हरामी
harāmī/ɦə.ɾɑː.miː/
The Hindi word for bastard is हरामी (harāmī).
हरामी is a profanity-laden insult used to describe a person who is contemptible, deceitful, untrustworthy or lacks moral principles. It can be translated as bastard or son of a bitch.
Meaning: contemptible etc. person (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is derived from the Arabic root harām, meaning forbidden or sacred, combined with the suffix -ī, which turns the root into an adjective or a noun referring to a person.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
This is an informal term. While it is primarily used as a harsh insult, it is also used colloquially among close friends to describe someone who is being cunning or 'wicked' in a playful way.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ɦə.ɾɑː.miː/. It has three syllables: ha-ra-mi.
Did you know?
- While the word stems from the concept of 'forbidden', its Arabic root refers to things that are religiously prohibited, such as certain foods or actions, rather than just illegitimacy.
- In some Indian dialects, the term हरामी is used as a compliment to describe someone who is exceptionally street-smart or resourceful. In this context, it praises a person's ability to navigate difficult situations through cunning.
- The term has evolved from a formal way to describe a 'sinner' or 'thief' into a ubiquitous slang term used in modern Bollywood cinema.
Examples in context
- वह बहुत बड़ा हरामी है।vah bahut bada haraami hai.He is a huge bastard.
- उस हरामी ने मेरा फोन चुरा लिया।us haraami ne mera phone chura liya.That bastard stole my phone.
- यह काम किसी हरामी का ही हो सकता है।yeh kaam kisi haraami ka hi ho sakta hai.Only a bastard could have done this.
Example conversation
Amit and Neha are discussing a dishonest coworker.
- अमित Amitवह एक असली हरामी है।vah ek asli haraami hai.He is a real bastard.
- नेहा Nehaहाँ, वह बहुत चालाक है।haan, vah bahut chaalaak hai.Yes, he is very cunning.
- अमित Amitउसने सबके साथ धोखा किया।usne sabke saath dhokha kiya.He cheated everyone.
- नेहा Nehaहमें उससे दूर रहना चाहिए।hamein usse door rehna chahiye.We should stay away from him.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry हरामी, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries हरामी, CC BY-SA 4.0.
