گَدھا
gadhāmasculine
In Urdu, the word for donkey is گَدھا (gadhā). Wiktionary also lists حِمار (himār).
Meaning: a domestic animal (noun)
Ways to say it
| Urdu | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| گَدھا | gadhā | masculine |
| حِمار | himār | masculine |
The primary meaning of the word is a domestic animal, specifically a donkey or an ass. In an informal context, calling someone a گَدھا is a common way to insult them by calling them a fool or an idiot.
Which one should you use?
گَدھا (gadhā) is the standard, everyday term used in common speech. In contrast, حِمار (himār) is a more formal or literary term often found in classical texts or poetry.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine singular form گَدھا has two plural forms: the masculine plural is گدھے (gadhē) and the feminine plural is گدھیاں (gadhiyān).
How do you pronounce it?
gadhā
Did you know?
- In some poetic Urdu traditions, the donkey is used as a symbol of 'patience' or 'endurance' in a way that contrasts sharply with its common use as an insult for a fool.
- The formal term حِمار is a loanword from Arabic, which is why it appears in religious texts and classical poetry rather than in daily conversation.
- While گدھا refers to the animal, the phrase گدھا منّہ literally means 'donkey face' and is used to describe someone who looks bewildered or clueless.
Example sentences for Urdu are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Aisha and Ali are visiting a farm.
- عائشہ Ayeshaعلی، دیکھو وہاں ایک گَدھا ہے!Ali, dekho wahan ek gadha hai!Ali, look, there is a donkey there!
- علی Aliہاں، وہ بہت پیارا لگ رہا ہے۔Haan, woh bahut pyaara lag raha hai.Yes, it looks very cute.
- عائشہ Ayeshaکیا ہم اسے کھانا دے سکتے ہیں؟Kya hum usay khana day saktay hain?Can we give it some food?
- علی Aliشاید، پہلے مالک سے پوچھ لیتے ہیں۔Shayad, pehlay maalik se pooch letay hain.Maybe, let's ask the owner first.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “donkey” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
