Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| बहुमूल्य | bahumūlya | /bə.ɦʊ.muːl.jᵊ/ (Hindi, Standard) |
| क़ीमती | qīmtī |
In Hindi, the choice of word for 'expensive' depends on whether you are discussing the literal monetary cost of an item or its intrinsic, sentimental worth. While बहुमूल्य describes something of great value, क़ीमती is the direct way to describe an object with a high price tag in a commercial sense. In common, everyday speech, the word महँगा is the most frequent adjective used to mean 'expensive'.
What does it mean word for word?
The word बहुमूल्य is a compound of bahu (many/much) and mūlya (value/price), which literally translates to 'of much value'.
Which one should you use?
बहुमूल्य is most commonly used to describe something as 'precious' or 'invaluable' in a sentimental or intrinsic way rather than just referring to a high monetary cost. In contrast, क़ीमती is the more direct term for an object that is 'expensive' or 'costly' in a commercial sense.
How does it change in a sentence?
In everyday spoken Hindi, the word महँगा is the most frequent adjective used to convey the meaning of 'expensive'.
How do you pronounce it?
bahumūlya (/bə.ɦʊ.muːl.jᵊ/)
Did you know?
- When bargaining in an Indian market, saying बहुत महँगा है ('it is very expensive') is often a tactical opening move rather than a literal statement of price.
- The word क़ीमती originates from Persian, reflecting the deep historical influence of Persian than many other languages on the Hindi vocabulary for commerce and trade.
- If you are complaining about prices rising in a market, you would use the verb महँगा होना (to become expensive), but to describe the general state of high prices in the economy, you would use the noun महँगाई (inflation).
Examples in context
- यह महँगा है। (Yeh mahenga hai.)This is expensive.
- यह बहुत क़ीमती है।This is very expensive.
Example conversation
Aditya and Priya are looking at jewelry in a store.
- आदित्य Adityaप्रिया, यह हार देखो!Priyā, yah hār dēkhō!Priya, look at this necklace!
- प्रिया Priyaयह बहुत बहुमूल्य लग रहा है।Yah bahut bahumūlya lag rahā hai.It looks very expensive.
- आदित्य Adityaहाँ, इसकी कीमत बहुत ज़्यादा है।Hā̃, iskī kīmat bahut zyādā hai.Yes, its price is very high.
- प्रिया Priyaहम इसे नहीं खरीद सकते।Hum isē nahī̃ kharīd saktē.We cannot buy it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “expensive” translations and entries बहुमूल्य, क़ीमती, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries क़ीमती, बहुमूल्य, CC BY-SA 4.0.
