Simple Conversations for Daily Life — Market, Bus Stop, Phone Call, Restaurant (with Simple Hindi Meanings)
Who is this for?
- Absolute beginners to A2 learners
- Indian learners who want short, useful dialogues
- Goal: Practice real-life English + do quick role-plays
How to Use
- Read each dialogue aloud twice
- Practice with a partner (A = you, B = partner)
- Do the role-play tasks after each section
Key Polite Phrases (Quick Reference)
Table: Polite Basics
| English | Easy Hindi Meaning | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Excuse me | Maaf kijiye | Get attention/interrupt |
| Please | Kripya | Polite request |
| Thank you | Dhanyavaad | Gratitude |
| Sorry | Maaf kijiye | Apology |
| Could you…? | Kya aap…? | Polite request |
| How much is it? | Iski keemat kya hai? | Price ask |
1) Market (Buying Vegetables/Fruits)
Dialogue: At the Market
- A: Excuse me, how much are the tomatoes?
- B: 40 rupees per kilo.
- A: Please give me one kilo. Anything fresh today?
- B: Yes, fresh cucumbers and spinach.
- A: Great. Add half a kilo of cucumbers.
- B: Anything else?
- A: That’s all. How much in total?
- B: 60 rupees.
- A: Here you go. Thank you.
- B: Thank you. Come again.
Hindi gist: Keemat puchhna, order dena, total puchhna, payment.
Useful lines:
- Do you have fresh ones? — Kya taaza hain?
- Please pack them separately. — Kripya alag pack kijiye.
- Can you reduce the price a little? — Kya thoda kam hoga?
Role-play tasks:
- Buy 3 items (tomatoes, onions, bananas); ask for total.
- Ask for a bag, refuse one item politely, then pay.
- Ask price per kilo vs per piece.
2) Bus Stop (Asking Route and Time)
Dialogue: At the Bus Stop
- A: Excuse me, does this bus go to MG Road?
- B: Yes, it does.
- A: When will the next bus arrive?
- B: In about 10 minutes.
- A: Where should I get down?
- B: Get down at City Mall stop.
- A: Thank you for your help.
- B: You’re welcome.
Hindi gist: Route puchhna, arrival time, stop ka naam.
Useful lines:
- Which bus goes to the station? — Station ke liye kaunsi bus?
- How much is the ticket? — Ticket kitne ka hai?
- Could you tell me when to get off? — Utarne ka time batayiyega?
Role-play tasks:
- Ask the route to the railway station; confirm the stop name.
- Ask ticket price and travel time; thank politely.
- You missed your stop—ask what to do now.
3) Phone Call (Short and Polite)
Dialogue: Phone Call to a Friend/Office
- A: Hello, this is Riya speaking. Am I speaking with Aman?
- B: Hi Riya, yes, Aman here.
- A: Could you talk now, or should I call later?
- B: I can talk for two minutes.
- A: Great. Is the meeting at 4 p.m. or 4:30 p.m.?
- B: 4:30 p.m., online. I’ll send the link.
- A: Perfect, thank you. Talk to you later.
- B: Thanks. Bye.
Hindi gist: Apna parichay, time confirm, call close karna.
Useful lines:
- Sorry, bad connection. — Maaf kijiye, network kamzor hai.
- Could you repeat that, please? — Kripya fir se kahiye.
- I’ll call you back. — Main aapko wapas call karunga/karungi.
Role-play tasks:
- Call a shop: ask opening hours and location.
- Call a friend: reschedule from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., apologize briefly.
- Office call: ask for the correct email; confirm by repeating it.
4) Restaurant (Ordering Food)
Dialogue: At a Casual Restaurant
- A: Good evening. Table for two, please.
- B: Sure. This way, please. Here is the menu.
- A: Thank you. Could you suggest something vegetarian?
- B: Paneer tikka and veg biryani are popular.
- A: We’ll have one paneer tikka and one veg biryani.
- B: Anything to drink?
- A: Two glasses of water, please.
- B: Anything else?
- A: That’s all for now.
- B: Here is your bill. Would you like to pay by cash or card?
- A: Card, please. Thank you.
- B: Thank you. Have a nice day.
Hindi gist: Table lena, menu puchhna, order dena, bill aur payment.
Useful lines:
- Is it spicy? — Kya ye teekha hai?
- Please make it less spicy. — Kripya kam teekha banaiye.
- Can we get this packed? — Kya ye pack ho sakta hai?
Role-play tasks:
- Order soup + main course + water; ask “less spicy.”
- Ask about waiting time; request the bill; pay by cash.
- You received the wrong dish—politely ask to change it.
Pronunciation Tips (A1–A2)
- Could/Would: short “u” like in “book” (kud/wood)
- Vegetables: VEJ-uh-tuh-buhlz (not “vege-ta-bulls”)
- Receipt: ruh-SEET (p is silent)
- Schedule: SHEH-jool (US: SKED-jool also okay)
Useful Micro-Patterns
Table: Micro-Patterns to Copy
| Pattern | Example | Hindi (easy) |
|---|---|---|
| Does this … go to …? | Does this bus go to MG Road? | Kya ye bus MG Road jaati hai? |
| How much is …? | How much is the ticket? | Kitne ka hai? |
| Could you … please? | Could you repeat that, please? | Kripya dobara kahiye. |
| I’d like … | I’d like a table for two. | Mujhe do logo ke liye table chahiye. |
| That’s all for now. | — | Abhi ke liye bas itna. |
10 Quick Practice Prompts (Speak 2–3 lines each)
- Ask for fresh tomatoes and the total price.
- Ask which bus goes to your office area.
- Call and confirm tomorrow’s class time.
- Order a vegetarian dish and water.
- Ask to pack the leftover food.
- Ask a stranger when the next bus comes.
- Reschedule a call by 30 minutes.
- Ask the waiter for less spicy food.
- Ask for the bill and payment options.
- Confirm the stop where you need to get down.
3-Minute Drill
- Read one dialogue aloud twice (1 min)
- Replace 3 words with your real details (stop names, dishes, times) (1 min)
- Record a role-play with a friend or with yourself (1 min)
Want printable role-play cards + audio?
- Tell me your level (A1/A2) and I’ll send picture cards, slow + natural audio, and checklists for market, bus stop, phone, and restaurant.
