Guide for a Newbie in Mumbai City

Mumbai… a city that never sleeps and never ceases to amaze you in every way.

But beware!!! Cause this city is going to make you really, really tired.

I moved to Mumbai for further studies in 2013. It has been almost a decade since I moved to this dream city. There are multiple things that I totally LOVEEE about this city but something that really made my Mumbai journey easy is its very accepting culture that welcomes people from everywhere in the world.

After a decade year of experience, Here is what I can tell:

1. Mumbai is a land of opportunities as every other MNC has its office here. Hence ample job opportunities for freshers.

2. Local trains are literally lifelines here. So if you are going to travel during peak hours in the local train then I wish you luck ;)

3. Work hard and party harder is the motto here. Saturdays and Sundays are the party days in Mumbai and hence you will see a massive rush at restaurants, cafes, pubs etc.

4. House hunting is going to be a TASK!!! At first, I was staying in my college hostel but once I got done with my graduation I had to find a new place to live. I spent almost 2 months looking here and there…from one broker to another…from one local PG to another local hostel... It was all hectic. But then finally I found my comfy and cozy home through this website named GetSetHome. (https://www.getsethome.com/)

5. Mumbai’s never-ending traffic!!! Do you really want me to talk about this?? LOL

6. This city celebrates each and every festival with great unity and gusto. Mumbai lits up during the festive season which makes this city even more beautiful.

7. You really need to watch your eating habits. Mumbai will get you super addicted to eating out. From drool-worthy roadside chat to fancy cafes… Mumbai got it all. So you better keep a watch on how much you are spending on food. Go home and cook a meal…I know it's tough but come on you can do this ;)

8. Marathi…you must know a few basic words of this language if you want to survive in this city. Every other person here talks in Marathi.

Below we have rounded up a list of commonly used lingos (both Marathi & Hindi) heard around the city. These are few lingos you should know if you are New to Mumbai City

1. Pandu/Mamu - It's a universally accepted word in and around Mumbai used for Jr. constables (not an officer) especially to mock them behind their backs! They are usually at the traffic signals. Don't be surprised if you are about to break a traffic signal and someone warns you “Aage Pandu khada hai”.

Example - That Pandu caught me today at the traffic signal!!

2. Fattu - Meaning coward, this is a provocative word. This commonly used word in Mumbai is referred to a scared person. This word is used as a trick to get anybody to do something dicey. There’s about a 90% chance that it will work. ;)

Example - What a fattu, you couldn't even ask for her number!!

3. Jhakass/Zakass - Meaning something superb or awesome is a Marathi slang word. However, Bollywood’s famous actor Anil Kapoor used this word in a movie called Yudh and this word soon became a frequently used part of Mumbai’s lingo. Though Jhakass is not used by sophisticated people. To add more elements and feel to this word, one should add ekdam (total/complete) before it. Ekdam Jhakasss!!!

Example - That movie was total Jhakass!!

4. Faadu - Faadu is a term of amusement similar in meaning to awesome, superb, or excellent. It can be used as an alternative to Jhakass. It's a tapori word of Mumbai.

Example - “Kya faadu kapde milte hai wo shop me” (that shop has some awesome clothes)

5. Boss - Don't be surprised if some random dude calls you boss on the streets. Boss is not just a term that you use to acknowledge your superior. In Mumbai, Boss is used to address a stranger. Rather than a term of respect or such, it is used interchangeably with ‘dude.’

Example - “Boss ek vadapaw dena?” (excuse me, can I get a Vadapaw)

6. Shana/Shane - Shana is a Marathi slang word used to describe someone who is over-smart. It is often used for guys who seek attention by doing unusual stuff.

Example - “Chal aye jyada shana mat ban” (don’t act over smart)

7. Bhidu - It’s the Bombay version of the word Dude. Bhidu is considered as a tapori language in Mumbai. This word is commonly used by people living in slum area.

Example - “Kya bhidu, kidhar jaa raha hai?” (hey dude, where you going)

8. Cutting Chai - Cutting Chai ​​means a small portion of tea or, more specifically, half the usual serving of chai given by the tea vendor. In Mumbai, if you ask for cutting chai, you get a half-filled glass instead of one filled to the rim. You will rarely find someone saying “ek glass chai dena” cause Mumbaikars use the word Cutting Chai ;)

Example - “Bhaiyya ek Cutting chai dena” (Can i get a cup of tea?)

9. Yaar/Ya - Meaning friend, yaar is a recurring slang term that's used in casual social interactions between friends and sometimes even strangers who may be shopkeepers or autorickshaw drivers. The word Ya is mostly used by SoBo (South Mumbai) people.

Example - “Stop irritating me Ya”

“Yaar kitna hectic din tha aaj” (Today was a hectic day bro)

10. Waat lag gayi -This phrase is commonly used in Mumbai which roughly means ‘to get screwed.’ Outsiders are still sometimes stunned to hear Mumbaikars use it in real life.

Example - “Bhai exam me kya waat lag gayi” (Bro I got screwed in exams)

I know I have not covered a lot in this but even if I had to cover everything, it will take a whole day (or even more) for me to note everything down cause I can go on and on…