بال
bāl/bɑːl/masculine
The English word "hair" is translated into Urdu as بال (bāl) or کیش.
Meaning: mass of such filaments on the human head (noun)
Ways to say it
| Urdu | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| بال | bāl | /bɑːl/ (Standard, Urdu) | masculine |
| کیش | keś | /keːʃ/ (Standard, Urdu) | masculine |
Both terms refer to the mass of filaments found on the human head.
Which one should you use?
بال is the most common word for hair used in everyday conversation. In contrast, کیش is a more formal or literary term often found in poetry or classical texts.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the word for hair with a postposition (such as 'of' or 'in'), the form changes from بال to بالوں.
How do you pronounce it?
The word بال is pronounced /bɑːl/.
Did you know?
- While بال usually means 'hair', it is also the exact same word used for 'wing' in many Persian-influenced contexts.
- In Urdu poetry, the mention of بال or کیش often symbolizes a 'trap' or a 'net' used to ensnare the heart of a lover.
- Because کیش is so literary, using it in a casual setting like a barbershop might actually make you sound like a character from an ancient epic.
Examples in context
- ٹام نے دو ہفتوں سے اپنے بال نہیں دھوئے۔Tom hasn't washed his hair for two weeks.The first sentence shows how to use بال when discussing hair hygiene.Tatoeba #1438155 by nabeel_tahir, translation #1093556 by CK
- کیا آپ میرے بال بنائیں؟Can you please do my hair?The second sentence shows how to use بال when asking someone to style one's hair.Tatoeba #5690265 by eeyinn, translation #5690255 by eeyinn
- میرے بال بہت لمبے ہیں۔My hair is very long.
- تمھارے بالوں کا رنگ بہت اچھا ہے۔The color of your hair is very nice.
- اس کے بال بہت لمبے ہیں۔Us ke baal bohat lambay hain.Her hair is very long.
Example conversation
Hamza and Zainab are talking about a haircut.
- حمزہ Hamzaکیا آپ کے بال چھوٹے ہیں؟Kya aap ke baal chotay hain?Is your hair short?
- زینب Zainabنہیں، میرے بال ابھی بھی لمبے ہیں۔Nahi, meray baal abhi bhi lambay hain.No, my hair is still long.
- حمزہ Hamzaآپ کو اپنے بال کٹوانے چاہئیں۔Aap ko apnay baal katwanay chahiyen.You should get your hair cut.
- زینب Zainabجی، میں کل کٹوا لوں گی۔Ji, mein kal katwa loon gi.Yes, I will get it cut tomorrow.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hair” translations and entries بال, کیش, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries بال, کیش, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
