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🇮🇳 Hindi · Fluency Level 1

PART 3 · LESSON 21 OF 30 · 30 MINUTES

The Shape of a Joke

The roof of the shop on a January evening, Bhalla ji's lesson between two hands of cards: a joke has three parts, once upon a time, a man goes to the doctor and says he forgets everything, since when, since when what, never explain a joke, tell it in the present, and stop at the punch.

Audio instruction: English

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THE STORY

The roof of the shop in Chandni Chowk on a January Saturday evening, a rope cot and a coal brazier; Bhalla ji says the familiar you and son to Noah, Noah the polite you to him, and Raju bhaiya and Noah the polite you to each other.

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जोक के तीन हिस्से, शुरुआत, बीच और पंच.jok ke teen his-se, shu-ru-aat, beech aur panch.A joke has three parts, a start, a middle and a punch.
एक बार की बात है.ek baar kee baat hai.Once upon a time.
मैं सब भूल जाता हूँ.main sab bhool jaa-taa hoon.I forget everything, as a man
एक आदमी डॉक्टर से कहता है, मैं सब भूल जाता हूँ.ek aad-mee dok-tar se keh-taa hai, main sab bhool jaa-taa hoon.A man says to the doctor, I forget everything.
डॉक्टर पूछता है, कब से? आदमी कहता है, कब से क्या?dok-tar poochh-taa hai, kab se? aad-mee keh-taa hai, kab se kyaa?The doctor asks, since when? The man says, since when what?
वो सवाल ही भूल गया!vo sa-vaal hee bhool ga-yaa!He forgot the question itself!
समझाया हुआ जोक मर जाता है.sam-jhaa-yaa hu-aa jok mar jaa-taa hai.an explained joke dies
समझाओ मत. समझाया हुआ जोक मर जाता है.sam-jhaa-o mat. sam-jhaa-yaa hu-aa jok mar jaa-taa hai.Don't explain. An explained joke dies.
ऐसे सुनाइए, जैसे अभी हो रहा हो.ai-se su-naa-i-ye, jai-se a-bhee ho ra-haa ho.Tell it as if it's happening right now.
पंच पर रुकिए. आप देर से रुके.panch par ru-ki-ye. aap der se ru-ke.Stop at the punch. You stopped late.

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