How the city talks
Bambaiya
Today’s word
Dhinchak
Loud, flashy and full of beat, like a wedding band.
People
What to call everyone, including yourself.
Bhai
Brother. How you address almost any man: a friend, a cabbie, the person blocking the train door.
“Bhai, station kidhar hai?”Brother, which way is the station?
Boss
Not your employer. Any stranger whose attention you need politely.
“Boss, thoda side dena.”Excuse me, let me through.
Apun
I, me. The Bambaiya first person, made famous by a hundred film heroes.
“Apun ko kya?”What is it to me?
Bantai
Buddy. The street's word for a close friend.
Mamu
Literally an uncle on your mother's side. Friendly for a pal, and also slang for a policeman.
Shaana
A smart one. Said in admiration, or as a warning.
“Zyada shaana mat ban.”Don't get clever with me.
Dedh shaana
One and a half times smart: a know-it-all.
Tapori
A street-corner loafer, usually one with some style about him.
Yeda
Daft, a bit mad. More often affectionate than not.
“Yeda hai kya?”Have you lost it?
Fattu
Someone who loses their nerve and backs out.
Praise
The city is generous when something is good.
Bindaas
Carefree, without fear or fuss. A way of living as much as a word.
“Bindaas jaa.”Go on, don't worry about it.
Jhakaas
Superb, top class.
Ek number
Number one: the very best of its kind.
“Yahan ka vada pav ek number hai.”The vada pav here is the best.
Mast
Lovely, great. Also the answer to “how are you?”
Rapchik
Sharp-looking, stylish.
Dhinchak
Loud, flashy and full of beat, like a wedding band.
Fultoo
Fully, completely.
“Fultoo timepass.”Thoroughly entertaining.
Ekdum
Absolutely, totally.
“Ekdum sahi.”Exactly right.
Trouble
There is a separate word for every size of mess.
Locha
A snag, a problem.
“Kuch locha hai.”Something is not right.
Lafda
A mess. It can mean a fight, a scandal or a love affair, and context decides which.
Panga
Trouble you go looking for.
“Panga mat le.”Don't pick that fight.
Jhol
Something shady. A fiddle in the accounts, or in the story.
Waat lagna
To be in deep trouble.
“Apni toh waat lag gayi.”I am done for.
Satakna
To snap, or to slip away quietly.
“Uski satak gayi.”He has lost his temper.
Kalti
A quick exit.
“Chal, kalti maar.”Come on, let's get out of here.
Khaali-peeli
For no reason at all.
“Khaali-peeli tension mat le.”Don't worry over nothing.
Pakau
A bore: someone who slowly cooks your brain.
“Paka mat.”Stop boring me.
Chindi
Petty, cheap, stingy. Literally a scrap of cloth.
Thakela
Worn out. Said of a tired person, or of anything second-rate.
Small pleasures
Tea, a corner to stand in, and something to chew.
Cutting
Half a glass of tea, the standard order at any stall. Enough to stop for, not enough to make you late.
“Ek cutting dena.”One cutting chai, please.
Tapri
A roadside tea stall, and the conversation that happens around it.
Timepass
Anything done to pass the time. Also what the peanut sellers on trains and beaches call out.
Khopcha
A quiet corner, out of everyone's sight.
Sutta
A cigarette.
Khamba
A full bottle of liquor. Literally a pillar.
Money
Large sums are counted in furniture.
Peti
One lakh rupees. Literally a box.
Khokha
One crore rupees. Literally a crate.
Kharcha-pani
Spending money. Also a tip, or something to make a problem go away.
Just talking
The glue between everything else.
Bole toh
“Meaning…” The all-purpose connector that starts or rescues any sentence.
“Bole toh, kal milte hain.”So, we meet tomorrow.
Kidhar
Where. Textbook Hindi says kahan; Bombay says kidhar.
“Kidhar hai tu?”Where are you?
Kya scene hai?
What is the plan? What is going on?
Tension nahi lene ka
Don't take tension. As close as the city has to a motto.
Hawa aane de
Let the breeze through. In other words: move along.
Bambaiya is spoken, not written, so spellings vary and every neighbourhood has its own additions. These are the ones you can safely say to a stranger. To try them out, start with a cutting at any tapri, then read Riding the Local. Know a word that should be here? Tell us.