जान
jānaffectionate, informal
A common Hindi endearment is जान (jān), literally "life", as in मेरी जान (merī jān). The written and formal word is प्रिय (priy), "dear". It is also called डार्लिंग (ḍārliṅg).
Meaning: term of endearment (noun)
Ways to say it
| Indian | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| जान | jān | affectionate, informal |
| प्रिय | priy | formal, written |
| डार्लिंग | ḍārliṅg | English loan |
जान is used between partners and also lovingly with children. प्रिय opens letters and speeches, as in प्रिय मीरा (priy mīrā), "Dear Meera". English डार्लिंग (ḍārliṅg) is heard in cities.
Which one should you use?
Another term for a partner is जानू (jānū), a cute short form of जान.
Did you know?
- जान literally means "life", so मेरी जान is close to "my life".
Examples in context
- मेरी जान, तुम कहाँ हो?merī jān, tum kahāṁ ho?Darling, where are you?
- प्रिय मित्र, आपका पत्र मिला।priy mitra, āpkā patra milā.Dear friend, I received your letter.
Example conversation
Vikram calls his wife Anjali on the phone.
- Vikramहेलो जान, कहाँ हो?helo jān, kahāṁ ho?Hello darling, where are you?
- Anjaliमैं बाज़ार में हूँ।maiṃ bāzār meṃ hūṁ.I am at the market.
- Vikramजल्दी आना, खाना तैयार है।jaldī ānā, khānā taiyār hai.Come soon, the food is ready.
