काला
kālā/kɑː.lɑː/
The English word 'black' is translated into Hindi as काला (kālā). Wiktionary also lists कारौ (kārau).
Meaning: absorbing all light (adj)
Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| काला | kālā | /kɑː.lɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) |
| कारौ | kārau |
काला is an adjective meaning absorbing all light. It can also function as a noun meaning the colour black. A related noun, हबशी, refers to a dark-skinned person.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
As an adjective, काला changes its ending to agree with the gender and number of the noun it describes. Use काली when describing a feminine noun, and use काले when describing masculine plural nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
kālā (/kɑː.lɑː/)
When do people say it?
The expression काला बहुत मायने रखता है means 'Black is significant'.
Did you know?
- While 'black' is often associated with mourning in English, in certain Hindi-speaking cultural contexts, black clothing is worn to ward off the 'evil eye'.
- The Hindi word काला shares an ancestral root with the Sanskrit word काल, which can mean 'black' but also means 'time' or 'death'.
- The word काला is often used in the phrase काला धन, which translates literally to 'black money' and refers specifically to unaccounted or illegal wealth.
Examples in context
- हमारे पास काला कुत्ता है।We have a black dog.This sentence is useful for practicing the form काला with an animal.Tatoeba #8889219 by simranbansal, translation #8889193 by LinaTamazight
- काला वाला मेरा है।The black one is mine.This sentence shows how to use काला to identify a specific object.Tatoeba #4509650 by sabretou, translation #823527 by sacredceltic
- मेरा घोड़ा काला है।My horse is black.This sentence demonstrates the use of काला with a horse.Tatoeba #4509616 by sabretou, translation #2703249 by catcher
- 20 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Amit and Anjali are shopping for clothes.
- अमित Amitक्या यह कुर्ता काला है?Kya yeh kurta kala hai?Is this kurta black?
- अंजलि Anjaliहाँ, यह बिल्कुल काला है।Haan, yeh bilkul kala hai.Yes, it is completely black.
- अमित Amitमुझे काला रंग पसंद है।Mujhe kala rang pasand hai.I like the color black.
- अंजलि Anjaliयह आप पर अच्छा लगेगा।Yeh aap par accha lagega.It will look good on you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “black” translations and entries काला, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries काला, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
