टिकट खरीदना

Using this phrase is like building a Lego set—you just need to snap the verb into the right tense. Since खरीदना is a transitive verb, it plays by some specific rules. In the future tense, you might say मैं टिकट खरीदूँगा (I will buy a ticket). If you are currently at the counter, you would say मैं टिकट खरीद रहा हूँ (I am buying a ticket). The trickiest part is the past tense. Because it is transitive, you need to use the ने (ne) particle with the subject. For example: मैंने टिकट खरीदा (I bought a ticket). Even though ticket is technically masculine in standard Hindi, some people might treat it as feminine depending on the dialect, but sticking to the masculine खरीदा will keep you safe and sounding professional.

Imagine you are at a Delhi Metro station. You approach the counter and say, मुझे राजीव चौक के लिए एक टिकट खरीदना है (I want to buy a ticket for Rajiv Chowk). Or maybe you are texting a friend about a concert: क्या तुमने अरिजीत सिंह के कॉन्सर्ट का टिकट खरीदा? (Did you buy the ticket for the Arijit Singh concert?). In a more modern setting, you might be helping your grandmother use an app: दादी, बस ऐप खोलिए और यहाँ से टिकट खरीद लीजिए (Grandma, just open the app and buy the ticket from here). It is a phrase that works everywhere—from the dusty ticket windows of small towns to the sleek interfaces of international airlines.

You should use टिकट खरीदना whenever a physical or digital ticket is involved. This includes trains (the most common context in India!), buses, movies, museums, concerts, and even platform tickets (the ones you buy just to say goodbye to someone at the train station). If you are a travel vlogger, you will use this phrase constantly when explaining how to get around a new city. It is also the correct term for buying lottery tickets, though we hope you have better luck with your travel plans than with the jackpot!

Don't use खरीदना if you are talking about a subscription service. You don't 'buy a ticket' for Netflix; you 'take a subscription' (सब्सक्रिप्शन लेना). Also, avoid using it for making a reservation at a restaurant. In that case, you would use टेबल बुक करना (table book karnā). A common mistake is using it for 'booking' a hotel room. While you are paying for it, Indians usually say होटल बुक करना rather than 'buying a ticket' for the room. Basically, if there isn't a literal 'ticket' (paper or digital) that gets scanned at a gate, this phrase probably isn't the best fit.

A classic beginner error is forgetting the ने in the past tense. Don't say ✗ मैं टिकट खरीदा; it sounds like 'I ticket buy.' Always use ✓ मैंने टिकट खरीदा. Another mistake is adding the verb करना (to do) at the end. ✗ टिकट खरीदना करना is a big no-no. Just use the verb खरीदना on its own. Also, be careful with the word लेना (to take). While टिकट लेना (to take/get a ticket) is very common and acceptable in casual speech, खरीदना is much more specific to the act of paying. If you say टिकट लिया, it could mean someone gave it to you for free, but खरीदा means you definitely opened your wallet.

If you want to sound like a local, you can use टिकट बुक करना (tikaṭ buk karnā), which is very common for online transactions. Another very 'desi' (local) way to say it is टिकट कटाना (tikaṭ kaṭānā). This literally means 'to get a ticket cut' or issued. It’s a throwback to the days when conductors would physically punch or cut a paper ticket. You will hear this a lot at bus stands and old railway stations. There is also आरक्षण करना (ārakshaṇ karnā), which is the formal way to say 'to make a reservation,' though it is mostly used in official railway announcements.

You will often hear people shorten the phrase or use variations like टिकट लेनी है (Need to get a ticket). If you are asking someone to buy a ticket for you, you might say मेरे लिए भी एक टिकट खरीद लेना (Buy a ticket for me too). In the digital world, people often just say टिकट निकालना (tikaṭ nikālnā), which means 'to take out' or generate a ticket from a machine or app. If you are in a rush, you might just shout टिकट कहाँ मिलता है? (Where do you get the ticket?) to a passerby.

Is ticket masculine or feminine? In standard Hindi, it is masculine, so you say बड़ा टिकट or खरीदा. Can I use it for flights? Yes, absolutely! हवाई जहाज़ का टिकट खरीदना is perfectly correct. Is there a shorter word? Many people just say टिकट लेना in casual chats. Do I need this for the Metro? Yes, although many people now use 'smart cards' (स्मार्ट कार्ड), you still 'buy' (खरीदना) the card or the token initially. What about apps? Even on an app, the process is called ऑनलाइन टिकट खरीदना (buying a ticket online).