देश
deś/d̪eːʃ/masculine
In Hindi, the word for country is देश (deś). Wiktionary also lists राष्ट्र (rāṣṭra).
Meaning: nation state (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| देश | deś | /d̪eːʃ/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| राष्ट्र | rāṣṭra | /ɾɑːʂ.ʈɾᵊ/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
The word refers to a nation state.
Which one should you use?
While देश is the common word for country, राष्ट्र is a more formal term often used to mean 'nation' in a political or cultural sense.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word देश is masculine. When followed by a postposition, the singular form remains देश in its oblique form, while the plural oblique form becomes देशों.
How do you pronounce it?
deś (/d̪eːʃ/)
Did you know?
- In a poetic or patriotic context, you might hear people refer to their 'mati' or 'soil', which is a common metaphor for 'country' in Hindi songs and literature.
- The word देश is rooted in the Sanskrit verb meaning 'to show' or 'to point out'.
- The term देश is also used in the context of 'deshi', which means 'local' or 'indigenous' in everyday Hindi.
Examples in context
- विवाह के रीति-रिवाज देश के अनुसार भिन्न होते हैं।Marriage customs differ by country.This sentence shows how to use देश to describe marriage customs varying by country.Tatoeba #11264989 by PrasantaHembram, translation #238711 by CK
- आजकल देश में सर्वत्र शान्ति है।These days, there is peace everywhere in the countryThis sentence illustrates using देश to state that peace exists throughout the country.
- देश के नब्बे प्रतिशत लोग शिक्षित है।90% of the people in this country are educated.This sentence demonstrates the use of देश when discussing the percentage of people in a country.
- मेरा देश भारत है।My country is India.
- हमारा राष्ट्र महान है।Our country is great.
- तेरा देश कौनसा है?Which country do you belong to?
- 144 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Vikas and Priya are talking about traveling abroad.
- विकास Vikasतुम कौन से देश जाना चाहती हो?Tum kaun se desh jaana chaahti ho?Which country do you want to go to?
- प्रिया Priyaमैं जापान देश जाना चाहती हूँ।Main Japan desh jaana chaahti hoon.I want to go to the country of Japan.
- विकास Vikasवह बहुत सुंदर देश है।Vah bahut sundar desh hai.That is a very beautiful country.
- प्रिया Priyaहाँ, मुझे वहाँ की संस्कृति पसंद है।Haan, mujhe vahaan ki sanskriti pasand hai.Yes, I like the culture there.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “country” translations and entries देश, राष्ट्र, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries देश, राष्ट्र, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
