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Posted by: masoomkamal Jan 8 2005, 04:45 AM

Just like me there may be so many members here who dont know English so well. Sometime we get confused with some English sentences, proverbs, phrases, expressions, slang words etc. Sometime we are unable to express our thoughts in English or cant construct the sentence accordingly due to lack of knowledge.

So kindly help us in this regard. We will post our English language problems and confusions and the knowledgable members are requested to guide us.

For example, I cant translate this sentence in English, which is: "Main ne pyaase ko paani pilaaya." You can translate it as: "I made a thirsty person drink water", but I dont want "made drink", I want the exact word for Pilaaya. Just like : " Main ne Bhooke ko khaana khilaya" and you can translate it as: " I fed a hungry person", and not " I made a hungry person eat the food."

Also please explain, what is the difference between: " Can you get me your address please?" and "Could you get me your address please?". Isn't could is past tense of can?

What do you mean by "to take something for granted." In Hindi how will you translate it: "He has taken me for granted."

Is there any Hindi words for "Infrastructure, breakthrough, innovative?"

Is "infidel" a correct word for "Bewafa?"

Abhi ke liye bas itna hi..... Ummeed hai aap jawab denge.
Shukriya.

Posted by: anurag Jan 8 2005, 06:33 AM

Even if "could" is the past tense of "can", the meaning here is not to imply anything in the past but to transform the intent of ability expressed by "can" to a mere suggestion or a politeful request, the latter expressed by "could".

Take for example, I often hear a friend asking me, "Damn! I am so bored. What should I do?
And I often reply "You can watch a movie." or, "You could watch a movie". While the former enumerates options in a formal and factual fashion, the latter indicates a mere suggestion (along with a hint to drop the suggestion if it's not appealing) with the ability "to watch a movie" implicit. Hence, one sees "could" being used more often.



If you had asked me these questions 10 years ago, I'd have replied even in my sleep but they are n't difficult. My Hindi is a bit rusty these days. Infrastructure is Dhancha and innovative would be naveen while breakthrough might be "akasmik safalata".



No, it is not.
Infidel is a religious unbeliever or one who rejects/doubts a pseudo-philosophical doctrine, while Bewafa is semantically and idealogically a simpler concept, for it resricts its meaning to a couple's relationship. Better words for bewafa would be unfaithful, adulterous, perfidious, philandering, treachorous.

Posted by: masoomkamal Jan 9 2005, 02:48 AM

Thank you for your explanations.

Is Structure (also dhancha) and Infrastructure are same?
How do you say this in Hindi: The villagers are being provided with the basic infrastructure of housing, roads, sewers etc. Can dhancha be used here?

Breakthrough: Akasmik safalta? You mean accidental/unexpected suceess?

And what about "he has taken me for granted?"

Also pls tell, is there any colloquial/simple word for "Idea."
Can you translate this: An idea can change your life.

Thanks and regards.

Posted by: anurag Jan 9 2005, 10:59 AM

masoomkamal,

I don't exactly write things by translation. Sorry!
Also, if it was a question of life and death, I'd not trust my translations myself that I told you before.

Posted by: preety Jan 11 2005, 01:48 AM

Idea would been a simple answer or suggestion for your problem
in the idea chit chat's slogan " an idea can change your life can be roughly translated as--- "ek tarkib jo aapka jeevan badal de" a solution to your mobile problem....
taking me for granted can be translated as what we say in delhi "vella samjh rakha hai kya?"
there might be some words that cant be translated try translating jalebi i remember the old joke round round round stop! inject sweet juice. so phrases can have same meaning but translating word by word isnt possible

Posted by: Chitralekha Jan 11 2005, 08:20 AM

Idea could also be interpreted as vichaar, imo.

Structure would be samrachanaa. Moreover, I think structure and infrastructure are different.

For other things like sweetdish etc. would rather just say "a kind of Indian sweet"

Posted by: Chitralekha Jan 11 2005, 08:26 AM

Knowledge has become rusty now but I will still share this much. Infidel would be something like vishshwas-ghati? I guess. Is it a Hindi word? I dunno.
"To take for granted" would be something like "nishchit roop se sweekar karna". This is purely translating from my understanding.

Posted by: masoomkamal Jan 12 2005, 02:36 AM

Thank you Preety and Chitralekha.
I think it is very difficult (or impossible) to find the right words for Idea, Infrastructure and breakthrough (etc). There are so many words in English which bother me and I cant find Hindi words for them. Idea is neither Tarkeeb, nor Vichar. And also what you both say for "to take something for granted", I think is not correct. There is an expression "Conjugal Infidelity", so Infidel can be Bewafa.
By the way I like the words for Jalebi : round round round stop! inject sweet juice !

For the fun, here are some Hindi words for some common English words:

Neck Tie: Kanth-Langot.
Railway Station: Bhag Bhag Adda.
Signal : Aawak Jaawak Sanket Yantra.
Belt: Kamar Peti.
Ash Tray: Raakh JhaaDan Vaati.
Chair: ChutaD Tek.
Sofa : Baithan Letan Charpayee.
Lip-stick : Adhar-Dandi.
Internet: Vishwa Jaal.
E-mail: Hawai Daak.
X-ray: Haddi Chitran.

Posted by: preety Jan 12 2005, 09:15 AM

there are more.....
train--- loh path gaami agni rath
computer---- swachalit mastishk
nail polish----- noh paalis
ras gulla---- juice imbues

Posted by: pranavjh Jan 12 2005, 12:15 PM

Or just watch Chupke Chupke

Pranav

Posted by: catch22 Jan 12 2005, 03:37 PM

Infidel: kāphira, jō kisī mata mēṁ na hō, anīśvaravādī, nāstika
Breakthrough: bhēdana
Structure: 1. ḍaula, banāvaṭa, ḍhaba, rūpa 2. ghara, bhavana

Posted by: aaron_me2000 Jan 12 2005, 04:18 PM

some more here
table tennis = uch manch par sawach prakaash mai lai patapat de patapat
cricket = lamb dand gool pind phek partiyogita
pump = pawan soorak yantra
tea = dugdha sharkara mishrit, parwato rohan utpan washpay padartha
button = ast wayast wastra niyantrak lagu ghantika


aaron

Posted by: preety Jan 12 2005, 05:10 PM

hmm tea ko chay nahi bol sakte???