दोपहर
dopahar/d̪oː.pə.ɦəɾ/masculine
The English word afternoon translates to Hindi as दोपहर (dopahar). Wiktionary also lists अपराह्न (aprāhna).
Meaning: part of the day between noon and evening (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| दोपहर | dopahar | /d̪oː.pə.ɦəɾ/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| अपराह्न | aprāhna | /əp.ɾɑːɦ.nᵊ/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
The term refers to the part of the day between noon and evening.
What does it mean word for word?
दोपहर is a compound consisting of दो, meaning two and पहर, meaning a period of time or watch. It literally refers to the second watch of the day.
Which one should you use?
दोपहर is the common, everyday word for afternoon.
How does it change in a sentence?
When you want to specify a time, such as saying 'in the afternoon' or 'at afternoon', you typically add the postposition को to the word, resulting in दोपहर को.
Did you know?
- The word पहर describes a three hour block of time. In traditional Indian timekeeping, the day and night were divided into eight of these watches.
- In some rural contexts, the term दोपहर is used to describe the peak heat of the day rather than just a time frame, similar to how 'midday' is used in English.
- While दोपहर is the common term, the word अपराह्न is a direct descendant of Sanskrit and sounds much more formal or literary.
Examples in context
- वह कल दोपहर को मर गई।She died yesterday afternoon.This sentence uses दोपहर to specify a time of death.Tatoeba #2080467 by sabretou, translation #313816 by CK
- इस दोपहर को मिलते हैं।Let's meet this afternoon.This sentence uses दोपहर to suggest a meeting time.Tatoeba #484036 by minshirui, translation #424861 by CM
- क्या इस दोपहर बारिश होगी?Will it rain this afternoon?This sentence uses दोपहर to ask about the weather forecast.Tatoeba #2045700 by sabretou, translation #240052 by CK
- 11 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing their plans for the day.
- पूजा Poojaक्या तुम आज दोपहर फ्री हो?Kya tum aaj dopahar free ho?Are you free this afternoon?
- राहुल Rahulहाँ, मैं दोपहर में खाली हूँ।Haan, main dopahar mein khaali hoon.Yes, I am free in the afternoon.
- पूजा Poojaचलो, दोपहर को कॉफ़ी पीते हैं।Chalo, dopahar ko coffee peete hain.Let's have coffee in the afternoon.
- राहुल Rahulठीक है, मिलते हैं।Theek hai, milte hain.Okay, see you then.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “afternoon” translations and entries दोपहर, अपराह्न, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries अपराह्न, दोपहर, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
