شَراب
śarābfeminine
The English word alcohol is translated into Urdu as شَراب (śarāb). Wiktionary also lists مَدِیرا (madīrā).
Meaning: intoxicating beverage (noun)
Ways to say it
| Urdu | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| شَراب | śarāb | feminine |
| مَدِیرا | madīrā | feminine |
The term refers to an intoxicating beverage.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
شَراب is the formal and literary term for alcohol or wine. مَدِیرا is another form available in the language.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some regions, particularly rural areas, the term Desi Sharab is used to refer to homemade or local alcohol.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both شَراب and مَدِیرا are feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
śarāb
Did you know?
- In Urdu literature and poetry, the word شَراب is often used as a metaphor for divine intoxication or spiritual ecstasy, rather than just a literal drink.
- In many Urdu-speaking households, the term شَراب is rarely used in casual conversation due to religious sensibilities, with people opting for more indirect euphemisms.
- The term Desi Sharab distinguishes local moonshine from Angrezi Sharab, which refers to 'English' or imported foreign liquor.
Examples in context
- کل رات ہم لوگوں نے شراب پی لی تھیWe had alcohol last night
Example conversation
Zainab and Hamza are discussing house rules.
- زینب Zainabحمزہ، یہاں شَراب لانا منع ہے۔Hamza, yahan sharab lana mana hai.Hamza, bringing alcohol here is forbidden.
- حمزہ Hamzaجی زینب، میں سمجھ گیا۔Ji Zainab, mein samajh gaya.Yes Zainab, I understand.
- زینب Zainabکیا آپ نے کسی کو بتایا؟Kya aap ne kisi ko bataya?Did you tell anyone?
- حمزہ Hamzaنہیں، میں نے کسی کو نہیں بتایا۔Nahi, mein ne kisi ko nahi bataya.No, I didn't tell anyone.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “alcohol” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
