It comprises several closely related dialects in the northern, central and northwestern parts of the Indian subcontinent but is mainly based on Khariboli of the Delhi region.
As an Indo-Aryan language, Hindustani has a core base that traces back to Sanskrit but as a widely-spoken lingua franca, it has a large lexicon of loanwords,[1][2] acquired through centuries of foreign rule and ethnic diversity.
Standard Hindi and Urdu are used primarily in public addresses and radio or TV news, while the everyday spoken language is one of the several varieties of Hindustani, whose vocabulary contains words drawn from Persian, Arabic, and Sanskrit.
Usage of tū in most contexts is considered highly offensive in the formal register except when addressing God as a display of spiritual intimacy.
The verb jānā (जाना جانا, "to go"), which originates from Prakrit 𑀚𑀸𑀤𑀺 jādi derived from Sanskrit yāti ("to move"; root yā),[10] however has its perfective form originating from another Prakrit word 𑀕𑀬 gaya derived from Sanskrit gata, past participle of gacchati ("to go"; root gam or gacch),[10] for example, in gayā (गया گیا, "went, gone").
Examples of Desi words in Hindustani include:[11][12] loṭā (लोटा لوٹا) "lota (water vessel)", kapās (कपास کپاس) "cotton", kauṛī (कौड़ी کَوڑی) "cowrie (shell money)", ṭhes (ठेस ٹھیس) "wound, injury", jhaṉḍā (झंडा جھنڈا) "flag", mukkā (मुक्का مُکا) "fist, punch", lakṛī (लकड़ी لکڑی) "wood", ṭharrā (ठर्रा ٹھرّا) "tharra (liquor)", čūhā (चूहा چُوہا) "mouse, rat", čūlhā (चूल्हा چُولہا) "stove, oven", pagṛī (पगड़ी پگڑی) "turban", luṉgī (लुंगी لنگی) "lungi (sarong)", ghoṭālā (घोटाला گھوٹالہ) "scam", dāṉḍī (दांडी دانڈی) "salt", jholā (झोला جھولا) "bag, satchel", ṭakkar (टक्कर ٹکر) "crash, collision, confrontation", kākā (काका کاکا) "paternal uncle", uṭpaṭāṉg/ūṭpaṭāṉg (उटपटांग/ऊट-पटांग اُوٹ پٹانگ/اُٹ پٹانگ) "ludicrous", ḍabbā/ḍibbā (डब्बा/डिब्बा ڈبہ) "box, container" and jhuggī (झुग्गी جُھگی) "hut" Nouns: gaṛbaṛ (गड़बड़ گڑبڑ) "disorder, disturbance", dhaṛām (धड़ाम دھڑام) "thud", bakbak (बक-बक بک بک) "chatter/chitter-chatter", khusur pusar (खुसुर-पुसर کُھسر پُسر) "whisper", jhilmil (झिलमिल جِھلمِل) "shimmer", ṭhakṭhak (ठक-ठक ٹھک ٹھک) "knock knock", khaṭpaṭ (खटपट کھٹپٹ) "quarrel, disagreement" Verbs: khaṭkhaṭānā (खटखटाना کھٹکھٹانا) "to knock", gaḍgaḍānā (गडगडाना گڈگڈانا) "to rumble, to fuss", jagmagānā (जगमगाना جگمگانا) "to shine/glitter", hinhinānā (हिनहिनाना ہِنہِنانا) "to neigh", phusphusānā (फुसफुसाना پُھسپُھسانا) "to whisper" Adjectives and Adverbs: čaṭpaṭ (चट-पट چٹ پٹ) "in a jiffy", tharthar (थर-थर تھر تھر) "with jerky motion (characteristic of shaking or trembling)", čaṭpaṭā (चटपटा چٹپٹا) "dextrous, spicy", čipčipā (चिपचिपा چِپچِپا) "sticky, slimy", čiṛčiṛā (चिड़चिड़ा چِڑچِڑا) "irritable", gaṛbaṛiyā (गड़बड़िया گڑبڑیا) "chaotic, messy" Due to the language's status as a lingua franca, Hindustani's vocabulary has a large inventory of loanwords, the largest number of which are adopted from Punjabi.
Punjabi borrowings often bear sound changes from the parent Prakrit and Sanskrit vocabulary which did not occur in Hindustani, particularly the preservation of short vowels in initial syllables and the gemination of the following consonant.
In the vernacular form, these include the merger of Sanskrit श (śa) and ष (ṣa), ण (ṇa) and न (na) as well as ऋ (r̥) and रि (ri).
Other common alterations were s͟h [/ʃ/] (श ش) becoming s [/s/] (स س), v/w [/ʋ/, /w/] (व و) becoming b [/b/] (ब ب) and y [/j/] (य ی) becoming j [/dʒ/] (ज ج).
Some of the most commonly used words from Arabic, all entering the language through Persian, include vaqt (वक़्त وقت) "time", qalam (क़लम قلم) "pen", kitāb (किताब کتاب) "book", qarīb (क़रीब قریب) "near", sahīh/sahī (सहीह/सही سہی/صحیح) "correct, right", g͟harīb (ग़रीब غریب) "poor", amīr (अमीर امیر) "rich", duniyā (दुनिया دنیا) "world", hisāb (हिसाब حساب) "calculation", qudrat (क़ुदरत قدرت) "nature", nasīb (नसीब نصیب) "fate, luck, fortune", ajīb (अजीब عجیب) "strange, unusual", qānūn (क़ानून قانون) "law", filhāl (फ़िलहाल فی الحال) "currently", sirf (सिर्फ़ صرف) "only, mere", taqrīban (तक़रीबन تقریبًا) "close to, about", k͟habar (ख़बर خبر) "news", ak͟hbār (अख़बार اخبار) "newspaper", qilā (क़िला قلعہ) "fort", kursī (कुर्सी کرسی) "chair, seat", s͟harbat (शर्बत شربت) "drink, beverage", muāf/māf (मुआफ़/माफ़ معاف) "forgiven, pardoned", zarūrī (ज़रूरी ضروری) "necessary", etc.
Common Turkic words used in everyday Hindustani are qaiṉčī/qainčī (क़ैंची قینچی) "scissors", annā (अन्ना انّا) "governess", tamg͟hā (तमग़ा تمغا) "stamp, medal", and čaqmaq (चक़मक़ چقمق) "flint".
English-language education for the native administrative and richer classes during British rule accelerated the adoption of English vocabulary in Hindustani.