কলা
kola/kɔ.la/
The Bengali word for banana is কলা (kola). Wiktionary also lists রম্ভা (rombha) and কদল (kodol).
Meaning: fruit (noun)
Ways to say it
| Bengali | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| কলা | kola | /kɔ.la/ |
| রম্ভা | rombha | |
| কদল | kodol |
The term is used to refer to the fruit of the banana plant.
Which one should you use?
কলা is the most common and standard way to refer to a banana in everyday Bengali. In contrast, কদল is often used to refer specifically to the banana plant or the banana tree rather than just the fruit. The form রম্ভা is also a word for banana in Bengali.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /kɔ.la/. It has 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- The word কলা is a homonym that also means 'art' or 'skill' in Bengali, borrowed from Sanskrit. This can lead to humorous confusion if you are not careful with your context.
- In Bengali culture, the entire banana plant is considered auspicious and is often used in religious rituals and wedding decorations.
- The term কলা is believed to have Munda origins, meaning it was adopted into Sanskrit and Prakrit from an indigenous Austroasiatic language.
Examples in context
- আমি একটি কলা খেয়েছি।I ate a banana.This sentence is useful for practicing the form কলা.Tatoeba #13008577 by robingaspi, translation #5263418 by CK
- আপনাকে একটি কলা প্রদান করতে পারি?May I offer you a banana?
- আরে! কলা খাওয়া আমার পছন্দ।Hey, I love eating bananas!
- বাজারে অনেক কলা পাওয়া যায়।bajare anek kola paowa jay.Many bananas are available in the market.
- বাচ্চাটি একটি কলা খাচ্ছে।baccati ekti kola khacche.The baby is eating a banana.
Example conversation
Ishani and Sourav are in the kitchen.
- সৌরভ Souravইশানি, তুমি কি কলা খাবে?Ishani, tumi ki kola khabe?Ishani, do you want to eat a banana?
- ইশানি Ishaniহ্যাঁ, আমি এখন খুব ক্ষুধার্ত।Hyan, ami ekhon khub khudharto.Yes, I am very hungry now.
- সৌরভ Souravএই নাও একটি পাকা কলা।Ei nao ekti paka kola.Here, take a ripe banana.
- ইশানি Ishaniধন্যবাদ, সৌরভ!Dhonyobad, Sourav!Thank you, Sourav!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “banana” translations and entries কলা, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries কলা, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
