Spoken English · Guides · October 30, 2026 · 5 min read
Indian English phrases: 30 expressions and their international equivalents
Indian English is a full variety of English with its own words and expressions, spoken by millions of people. Phrases like prepone or do the needful are not mistakes inside India. But when you work with clients in the US, UK, Australia or the Gulf, study abroad or take IELTS, some of them can confuse listeners or sound too formal. The same is true for Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan English, which share many of these expressions. Below are 30 common phrases, what they mean, and what to say instead in international situations.
Work and email
| Indian English | Meaning | International equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Please do the needful. | Please take the necessary action. | Could you please approve the request? (say what you need) |
| Kindly revert. | Please reply. | Please let me know. / I look forward to your reply. |
| I will revert back. | I will reply. | I’ll get back to you. |
| Prepone the meeting | Move it earlier. | Bring the meeting forward / Move it earlier. |
| PFA (please find attached) | The file is attached. | I’ve attached the file. |
| Out of station | Away from your city. | Out of town / Travelling. |
| Discuss about | Discuss | Let’s discuss the budget. (no about) |
| Same to you (in an email reply) | You too | Thanks, you too. |
| Today itself | Today, not later | Today. / By the end of today. |
| Pass out (of college) | Graduate | I graduated in 2023. (Pass out means faint elsewhere.) |
Everyday conversation
| Indian English | Meaning | International equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| What is your good name? | What’s your name? | What’s your name? / May I have your name? |
| I have a doubt. | I have a question. | I have a question. |
| Myself Rahul. | My name is Rahul. | I’m Rahul. / This is Rahul. (on the phone) |
| Tell me. (answering a call) | Go ahead. | Hi, how can I help? / Yes, go ahead. |
| Only for emphasis | Exactly, just | He came today only → He came just today / only today. |
| Itself for emphasis | Exactly | I’ll do it now itself → I’ll do it right now. |
| Timepass | Something to kill time | Just passing the time / Just for fun. |
| Cousin brother / cousin sister | Cousin | My cousin. (add male / female only if needed) |
| Co-brother | Wife’s sister’s husband | My brother-in-law. |
| Native place | Hometown | My hometown is near Madurai. |
| Eat your head | Annoy someone | Bother / annoy you. |
| Fresher | New graduate | Recent graduate / entry-level candidate. |
| Hotel for a restaurant | Restaurant | Let’s eat at that restaurant. |
| Lakh / crore | 100,000 / 10 million | Give the number: 500,000 / 20 million. |
Grammar patterns
| Indian English | International English |
|---|---|
| I am having two brothers. | I have two brothers. |
| I am knowing him since 2018. | I’ve known him since 2018. |
| You are coming tomorrow, isn’t it? | You’re coming tomorrow, aren’t you? |
| My head is paining. | I have a headache. / My head hurts. |
| Where you are going? | Where are you going? |
| He is very much intelligent. | He’s very intelligent. |
More on the grammar: wh-questions in English and present perfect vs past simple.
When it is fine to use Indian English
Indian English is a valid variety, not “wrong English”. With colleagues and friends in India, prepone or native place are perfectly clear. The goal is not to remove your identity or your accent. It is to choose words that every listener understands when you speak to an international audience: a client in London, a professor in Toronto, an IELTS examiner, a team in Dubai.
A simple test: Would a person who has never been to South Asia understand this word? If not, use the international option.
Sample: the same email in two versions
Before:
Dear Sir, PFA the report. Kindly go through the same and revert back at the earliest. Please do the needful. Thanks and regards.
After:
Hi John, I’ve attached the sales report for March. Could you review it and send me your comments by Thursday? Thanks, Priya
The second version is shorter, more specific and friendlier. For more office phrases, see business English.
Sample dialogue: a call with an international client
Client: Hi Arjun, thanks for joining. Can we move Friday’s demo?
Arjun: Sure. Would you like to bring it forward or push it back?
Client: Forward, if possible. Thursday morning?
Arjun: Thursday at 10 works for us. I’ll send an updated invite today.
Client: Great. And could you share the pricing before then?
Arjun: Of course. I’ll get back to you with the pricing by Wednesday.
Notice bring it forward instead of prepone and get back to you instead of revert.
Practise international English
The fastest way to change a habit is to hear the alternative many times and use it in conversation. The conversation linked below this article opens the Meeting room on Nomto: Nomi plays an international colleague, and after each reply you see a version that any English speaker would understand easily. Related guides: common English mistakes, phone conversation in English and American vs British English.
FAQ
Is Indian English wrong?
No. It is a recognised variety of English with its own vocabulary and patterns. Some expressions, though, are not understood outside South Asia, so it helps to know the international alternatives.
What does “do the needful” mean?
Please take the necessary action. In international English, say exactly what action you need: Could you sign and return the form?
Is “prepone” a real English word?
It is used and understood in India and appears in some dictionaries as Indian English, but most people outside South Asia don’t know it. Say bring forward or move earlier.
Will an Indian accent affect my IELTS score?
No. IELTS assesses how clear your pronunciation is, not whether you sound British or American. Clear speech with an Indian accent can get a high score.