कौवा
kauvā/kə̯u.ʋɑː/masculine
The English word crow is कौवा (kauvā) in Hindi. Wiktionary also lists कौआ (kauā) and काग (kāg).
Meaning: any bird of the genus Corvus (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| कौआ | kauā | /kə̯u.ʋɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| कौवा | kauvā | /kə̯u.ʋɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| काग | kāg | /kɑːɡ/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| काक | kāk | masculine |
The word refers to any bird of the genus Corvus.
Which one should you use?
While कौवा, कौआ, काग and काक all mean crow, they are used in different contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the plural of कौवा with postpositions, the form changes to कौओं.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /kə̯u.ʋɑː/. The word has 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- During the Hindu festival of Pitru Paksha, families offer food to कौवा to nourish the souls of their ancestors, as the bird is believed to be a link to the afterlife.
- In many Indian traditions, the कौवा is seen as a messenger. Seeing one or hearing it caw is often interpreted as a sign that a guest will soon arrive at the house.
- The Sanskrit ancestor of काक is believed to be onomatopoeic, meaning the word was originally created to mimic the actual sound of the bird's cry.
Examples in context
- वह कौवा है क्या?Is that a crow?This sentence is useful for asking if a bird is a कौवा.Tatoeba #10047677 by sabretou, translation #9676366 by CK
- कौआ कोयले जैसा काला होता है।A crow is as black as coal.This sentence is useful for describing the color of a कौआ.Tatoeba #475777 by minshirui, translation #27010 by CM
- छत पर जो चिड़िया बैठी है वह एक कौआ है।The bird on the roof is a crow.This sentence is useful for identifying a कौआ sitting on a roof.Tatoeba #475776 by minshirui, translation #25582 by CK
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Amit and Priya are sitting in a garden.
- अमित Amitदेखो, पेड़ पर एक कौवा बैठा है।Dekho, ped par ek kauva baitha hai.Look, a crow is sitting on the tree.
- प्रिया Priyaहाँ, वह बहुत काला है।Haan, vah bahut kala hai.Yes, it is very black.
- अमित Amitकौवा शोर मचा रहा है।Kauva shor macha raha hai.The crow is making a noise.
- प्रिया Priyaवह बहुत बुद्धिमान पक्षी है।Vah bahut buddhiman pakshi hai.It is a very intelligent bird.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “crow” translations and entries कौआ, कौवा, काग, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries काग, कौआ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
