Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| रात का भोजन | rāt kā bhojan | /ɾɑːt̪ kɑː bʱoː.d͡ʒən/ (Hindi, Standard, word by word) | masculine |
| भोजन | bhojan | /bʱoː.d͡ʒən/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| भोज | bhoj | /bʱoːd͡ʒ/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| खाना | khānā | /kʰɑː.nɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
The term for dinner varies depending on whether you are describing a formal meal, a daily meal or a large feast. While रात का भोजन specifically refers to the evening meal, the more general terms for food and eating are often used in everyday speech.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase रात का भोजन literally translates to "night's food", composed of रात (night), का (of) and भोजन (food/meal).
Which one should you use?
रात का भोजन is the specific phrase for dinner. भोजन is a formal noun for a meal. भोज refers specifically to a feast or a large banquet rather than a standard daily dinner. खाना is the most common way to refer to both food and the act of eating in daily conversation.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
रात का भोजन is a formal way to say dinner. In casual settings, people almost always use the informal खाना to refer to their meal.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word खाना is versatile as it functions as both a noun meaning "food" and a verb meaning "to eat". All listed forms are masculine.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is rāt kā bhojan.
Did you know?
- The Hindi word for a feast, भोज, is a distant relative of the English word 'birch'.
- In traditional settings, the dinner meal is often served on a 'thali', a large platter that organizes various dishes into small bowls.
- The word खाना can mean 'food' or 'to eat', but it also refers to a 'room' or 'compartment' in other contexts.
Examples in context
- मैंने रात का खाना पकाया।I cooked dinner.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of खाना when talking about cooking a meal.Tatoeba #514148 by minshirui, translation #246394 by CK
- हमारे साथ (रात का) खाना खाएँगे ना?Won't you join us for dinner?This sentence uses खाना to invite someone to join a meal.Tatoeba #514147 by minshirui, translation #262531 by CK
- उसकी माँ खाना बनाने में लगी हुई थी।Her mother was busy cooking the dinner.This sentence shows how to use खाना when describing someone busy with cooking.Tatoeba #455229 by minshirui, translation #309750 by CK
- आज रात का खाना क्या बन रहा है?What's cooking for dinner tonight?
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Aditya and Priya are deciding what to do at home in the evening.
- आदित्य Adityaक्या रात का भोजन तैयार है?Kya raat ka bhojan taiyaar hai?Is the dinner ready?
- प्रिया Priyaहाँ, मैंने रात का भोजन बना लिया है।Haan, maine raat ka bhojan bana liya hai.Yes, I have made the dinner.
- आदित्य Adityaबहुत अच्छा, चलो खाते हैं।Bahut achchha, chalo khaate hain.Very good, let's eat.
- प्रिया Priyaआदित्य, हाथ धोकर आओ।Aditya, haath dhokar aao.Aditya, come wash your hands.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dinner” translations and entries भोजन, भोज, खाना, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (रात, का, भोजन) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries का, खाना, भोज, भोजन, रात, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
