So you've moved to Gurgaon, or you're about to. Welcome! You've picked a city of glass towers and gleaming offices, rooftop restaurants, a growing metro, and a quiet village life that's still hiding just a few lanes behind the skyscrapers. Many of the world's biggest companies have their India offices here, so you're in good company.
This guide covers the everyday things nobody tells you before you land - getting around, eating out, working in an Indian office, living in a gated society, and the festivals you'll see through the year. We also discuss how to navigate life in Hindi, Gurgaon's everyday language, because a couple of words in the local language make daily life here a lot smoother, more convenient, and a lot more fun.
Gurgaon at a glance
The many sides of Gurgaon
Gurgaon, officially renamed Gurugram in 2016, sits just south-west of Delhi in the state of Haryana, and it's part of the NCR (National Capital Region). Locals use both names, and "Gurgaon" is still what most people say. You'll hear a few names for its different parts: Cyber City and Udyog Vihar, the main office hubs; Golf Course Road, Sohna Road and the newer sectors along the expressways, where many expats live. It's nicknamed the Millennium City, because almost all of new Gurgaon was built in the last 30 years.
The weather
Gurgaon has proper seasons, just like Delhi. Summer (April to June) is very hot and dry, often crossing 40°C, with dusty winds called loo. The monsoon (July to September) brings heavy showers and humid days, and some roads flood quickly, so check the traffic before heading out after a big downpour. Winter (December and January) is genuinely cold, with temperatures often dipping to around 4°C at night and foggy mornings (remember that most homes here don't have central heating, so a room heater is worth having). One tip - the air quality gets poor from around late October to January, so an air purifier at home and a good mask are worth buying early.
The city
Gurgaon is better known for its offices than its monuments, but there's more to it than you'd think. Cyber Hub is the city's favourite place to eat and hang out after work. Sultanpur National Park, just outside the city, fills with migratory birds every winter, and the Aravalli Biodiversity Park is a green escape in the middle of the city. The old Sheetla Mata Mandir draws huge crowds during its annual fair. And Delhi's Red Fort, Qutub Minar and Humayun's Tomb are all within an easy drive, as are weekend trips to Neemrana and the Aravalli hills.
What languages are spoken in Gurgaon?
Hindi is Gurgaon's everyday language. English runs the offices, malls and gated societies, probably more than anywhere else in north India. Haryanvi, the local language of Haryana, is still spoken in the villages that have become part of the city and in Old Gurgaon.
English will get you through most of your office work and even a lot of your social life. Hindi is what you need for almost everything else - the cab driver, the guard at your society gate, your cook, the vegetable vendor - and it's what gets you the smile, the fair price and a warm welcome.
Getting around Gurgaon
Gurgaon is a busy, modern city, but it was built for cars, and some stretches between the sectors can be quiet and poorly lit at night. Plan your travel well to ensure your safety, stick to app cabs with live tracking at odd hours, and avoid walking alone through desolate stretches late at night.
Metro
The Delhi Metro's Yellow Line runs from Delhi into Gurgaon, ending at Millennium City Centre (many people still call it HUDA City Centre). The smaller Rapid Metro loops around Cyber City and Golf Course Road, and connects to the Yellow Line at Sikanderpur. If your home and office are both near a metro station, you've won the Gurgaon lottery. The first coach in the direction of travel is reserved for women.
A little tip: you'll hear the same announcement at every stop - "Agla station Sikanderpur hai. Darwaze baayin taraf khulenge." (The next station is Sikanderpur. The doors will open on the left.) It's a free Hindi lesson every few minutes.
Cabs and company transport
Most people in Gurgaon get around by cab, booked through the usual ride apps, and many companies run their own cabs or shuttles for employees. You'll share an OTP with the driver at pickup, and English numbers work perfectly fine here.
Autos and e-rickshaws
Autos run along the main roads, and shared autos pick up passengers along fixed routes for a small fare. For short hops, especially from metro stations, there are battery-powered e-rickshaws. Agree on the fare before you get in, or book an auto on an app.
A little tip: start with Bhaiya (brother) when talking to a driver. "Bhaiya, Cyber Hub chaloge?" sounds friendly, polite and very local.
The traffic
Yes, it can be bad, especially on the expressway to Delhi, at the big junctions and around Cyber City at office hours. Plan around peak hours in the morning and evening where you can, and take any "Bas paanch minute" (just five minutes) with a pinch of salt - including your own.
Hindi for autos, cabs and the metro
- Bhaiya, [place] chaloge?: Will you go to [place]?
- Kitna loge?: How much will you charge?
- Kitna hua?: How much did it come to?
- Left lena / Right lena: Take a left / Take a right
- Seedha chalo: Go straight
- Yahin rok do: Stop right here, please
- Gate number do pe rok dena: Please stop at gate number two (very useful outside big societies and office parks)
- OTP bata do: Tell me the OTP
- Utarna hai: I am getting off (while making way to the door in a crowded metro coach)
Eating out in Gurgaon
Gurgaon loves to eat out, and you'll find everything here, from fine dining to roadside momos. Here's what to know before your first meal.
Cyber Hub and the restaurant scene
Gurgaon has one of the best restaurant scenes in India, with cuisines from around the world. Cyber Hub, the malls and the markets along Golf Course Road are packed with cafes, breweries and restaurants, and weekend brunches are a serious tradition here.
North Indian street food
Gurgaon shares Delhi's love of street food. Look out for chole kulche (spicy chickpeas with soft bread), chole bhature, golgappe, aloo tikki, rajma chawal and momos with fiery red chutney, sold from carts near offices and markets.
Haryanvi food
Haryana's own food is simple, rustic and generous with dairy. Try bajra roti (millet flatbread) with a big dollop of white butter, kadhi pakora, churma (crushed wheat with ghee and sugar) and tall glasses of lassi. A Haryanvi thali at a village-style restaurant is well worth a try.
Highway dhabas
A late-night drive to a dhaba (a roadside eatery) for stuffed parathas, white butter and strong chai is a favourite NCR outing. The most famous ones are at Murthal, north of Delhi, and there are plenty along the Jaipur highway too.
Eating with your hands
It's completely normal here, and honestly the best way to eat rotis and parathas. The correct etiquette is to only use your right hand, and eat primarily with your fingertips.
For the sweet tooth
Try jalebi with rabri (thickened sweet milk), kulfi (dense Indian ice cream), gajar ka halwa (a warm carrot pudding) in winter, and ghewar during the monsoon festival of Teej, which is especially big in Haryana.
Hindi you'll need at the dining table
- Bhaiya, ek plate chole kulche dena: One plate of chole kulche, please
- Chahiye / Nahi chahiye: I want / I don't want
- Thodi aur chutney dena: More chutney, please
- Makkhan zyaada: Extra butter (essential at any dhaba)
- Thoda: A little
- Bas: Enough
- Kam theekha: Less spicy
- Pack kar do: Please pack it to go
- Bill de dijiye: The bill, please
Shopping and markets in Gurgaon
Malls and supermarkets have fixed prices, and these days most of your groceries will probably show up on an app within minutes. But to see a different side of Gurgaon, head to the markets.
- Galleria Market: For cafes, bakeries, imported groceries and everyday shopping in DLF Phase 4
- Ambience Mall and the city's other malls: For international brands, cinemas and food courts
- Your sector market: Almost every sector has a small market with a kirana store, a pharmacy, a tailor and a vegetable vendor
- Delhi's markets: Sarojini Nagar, Lajpat Nagar, Dilli Haat and Chandni Chowk are all within an easy drive or metro ride
Haggling is expected in markets and small shops, and it's meant to be friendly. Ask the price, smile, offer a bit less and meet somewhere in the middle. Just go easy at the small vegetable carts, where prices are already low.
Hindi for shopping and bargaining
- Kitne ka hai?: How much is it?
- Last kitna?: What's your final price?
- Bahut zyaada hai: That's too much
- Thoda kam kar do: Please reduce it a little
- Yeh wala chahiye: I want this one
- Nahi chahiye, shukriya: No thanks
A quick "Kitne ka hai?" instead of "How much?" often gets you a better price than any amount of bargaining in English.
Want more words like these? Our free list of the 500 most common Hindi words comes with audio, so you can hear exactly how each word is said.
Working in Gurgaon: office culture and jargon
The good news for you: Gurgaon's offices run on English. The fun part is that it's Indian English, which comes with a few phrases you might not have heard before.
Indian English phrases you'll hear at work
- Do the needful: Please take care of it
- Prepone: Move a meeting earlier (the opposite of postpone)
- Revert: Reply
- Out of station: Out of town
- Kindly adjust: Please manage with this
- I'll be there in five minutes: I'll be there within 30 minutes to an hour
- Timepass: Something you do to kill time or something you don't take seriously
- Cousin brother / Cousin sister: A male or female cousin
Gurgaon lingo you'll hear around town
Gurgaon's Hindi is a mix of Delhi's slang, plenty of office English, and a touch of Haryanvi. Once you start noticing these, you'll hear them everywhere:
- Bhai / Yaar: Bro / Mate
- Scene kya hai?: What's the plan?
- Jugaad: A clever, makeshift fix
- Sector: How Gurgaon gives addresses. Most of the city is divided into numbered sectors, so you'll live in "Sector 54" and work in "Sector 44"
- Tension mat lo: Don't stress
A little Haryanvi
Haryanvi is famous across India for being blunt, loud and very warm. You'll hear it most from older locals and in the villages around the city:
- Ram Ram: The traditional Haryanvi greeting, used like "Hello"
- Ke haal se?: How are you?
- Ghana: Very, a lot. "Ghana badhiya" means "Really great"
- Taau: Literally your father's elder brother, but used for any older man, a bit like "Uncle"
- Chhora / Chhori: Boy / Girl
Office etiquette
- Names: First names are normal in most offices. Sir and Ma'am are common for seniors, clients and older colleagues, and you may be called Sir or Ma'am yourself by support staff. You'll also hear -ji added to names as a mark of respect, like "Sharma-ji" or even "David-ji".
- Haan-ji: The polite "yes" of Delhi and Gurgaon, and the way many people answer the phone. You'll be saying it yourself within a month!
- The polite "no": "I'll try", "Let me see" or "It should be possible" can sometimes mean no. A friendly follow-up question usually gets you the real answer.
- The head wobble: That gentle side-to-side tilt means something like "Okay" or "I'm listening", or depending on the context, "Sure, I'll do it".
- Meeting times: Expect a bit of flexibility. "Traffic tha" (there was traffic) is the city's universal excuse, and on a rainy day, it's definitely true.
- Chai breaks and team lunches: This is where friendships are made, so say yes as often as you can.
- Birthdays and festivals: In many Indian offices, the birthday person brings the treats. Around Diwali, expect boxes of sweets and dry fruits on every desk.
Hindi you'll hear around the office
- Kya haal hai?: How's it going?
- Badhiya: Great
- Mast: Awesome
- Chalo, nikalte hain: Come on, let's leave
- Lunch ho gaya?: Have you had lunch?
- Thoda adjust kar lo: Please make a little room / manage a little
Neighbours, homes and household help
Shoes off
Take your shoes off before entering someone's home, and always before entering a temple or a gurudwara. If you see a pile of shoes at the door, that's your cue. At a gurudwara, cover your head too.
Life in a gated society
Most expats in Gurgaon live in a gated society - a complex of apartment towers with its own guards, clubhouse, swimming pool, maintenance office and, of course, a WhatsApp group. Visitors and deliveries are usually approved through an app, or by the guard calling you on the intercom. Most societies also have power backup for when the electricity goes out, and getting to know the maintenance team and the guards early makes life much easier.
Bhaiya, Didi, Uncle-ji and Aunty-ji
People here rarely call each other by their names. Bhaiya (brother) and Didi (sister) work for anyone around your age, from the guard to the shopkeeper. Older neighbours are usually Uncle-ji and Aunty-ji, even if you've never met them before.
Visiting someone's home
You'll almost always be offered chai or a snack. It's polite to accept something, even if it's just a little. And if you say no once, don't be surprised when they ask again. That's just how hospitality works here.
"Achha, chalta hoon"
When you leave someone's home, a warm "Achha, chalta hoon" (Okay, I'll get going) if you're a man, or "Achha, chalti hoon" if you're a woman, is the natural way to say goodbye. Your host will almost always reply "Phir aana!" (Come again!), and they mean it. Say it at the door, and you'll sound just like a local.
Household help
If you hire a cook, cleaner or driver, there's a good chance they speak Hindi and not much English. This is where a few words of Hindi make the biggest difference to your day-to-day life.
Hindi to speak with your house help and the society guard
- Aaiye: Please come in
- Rukiye: Please wait
- Yeh saaf kar dijiye: Please clean this
- Kal aaiye: Please come tomorrow
- Kal jaldi aaiye: Please come early tomorrow
- Kal mat aaiye: Please don't come tomorrow
- Andar bhej dijiye: Please send them in (to the guard, when a visitor or delivery arrives)
- Parcel gate pe rakh dijiye: Please leave the parcel at the gate
- Khaana khaaya?: Have you eaten? (a friendly hello)
- Bahut achha bana hai: It's turned out really well (your cook will love hearing this)
Festivals and local culture in Gurgaon
There's a festival around almost every corner of the calendar here, and gated societies love to celebrate them together. A few you'll definitely run into:
- Lohri (January): A Punjabi winter festival with bonfires, dancing and handfuls of peanuts, popcorn and rewri thrown into the fire. Many societies light a big bonfire for everyone.
- Republic Day (26 January): A grand parade on Kartavya Path in Delhi, and flag-hoisting in societies across the city.
- Holi (March): The festival of colours. Expect water balloons, gulaal (coloured powder), gujiya and the cheerful cry of "Bura na mano, Holi hai!" - don't be upset, it's Holi!
- Sheetla Mata Mela (March or April): Huge crowds of pilgrims visit Gurgaon's old Sheetla Mata Mandir during its annual fair.
- Eid (dates change every year): "Eid Mubarak" is the greeting on the day, and friends may invite you over for sevaiyan (sweet vermicelli).
- Hariyali Teej (July or August): A favourite in Haryana, with women in green, swings hung from trees, mehendi and boxes of ghewar.
- Independence Day (15 August): The Prime Minister speaks from the Red Fort in Delhi, and the sky fills with kites.
- Raksha Bandhan (August): Sisters tie rakhis on their brothers' wrists, and brothers promise to protect them (and usually hand over a gift).
- Janmashtami (August or September): Lord Krishna's birthday, with temples decorated and lit up until midnight.
- Navratri and Dussehra (September or October): Societies host garba and dandiya nights, Ramlila plays are performed across the city, and on Dussehra, giant effigies of Ravan are burned. Bengali families also set up Durga Puja pandals in many societies.
- Karva Chauth (October or November): Many married women fast all day for their husbands, and break the fast only after seeing the moon.
- Diwali (October or November): Lamps, fairy lights, rangoli and boxes of sweets and dry fruits. Your colleagues and neighbours will make sure you don't go home empty-handed, and most societies hold a Diwali mela.
- Christmas: Malls and Cyber Hub light up for the season, and many societies hold their own Christmas parties.
Want to greet people on a festival day? Just add "ki shubhkaamnaayein" (best wishes) to the festival's name: "Diwali ki shubhkaamnaayein!" Or keep it casual with "Happy Diwali!"
Gurgaon etiquette: quick checklist
- Take your shoes off at homes, temples and gurudwaras
- Cover your head at gurudwaras
- Use your right hand to eat, and to give or take things
- Dress modestly when visiting temples, mosques, gurudwaras and villages
- Say yes to a cup of chai when it's offered (or be polite when you refuse)
- Try a few words of Hindi, even if you get them wrong
- Don't be surprised if people ask about your job, your family or whether you're married. It's just friendly curiosity
Do you need Hindi to live in Gurgaon?
Gurgaon is one of the most international cities in India, and you can survive here with English, especially at the office, the mall and inside your society. But step outside, and Hindi is the language of the city's cab drivers, guards, house help, markets and dhabas. Picking up some Hindi makes life here not just more convenient, but a lot more interesting too.
With a bit of Hindi, you'll get the local jokes, the best food tips and real chats with the people you see every day. You'll taste the region's real local flavour, instead of only seeing it through the windows of a glass tower. And people here absolutely love it when you try.
If you want to progress from phrases and words to having real conversations in Hindi, a bit of structure makes a big difference. Start with Bhashafy's Complete Hindi Course for Beginners and see how far a little consistency can take you.
Bhashafy has over 20,000 satisfied learners across 100+ countries and millions of minutes of lessons taught. Bhashafy's courses are some of the most widely used, highly rated and bestselling courses for Indian languages across the world.
Dhanyavaad!
