Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| सपना | sapnā | /səp.nɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| ख़्वाब | xvāb | /xʋɑːb/ (Hindi, Standard) /kʰʋɑːb/ (Hindi, Standard) |
masculine |
Both terms refer to imaginary events experienced while sleeping. To express the action of dreaming (to dream), you must use the compound verb phrase सपना देखना, which literally means 'to see a dream'.
What does it mean word for word?
The verb सपना देखना is formed by combining the noun सपना (dream) with the verb देखना (to see).
Which one should you use?
सपना is the common word for dream. In contrast, ख़्वाब is a more poetic or formal alternative.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The term ख़्वाब is commonly used in North India, particularly in states like Punjab, Haryana and Delhi.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun सपना is masculine. If the word 'dream' is followed by a postposition (such as 'of' or 'in'), you should use the plural oblique form सपनों.
How do you pronounce it?
The word sapnā is pronounced /səp.nɑː/ and consists of 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- The word सपना shares a distant linguistic ancestor with the English word 'sleep', as both stem from the same Proto-Indo-European root related to the state of slumber.
- While सपना is used everywhere, ख़्वाब is heavily associated with Ghazals and Urdu poetry, making it a marker of romantic or melancholy moods.
- There is a subtle distinction in Hindi between सपना, which is the everyday term, and the Sanskrit-derived स्वप्न (svapna), which is much more formal and used in academic or literary contexts.
Examples in context
- टॉम का सपना सच हो रहा है।Tom's dream is coming true.This sentence shows how to use the form सपना to describe a dream coming true.Tatoeba #4080245 by sabretou, translation #2045450 by CK
- मानो कोई सपना सच आ गया हो।It's like a dream come true.This sentence uses सपना to express a feeling of a dream coming true.Tatoeba #450395 by minshirui, translation #322763 by CK
- तुम्हारा सपना एक दिन सच हो जाएगा।Someday your dream will come true.This sentence uses सपना to describe a future dream coming true.Tatoeba #450971 by minshirui, translation #66349 by CK
- मेरा सपना है कि मैं एक वैज्ञानिक बनूँ।My dream is to become a scientist.
- आज मैंने एक अच्छा ख़्वाब देखा।Today, I had a good dream.
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Rahul and Pooja are talking about their night's sleep.
- राहुल Rahulकल रात मैंने एक अजीब सपना देखा।Kal raat maine ek ajeeb sapna dekha.I had a strange dream last night.
- पूजा Poojaसपना क्या था, राहुल?Sapna kya tha, Rahul?What was the dream, Rahul?
- राहुल Rahulमैं हवा में उड़ रहा था।Main hawa mein ud raha tha.I was flying in the air.
- पूजा Poojaयह तो बहुत अच्छा सपना है!Yeh toh bahut accha sapna hai!That is a very nice dream!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dream” translations and entries सपना, ख़्वाब, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ख़्वाब, सपना, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
