# Hindi/Urdu: to go for a walk (what preposition is used)?



## amiramir

Hello,

If I wanted to say, "Yesterday we went for a walk," which of the following (if any) is the most idiomatic:


Kal hum sair ko nikle (chale?).
Kal hum sair karne gaye
Kal hum sair par nikle (chale?)
Many thanks.


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## Englishmypassion

Kal hum tehalne gaye./ Kal hum sair par gaye.


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## amiramir

Thanks! So it was none of my options! Par never even occurred to me. So is the verb with sair always jaana?

If I said, "let's go for a walk." It's 'Hum sair par jayeN." Never sair par chaleN? (Or sair par nikaleN?)

Thank you.


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## Alfaaz

amiramir SaaHib, all of your sentences in the opening post are idiomatic! I would just add _the_ (تھے) at the end of each sentence. 

Note: سیر - _sair_ can also be used for _travelling_ (in the sense of tourism), so _sair par/ko nikalnaa_ could also be interpreted as _going on a vacation_. 

Apart from all of the options already mentioned, there is also چہل قدمی کرنا in Urdu.


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## amiramir

Alfaazji, many thanks for your comment.


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## nadim

I would also add that "to go for a walk" is not _sair_, it is _tehalna_, _chehal qadmi karma_, _chakkar lagana_. Although walk is very common in urdu speaking people.


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## Alfaaz

nadim said:
			
		

> I would also add that "to go for a walk" is not _sair_, ...


 Could you perhaps elaborate on what you mean by this?

_sair_ is used regularly in this context in colloquial language and this meaning is also included in dictionaries (here and here)!


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## nadim

Sorry I'm not expert in literary urdu. I'm talking about he the phrase "to go on walk" as it is generally used, never heard in the meaning of "sair". Sair is travel to a distant place for leisure, or something formal/ particular. Walk is a walk, a casual trip of a short distance.
To go on a walk can be a part of a sair, but standing alone in the sentence, it can't be taken as sair.


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## Khaanabadosh

Agree with Nadim Sahab. Sair is hardly ever used in spoken language. Tehalna and chakkar lagaana are common. Chahal Qadmi (40 steps) isn't used in a positive context in my experience.


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## amiramir

Thanks for everyone's comments. I'm a bit surprised about 'sair' not being common in the spoken language. I feel like it's the only word I've ever heard growing up, but maybe it's a(n) (eastern) Punjabi thing, or a Hindi thing, or just my distorted recollections.  Thanks again. Chakkar lagaana in my experience can also be in car, or a boat, etc. i.e. not necessarily walking. But again, I'm no native.


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## nadim

u r absolutely right amir, the location effects a lot (and sometimes a large) the language.
if you dont like chakkar lagana, another word for walk around or to go on a walk may be _ghoomna _or _ghoom kar aana_


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## Dib

"sair karnaa", in my experience, is common in colloquial Delhi Hindi in the sense of "to go for a walk". But it can also mean sight-seeing, etc.


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## Alfaaz

nadim said:
			
		

> Sorry I'm not expert in literary urdu. I'm talking about he the phrase "to go on walk" as it is generally used, never heard in the meaning of "sair". Sair is travel to a distant place for leisure, or something formal/ particular. Walk is a walk, a casual trip of a short distance.
> To go on a walk can be a part of a sair, but standing alone in the sentence, it can't be taken as sair.





			
				Khaanabadosh said:
			
		

> Agree with Nadim Sahab. Sair is hardly ever used in spoken language.


Thanks for replying. These views are really surprising and it would be nice to have opinions from other Urdu-speaking and Hindi-speaking forum members as well! Meanwhile, here are a few examples of _sair_ for _walk_: 

ورزش‏—‏ایک بھرپور زندگی گزارنے کا نسخہ


> *سیر کرنا:‏ *یہ ورزش کرنے کا سب سے آسان اور سستا طریقہ ہے۔‏ سیر کرتے وقت لمبے لمبے قدم بھریں اور اتنی تیزی سے چلیں کہ آپ ایک گھنٹے میں ۳ تا ۵ میل کا فاصلہ طے کر پائیں۔‏
> * دوڑ لگانا*
> * سائیکل چلانا*
> * تیرنا*
> * کودنا*


Transliteration: 
_*sair karnaa:* yeh warzish kaa sab se aasaan aur sastaa tariiqah hai. sair karte waqt lambe lambe qadam bhareN aur itnii tezii se chaleN keh aap aik ghanTe meN 3 taa 5 miil tai kar paa'eN _
_*dauR lagaanaa* ..._
_*cycle chalaanaa* ..._
_*tairnaa* ..._
_*kuudnaa* ..._

Urdu Times: بڑھاپے میں دماغی ورزش سے دماغ سکڑنا بند


> ماہرین کے مطابق دقت طلب یا سخت ورزش نہیں کرنی چاہئے بلکہ ہفتہ میں کئی مرتبہ پیدل سیر کرنا کافی ہے


Transliteration: _maahiriin ke mutaabiq diqqat-talab yaa saxt warzish nahiiN karnii chaahi'e balkeh haftah meN ka'ii martabah paidal sair karnaa kaafii hai_

It is odd that only _sair_ is being compartmentalized, while _chakkar lagaanaa_ and _ghuumnaa_ can also carry various meanings in colloquial language:

_chakkar lagaanaa: _
_to go around in circles, as on a track_
_to go for rotations, as in a medical ward_
_to visit_
_jab bhii waqt mile, humaarii taraf zaruur chakkar lagaanaa_


_ghuumnaa: _
_to spin, to revolve, etc. _
_to travel for leisure, etc. _
_jab chhuTiyaaN aa'eN gii, to kaheeN ghuumne(-phirne) chaleN ge!_


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## marrish

_*sair*_ does encompass both senses of 'walking (moving around on foot) for exercise or pleasure', 'a walk, stroll' and 'making  an excursion, visit, go sightseeing, travel', in both Hindi and Urdu but it is indeed much more used for a trip in my opinion. If I used this word for taking a walk it would imply there is a picnic or a place to visit. As Alfaaz jii said, _*chihal-qadmii*_ is the primary Urdu word for (going for) a walk.

Let me give some examples of _*sair*_ usage, just off the top of my head:
_-beruun-e-mulk sair karne jaanaa (to travel abroad)
-kashtii meN daryaa kii sair karnaa (to sail)
-har hafte sair jamnaa ke pul kii (Ghalib)*
-xalaa meN (kii) sair karnaa (space flight)_
-_WRF IIR kii sair karnaa
_
Quite various aspects, out of which some examples may refer to walking, but not "go for a walk".

Subsequently, here an example with "having a stroll in a garden"

_jo *sair* karnii hae kar le kih jab xizaaN aa'ii
nah gul rahe gaa *chaman* meN nah xaar Thahre gaa
(Dayashankar Naseem)_​... it's quite "to have a walk" but implies garden. This usage is very popular (_paark, baaGh, baaGhiiche, jaNgal waGhairah kii sair)_.

Finally in the verses quoted below, the word *sair* is again associated with a garden, but this time it gently introduces yet another idiom for "going for a walk". Have a look:


Qureshpor said:


> [...]And for Dib saaHib..
> 
> bhuuke nahiiN haiN *sair*-i-*gulistaan* ke ham, vale
> kyoN-kar nah *khaa'iye *kih* havaa* hai bahaar kii
> 
> Ghalib


(bhuuke=bhuukhe; sair-i-gulistaan=gulistaan kii sair; vale=parantu; khaa'iye=1st person pl.=(ham) khaa'eN)
In the second verse the poet is playing with the expression "_*hawaa khaanaa*_". No doubt it has more, different meanings, but here it is perfectly usable for our purposes. Similar is "_hawaa xorii karnaa_" but this might be not used in Hindi.

_baahar hawaa khaane chaleN_ (very colloquial).

----------------
* see this recent article for information about _*phuul waaloN kii sair*_ and two different English translations:
http://www.catchnews.com/culture-ne...he-annual-phool-walon-ki-sair-1447760620.html


> ----the weekly *jaunts* at the Yamuna bridge, the annual fair at the Phoolwaalon ki Sair, or the *procession* of the florists.


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## nadim

with respect to all members, you can have a million quotes from ghalib, miir, or whatever ancient dictionary. all is correct, but the most correct is always how the people speak. I really appreciate the literary research of my fellow members, language is a literary thing ofcourse, with rules and regulations, but its the (urdu speaking) community that sets the rules. as far as I could understand, it evolves with time. the rules set for example 100 or 50 years ago, not necessarily applicable in our time. Obviously what we set today will not be binding for coming generations. 
The spanish is what spainiards speak, hindi is what indians speak. The location effects it also, like spanish is different in spain or latin america. likewise urdu has two different shades as in India and Pakistan. and all of them is correct in their particular regions, because people understand and apprehend it in that way.
The given topic is a simple idiom in our daily life, and we should approch it in a practical way, but it all depends on the personal taste.


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## Alfaaz

nadim said:
			
		

> with respect to all members, you can have a million quotes from ghalib, miir, or whatever ancient dictionary. all is correct, but the most correct is always how the people speak. I really appreciate the literary research of my fellow members, language is a literary thing ofcourse, with rules and regulations, but its the (urdu speaking) community that sets the rules. as far as I could understand, it evolves with time. the rules set for example 100 or 50 years ago, not necessarily applicable in our time. Obviously what we set today will not be binding for coming generations.
> The spanish is what spainiards speak, hindi is what indians speak. The location effects it also, like spanish is different in spain or latin america. likewise urdu has two different shades as in India and Pakistan. and all of them is correct in their particular regions, because people understand and apprehend it in that way.
> The given topic is a simple idiom in our daily life, and we should approch it in a practical way, but it all depends on the personal taste.


 With great respect nadim SaaHib, I would just like to mention that this is exactly why I didn't quote any poetry or other _ancient_ material! One of my examples was from an article on exercise and the other one was from a newspaper article, which usually represent spoken language quite closely. There is absolutely no doubt in the fact that all of the other options are frequently used in Urdu (and some even in Hindi), as I myself mentioned چہل قدمی in post #4. However, would it be appropriate to (1) label the use of _sair karnaa_ in this context _completely incorrect_ just because a segment of the population doesn't use/hasn't heard it in this manner and/or (2) to suggest that _all_ of the speakers who do use it in this manner might be affected by another language (Punjabi)...? When health/medical professionals (of both countries and languages) suggest (in person or on television) people to _"rozaanah sone se pehle kam az kam  ____ minutes  sair karnaa yaa diigar warzish karnaa"_, are they suggesting that the people  _travel for leisure everyday before going to sleep_...?

These are the points that prompted me to ask the questions in the posts above. Of course, it may very well be that my exposure to the two languages (in comparison to English) is less than other forum members...due to which I could be misperceiving the usage.


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## nadim

just a b


Alfaaz said:


> With great respect nadim SaaHib, I would just like to mention that this is exactly why I didn't quote any poetry or other _ancient_ material! One of my examples was from an article on exercise and the other one was from a newspaper article, which usually represent spoken language quite closely. There is absolutely no doubt in the fact that all of the other options are frequently used in Urdu (and some even in Hindi), as I myself mentioned چہل قدمی in post #4. However, would it be appropriate to (1) label the use of _sair karnaa_ in this context _completely incorrect_ just because a segment of the population doesn't use/hasn't heard it in this manner and/or (2) to suggest that _all_ of the speakers who do use it in this manner might be affected by another language (Punjabi)...? When health/medical professionals (of both countries and languages) suggest (in person or on television) people to _"rozaanah sone se pehle kam az kam  ____ minutes  sair karnaa yaa diigar warzish karnaa"_, are they suggesting that the people  _travel for leisure everyday before going to sleep_...?
> 
> These are the points that prompted me to ask the questions in the posts above. Of course, it may very well be that my exposure to the two languages (in comparison to English) is less than other forum members...due to which I could be misperceiving the usage.


just a brief comment on your two points:
I can´t understand your used terms of _segment of people_ and _all of the speakers_. It is debatable that how large or short is the _Punjabi affected segment of Urdu speakers_.
Your given example also intensify the meaning of go for a walk as چہل قدمی کرنا، گھومنا، چکر لگانا، ٹہلنا. it is a mostly used for a casual walk, but in your example the doctor is advising for a specific job, a specific walk.


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## marrish

With your permission, nadim SaaHib, I'd like too to comment further on your post No. 15. Since you mentioned quoting from Mir, Ghalib (classical poets) and ancient dictionaries, I hope I will not be mistaken to assume that you were not addressing Alfaaz SaaHib but me. After all I am the one who did quote two couplets.

It may be that my post No. 14 is convoluted. In short, I can explain that in fact I agreed with your remarks about the usage of _*sair karnaa*_.
1. I acknowledged that it is used for "a walk" but rarely.
2. confirmed that my experience is similar to yours and Khaanabadosh SaaHib's.
3. explained the usage not by means of old quotes but phrases I wrote myself. None of those examples endorses *sair* as a walk.
4. I remembered a famous sentence (actually I quoted only a short phrase from Ghalib) about _jamnaa pul_ for the same purpose, besides I wanted to illustrate the wide scope of meaning.
5. on the other hand, the poetry I quoted or re-quoted was used to illustrate _*sair*_ in a garden/park. This is still used and is *not* outdated.
6. by means of the Ghalib shi3r, I introduced another idiom for having a walk.
7. the link to the article at the end translates _*sair*_ twice, both of the cases it is not "a walk". Besides, it gives information about Dehlavi traditions.

Re. ancient dictionaries. I didn't help myself to them, Alfaaz SaaHib took the trouble to provide us with direct links to the concerned entries. Urduencyclopedia dictionary is a modern (online) one. Platts is some hundred years old but is still regarded as authoritative source. Well, I understand your point... but if I say there are occurrences of "sair karnaa" = "chahil qadmii karnaa", it means I am talking about Modern Urdu and I have a reason to do it.

Alfaaz SaaHib's references are also contemporary (still, I would not base my opinion solely on basis of these two because the first one is a translation and the second, well, I think the word sair has been used to somehow increase the attractivity of walking for older people calling it "_sair_".

When dignitaries meet for a walk, it is always reported in the Urdu press of nowadays as "sair". I had some examples from newspapers but I didn't include them in my previous post, so I don't have them anymore. If you search for anything about Obama and Central Park you will be there. This is not some old dusty stuff.


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## nadim

good, if we all agree that it could be or may be translated as sair, the issue is resolved. 
the only thing left is yours, mine or anyone´s preference or liking.


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## marrish

Fair enough, I'm glad we agree on this point. Personal preferences are unavoidable though. It's the advantage of this forum that we can have a discussion. For example, Tahalnaa doesn't have my liking as I perceive it to mean "ramble about", without any specific destination, not having any purpose, going here and there to "kill time".


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## marrish

Here a quotation (out of hundreds) for Hindi:
*सैर*
एक स्थान से दूसरे स्थान की यात्रा करने को सैर कहते हैं। मनोरंजन के लिए घूमना-फिरना, सुबह के समय घूमना, भ्रमण करना, विनोद यात्रा करना, विहार करना या वायु का सेवन करना सैर कहलाता है। सैर कई प्रकार से कर सकते हैं। पैदल या किसी साधन के द्वारा। सैर करने से कई लाभ होते हैं। सैर करने से हमारा स्वास्थ्य ठीक रहता है और मनोरंजन भी होता है।
*sair*
ek sthaan se duusre sthaan kii yaatraa karne ko sair kahte haiN. manoraNjan ke li'e ghuumnaa-phirnaa, subah ke samay ghuumnaa, bhramaNR karnaa, vinod yaatraa karnaa, vihaar karnaa yaa vaayu kaa sevan karnaa sair kahlaataa hai. sair kaii prakaar se kar sakte haiN. paidal yaa kisii saadhan ke dvaaraa. sair karne se kaii laabh hote haiN. sair karne se hamaaraa svaasthya Thiik rahtaa hai aur manoraNjan bhii hotaa hai.

*सुबह की सैर*
सुबह की खुली स्वच्छ वायु में भ्रमण करने से शरीर रोगमुक्त रहता है और हम जिन रोगों से ग्रसित हैं, उन रोगों से होने वाली तकलीफ़ों से हम कुछ राहत महसूस करते हैं। युवाओं, बच्चों, बुजुर्गों, महिलाओं सभी के अच्छे स्वास्थ्य हेतु सुबह की सैर एक संजीवनी है। सुबह की सैर सेहत बनाने का बहुत सरल, सस्ता और सुविधाजनक उपाय है। पूरे दिन में सुबह का समय सर्वोत्तम होता है, क्योंकि इस समय हवा शुद्ध और प्रदूषण रहित होती है एवं प्राकृतिक छटा और सूर्योदय की लालिमा सुहावनी और शांतिप्रिय होती है।
*subah kii sair*
subah kii khulii svachch vaayu meN bhramaNR karne se shariir rogmukt rahtaa hai aur ham jin se grasit haiN, un rogoN se hone vaalii takliifoN se ham kuchh raahat mahsuus karte haiN. yuvaaoN, bachchoN, buzurgoN, mahilaaoN sabhii ke achchhe svaasthya hetu subah kii sair ek saNjiivnii hai. subah kii sair sehat banaane kaa bahut saral, sastaa aur suvidhaajanak upaay hai. puure din meN subah kaa samay sarvottam hotaa hai, kyoNki is samay havaa shuddh aur praduuShaNR-rahit hotii hai evam praak.rtik chhaTaa aur suuryoday kii laalimaa suhaavnii aur shaaNtipriy hotii hai.

http://bharatdiscovery.org/india/सैर


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## nadim

marrish said:


> Fair enough, I'm glad we agree on this point. Personal preferences are unavoidable though. It's the advantage of this forum that we can have a discussion. For example, Tahalnaa doesn't have my liking as I perceive it to mean "ramble about", without any specific destination, not having any purpose, going here and there to "kill time".


100% agreed. Tahalnaa is used mostly in the same sense, to walk around without any specific purpose. It may be in a state of worriness, like _paraishaanii maiN tahalnaa_, kisi kay _intizaar maiN tahalnaa_.


marrish said:


> Here a quotation (out of hundreds) for Hindi:
> *सैर*
> एक स्थान से दूसरे स्थान की यात्रा करने को सैर कहते हैं। मनोरंजन के लिए घूमना-फिरना, सुबह के समय घूमना, भ्रमण करना, विनोद यात्रा करना, विहार करना या वायु का सेवन करना सैर कहलाता है। सैर कई प्रकार से कर सकते हैं। पैदल या किसी साधन के द्वारा। सैर करने से कई लाभ होते हैं। सैर करने से हमारा स्वास्थ्य ठीक रहता है और मनोरंजन भी होता है।
> *sair*
> ek sthaan se duusre sthaan kii yaatraa karne ko sair kahte haiN. manoraNjan ke li'e ghuumnaa-phirnaa, subah ke samay ghuumnaa, bhramaNR karnaa, vinod yaatraa karnaa, vihaar karnaa yaa vaayu kaa sevan karnaa sair kahlaataa hai. sair kaii prakaar se kar sakte haiN. paidal yaa kisii saadhan ke dvaaraa. sair karne se kaii laabh hote haiN. sair karne se hamaaraa svaasthya Thiik rahtaa hai aur manoraNjan bhii hotaa hai.
> 
> *सुबह की सैर*
> सुबह की खुली स्वच्छ वायु में भ्रमण करने से शरीर रोगमुक्त रहता है और हम जिन रोगों से ग्रसित हैं, उन रोगों से होने वाली तकलीफ़ों से हम कुछ राहत महसूस करते हैं। युवाओं, बच्चों, बुजुर्गों, महिलाओं सभी के अच्छे स्वास्थ्य हेतु सुबह की सैर एक संजीवनी है। सुबह की सैर सेहत बनाने का बहुत सरल, सस्ता और सुविधाजनक उपाय है। पूरे दिन में सुबह का समय सर्वोत्तम होता है, क्योंकि इस समय हवा शुद्ध और प्रदूषण रहित होती है एवं प्राकृतिक छटा और सूर्योदय की लालिमा सुहावनी और शांतिप्रिय होती है।
> *subah kii sair*
> subah kii khulii svachch vaayu meN bhramaNR karne se shariir rogmukt rahtaa hai aur ham jin se grasit haiN, un rogoN se hone vaalii takliifoN se ham kuchh raahat mahsuus karte haiN. yuvaaoN, bachchoN, buzurgoN, mahilaaoN sabhii ke achchhe svaasthya hetu subah kii sair ek saNjiivnii hai. subah kii sair sehat banaane kaa bahut saral, sastaa aur suvidhaajanak upaay hai. puure din meN subah kaa samay sarvottam hotaa hai, kyoNki is samay havaa shuddh aur praduuShaNR-rahit hotii hai evam praak.rtik chhaTaa aur suuryoday kii laalimaa suhaavnii aur shaaNtipriy hotii hai.
> 
> http://bharatdiscovery.org/india/सैर


again you are giving example of a particular walk. the original post is:
"Yesterday we went for a walk,"​it gives a sense of a casual walk, just walk around. This walk may have a particular agenda or purpose, but this sentence alone does not reflect it.


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## marrish

nadim said:


> 100% agreed. Tahalnaa is used mostly in the same sense, to walk around without any specific purpose. It may be in a state of worriness, like _paraishaanii maiN tahalnaa_, kisi kay _intizaar maiN tahalnaa_.


I agree again. But you see, this word has already been mentioned and I chose not to say anything about my personal impressions about it.



> again you are giving example of a particular walk. the original post is:
> "Yesterday we went for a walk,"​it gives a sense of a casual walk, just walk around. This walk may have a particular agenda or purpose, but this sentence alone does not reflect it.


Indeed, you are right about the sentence from the original post. The example I gave for Hindi may be perhaps marked as "a particular walk" but I'd like to leave this to Hindi speakers to judge.


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## Khaanabadosh

'Morning Walk'/'Walk' has gained currency over the years and it is quite common to see its usage even in مفصل (mofussil) areas. Having said that, I don't fully subscribe to the context of tahalna mentioned by nadim sahab. We use it for morning walks as well.


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## Alfaaz

amiramir SaaHib: I sincerely hope my participation in your thread has not caused it to go off-track or become complicated!

As mentioned above, I was questioning the usage of _sair_ not based on _dictionary entries_ or _literature _(which are sometimes negatively viewed in this forum), but based on the usage I have heard in _everyday language_. Of course, my experience could be limited in comparison to the natives present here!


			
				nadim said:
			
		

> good, if we all agree that it could be or may be translated as sair, the issue is resolved.
> the only thing left is yours, mine or anyone´s preference or liking.


 I think this might be a good conclusion about this matter, as it doesn't rule out either possibility.




			
				amiramir said:
			
		

> If I said, "let's go for a walk."


How does this simple sentence sound...!?

_chalo, chalne chaleN!_


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## amiramir

Alfaaz said:


> amiramir SaaHib: I sincerely hope my participation in your thread has not caused it to go off-track or become complicated!




Not at all! Your contribution made the back and forth much less one sided!many thanks.


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## littlepond

amiramir said:


> If I wanted to say, "Yesterday we went for a walk," which of the following (if any) is the most idiomatic:
> 
> 
> Kal hum sair ko nikle (chale?).
> Kal hum sair karne gaye
> Kal hum sair par nikle (chale?)



All three are fine, though it should be "gaye the," etc. Post 2's suggestions are also fine. And for this Hindi speaker, "sair" for a leisurely, pleasurable walk is very much used (not for a hectic walk though, which you are suggesting it for in another ongoing thread). Of course, "Taihalnaa" is also very common, as are "ghoomnaa" (or "ghoom ke aanaa"). "chaihal-kadmii" is more pacing to and from for me, not a simple walk.


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## Sheikh_14

Chehl/chihal-qadmii/amii would equate to a stroll. Tehelnaa can mean to saunter or pace back and forth. Another one that is quite often used to walk about is chal-phirnaa. "Ham zaraa chal-phir ke aa'e" - we are off for a walk. Chalnaa-phirnaa explicitly means walk as opposed to ghoomnaa-phirnaa which is more ambiguous, as is the case with sair. A sair can be done in a car, or mode of transport, same goes for ghoomnaa-phirnaa. Yet chalnaa-phirnaa mandates physically walking.


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## littlepond

Sheikh_14 said:


> \Chalnaa-phirnaa explicitly means walk


"chalnaa-phirnaa" is rather used in Hindi to denote wastage of time through wandering around, etc.

"ghoomnaa-phirnaa" usually does not mean a walk, rather something more elaborate. For a walk, just "ghoomnaa" is fine (context tells the listener what kind of "ghoomnaa" is meant--walking or travelling--hence there is no ambiguity).


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