If English sometimes feels like it's fighting you, it's not because you're bad at it — it's because Hindi and English are structured very differently. Certain mistakes show up again and again among Hindi speakers, simply because of how we translate directly from Hindi in our heads.
Here are 15 of the most common ones, with corrections.
- "I am having a doubt" → "I have a doubt"
Hindi speakers often overuse continuous tense ("-ing" forms) because Hindi grammar structures work that way. In English, "have" for possession or facts doesn't take "-ing." - "Myself Rahul" → "My name is Rahul" / "I am Rahul"
This comes directly from Hindi's "मैं राहुल" pattern. In English, "myself" is a reflexive pronoun, not an introduction phrase. - "I am agree" → "I agree"
"Agree" is a verb, not an adjective — it doesn't need "am" before it. - "Kindly revert back" → "Please reply" or "Please get back to me"
"Revert" already means "to go back," so "revert back" is redundant. This is common in Indian workplace English but sounds off to native speakers. - "I am knowing the answer" → "I know the answer"
Stative verbs like know, want, believe, like aren't usually used in continuous form in English. - "Open the light" → "Turn on the light"
Direct translation from Hindi "बत्ती खोलो". In English, lights are "turned on/off," not "opened/closed." - "He is doing a mistake" → "He is making a mistake"
"Make a mistake" is a fixed phrase (a collocation) — "do" doesn't pair with "mistake" in English. - "Discuss about the topic" → "Discuss the topic"
"Discuss" already includes the meaning of "about" — adding it is redundant. - "I have a doubt regarding this" → "I have a question about this"
In Indian English, "doubt" is often used where native English would say "question." Not wrong exactly, but "question" reads more naturally internationally. - "Since two years" → "For two years"
Use "since" with a specific point in time (since 2020, since Monday) and "for" with a duration (for two years, for a while). - "I am reaching soon" → "I'll reach soon" / "I'll be there soon"
Present continuous is often used for near-future plans in Hindi-English speech, but "will" is more natural for spontaneous near-future statements. - "Please do the needful" → "Please take the necessary action" / "Please handle this"
A very Indian-English formal phrase that native speakers rarely use — worth knowing for global communication. - "Good name please?" → "What's your name, please?" / "May I know your name?"
Another direct translation from Hindi ("शुभ नाम") that doesn't map naturally into English. - "I didn't ate" → "I didn't eat"
Once "did" (past tense marker) is used, the main verb goes back to base form — no double past tense. - "He is a boy who he studies well" → "He is a boy who studies well"
Extra pronoun after a relative clause ("who he") is a common carryover from Hindi sentence structure.
Why These Mistakes Happen
None of these are about intelligence or effort — they happen because your brain is translating from Hindi grammar rules into English, and the two languages structure sentences differently. The fix isn't more grammar memorization; it's exposure to correct patterns repeated enough times that the right structure becomes automatic.
How to Actually Fix These Mistakes
- Read corrected sentences next to the wrong version — comparison helps the brain notice the difference
- Practice out loud, not just silently — mistakes hide in silent reading
- Get explanations in Hindi so the "why" behind the correction actually sinks in
- Repetition through quizzes — testing yourself is far more effective than just reading once
SEPSAcademy's Spoken English course includes a dedicated module covering 60+ common errors like these, each with corrected sentences and Hindi explanations, plus quizzes to lock in the correct patterns. You can also try a free lesson to see the teaching style before enrolling.
Which of these mistakes do you still catch yourself making? Awareness is the first step — the next is consistent practice.