হাঁস
hãs/hãʃ/
The English word duck is translated into Bengali as হাঁস (hãs). Wiktionary also lists পাতিহাঁস (patihãs).
Meaning: aquatic bird of the family Anatidae (noun)
Ways to say it
| Bengali | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| হাঁস | hãs | /hãʃ/ /haʃ/ |
| পাতিহাঁস | patihãs | /pat̪ihãʃ/ /pat̪ihaʃ/ |
The term refers to an aquatic bird of the family Anatidae.
Which one should you use?
While হাঁস is the general term used for any duck, পাতিহাঁস specifically refers to a common or domestic duck.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is hãs. The IPA is /hãʃ/.
Did you know?
- The word হাঁস is a direct relative of the English word 'swan' via their common ancient roots. They both trace back to a shared Proto-Indo-European ancestor describing a water bird.
- In Bengali culture and literature, the হংস (a formal variant of হাঁস) is often depicted as a divine bird capable of separating milk from water. This symbolizes the ability to distinguish the eternal soul from the transient world.
- The spelling of হাঁস uses the 'chandrabindu' ( ঁ ), a nasalization mark. Without this small symbol, the pronunciation and meaning of the word would change entirely.
Examples in context
- পুকুরে একটি হাঁস সাঁতার কাটছে।Pukure ekti hans satar katche.A duck is swimming in the pond.
- ছোট হাঁসগুলো খুব সুন্দর।Choto hansgulo khub sundor.The little ducks are very beautiful.
Example conversation
Akash and Ananya are walking near a garden pond.
- আকাশ Akashঅনন্যা, ওই দেখো একটা সাদা হাঁস!Ananya, oi dekho ekti sada hans!Ananya, look, there is a white duck!
- অনন্যা Ananyaহ্যাঁ আকাশ, হাঁসটি খুব শান্ত দেখছি।He Akash, hans-ti khub shanto dekhchi.Yes Akash, the duck looks very calm.
- আকাশ Akashসেটি কি একটি পাতিহাঁস?Seti ki ekti patihans?Is that a duck?
- অনন্যা Ananyaমনে হচ্ছে এটি একটি সাধারণ হাঁস।Mone hochche eti ekti sadharon hans.It seems to be a regular duck.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “duck” translations and entries হাঁস, পাতিহাঁস, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries পাতিহাঁস, হাঁস, CC BY-SA 4.0.
