Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| बिस्तर | bistar | /bɪs.t̪əɾ/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| पलंग | palaṅg | /pə.ləŋɡ/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| शय्या | śayyā | /ʃəj.jɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| सेज | sej | /seːd͡ʒ/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| बिछौना | bichaunā | /bɪ.t͡ʃʰɔː.nɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| बिछोना | bichonā | masculine |
When you want to say you are 'in bed' (the state of being in bed or using your bedding), use बिस्तर. If you are referring specifically to the physical piece of furniture or the bed frame, use पलंग.
Which one should you use?
बिस्तर is the most common word for 'bed' when referring to the general concept of sleeping or the bedding itself. In contrast, पलंग refers specifically to the physical bed frame or the furniture structure. बिछौना (or the variant बिछोना) refers to the actual material spread on a surface to lie on, such as a mat or a sheet. Finally, शय्या is a highly formal or literary term for 'bed' that is rarely used in daily conversation.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Haryanvi dialect, the term manji is used to refer to a bed.
How does it change in a sentence?
All forms provided, including पलंग, बिस्तर, शय्या, सेज, बिछौना and बिछोना, are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization for बिस्तर is bistar. It has 2 syllables and the IPA is /bɪs.t̪əɾ/.
Did you know?
- In many traditional Indian households, the concept of a 'bed' involves a charpai, a portable woven cot that can be folded and stored away.
- The word बिस्तर is borrowed from Classical Persian, though it sounds similar to the Sanskrit word विस्तर meaning 'something spread out'.
- The term सेज is often used in a poetic or romantic context, specifically in the phrase सुहागरात की सेज to describe the wedding bed.
Examples in context
- वह अभी भी बिस्तर में पड़ा हुआ हैं।He is still lying in bed.This sentence is useful for describing someone currently lying in bed using बिस्तर.
- वह किसका बिस्तर है?Whose bed is that?This sentence is useful for asking about ownership of a bed using बिस्तर.Tatoeba #3807129 by sabretou, translation #1886546 by CK
- बिस्तर से बाहर निकलो!Get out of bed!This sentence is useful for commanding someone to leave their bed using बिस्तर.Tatoeba #476381 by minshirui, translation #33985 by CK
- मैं सभी दोस्तों को एक नयी चारपाई पर सोने के लिए आमंत्रित करता हूँ।I invite all my friends to sleep on a new charpai.
- 17 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
In a bedroom, Rahul is cleaning the room.
- पूजा Poojaक्या बिस्तर साफ है?Kya bistar saaf hai?Is the bed clean?
- राहुल Rahulहाँ, मैंने बिस्तर लगा दिया है।Haan, maine bistar laga diya hai.Yes, I have made the bed.
- पूजा Poojaठीक है, राहुल।Theek hai, Rahul.Okay, Rahul.
- राहुल Rahulक्या तुम्हें कुछ और चाहिए?Kya tumhe kuch aur chahiye?Do you need anything else?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bed” translations and entries बिस्तर, पलंग, शय्या, सेज, बिछौना, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries पलंग, बिस्तर, शय्या, सेज, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0, Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
