यार
yār/jɑːɾ/
The Hindi word for buddy is यार (yār).
यार is a friendly, informal way of addressing someone, similar to how English speakers use 'buddy', 'dude' or 'mate'. It is used primarily among close friends or peers and can be used as a direct address.
Meaning: friend or casual acquaintance (pron)
Which one should you use?
While यार is a common way to say buddy, other terms exist depending on the context. Dost is also used most commonly informally among friends, and Bhai means 'brother' and is used informally among male friends. Mitra can be used in both formal and informal situations.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
यार is highly informal. In contrast, Mitra is versatile enough to be used in both formal and informal settings, while Dost and Bhai are typically used informally.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word यार is invariant in gender and number. It does not change whether you are talking to a male, a female, one person or a group.
How do you pronounce it?
yār
Did you know?
- Even though यार is used by people of all genders today, it traces its roots back to Classical Persian, where it originally meant 'companion' or 'beloved'.
- In Hindi, you can use यार as a filler word or an exclamation at the end of a sentence, much like how English speakers use 'man' or 'dude' to express frustration or excitement.
- While मित्र (mitra) is the formal word for friend, it is rarely used in spoken conversation and is mostly found in textbooks and ancient texts.
Examples in context
- वह मेरा पुराना यार है।vah merā purānā yār hai.He is my old buddy.
- सुन यार, मेरी बात सुन।sun yār, merī bāt sun.Listen buddy, listen to me.
Example conversation
Two friends are deciding where to eat lunch.
- पूजा Poojaयार, मुझे बहुत भूख लगी है।Yaar, mujhe bahut bhook lagi hai.Buddy, I am very hungry.
- राहुल Rahulमुझे भी, क्या खाएँ?Mujhe bhi, kya khaein?Me too, what should we eat?
- पूजा Poojaपास वाले ढाबे पर चलते हैं।Paas waale dhaabe par chalte hain.Let's go to the nearby eatery.
- राहुल Rahulठीक है, चलो चलते हैं।Theek hai, chalo chalte hain.Alright, let's go.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry यार, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries यार, CC BY-SA 4.0.
