ECHO WORDS IN HINDI 

Echo Words in Hindi

While learning Hindi, you may have noticed a phenomenon known as “echo words.” This grammatical structure is fairly common and informal and most often consists of an established word, such as “चाय/chaay” (tea) and a made-up word that rhymes with it (the most common example in this case is “वाय/vaay”) that adds a more general sense to the first word. Not all of the “echo” words begin with “व/va” and, indeed, the second word in the pair usually owes its provenance to the speaker’s own imagination as well as established, informal conventions. These echo words convey various senses based on their context – they can be simple expressions of a speaker’s creativity, they can convey a dismissive tone and they can also be an expression of vagueness or non-specificity. Let’s look at a few examples below:

हमारे मेहमानों के लिए कुछ चाय-वाय जल्दी लाओ । (hamaare mehmaano ke liye kuchh chaay-vaay jaldee laao). Bring our guests some tea or something (or, some tea and the fixings) quick. *In this case, the sense is of vagueness or non-specificity. However, चाय-वाय is also an accepted turn of phrase, which refers to “tea” and the “fixings” (biscuits, sandwiches, cake, etc.).

Chai/चाय is never complete without the वाय/vaay, or a small snack that goes alongside it, such as these samose/समोसे.

आप कैसे हैं आज? (मैं) ठीक-ठाक (हूँ) । (aap kaise hain aaj? (main) Theek-Thaak hooN. How are you today? I’m fine. *In this sentence, ठीक-ठाक (where ठाक rhymes with ठीक and is not a word in its own right) has become a part of the established lexicon and means something like “alright,” “ok,” “fine” or “so so.”

मैं शनिवार को बाज़ार जाना बिल्कुल पसंद नहीं करती – वीकेंड के दौरान वहाँ पे भीड़ भाड़ बहुत ज़्यादा रहती है । (main shanivaar ko baazaar jaanaa bilkul pasand naheen kaatee – weekend ke dauraan vahaaN  pe bheeD -bhaaD  bahut zyaadaa rahatee hai). I don’t like to go to the market on Saturday at all – during the weekend, it is too crowded. *Again, भीड़-भाड़ (bheeD-bhaaD) started out life as a mere echo phrase but has evolved to the level of an accepted, standard expression to connote a huge crowd or “hustle and bustle” in Hindi.

वे लोग हमेशा गप-शप करते रहते हैं (ve log hameshaa gap-shap karate rahate hain). Those people are always gossiping. *Again, गप-शप has become part of the established lexicon and means simply “gossip.” गप, by itself, means casual talk or gossip while शप is not a word in its own right.

इस फॉर्म को भरने के लिए मुझे पेंसिल वेंसिल की ज़रूरत पड़ेगी । (Is form ko bharane ke lie mujhe pencil-vensil ki zaroorat paDegi). I’ll need a pencil or something to fill out this form. *In this instance, there is a lack of specificity surrounding which writing instrument will be necessary, indicating that a pen or pencil will do the trick.

सारे दिन एक के बाद एक बेकार मीटिंग में गया हूँ – एक और मीटिंग-शीटिंग में थोड़े ही जाऊँगा । (Saare din ek ke baad ek bekaar meeting me gayaa hooN – ek aur meeting-sheeting me thoDe hee jaaooNgaa). All day, I’ve gone to one useless meeting one after the other – I’m not about to go to another meeting or anything else of the kind. *Here, the echo word is used to express disdain of the “useless meetings” that have already taken place and the speaker’s vehement refusal to waste his time with another one.

“दोस्ती.. हाँ जी.. और फिर दोस्ती -शोस्ती करना चाहता हूँ। कोई प्रॉब्लम शॉब्लम है”

(फ़िल्मः कभी खुशी कभी गम)