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fluentbyear
🇮🇳 Hindi · Fluency Level 2

PART 1 · LESSON 4 OF 30 · 30 MINUTES

The First Take

The bench outside the shop in Chandni Chowk, Rohan's phone on a borrowed tripod: look at me, not the phone, tell me how it started, it happened like this, some eight years ago Rohan wrote come, say it again, the phone liked it, a suitcase, a notebook and three words of Hindi for a month or so, it became a year, then two or three, then a wedding, the shop was already nearly a hundred years old, one jalebi and I was in love, cut, tomorrow at seven, this same bench.

Audio instruction: English

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THE STORY

The bench outside the Sharmas' sweet shop in Chandni Chowk, a weekday afternoon after the lunch rush, Rohan's phone on a borrowed tripod for the film about the shop's hundred years; Rohan and Noah say the familiar you to each other.

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Words and phrases

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मुझे देखो, फ़ोन को नहीं. बताओ, कैसे शुरू हुआ.mu-jhe de-kho, fon ko na-heen. ba-taa-o, kai-se shu-roo hu-aa.Look at me, not the phone. Tell me how it started.
हुआ यूँ किhu-aa yoon kiit happened like this
कोई आठ साल पहलेko-ee aath saal peh-lesome eight years ago
हुआ यूँ कि कोई आठ साल पहले रोहन ने लिखा, आ जाओ.hu-aa yoon ki ko-ee aath saal peh-le ro-han ne li-khaa, aa jaa-o.It happened like this: some eight years ago Rohan wrote: come.
कोई आठ साल पहले, फिर से बोलो. फ़ोन को अच्छा लगा.ko-ee aath saal peh-le, phir se bo-lo. fon ko ach-chhaa la-gaa.Some eight years ago, say it again. The phone liked it.
सूटकेस, कॉपी, तीन शब्द हिंदी, महीने भर के लिए.soot-kes, kaa-pee, teen shabd hin-dee, ma-hee-ne bhar ke li-ye.A suitcase, a notebook, three words of Hindi, for a month or so.
और वो महीना?aur vo ma-hee-naa?And that month?
साल बन गया, फिर दो-तीन, फिर शादी और एक बेटी.saal ban ga-yaa, phir do-teen, phir shaa-dee aur ek be-tee.It became a year, then two or three, then a wedding and a daughter.
दुकान करीब सौ साल पुरानी थी. एक जलेबी, और दिल आ गया.du-kaan ka-reeb sau saal pu-raa-nee thee. ek ja-le-bee, aur dil aa ga-yaa.The shop was nearly a hundred years old. One jalebi, and I was in love.
कट. गली में बहुत शोर. कल सात बजे, यही बेंच.kat. ga-lee men ba-hut shor. kal saat ba-je, ya-hee bench.Cut. The lane's too loud. Tomorrow at seven, this same bench.