مہمان
mehmaan
The Urdu word for guest is مہمان (mehmaan).
مہمان refers to any recipient of hospitality. This includes visitors in a private home, customers in a hotel or attendees at a social gathering.
Meaning: recipient of hospitality (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
mehmaan
Did you know?
- The concept of 'guest' in Urdu is closely tied to the idea of 'rizq' (sustenance), as hosting a مہمان is seen as a way to invite divine bounty into the home.
- The word مہمان is borrowed from Classical Persian.
- In many South Asian households, it is considered impolite to ask a مہمان exactly when they intend to leave, as pushing for a departure time is seen as a lack of hospitality.
Examples in context
- آج ہمارے گھر مہمان آئیں گے۔Aaj hamare ghar mehmaan aayen ge.Guests will come to our house today.
- مہمان بہت اچھے لوگ ہیں۔Mehmaan bohat achay log hain.The guests are very good people.
- مہمان کے لیے چائے تیار ہے۔Mehmaan ke liye chai tayyar hai.The tea is ready for the guest.
Example conversation
Ali and Zainab are preparing for a visitor's arrival.
- علی Aliکیا مہمان آ گئے ہیں؟Kya mehmaan aa gaye hain?Have the guests arrived?
- زینب Zainabنہیں، ابھی وہ راستے میں ہیں۔Nahi, abhi woh raaste mein hain.No, they are still on the way.
- علی Aliٹھیک ہے، میں مہمان کے لیے کھانا لگاتا ہوں۔Theek hai, mein mehmaan ke liye khana lagata hoon.Okay, I will set the food for the guest.
- زینب Zainabشکریہ، میں کمرہ صاف کر دیتی ہوں۔Shukriya, mein kamra saaf kar deti hoon.Thank you, I will clean the room.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries مہمان, CC BY-SA 4.0.
