سستا
sastā/səs.t̪ɑː/
The English word 'cheap' translates to Urdu as سستا (sastā). Wiktionary also lists ارزاں (arzān).
Meaning: low and/or reduced in price (adj)
Ways to say it
| Urdu | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| سستا | sastā | /səs.t̪ɑː/ (Standard, Urdu) |
| ارزاں | arzān | /əɾ.zɑ̃ː/ (Standard, Urdu) |
سستا is used to describe something that is low or reduced in price. Like in English, it can also be used metaphorically to describe something of poor quality or 'cheaply made'.
Which one should you use?
While سستا is the common way to say cheap, ارزاں is a more formal or literary option.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective سستا changes its form depending on the noun it describes: use سستی for feminine nouns and سستے for masculine plural nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
The word سستا is pronounced /səs.t̪ɑː/.
Did you know?
- The word سستا shares a common root with the word for 'slow' or 'sluggish' in several Indo-Aryan languages. This connection suggests an ancient link between something that is 'low' in cost and something that moves at a 'low' speed.
- If you use سستا to describe a person's character in Urdu, you are not just saying they are 'cheap', you are implying they lack integrity or are 'lowly'. The metaphorical weight is much heavier than a simple price tag.
- While سستا is the everyday word for 'cheap', using the formal ارزاں in a street market might actually make you sound like a character from a 19th-century Urdu poem. It is a word better suited for literature than for haggling over vegetables.
Examples in context
- وہ سستا لگتا تھا۔It looked cheap.This sentence is useful for showing how to use سستا to describe how something appeared.Tatoeba #2123941 by nabeel_tahir, translation #357653 by CK
- یہ کھانا بہت سستا ہے۔yeh khana bohat sasta hai.This food is very cheap.
- مجھے ایک سستا فون چاہیے۔mujhe ek sasta phone chahiye.I want a cheap phone.
Example conversation
Ahmed and Fatima are shopping at a local market.
- احمد Ahmedکیا یہ کپڑا سستا ہے؟kya yeh kapra sasta hai?Is this cloth cheap?
- فاطمہ Fatimaہاں، یہ بہت سستا ہے۔haan, yeh bohat sasta hai.Yes, it is very cheap.
- احمد Ahmedٹھیک ہے، میں یہ خرید لوں گا۔theek hai, mein yeh khareed loon ga.Okay, I will buy this.
- فاطمہ Fatimaبہترین انتخاب ہے!behtareen intekhab hai!It is a great choice!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cheap” translations and entries سستا, ارزاں, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
