گائے
gāe/ɡɑː.eː/feminine
The English word "cow" is translated into Urdu as گائے (gāe). Wiktionary also lists گو (go) and گَئُو (gaū).
Meaning: adult female of species Bos taurus (noun)
Ways to say it
| Urdu | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| گائے | gāe | /ɡɑː.eː/ (Standard, Urdu) | feminine |
| گو | go | feminine | |
| گَئُو | gaū | feminine | |
| بَقَر | baqar | masculine |
The term refers to the adult female of the species Bos taurus.
Which one should you use?
The form گو is also a feminine way to say cow, and گَئُو is another feminine form. In contrast, بَقَر is a masculine term used for the same animal.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word گائے is grammatically feminine, which affects the adjectives and verbs that follow it in a sentence.
How do you pronounce it?
The word گائے is pronounced as /ɡɑː.eː/ (gāe). It has two syllables.
Did you know?
- The word گائے shares a common ancestor with the English word 'cow' and the Latin 'vacca', both descending from the same Proto-Indo-European root.
- In many parts of South Asia, the cow is not just an animal but a symbol of sanctity, meaning you will rarely see the word used in a casual or disrespectful way.
- The term بَقَر for a masculine cow is closely related to the Arabic word for cow, reflecting the heavy influence of Arabic on Urdu's formal vocabulary.
Examples in context
- میرے اببا اک گائے پالتے ہیں۔My father raises a cow.
- گائے سفید ہے۔gaaye safaid hai.The cow is white.
- وہ ایک بڑی گائے ہے۔woh ek bari gaaye hai.That is a large cow.
- گائے گھاس کھا رہی ہے۔gaaye ghaas kha rahi hai.The cow is eating grass.
Example conversation
Hamza and Aisha are visiting a farm.
- حمزہ Hamzaعائشہ، وہ دیکھو ایک گائے!Aisha, woh dekho ek gaaye!Aisha, look at that cow!
- عائشہ Ayeshaہاں حمزہ، یہ بہت پیاری ہے۔Haan Hamza, yeh bohat pyari hai.Yes Hamza, she is very lovely.
- حمزہ Hamzaکیا یہ گائے دودھ دیتی ہے؟Kya yeh gaaye doodh deti hai?Does this cow give milk?
- عائشہ Ayeshaجی ہاں، یہ بہت دودھ دیتی ہے۔Ji haan, yeh bohat doodh deti hai.Yes, she gives a lot of milk.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cow” translations and entries گائے, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries گائے, CC BY-SA 4.0.
