प्रिय
priya/pɾɪ.jᵊ/
To say dear in Hindi, say प्रिय (priya) or प्यारा (pyārā). If unsure, use प्रिय.
Meaning: loved, lovable (adj)
Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| प्रिय | priya | /pɾɪ.jᵊ/ (Hindi, Standard) |
| प्यारा | pyārā |
प्रिय means loved or dear. It is the usual word at the start of a letter. प्यारा shows affection and also means cute or lovely.
Which one should you use?
प्यारा is used for affection and endearment. प्रिय is more formal and is often used in written letters and in literature.
How does it change in a sentence?
प्यारा changes its ending to agree with the noun. It becomes प्यारी with a feminine noun and प्यारे with masculine plural nouns or to show respect to one person.
How do you pronounce it?
Say it as priya. The IPA is /pɾɪ.jᵊ/, two syllables.
Did you know?
- While प्रिय is used in formal letters, using it in a casual spoken conversation can sound overly poetic or like a line from a classic Bollywood movie.
- The word प्यारा is derived from the Sanskrit word प्रियकारक ('priyakāraka'), which literally means 'one who creates love' or 'one who makes others feel pleasure'.
- Using the plural form प्यारे to address a single person is a common way to show high respect or deep endearment, regardless of the person's actual number.
Examples in context
- मेरे प्यारे पिता।My dear father.Here प्यारे shows respect for the father.
- तुम मेरे प्यारे दोस्त हो। (Tum mere pyare dost ho.)You are my dear friend.
- मेरे प्यारे भाई (Mere pyare bhai)My dear brother.
- प्यारी बहन (Pyari behan)Dear sister.
- आपका स्नेही (Aapka snehi)Yours affectionately.
Example conversation
Anjali is talking to Amit about a childhood toy.
- अंजलि Anjaliअमित, क्या यह तुम्हारा प्रिय खिलौना है?Amit, kyā yah tumhārā priya khilaunā hai?Amit, is this your dear toy?
- अमित Amitहाँ, यह मुझे बहुत पसंद है।Hān, yah mujhe bahut pasand hai.Yes, I like it very much.
- अंजलि Anjaliयह बहुत सुंदर है।Yah bahut sundar hai.It is very beautiful.
- अमित Amitधन्यवाद, अंजलि।Dhanyavād, Anjali.Thank you, Anjali.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dear” translations and entries प्रिय, प्यारा, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries प्यारा, प्रिय, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
