शाम
śām/ʃɑːm/feminine
The Hindi word for evening is शाम (śām). Wiktionary also lists साँझ (sāñjh) and संध्या (sandhyā).
Meaning: time of day between dusk and night (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| शाम | śām | /ʃɑːm/ (Hindi, Standard) | feminine |
| साँझ | sāñjh | /sɑːnd͡ʒʱ/ (Hindi, Standard) | feminine |
| संध्या | sandhyā | /sən.d̪ʱjɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) | feminine |
| सायंकाल | sāyaṅkāl | masculine |
The terms all refer to the time of day between dusk and night.
Which one should you use?
शाम is the most common, everyday word used in standard conversation. साँझ is a poetic or literary term that evokes a sense of dusk or the transition from day to night. सायंकाल is a formal, high-register term often used in news broadcasts, literature or official announcements. संध्या is another feminine form used for this time of day.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
सायंकाल is a formal, high-register term. साँझ is a poetic or literary term.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Northern India, people often use the term शाम to refer to the evening.
How do you pronounce it?
śām (/ʃɑːm/)
Did you know?
- The word शाम is actually a loanword from Persian, which originally referred to the 'left-hand side' or 'north' when one faced the sunrise.
- Because संध्या is associated with the transition to night, it is also the word used for the ritual prayers performed at dawn and dusk.
- The word संध्या comes from the Sanskrit root meaning 'junction' or 'twilight', representing the meeting point between day and night.
Examples in context
- टॉम शाम को वापस आ जाएगा।Tom will be back this evening.This sentence shows how to use शाम to indicate when someone will return.Tatoeba #11370638 by Sorcien, translation #6438466 by CK
- सवेरे से साँझ तकFrom morning till eveningThis sentence uses the poetic form साँझ to describe a duration from morning to evening.
- क्या शाम का समय आपके अनुकूल होगा?Will a time in the evening suit you?This sentence uses शाम to ask about a suitable time during the evening.
- क्या आपकी शाम अच्छी रही?Did you have a good evening?
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Aditya and Priya are talking about their plans for later today.
- आदित्य Adityaक्या तुम आज शाम फ्री हो?Kya tum aaj shaam free ho?Are you free this evening?
- प्रिया Priyaहाँ, मैं शाम को बाहर जा सकती हूँ।Haan, main shaam ko baahar ja sakti hoon.Yes, I can go out in the evening.
- आदित्य Adityaक्या हम पार्क चलें?Kya hum park chalein?Shall we go to the park?
- प्रिया Priyaठीक है, शाम को मिलते हैं।Theek hai, shaam ko milte hain.Okay, let's meet in the evening.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “evening” translations and entries शाम, साँझ, संध्या, सायंकाल, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries शाम, संध्या, साँझ, सायंकाल, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
