Indian English phrases that confuse global teams, and what to say instead

Why this matters, and why it is not about "wrong" English

A project lead in Pune writes to a client in Manchester: "Kindly do the needful and revert back by EOD." The client reads it twice and replies, "Sorry, what would you like me to do?"

A finance analyst in Hyderabad tells her US manager on an evening call, "I'm having a small doubt in the reconciliation." The manager hears that she is unsure the work is right and asks whether the whole report needs checking. She only had a question about one line.

A site engineer in Dubai tells a British project director that the call has been "preponed to 3 o'clock". The director has never heard the word and turns up at the original time.

None of these people made a mistake in Indian English. Every phrase is widely used and understood across India. The trouble is only that the listener comes from a different variety of English. Linguists have long recognised Indian English as a variety in its own right, with its own vocabulary and grammar, just as American, British and Australian English differ from each other.

So the aim here is not to "fix" your English. It is to have two sets of words ready, and to choose the one your listener will understand without effort.

The phrases, one by one

"Prepone." Very common in India, almost unknown elsewhere. Say "bring forward" or "move earlier".

"Can we bring the call forward to 3 PM?"

"Do the needful." To many listeners abroad it sounds vague, or oddly formal. Say exactly what you need.

"Could you please approve the invoice by Thursday?"

"Revert" and "revert back". In India, "revert" means "reply". In most other varieties it means "go back to an earlier state", as in reverting a file. "Revert back" can sound doubly odd. Say "reply" or "get back to me".

"Out of station." Clear in India, puzzling elsewhere. Say "travelling", "out of town" or "away".

"Passed out" for graduated. In the US and UK, "passed out" usually means fainted, or fell asleep after drinking. Say "graduated".

"I graduated from NIT Calicut in 2016."

"I have a doubt." In Indian English, "doubt" often means "question". To many US and UK listeners, "doubt" means disbelief or a worry that something is wrong. Say "I have a question" or "Can I check one thing?"

"Today itself" and "now itself". The emphasis can sound unusual abroad. Say "today, if possible" or "by the end of today".

"Kindly." Not wrong, and polite in India. But in some US and UK workplaces it can read as stiff, or even slightly impatient, especially in "Kindly note" or "Kindly do it at the earliest". "Please" is usually warmer.

"Same to same." Say "exactly the same" or "identical".

"Only" for emphasis. "I told him only" or "It's like that only" puts emphasis in a place listeners abroad do not expect, and they may hear "only" as "just" or "solely". Say "I did tell him" or "That's how it is."

"I'm on leave tomorrow." The phrase is fine. The problem is usually timing. Saying it at the end of a call on Wednesday evening IST, when your US colleague's Wednesday is just starting, can feel like very short notice. Give the information earlier and give a handover.

"Just a heads-up: I'm on leave tomorrow, Thursday. Neha has the files and will cover anything urgent."

The table

The head movement on video

Many people from South India in particular use a gentle side-to-side head movement to mean "yes", "I'm following" or "okay". It is warm and natural. On a video call with colleagues abroad, it can be read as "no" or "maybe", and they may stop to check whether you agree.

You do not need to change how you move. Just add a word. A simple "yes" or "that works" alongside the movement removes any doubt.

"Yes, that works for me. I'll send it by Friday."

What US and UK listeners tend to expect

Every person is different, but a few patterns come up often in coaching.

• Specific requests. "Could you approve it by Thursday?" rather than "please do the needful".
• "Please" over "kindly". "Kindly" can sound formal or old-fashioned.
• Questions framed as questions. "Can I ask one thing?" rather than "I have a doubt."
• Advance notice. Leave, delays and changes flagged as early as possible, with a plan.
• A clear yes or no. "I'll try" is often heard as "probably not".

What Gulf listeners tend to expect

Gulf workplaces are often a mix of Arab, South Asian, European and Filipino colleagues, so many people there understand Indian English well. Still, a few things help.

• Warmth and courtesy first. A greeting before business is common and appreciated. "Good morning, I hope you're well" before the request.
• Respect for seniority. Formal titles may matter more than in a US startup. Follow what others do.
• Clear commitments. "I will confirm by tomorrow at 12" is better than "will try".
• Plain words with a mixed audience. When colleagues come from five countries, the plainest phrase is the one everyone shares.

Switching registers, not losing yourself

Many Indian professionals move between registers all day: a regional language at home, Indian English with colleagues, a more global English with clients. That is a skill, not a weakness. Nobody needs to give up "out of station" with their team in Chennai. The skill is noticing who is listening and choosing on purpose.

A practical habit: before you send an email to a colleague abroad, read it once looking only for the phrases above. It takes thirty seconds and saves a round of confused replies.

Published by The Full Stop, the journal of Brightside English. Reviewed by a Brightside senior coach. Corrections: see our editorial standard.