Ways to say it
| Urdu | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ہَسْپَتال | haspatāl | masculine |
| بِیمارِسْتان | bīmāristān | |
| مُسْتَشْفیٰ | mustaśfā | |
| شِفا خانَہ | śifā xāna | masculine |
| اَسْپَتال | aspatāl | masculine |
| دارُ الشِّفا | dāru ś-śifā | masculine |
| بِیمار خانَہ | bīmār xāna | masculine |
| مَرِیض خانَہ | marīz xāna | masculine |
| صِحَت خانَہ | sihat xāna | masculine |
All the terms provided refer to a large medical facility.
What does it mean word for word?
The term شِفا خانَہ is composed of śifā (healing/cure) and xāna (house/place), literally meaning "place of healing". The term بِیمارِسْتان is composed of bīmār (sick/patient) and the Persian suffix -istān (place of/land of), meaning "place of the sick".
Which one should you use?
ہَسْپَتال is a direct loanword from English and is the most common way to say 'hospital' in everyday spoken Urdu. In contrast, mustaśfā or śifā xāna are more formal or literary options. The shortened form اَسْپَتال is used in informal contexts.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
mustaśfā is a highly formal and sophisticated term often used in official documents, news reporting or literature.
How does it change in a sentence?
As a masculine noun, the plural form of ہَسْپَتال in a direct object construction (when used with postpositions) is ہَسْپَتالوں (haspatālōn).
How do you pronounce it?
haspatāl
Did you know?
- The suffix '-istān' in بِیمارِسْتان is the same used in 'Pakistan', meaning 'land of the sick' in a literal, etymological sense.
- In many South Asian contexts, the term شِفا (healing) carries a spiritual connotation, implying that recovery is a blessing from God.
- Urdu speakers often use English terms for the building but switch to Persian-rooted terms when discussing the 'cure' or 'healing' process.
Examples in context
- ہَسْپَتال بہت بڑا ہے۔haspatāl bahut baṛā hai.The hospital is very large.
- وہ ہَسْپَتال کے قریب رہتا ہے۔voh haspatāl ke qareeb rahtā hai.He lives near the hospital.
- کیا یہ ہَسْپَتال کھلا ہے؟kyā yeh haspatāl khulā hai?Is this hospital open?
Example conversation
Aisha and Hamza are talking about a sick relative.
- عائشہ Ayeshaحمزہ، ابا جان کی طبیعت کیسی ہے؟Hamza, aba jaan ki tabiyat kaisi hai?Hamza, how is father's health?
- حمزہ Hamzaوہ ابھی ہَسْپَتال میں ہیں۔Woh abhi hospital mein hain.He is in the hospital right now.
- عائشہ Ayeshaکیا میں وہاں آ سکتی ہوں؟Kya mein wahan aa sakti hoon?Can I come there?
- حمزہ Hamzaہاں، عائشہ، ضرور آؤ۔Haan, Aisha, zaroor ao.Yes, Aisha, definitely come.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hospital” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
