You can always tell a Mumbaikar by how they talk. The friend who calls everyone "bhidu" or "bantai" or "bhaaai", whether they've known you for ten years or ten minutes. The colleague whose local train was late - again. The aunty who says "Aaila!" at everything from a traffic jam to the price of onions.
Mumbai has its own way of speaking, and it's half the fun of living here. Think of it like a plate of pav bhaji: take Marathi, Hindi, Urdu, Gujarati, Konkani and some English, mash it all together on a hot tawa, and you get Bambaiya. This guide covers the slang you'll hear most - Bambaiya Hindi, the city's local train lingo, and Mumbai Marathi slang.
What is Bambaiya Hindi?
Bambaiya is Mumbai's own street Hindi. It grew up in the city's mills, docks, markets and chawls, where people from all over India had to find a common way to talk, and it happily borrows from Marathi, Gujarati, Konkani and English. Bollywood made it famous, from the tapori heroes of the 1970s to Munna Bhai in the 2000s, but you'll hear it every day in Mumbai's streets, trains and offices. It's casual, cheeky and full of humour, and if you speak Hindi, you'll understand most of it, even if your Hindi teacher would not approve.
The Bambaiya slang everyone uses
These are the words and phrases that come up again and again. If you learn nothing else, learn these.
Apun - I, me, we
In Bambaiya, "main" (I) becomes apun. It can mean I, me or we, depending on the mood.
- Apun ko kya? - What's it to me?
- Apun idhar-ich hai - I'm right here
Bhidu, Bantai, Boss - everyone's your buddy
In Mumbai, everyone from the vegetable vendor to your manager can be your buddy:
- Bhidu: Buddy, mate. "Kya bolta hai, bhidu?" (What's up, buddy?)
- Bantai: Bro, buddy, one of your gang. "Kya scene hai, bantai?" (What's the plan, bro?) It's especially popular with the city's rappers - more on them below.
- Mamu: Literally uncle, but used like "dude". Careful, though - it can also mean someone who's been fooled. "Mamu bana diya" means "he made a fool of you".
- Boss: The go-to way to call any man whose name you don't know, from a taxi driver to a stranger on the street. "Boss, kitna hua?"
Bindaas - carefree
Bindaas means carefree, fearless or cool. "Bindaas bol" means "say it freely, don't worry", and a bindaas person doesn't care what anyone thinks.
Jhakaas, Ek number, zabardast - awesome
Mumbai has many ways to say something is fantastic:
- Jhakaas: Awesome. "Ekdum jhakaas!" (Totally awesome!)
- Ek number: Number one, top class. "Biryani ek number thi!" (The biryani was top class!)
- Zabardast: Terrific, outstanding. "Kya zabardast performance tha!" (What a terrific performance!)
Vaat lag gayi - things have gone wrong
Borrowed straight from Marathi, vaat lag gayi means "I'm in trouble" or "things have gone horribly wrong". Missed the last local home? Vaat lag gayi bhai!
Lafda, Raada and Locha - trouble
- Lafda: Trouble, a mess or a fight. "Lafda mat kar" means "don't start trouble".
- Raada: A big ruckus or a brawl, from Marathi. "Baahar bahut raada chal raha hai" means "there's a huge commotion outside".
- Locha: A problem, a glitch or a confusing mess. "Kuch toh locha hai" means "something's not right here".
Kalti maar - get out of here
Kalti maar means "scram" or "let's get out of here". Its sneakier cousin is "Patli gali se nikal le" - slip out through the narrow lane, meaning leave quietly before anyone notices.
Tension nahi lene ka - the Bambaiya way of saying "should"
Bambaiya loves the -ne ka ending, which turns any verb into "should" or "supposed to":
- Tension nahi lene ka - Don't take tension
- Kidhar jaane ka? - Where should we go?
- Ab kya karne ka? - What do we do now?
Apun piyela hai, par hosh me hai- the Bambaiya "ela" ending
Bambaiya loves to stretch verbs with an -ela ending, and once you notice it, you'll hear it everywhere.
- Apun piyela hai - I'm drunk
- Kya karrela hai? - What are you doing?
- Woh ghar gayela hai - He's gone home
- Kidhar jaarela hai? - Where are you going?
Apun ka sunta-ich kidhar hai? - Bambaiya "ich" ending
Add -ich to almost any word in Bambaiya, and it gets an extra punch, like saying "only", "right" or "exactly" in English:
- Aisa toh aadmi life me do-ich time bhaagta hai - A man runs like this exactly twice in his life
- Tension lene ka-ich nahi - No need to take any tension at all
- Tu apun ka sunta-ich kidhar hai - You don't listen to me at all
- Dharavi Bambai me-ich hai na? - Isn't Dharavi right here in Mumbai?
Bole toh - I mean
Bole toh means "I mean" or "in other words", and Munna Bhai made it famous across India. "Woh banda, bole toh, ekdum jhakaas hai" means "That guy is, like, totally awesome".
Fultoo and Ekdum - totally
- Fultoo: Totally, completely. "Fultoo timepass" means total fun, or a total waste of time, depending on who you ask.
- Ekdum: Totally, absolutely. "Ekdum sahi" (absolutely right).
Shaana and Chaalu - too smart for their own good
- Shaana: Clever. "Zyaada shaana mat ban" means "don't act too smart", and someone who's "dedh shaana" (one-and-a-half clever) thinks they're smarter than they are.
- Chaalu: Sly or cunning. "Woh bahut chaalu hai" means "he's very crafty".
A few more Mumbai gems
- Khaali-peeli: For no reason. "Khaali-peeli tension mat le" means "don't stress for nothing".
- Satakli: He's lost it, he's gone mad with anger. Borrowed from Marathi.
- Dhakkan: Literally a lid, but used for a clueless person.
- Tapori: A street-smart, swaggering loafer, made famous by Bollywood heroes.
- Cutting: Half a glass of tea. "Do cutting dena" (two cutting chais, please).
- Kaiko: Why? "Kaiko tension lera hai?"
- Traas: Trouble or hassle, borrowed from Marathi. "Traas mat de" means "don't bug me"
Mumbai's gully rap keeps Bambaiya alive
If you want to hear Bambaiya at full speed, listen to Mumbai's hip-hop. Over the last decade, a wave of rappers from the city's neighbourhoods - from Andheri and Kurla to Dharavi and Bandra - started rapping about their own streets in their own language: Bambaiya Hindi. Artists like DIVINE, Naezy, Emiway Bantai and Dharavi's rap crews turned this gully rap into one of India's biggest music scenes. And Zoya Akhtar's Gully Boy (2019) show brought it out to the whole country.
Mumbai local train lingo, explained
The local trains have a language of their own. Learn these, and you'll survive rush hour like a regular:
- Fast and slow: The two kinds of local. Fast trains skip the smaller stations, slow trains stop everywhere. "Fast pakad" means "catch the fast one".
- Chauthi seat: The fourth seat. Local train benches are meant for three people, but regulars politely squeeze a fourth on the edge - and asking for the chauthi seat is completely normal.
- Dabba: A train compartment, as in the "ladies dabba" or the "first class dabba". It's also the word for a lunchbox, which is where the dabbawalas get their name.
- Platform kis taraf aayega?: Which side will the platform be on? You need to know in advance as you have to wade through the crowd and position yourself to get out one at least one station ahead.
Mumbai road and traffic one-liners
Mumbai traffic has given the city some of its best lines. You'll hear these from auto drivers, bikers and pretty much anyone stuck in a jam:
- Bhau, side de: Brother, give me some room
- Tere baap ka raasta hai kya?: Do you think this is your dad's road?
- Meter se chalega?: Will you go by the meter?
- Aage le le: Move ahead, keep going
- Pudhe chaala: Go ahead
Mumbai Marathi slang
Mumbai's Marathi has its own slang too, often with a few Hindi or English words mixed in. Here are some you'll hear around the city:
- Aaila!: Whoa! The all-purpose exclamation for surprise, shock or delight
- Lai bhaari: Super awesome. "Lai" means "a lot", and "bhaari" means "awesome"
- Kadak: Excellent, or strong, as in a "kadak chaha" (strong cup of tea)
- Bhannaat: Amazing, mind-blowing
- Zaau de: Let it go, forget it
- Kaahihi!: Nonsense! Said when someone's talking rubbish
- Raada: A huge ruckus or a fight
- Dokyaala taap: A headache, meaning a person or situation that's a pain
- Kaay re? / Kaay ga?: What's up? (to a man / to a woman)
- Vaat lagli: Things have gone wrong - the Marathi original of Bambaiya's "vaat lag gayi"
- Kantaala: Tiredness, frustration and boredom all rolled into one word. "Kantaala aala" means "I'm so tired" or "I am done with it"
- Traas nako deu: Don't bother me, stop pestering me. "Traas" means trouble or harassment, so this is the go-to line for an annoying sibling or a pushy salesman
Want to go beyond the slang?
Slang is the fun part, and it'll earn you instant street cred in Mumbai. But to understand the conversations around you and join in, you need the everyday language people speak.
If you want to progress from phrases and words to having real conversations in Marathi, a bit of structure makes a big difference. Start with Bhashafy's Complete Marathi Course for Beginners and see how far a little consistency can take you.
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Thank you, or as we say in Marathi - Dhanyavaad!
