Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| घर | ghar | /ɡʱəɾ/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| मकान | makān | /mə.kɑːn/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| गृह | gŕh | /ɡɾiːɦ/ (Hindi, Standard) /ɡɾɪ.ɦᵊ/ (Hindi, Standard) |
masculine |
| आवास | āvās | masculine | |
| निवास | nivās | /nɪ.ʋɑːs/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| निकेतन | niketan | /nɪ.keː.t̪ən/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| वास | vās | /ʋɑːs/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
Hindi has several ways to express the concept of a house, depending on whether you are emphasizing the emotional sense of a home, the physical structure of a building or the formal concept of a residence.
Which one should you use?
The most common term is घर, which carries the emotional connotation of 'home'. In contrast, मकान refers specifically to the physical structure or the building itself. For more formal or literary purposes, you may encounter गृह, which means house or abode and आवास, which translates to 'residence' or 'accommodation'. Other forms include निवास, निकेतन and वास.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For formal, official or administrative contexts, use आवास to mean residence or accommodation.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Punjab and parts of North India, the term Kothi is used to refer to a house, specifically a large house or a mansion.
How do you pronounce it?
ghar (ɡʱəɾ)
Did you know?
- The word घर shares a prehistoric ancestor with the English word 'garden'. Both derive from the Proto-Indo-European root *gʰerdʰ-, which related to an enclosed space.
- In North India, the word Kothi is used for a mansion, but historically it referred to a warehouse or a government office.
- If you are looking for a very poetic or old-fashioned way to refer to a house, you might see the word निकेतन used in songs or classical poetry.
Examples in context
- टॉम घर छोड़ना चाहता है।Tom wants to leave the house.This sentence shows how to use घर to express wanting to leave a house.Tatoeba #8879558 by simranbansal, translation #8878958 by CK
- मेरे घर के सामने एक नई ईमारत बन रही है।A new building is being built in front of my house.This sentence uses घर to describe a building located in front of one's house.Tatoeba #940472 by thevikas, translation #250507 by CK
- वो वाला घर, जिसकी छत लाल है, वो मेरे चाचाजी का घर है।The house with the red roof belongs to my uncle.This sentence uses घर to identify which house belongs to a relative.Tatoeba #12394438 by Saumya, translation #25578 by Lumi
- यह एक बड़ा और सुंदर घर है।This is a big and beautiful house.
- उसका नया मकान बहुत बड़ा है।His new house is very big.
- हमारे पास एक छत और एक बागीचे वाला घर है।We have a house with a roof and a garden.
- वह केरल में एक लग्ज़री इल्लम में रहती है।She lives in a luxurious house in Kerala.
- 86 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Puja and Aditya are discussing where to meet.
- पूजा Poojaआदित्य, क्या मैं तुम्हारे घर आ जाऊँ?Aditya, kya main tumhare ghar aa jaoon?Aditya, can I come to your house?
- आदित्य Adityaहाँ, मेरा घर स्टेशन के पास है।Haan, mera ghar station ke paas hai.Yes, my house is near the station.
- पूजा Poojaठीक है, मैं थोड़ी देर में घर पहुँचूँगी।Theek hai, main thodi der mein ghar pahunchoongi.Okay, I will reach the house in a little while.
- आदित्य Adityaमैं तुम्हारा घर के बाहर इंतज़ार करूँगा।Main tumhara ghar ke baahar intezaar karoonga.I will wait for you outside the house.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “house” translations and entries घर, मकान, गृह, आवास, निवास, निकेतन, वास, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries आवास, गृह, घर, मकान, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
