem. Could he let me know once it's live? Priya: Of course. He'll email you, and I'll get back to you on Tuesday with the report. Mark: Perfect. Thanks, Priya.
Practice (0/4 done)
Say this on a call with a client abroad.
I have a question about the invoice. Could you please get back to me by Friday?
मुझे बिल के बारे में एक सवाल है। क्या आप शुक्रवार तक मुझे जवाब दे सकते हैं?
Listen and type the sentence.
Rewrite this email in clear international English: "Dear Sir, I am having a doubt regarding updation of my records. Kindly do the needful and intimate me. Please revert at the earliest. My cousin brother passed out of the same college."
A colleague in London reads "I passed out of college in 2020." What might they think?
Quick quiz
Related help
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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.
The clearest international version of "Please revert" is...
Answer: Please get back to me.
"Get back to me" or "reply" is clear everywhere. "Revert" means return to an earlier state.
To a listener abroad, "I have a doubt about your plan" may sound like...
Answer: you think the plan is wrong
Abroad, "doubt" means not believing. For a question, say "I have a question about your plan".
Which introduction is natural everywhere?
Answer: My name is Ravi.
"My good name" is a polite translation of "शुभ नाम". Abroad, just say "My name is..." or "I'm...".
Instead of "Kindly do the needful", it is clearer to write...
Answer: Please send me the corrected bill by Monday.
A clear request names the exact action and the time.
Which word should replace "updation" in an international email?
Answer: an update
"Updation" is common in India but not used abroad. Say "an update" or "updating" (and "upgrade", not "upgradation").
Which sounds most natural today for heavy rain?Related
Answer: It's pouring outside.
"Raining cats and dogs" is old-fashioned now. "It's pouring" is what people say.
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."
How do you say "55" in a phone number?Related
Answer: double five
Two same digits together are read as "double": double five.
Which is standard for a form in British and Indian English?Related
Answer: Please fill in this form.
Fill in (UK, India) or fill out (US). "Fill up a form" is heard in India but sounds odd abroad.
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Next steps
- 1 more topic in “Sound natural: phrasal verbs, idioms and Indian-English fixes” before its exam: Indian-English grammar slips and fixes.
- 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.
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