Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| फरिश्ता | phariśtā | /pʰə.ɾɪʃ.t̪ɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) | |
| फ़रिश्ता | fariśtā | /fə.ɾɪʃ.t̪ɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) /pʰə.ɾɪʃ.t̪ɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) |
masculine |
| देवता | devtā | /d̪eːʋ.t̪ɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| देवदूत | devdūt | /d̪eːʋ.d̪uːt̪/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| मलक | malak | masculine |
The term for an angel is used to describe a messenger from a deity. In addition to its religious meaning, फ़रिश्ता can be used metaphorically to describe a person who is exceptionally kind or helpful, much like in English.
What does it mean word for word?
The formal term देवदूत is a compound word. It combines देव, meaning 'god' and दूत, meaning 'messenger', to literally translate to 'god-messenger'.
Which one should you use?
While फ़रिश्ता is the most common way to say 'angel' in conversational Hindi, often used in poetic or religious contexts, देवदूत is a more formal and literal term specifically meaning 'messenger of a god'. Additionally, स्वर्गीय दूत can be used as a formal term meaning 'heavenly messenger'. The word परी is also used to mean 'angel'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The forms फ़रिश्ता, देवदूत and मलक are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is phariśtā. It has 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- While फरिश्ता is common in Hindi, it is actually a loanword from Classical Persian. It is shared across several regional languages including Bengali, Gujarati and Punjabi.
- The word परी is often used for 'angel' but specifically refers to a fairy-like creature in Persian and Indian folklore. Unlike the gender-neutral feel of 'angel' in English, परी is distinctly feminine.
- In Hindi, describing someone as a फरिश्ता does not just mean they are kind, but often implies they appeared at the exact right moment to save someone from a crisis.
Examples in context
- यह देखो, देवदूत आ रहे हैं!Look, the angels are coming!
- वह एक फरिश्ता है।vah ek pharishṭā hai.He is an angel.
- क्या वह कोई फरिश्ता था?kyā vah koī pharishṭā thā?Was that an angel?
- पुराने ग्रंथों में फरिश्ता का वर्णन है।purāne granthoṃ meṃ pharishṭā kā varṇan hai.The angel is described in the ancient texts.
Example conversation
Priya and Vikas are discussing a dream Priya had.
- प्रिया Priyaविकास, मैंने सपने में एक फरिश्ता देखा।vikās, maine sapne meṃ ek pharishṭā dekhā.Vikas, I saw an angel in my dream.
- विकास Vikasक्या वह फरिश्ता सुंदर था?kyā vah pharishṭā sundar thā?Was the angel beautiful?
- प्रिया Priyaहाँ, वह बहुत चमक रहा था।hāṃ, vah bahut chamak rahā thā.Yes, he was shining very brightly.
- विकास Vikasयह तो बहुत अद्भुत अनुभव है।yah to bahut adbhut anubhav hai.That is a very wonderful experience.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “angel” translations and entries फरिश्ता, फ़रिश्ता, देवता, देवदूत, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries देवता, देवदूत, फ़रिश्ता, CC BY-SA 4.0.
