This lesson is all about staying healthy! You'll learn to talk about exercise, diet, and wellness using the important grammar pattern चाहिए [cāhie] (should). From yoga in Lodhi Garden to eating more fruits and vegetables, Sita and Ravi discuss how to live a healthier life. This is practical vocabulary you'll use every day!
Learning tips
- चाहिए [cāhie] is one of Hindi's most useful words — it means 'should' (with a verb) or 'need/want' (with a noun). Master it!
- In India, योग [yog] (yoga) is not just exercise — it's a 5,000-year-old tradition. 21 June is International Yoga Day!
- Indians say सब्ज़ी [sabzī] for vegetables AND for cooked vegetable dishes. Context tells you which!
- रोज़ [roz] (daily) is Urdu-origin; हर रोज़ [har roz] means the same thing with emphasis.
Warm-up & Active Recall
Recap: In Lesson 9.4, we learned the negative imperative मत [mat] (don't), बंद/शुरू [band/śurū] (stop/start), and ख़याल रखो [ḵayāl rakho] (take care).
| Word | Romanization | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| डॉक्टर | ḍŏkṭar | doctor |
| मरीज़ | marīz | patient |
| जाँच | jā̃c | examination |
| रिपोर्ट | riporṭ | report |
| परहेज़ | parhez | dietary restriction |
| खाना | khānā | food/to eat |
| पीना | pīnā | to drink |
| बंद | band | stopped |
| शुरू | śurū | start |
| ख़याल | ḵayāl | care |
Dialog
Sita and Ravi meet during a morning jog at Lodhi Garden and discuss healthy living habits. Notice how चाहिए [cāhie] is used repeatedly for health advice: टहलना चाहिए [ṭahalnā cāhie] (should walk), फल खानी चाहिए [phal khānī cāhie] (should eat fruit). The conversation covers exercise, diet, and stress management — all central concerns in modern Indian urban life, where traditional wellness (yoga, Ayurveda) meets contemporary health awareness.
🌅 सुबह — लोधी गार्डन, जॉगिंग ट्रैक
subah — lodhī gārḍan, jŏgiṅg ṭraik
Sita
रवि जी, आजकल रोज़ टहलते हो? बहुत अच्छा!
ravī jī, ājkal roz ṭahalte ho? bahut acchā!
(Ravi ji, nowadays daily walking are? Very good!)
Ravi ji, you walk here every day now? Very good!
Ravi
हाँ, डॉक्टर ने कहा — व्यायाम ज़रूरी है। सेहत के लिए रोज़ टहलना चाहिए।
hā̃, ḍŏkṭar ne kahā — vyāyām zarūrī hai. sehat ke lie roz ṭahalnā cāhie.
(Yes, doctor said — exercise necessary is. Health for daily walking should.)
Yes, the doctor said — exercise is necessary. One should walk daily for health.
Sita
मैं भी योग करती हूँ — रोज़ सुबह एक घंटा। शरीर और मन दोनों के लिए अच्छा है।
maĩ bhī yog kartī hū̃ — roz subah ek ghaṇṭā. śarīr aur man donõ ke lie acchā hai.
(I also yoga do — daily morning one hour. Body and mind both for good is.)
I also do yoga — every morning for one hour. It's good for both body and mind.
Ravi
और खाने में? मैंने तेल और नमक कम कर दिया है।
aur khāne mẽ? maĩne tel aur namak kam kar diyā hai.
(And food in? I oil and salt less done have.)
And in food? I've reduced oil and salt.
Sita
बहुत अच्छा! फल और सब्ज़ी ज़्यादा खानी चाहिए।
bahut acchā! phal aur sabzī zyādā khānī cāhie.
(Very good! Fruit and vegetables more eating should.)
Very good! One should eat more fruits and vegetables.
🧃 योग के बाद — जूस की दुकान
yog ke bād — jūs kī dukān
Ravi
सीता जी, एक बात बताओ — रोज़ कितना पानी पीना चाहिए?
sītā jī, ek bāt batāo — roz kitnā pānī pīnā cāhie?
(Sita ji, one thing tell — daily how-much water drinking should?)
Sita ji, tell me one thing — how much water should one drink daily?
Sita
कम से कम आठ गिलास! और सेहत के लिए पूरी नींद ज़रूरी है।
kam se kam āṭh gilās! aur sehat ke lie pūrī nī̃d zarūrī hai.
(At-least eight glasses! And health for full sleep necessary is.)
At least eight glasses! And full sleep is necessary for health.
Ravi
हाँ, स्ट्रेस कम करना चाहिए। योग से स्ट्रेस कम होता है क्या?
hā̃, sṭres kam karnā cāhie. yog se sṭres kam hotā hai kyā?
(Yes, stress less doing should. Yoga from stress less happens what?)
Yes, one should reduce stress. Does yoga reduce stress?
Sita
बिल्कुल! योग और प्राणायाम — सेहतमंद ज़िंदगी की चाबी है!
bilkul! yog aur prāṇāyām — sehatmand zindagī kī cābī hai!
(Absolutely! Yoga and pranayam — healthy life's key is!)
Absolutely! Yoga and pranayam — that's the key to a healthy life!
Vocabulary
Active words
| Word | Romanization | IPA | Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| सेहत | sehat | /se.ɦət̪/ | health | Feminine noun. Urdu-origin. सेहतमंद [sehatmand] = healthy. |
| व्यायाम | vyāyām | /vjaː.jaːm/ | exercise | Masculine noun. Sanskrit-origin. More formal than 'exercise' — covers all physical activity. |
| योग | yog | /joːɡ/ | yoga | Masculine noun. Sanskrit-origin. Refers to the complete practice including postures, breathing, and meditation. |
| टहलना | ṭahalnā | /ʈə.ɦəl.naː/ | to walk, to stroll | Verb. टहलना [ṭahalnā] implies a leisurely walk, while चलना [calnā] is general walking. |
| फल | phal | /pʰəl/ | fruit | Masculine noun. Plural: फल [phal] (doesn't change). India has amazing tropical fruits! |
| सब्ज़ी | sabzī | /səb.ziː/ | vegetable(s) | Feminine noun. Also means a cooked vegetable dish. हरी सब्ज़ी [harī sabzī] = green vegetables. |
| तेल | tel | /t̪eːl/ | oil | Masculine noun. Indian cooking uses various oils: सरसों का तेल [sarsõ kā tel] (mustard oil), नारियल तेल [nāriyal tel] (coconut oil). |
| नमक | namak | /nə.mək/ | salt | Masculine noun. नमक कम [namak kam] = less salt. Also used idiomatically: नमक हलाल [namak halāl] = loyal. |
| ज़रूरी | zarūrī | /zə.ruː.riː/ | necessary, important | Adjective. Urdu-origin. ज़रूरी है [zarūrī hai] = is necessary. |
| रोज़ | roz | /roːz/ | daily, every day | Adverb. Urdu-origin. रोज़ सुबह [roz subah] = every morning. |
Passive words
| Word | Romanization | IPA | Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| विटामिन | viṭāmin | /vɪ.ʈaː.mɪn/ | vitamin | Masculine noun. English loanword. |
| प्रोटीन | proṭīn | /pro.ʈiːn/ | protein | Masculine noun. English loanword. |
| कैलोरी | kailorī | /kɛː.lo.riː/ | calorie | Feminine noun. English loanword. |
| डाइट | ḍāiṭ | /ɖaː.ɪʈ/ | diet | Feminine noun. English loanword. |
| ऑर्गेनिक | ŏrgenik | /ɔːr.ɡe.nɪk/ | organic | Adjective. English loanword. Increasingly popular in Indian cities. |
| स्ट्रेस | sṭres | /sʈres/ | stress | Masculine noun. English loanword. Very commonly used in urban Indian Hindi. |
Useful chunks
| Word | Romanization | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| X करना चाहिए | X karnā cāhie | should do X (advice pattern) |
| सेहत के लिए | sehat ke lie | for health / for the sake of health |
| कम से कम | kam se kam | at least, at minimum |
Pronunciation: The word व्यायाम [vyāyām] (exercise) has a tricky consonant cluster: व्य [vy]. This is a semi-vowel व [v] followed by य [y] — try saying 'v-yah-yahm' smoothly. Similarly, सब्ज़ी [sabzī] has the cluster ब्ज़ [bz] — unusual in English but common in Hindi-Urdu. The ज़ [z] here is a true 'z' sound (with nuqta), not the Hindi ज [j].
Grammar: चाहिए [cāhie] for advice & healthy habit expressions
| Pattern | Hindi | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| verb-ना चाहिए | टहलना चाहिए [ṭahalnā cāhie] | ṭahalnā cāhie | should walk |
| X ज़रूरी है | व्यायाम ज़रूरी है [vyāyām zarūrī hai] | vyāyām zarūrī hai | exercise is necessary |
| X कम करना | तेल कम करना [tel kam karnā] | tel kam karnā | reduce oil |
| X ज़्यादा खाना | फल ज़्यादा खाना [phal zyādā khānā] | phal zyādā khānā | eat more fruit |
| रोज़ + verb | रोज़ टहलना [roz ṭahalnā] | roz ṭahalnā | walk daily |
| X के लिए अच्छा | सेहत के लिए अच्छा [sehat ke lie acchā] | sehat ke lie acchā | good for health |
चाहिए [cāhie] is used in two main ways:
1. 'Should' — verb infinitive + चाहिए:
- टहलना चाहिए [ṭahalnā cāhie] = one should walk
- फल खानी चाहिए [phal khānī cāhie] = one should eat fruit
- पानी पीना चाहिए [pānī pīnā cāhie] = one should drink water
Note: The infinitive verb changes for gender when the object is specified — खाना → खानी (feminine because सब्ज़ी is feminine).
2. 'Need/want' — noun + चाहिए:
- मुझे पानी चाहिए [mujhe pānī cāhie] = I need water
- मुझे आराम चाहिए [mujhe ārām cāhie] = I need rest
ज़रूरी है [zarūrī hai] works similarly for 'is necessary':
- व्यायाम ज़रूरी है [vyāyām zarūrī hai] = exercise is necessary
- नींद ज़रूरी है [nī̃d zarūrī hai] = sleep is necessary
कम/ज़्यादा [kam/zyādā] for diet advice:
- तेल कम करो [tel kam karo] = reduce oil
- फल ज़्यादा खाओ [phal zyādā khāo] = eat more fruit
Exercises
Fill in the Blanks
Complete each sentence with the missing healthy living word.
- के लिए टहलना चाहिए।(health / daily)
- और ज़्यादा खानी चाहिए।(fruit / vegetable)
- और कम करो।(oil / salt)
- है — रोज़ करो।(exercise / necessary)
- और प्राणायाम सेहतमंद ज़िंदगी की चाबी है।(ancient Indian practice)
Grammar Application
Form health advice sentences using चाहिए [cāhie] and ज़रूरी [zarūrī].
- 'One should exercise daily' using चाहिए → (verb infinitive + चाहिए)
- 'Fruits are necessary for health' → (noun + ज़रूरी है)
- 'Reduce oil and salt' using कम करना → (कम करना pattern)
- 'Yoga is good for body and mind' → (X के लिए अच्छा)
- 'One should sleep well' using चाहिए → (verb infinitive + चाहिए)
Translation (English → Hindi)
Translate each health advice into Hindi.
- One should exercise daily.
- Eat more fruits and vegetables.
- Reduce oil and salt.
- Yoga is necessary for health.
- One should drink at least eight glasses of water daily.
Creative Construction
Write a healthy living plan using चाहिए [cāhie], ज़रूरी [zarūrī], and कम/ज़्यादा [kam/zyādā].
Writing: Vowel marks (मात्राएँ) — Health vocabulary
ा
ā
ि
i
ी
ī
ु
u
ू
ū
े
e
ै
ai
ो
o
ौ
au
Practice words
| Word | Romanization |
|---|---|
| सेहत | sehat |
| ज़रूरी | zarūrī |
| टहलना | ṭahalnā |
मात्राएँ स्वरों का संक्षिप्त रूप हैं जो व्यंजनों के साथ लगती हैं। जैसे क + ा = का, क + ि = कि, क + ू = कू।
mātrāẽ svarõ kā saṅkṣipt rūp haĩ jo vyañjanõ ke sāth lagtī haĩ. jaise ka + ā = kā, ka + i = ki, ka + ū = kū.
Vowel marks (मात्राएँ [mātrāẽ]) are the dependent forms of vowels that attach to consonants. Every consonant in Devanagari has an inherent 'a' vowel — the mātrā replaces or modifies it.
Position of mātrās:
- Left side: ि [i] — as in कि [ki], दि [di]
- Right side: ा [ā], ी [ī], ो [o], ौ [au] — as in का [kā], की [kī], को [ko]
- Below: ु [u], ू [ū] — as in कु [ku], कू [kū]
- Above: े [e], ै [ai] — as in के [ke], कै [kai]
Health vocabulary examples:
- सेहत [sehat] — स + े + ह + त = se + ha + t
- ज़रूरी [zarūrī] — ज़ + रू + री = za + rū + rī
- टहलना [ṭahalnā] — ट + ह + ल + ना = ṭa + ha + la + nā
Takeaway
चाहिए [cāhie] is your all-purpose advice word: verb + चाहिए = 'should do,' noun + चाहिए = 'need.' Combine it with ज़रूरी [zarūrī] (necessary) and रोज़ [roz] (daily) for powerful health advice!
Culture note: Yoga (योग [yog]) originated in India over 5,000 years ago and is much more than physical exercise — it's a complete system of physical postures (आसन [āsan]), breathing techniques (प्राणायाम [prāṇāyām]), and meditation (ध्यान [dhyān]). In Delhi, morning yoga sessions happen in every park — Lodhi Garden, Deer Park, Nehru Park, and neighborhood colony parks. On June 21st, International Yoga Day (अंतर्राष्ट्रीय योग दिवस [antarrāṣṭrīy yog divas]) — proposed by India's PM Modi in 2014 — thousands gather at Rajpath (now Kartavya Path) for a massive group yoga session. Ayurveda (आयुर्वेद [āyurved]) complements yoga with dietary guidelines emphasizing seasonal eating, herbal medicines, and balanced nutrition.
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