English Language Confusions, Guide Please ! Options

[masoomkamal]

Just like me there may be so many members here who dont know English so well. Sometime we get confused with some English sentences, proverbs, phrases, expressions, slang words etc. Sometime we are unable to express our thoughts in English or cant construct the sentence accordingly due to lack of knowledge.

So kindly help us in this regard. We will post our English language problems and confusions and the knowledgable members are requested to guide us.

For example, I cant translate this sentence in English, which is: "Main ne pyaase ko paani pilaaya." You can translate it as: "I made a thirsty person drink water", but I dont want "made drink", I want the exact word for Pilaaya. Just like : " Main ne Bhooke ko khaana khilaya" and you can translate it as: " I fed a hungry person", and not " I made a hungry person eat the food."

Also please explain, what is the difference between: " Can you get me your address please?" and "Could you get me your address please?". Isn't could is past tense of can?

What do you mean by "to take something for granted." In Hindi how will you translate it: "He has taken me for granted."

Is there any Hindi words for "Infrastructure, breakthrough, innovative?"

Is "infidel" a correct word for "Bewafa?"

Abhi ke liye bas itna hi..... Ummeed hai aap jawab denge.
Shukriya.

[anurag]

>>Also please explain, what is the difference between: " Can you get me your address please?" and "Could you get me your address please?". Isn't could is past tense of can?

Even if "could" is the past tense of "can", the meaning here is not to imply anything in the past but to transform the intent of ability expressed by "can" to a mere suggestion or a politeful request, the latter expressed by "could".

Take for example, I often hear a friend asking me, "Damn! I am so bored. What should I do?
And I often reply "You can watch a movie." or, "You could watch a movie". While the former enumerates options in a formal and factual fashion, the latter indicates a mere suggestion (along with a hint to drop the suggestion if it's not appealing) with the ability "to watch a movie" implicit. Hence, one sees "could" being used more often.

>>What do you mean by "to take something for granted." In Hindi how will you translate it: "He has taken me for granted."
Is there any Hindi words for "Infrastructure, breakthrough, innovative?"

If you had asked me these questions 10 years ago, I'd have replied even in my sleep but they are n't difficult. My Hindi is a bit rusty these days. Infrastructure is Dhancha and innovative would be naveen while breakthrough might be "akasmik safalata".

>> Is "infidel"  a correct word for "Bewafa?"

No, it is not.
Infidel is a religious unbeliever or one who rejects/doubts a pseudo-philosophical doctrine, while Bewafa is semantically and idealogically a simpler concept, for it resricts its meaning to a couple's relationship. Better words for bewafa would be unfaithful, adulterous, perfidious, philandering, treachorous.

[masoomkamal]

>>Also please explain, what is the difference between: " Can you get me your address please?" and "Could you get me your address please?". Isn't could is past tense of can?

Even if "could" is the past tense of "can", the meaning here is not to imply anything in the past but to transform the intent of ability expressed by "can" to a mere suggestion or a politeful request, the latter expressed by "could".

Take for example, I often hear a friend asking me, "Damn! I am so bored. What should I do?
And I often reply "You can watch a movie." or, "You could watch a movie". While the former enumerates options in a formal and factual fashion, the latter indicates a mere suggestion (along with a hint to drop the suggestion if it's not appealing) with the ability "to watch a movie" implicit. Hence, one sees "could" being used more often.

>>What do you mean by "to take something for granted." In Hindi how will you translate it: "He has taken me for granted."
Is there any Hindi words for "Infrastructure, breakthrough, innovative?"

If you had asked me these questions 10 years ago, I'd have replied even in my sleep but they are n't difficult. My Hindi is a bit rusty these days. Infrastructure is Dhancha and innovative would be naveen while breakthrough might be "akasmik safalata".

>> Is "infidel"  a correct word for "Bewafa?"

No, it is not.
Infidel is a religious unbeliever or one who rejects/doubts a pseudo-philosophical doctrine, while Bewafa is semantically and idealogically a simpler concept, for it resricts its meaning to a couple's relationship. Better words for bewafa would be unfaithful, adulterous, perfidious, philandering, treachorous.

Thank you for your explanations.

Is Structure (also dhancha) and Infrastructure are same?
How do you say this in Hindi: The villagers are being provided with the basic infrastructure of housing, roads, sewers etc. Can dhancha be used here?

Breakthrough: Akasmik safalta? You mean accidental/unexpected suceess?

And what about "he has taken me for granted?"

Also pls tell, is there any colloquial/simple word for "Idea."
Can you translate this: An idea can change your life.

Thanks and regards.