बाल
bāl/bɑːl/masculine
The English word hair is translated into Hindi as बाल (bāl). Wiktionary also lists केश (keś) and जटा (jaṭā).
Meaning: mass of such filaments on the human head (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| बाल | bāl | /bɑːl/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| केश | keś | /keːʃ/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| जटा | jaṭā | /d͡ʒə.ʈɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) | feminine |
| वाल | vāl | masculine | |
| केस | kes | masculine | |
| चूल | cūl | masculine |
बाल is used as a countable noun to refer to individual strands of hair, whereas in English 'hair' is often an uncountable mass noun.
Which one should you use?
While बाल is the common word for hair, केश is a more formal or literary term used in poetry and formal writing. जटा specifically refers to matted hair or dreadlocks, often associated with ascetics or religious figures.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word बाल changes to बालों (bāloṃ) when it is followed by a postposition, such as के (of) or में (in).
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /bɑːl/ (bāl).
Did you know?
- The word बाल is a cognate of the Assamese word বাল, which actually means 'pubic hair' rather than general hair.
- The word बाल has two entirely different origins in Hindi. It can mean 'hair' when derived from Sanskrit, but it can also mean 'child' when derived from a different Sanskrit root.
- In Hindi idioms, बाल-बाल बचना (to escape by a hair) is used to describe a narrow escape from danger, similar to the English phrase 'by a whisker'.
Examples in context
- टॉम के बाल नहीं थे ।Tom didn't have any hair.This sentence is useful for describing someone not having any बाल.Tatoeba #8876394 by simranbansal, translation #2279353 by CK
- इस लड़की के पास बहुत लंबे-लंबे बाल हैं।This girl has very long hair.This sentence is useful for describing a girl with very long बाल.
- उनके बाल काले हैं।They have black hair.This sentence is useful for describing the color of someone's बाल.Tatoeba #4509602 by sabretou, translation #463196 by lukaszpp
- उसके बाल सुंदर और लंबे हैं।Her hair is beautiful and long.
- तेरे लंबे बाल किसी सपने से कम नहीं लगते।Your long hair looks no less than a dream.
- 23 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Anjali and Vikas are talking about a new haircut.
- अंजलि Anjaliविकास, क्या तुम्हारे बाल अब छोटे हैं?vikas, kya tumhare baal ab chhote hain?Vikas, is your hair short now?
- विकास Vikasहाँ, मैंने कल ही बाल कटवाए हैं।haan, maine kal hi baal katvae hain.Yes, I got my hair cut yesterday.
- अंजलि Anjaliयह नया स्टाइल तुम पर अच्छा लग रहा है।yeh naya style tum par achha lag raha hai.This new style looks good on you.
- विकास Vikasशुक्रिया, अंजलि!shukriya, anjali!Thank you, Anjali!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hair” translations and entries बाल, केश, जटा, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries केश, जटा, बाल, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
