Some English mistakes aren't really about not knowing grammar — they happen because Urdu and Hindi speakers unconsciously translate sentence structures directly from their native language, and English simply doesn't work the same way in those spots. Recognising these specific patterns is often faster than studying grammar rules in general, because you're fixing the exact habit causing the error.
1. "I am agree with you"
Incorrect: "I am agree with you." Correct: "I agree with you." "Agree" is already a verb in English, so it doesn't need "am" before it — this mistake comes from translating "میں متفق ہوں" where the equivalent of "am" feels grammatically necessary.
2. "Kindly do the needful"
This phrase is common in South Asian formal English but sounds outdated and vague to native speakers. Instead, be specific: "Please review and approve this request" or "Please let me know if you need anything else."
3. Missing or Wrong Articles
Incorrect: "I am going to market." Correct: "I am going to the market." Urdu and Hindi don't have articles like "a," "an," and "the," so learners often skip them entirely or place them inconsistently. As a rule, use "the" when both speaker and listener know exactly which one you mean.
4. "Discuss about"
Incorrect: "Let's discuss about this issue." Correct: "Let's discuss this issue." In English, "discuss" already means "talk about," so adding "about" is redundant — a very common carryover mistake.
5. "I am having a car"
Incorrect: "I am having a car." Correct: "I have a car." "Have" for possession is not normally used in continuous form in English, even though the continuous form feels natural when translating directly from Urdu/Hindi sentence structure.
6. Wrong Preposition Choices
Incorrect: "I am good in English." Correct: "I am good at English." Prepositions rarely translate directly between languages — "good at," "afraid of," "interested in" have to be memorised as fixed phrases, not derived from Urdu/Hindi equivalents.
7. "Open the light"
Incorrect: "Open the light." Correct: "Turn on the light." This is a direct translation of "بتی کھولو," but English uses "turn on/off" for electrical devices, not "open/close."
8. Double Negatives
Incorrect: "I don't have no time." Correct: "I don't have any time." Unlike Urdu/Hindi, standard English avoids stacking two negative words in one sentence — one negative is enough to convey the meaning.
9. "Since 3 years"
Incorrect: "I am living here since 3 years." Correct: "I have been living here for 3 years." Use "since" with a specific starting point (since 2020, since Monday) and "for" with a duration (for 3 years, for two hours).
10. "Revert back"
Incorrect: "Please revert back to me." Correct: "Please get back to me" or simply "Please revert." "Revert" already implies returning to something, so "back" is unnecessary.
11. Literal Idiom Translation
Translating idioms word-for-word rarely works — "my hands are tied" doesn't mean your hands are physically restrained, and translating an Urdu/Hindi idiom directly into English usually produces a sentence that confuses native speakers rather than communicating the intended meaning.
12. "Pick and drop"
This common South Asian English phrase ("I will pick and drop you") isn't standard elsewhere. Native English speakers would say "I will pick you up and drop you off."
13. Overusing "Very"
"Very good," "very bad," "very nice" repeated constantly sounds less natural than using stronger, more precise words: "excellent," "terrible," "delightful." Precise vocabulary carries more weight than repeated intensifiers.
14. "What is your good name?"
This polite-sounding phrase, translated from "آپ کا اچھا نام کیا ہے," doesn't exist in standard English. Simply ask: "What is your name?" or "May I know your name?"
15. Confusing "Say," "Tell," and "Speak"
Incorrect: "He said me the truth." Correct: "He told me the truth." "Tell" takes a direct object (tell someone), "say" doesn't need one (say something), and "speak" is used for languages or addressing groups (speak English, speak to the class).
Fixing the Pattern, Not Just the Sentence
Notice that almost every mistake above comes from applying Urdu/Hindi sentence logic to English rather than a lack of vocabulary. The fix isn't memorising each sentence individually — it's noticing when you're translating word-for-word instead of thinking in English patterns. Our Common English Mistakes Quiz is built specifically around this exact list of recurring errors, so you can test whether you've genuinely internalised the fix.
A Few More Worth Watching For
"Myself Ali" instead of "I am Ali": This introduction style, common in spoken South Asian English, sounds unusual to native speakers. Stick with "I am Ali" or "My name is Ali" in both speech and writing.
"Cousin brother / cousin sister": These terms don't exist in standard English. English simply uses "cousin" for both, without specifying gender through the word itself — if needed, you can say "my cousin, who is a boy/girl."
Confusing "borrow" and "lend": Incorrect: "Can you borrow me your pen?" Correct: "Can you lend me your pen?" or "Can I borrow your pen?" "Lend" means giving something temporarily; "borrow" means receiving something temporarily — they describe the same action from opposite sides.
"He is knowing the answer": Correct: "He knows the answer." Stative verbs like know, believe, want, and understand describe states rather than actions, so they are not normally used in continuous (-ing) form in standard English, even though continuous forms feel natural when translating from Urdu/Hindi sentence patterns.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why do these specific mistakes keep happening even after years of studying English?
A: Because they're rooted in sentence-structure habits from your first language, not gaps in vocabulary. Grammar books rarely address translation-based mistakes directly, which is why they can persist even in advanced learners until someone points out the exact pattern.
Q: Will native English speakers understand me even if I make these mistakes?
A: In most cases yes — these mistakes rarely block understanding completely. However, they are noticeable, and reducing them makes a real difference in job interviews, formal writing, and exams like IELTS, where accuracy directly affects your score.
Q: What's the fastest way to stop making a specific mistake on this list?
A: Pick one or two mistakes at a time rather than trying to fix all 15 at once, and consciously use the corrected version in your own sentences for a week. Trying to fix everything simultaneously usually means nothing sticks.
Q: Are these mistakes specific to Urdu and Hindi speakers, or do all learners make them?
A: Some, like article misuse and double negatives, are common across many language backgrounds. Others, like "revert back" or "kindly do the needful," are specifically associated with South Asian English usage and are worth unlearning if you're aiming for international business or academic English.