بچہ
bachchastandard
The everyday Urdu word for a baby is بچہ (bachcha) for a boy or child in general and بچی (bachchī) for a girl. بے بی (bebī) is the English word used in conversation.
Meaning: very young child (noun)
Ways to say it
| Pakistan | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| بچہ | bachcha | standard |
| بچی | bachchī | girl |
| بے بی | bebī | English loan |
بچہ is also the word for "child", so people add چھوٹا (chhoṭā) when they mean a very small one. ننھا بچہ (nanhā bachcha) means a tiny baby.
Which one should you use?
As a name for a loved one, Urdu speakers more often say جان (jān), literally "life", than "baby".
Did you know?
- The plural بچے (bachche) means children, and the Urdu phrase بچوں کی طرح (bachchoṅ kī tarah) means "like a child".
Examples in context
- بچہ سو رہا ہے۔Bachcha so rahā hai.The baby is sleeping.
- بچی رو رہی ہے۔Bachchī ro rahī hai.The baby girl is crying.
- ان کا ننھا بچہ بہت پیارا ہے۔Un kā nanhā bachcha bohat pyārā hai.Their tiny baby is very cute.
Example conversation
Nadia visits her neighbor Ruby, who has a newborn, in Islamabad.
- Nadiaمبارک ہو، بچہ کیسا ہے؟Mubārak ho, bachcha kaisā hai?Congratulations, how is the baby?
- Rubyاللہ کا شکر ہے، ٹھیک ہے۔Allāh kā shukr hai, ṭhīk hai.Thank God, he is fine.
- Nadiaبہت پیارا ہے۔Bohat pyārā hai.He is very cute.
- Rubyشکریہ۔Shukriya.Thank you.
