Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| दिल | dil | /d̪ɪl/ /d̪il/ |
masculine |
| हृदय | hŕday | /ɦɾɪ.d̪əj/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| हिया | hiyā | /ɦɪ.jɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| कलेजा | kalejā | /kə.leː.d͡ʒɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| जिगर | jigar | /d͡ʒɪ.ɡəɾ/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| क़ल्ब | qalb | /qəlb/ (Hindi, Standard) /kəlb/ (Hindi, Standard) |
masculine |
| कल्ब | kalb | masculine | |
| हार्ट | hārṭ | masculine | |
| हृद् | hŕd | masculine | |
| हिवड़ा | hivṛā | masculine | |
| जिगरा | jigrā | masculine | |
| गूदा | gūdā | /ɡuː.d̪ɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
दिल is the standard word when talking about feelings, such as breaking someone's heart or having a big heart. It is the word you hear in daily conversation and in songs. हृदय is the formal or technical term used in medical, scientific or highly literary contexts.
Which one should you use?
कलेजा (kalejā) literally means liver, but Hindi uses it idiomatically for the heart as the seat of deep emotion or courage. जिगर (jigar) is a Persian-derived word heard in Urdu-influenced poetry or slang, often for courage or one's heart. हार्ट (hārṭ) is the English word written in Hindi and is common in modern urban speech, especially in medical phrases like heart attack.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
दिल is the word for everyday, informal conversation. हार्ट is colloquial and urban. हृदय sounds formal.
How does it change in a sentence?
All of these words are masculine nouns, so adjectives and verbs that agree with them take masculine endings.
How do you pronounce it?
दिल is said dil, IPA /d̪ɪl/. The first sound is a dental d, made with the tongue touching the back of the upper teeth.
When do people say it?
Hindi film songs are full of दिल, and it is one of the most familiar Hindi words for many listeners.
Did you know?
- The common word दिल (dil) is actually a linguistic relative of the English word 'heart', both tracing back to the same Proto-Indo-European root *ḱerd-.
- While दिल refers to the heart, the word कलेजा literally means 'liver'. In Hindi, the liver is used idiomatically to describe the seat of courage and deep emotion.
- The Persian-derived word जिगर (jigar) is often used to describe someone's courage or 'guts' rather than just the physical organ.
Examples in context
- उसके पास पत्थर का कलेजा है।He has a heart of stone.This idiom with कलेजा means someone is hard and unfeeling, just like the English heart of stone.
- तुम मेरे कलेजे का टुकड़े हो।You are very dear to my heart.कलेजे का टुकड़े is an affectionate idiom, literally a piece of the heart, for someone very dear.
- रोगी का हृदय अभी भी धड़क रहा है।The patient's heart is still beating.Here हृदय is used because the sentence is about a patient, a medical context.
- मेरे दिल में प्रेम है।There is love in my heart.
- मेरा हृदय धन्य हो गया।My heart feels blessed.
- तुम मेरे दिल की धड़कन हो।You are the heartbeat of my heart.
- उसका मन साफ है।His heart is pure.
- 20 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Aditya and Priya are discussing health at a clinic.
- आदित्य Adityaडॉक्टर ने मेरे दिल की जांच की।Doctor ne mere dil ki jaanch ki.The doctor checked my heart.
- प्रिया Priyaक्या सब कुछ ठीक है, आदित्य?Kya sab kuch theek hai, Aditya?Is everything okay, Aditya?
- आदित्य Adityaहाँ, मेरा दिल पूरी तरह स्वस्थ है।Haan, mera dil poori tarah swasth hai.Yes, my heart is completely healthy.
- प्रिया Priyaयह सुनकर बहुत खुशी हुई।Yeh sunkar bahut khushi hui.I am very happy to hear that.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “heart” translations and entries दिल, हृदय, हिया, कलेजा, जिगर, क़ल्ब, गूदा, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries कलेजा, दिल, हिया, हृदय, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
