गाय
gāy/ɡɑːj/feminine
The English word 'cow' is translated into Hindi as गाय (gāy). Wiktionary also lists गो (go) and गऊ (gaū).
Meaning: adult female of species Bos taurus (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| गाय | gāy | /ɡɑːj/ (Hindi, Standard) /ɡɑː.eː/ (Hindi, Standard) |
feminine |
| गो | go | /ɡoː/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| गऊ | gaū | /ɡə.uː/ (Hindi, Standard) | feminine |
The term refers to the adult female of the species Bos taurus.
Which one should you use?
गाय is the standard feminine form. गऊ is a feminine form used in more formal or poetic contexts.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
गऊ is used for poetic or religious purposes, while गो is reserved for highly formal or literary writing.
How does it change in a sentence?
When expressing a plural, such as 'of the cows', the form गायों is used with postpositions.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ɡɑːj/ (gāy).
When do people say it?
In many parts of India, the cow is considered a sacred animal and serves as a symbol of life and the earth.
Did you know?
- In many Indian cultures, a gesture of respect toward the गाय involves touching its forehead or bowing, treating the animal with a dignity usually reserved for elders.
- The Hindi word for cow, गाय, is a distant linguistic cousin to the English word 'cow', as both descend from the same Proto-Indo-European root *gʷṓws.
- Because the गाय is so revered, using the word in certain derogatory contexts can be seen as a severe social taboo in many Hindi-speaking regions.
Examples in context
- टॉम के पास एक गाय है।Tom has a cow.Tatoeba #3299681 by sabretou, translation #2915483 by sabretou
- गाय की लंबी पूँछ होती है।A cow has a long tail.Tatoeba #3707913 by sabretou, translation #1739389 by Amastan
- भारत में गाय को पूज्य माना जाता है।In India, the cow is a sacred animal.Tatoeba #487708 by minshirui, translation #65733 by AlanF_US
- मेरे दोस्त के पास एक गाय है।My friend has a cow.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Aditya and Pooja are walking through a rural field.
- आदित्य Adityaदेखो, वह गाय कितनी बड़ी है!dekho, vah gaay kitni badi hai!Look, how big that cow is!
- पूजा Poojaहाँ, वह बहुत शांत लग रही है।haan, vah bahut shaant lag rahi hai.Yes, she looks very calm.
- आदित्य Adityaपूजा, क्या हम उसे खाना दे सकते हैं?puja, kya hum use khaana de sakte hain?Pooja, can we give her some food?
- पूजा Poojaहाँ, चलो उसे कुछ घास देते हैं।haan, chalo use kuchh ghaas dete hain.Yes, let's give her some grass.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cow” translations and entries गाय, गो, गऊ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries गऊ, गाय, गो, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
