Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| भारत | bhārat | /bʱɑː.ɾət̪/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| इंडिया | iṇḍiyā | /ɪɳ.ɖɪ.jɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| हिन्दुस्तान | hindustān | /ɦɪn.d̪ʊs.t̪ɑːn/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| हिंदुस्तान | hindustān | /ɦɪn.d̪ʊs.t̪ɑːn/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| भारतवर्ष | bhāratvarṣ | formal, masculine | |
| हिंद | hind | /ɦɪnd̪/ (Hindi, Standard) | dated, masculine |
| हिन्द | hind | /ɦɪnd̪/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
These terms all refer to the country of India.
Which one should you use?
भारत is the official name and is most common in formal, educational and governmental settings. In contrast, इंडिया is a phonetic transliteration of the English word 'India' and is frequently used in media and everyday conversation. For a more poetic or colloquial feel, you might use हिन्दुस्तान or हिंदुस्तान, which are common in songs and poetry. For extremely formal, literary or historical contexts, भारतवर्ष is used. Finally, हिंद and हिन्द are dated forms of the name.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
भारत is the formal and official name. इंडिया is colloquial. हिन्दुस्तान and हिंदुस्तान are common in casual speech and poetry. भारतवर्ष is highly formal and literary, while हिंद and हिन्द are dated.
How does it change in a sentence?
All forms of the name for India are grammatically masculine.
How do you pronounce it?
bhārat (pronounced /bʱɑː.ɾət̪/).
Did you know?
- In the Indian Constitution, the country is officially described using both names in the famous opening line: 'India, that is Bharat'.
- The official name भारत is derived from a legendary king and ancestor named Bharata, making the country's formal name an ancestral tribute.
- The term हिन्दुस्तान is actually a Persian construction, combining 'Hind' with the suffix '-stan' to mean 'Land of the Hind'.
Examples in context
- भारत का इतिहास बहुत पुराना है।India has a very old history.This sentence shows how to use भारत when discussing history.Tatoeba #5561473 by dfordivam, translation #9415350 by abracadebby
- भारत में नवपाषाणकालीन संस्कृति के साक्ष्य लगभग ४००० ई॰पू॰ से मिलना प्रारंभ होते हैं।Evidence of Neolithic culture in India begins to be found from around 4000 BC.This sentence demonstrates the use of भारत in a historical and archaeological context.Tatoeba #12395792 by Saumya, translation #12395793 by Saumya
- भारत मरा देश है।India is my country.This sentence uses भारत to express personal identity.Tatoeba #3888433 by sabretou, translation #3773901 by shaiju
- Bhārat ke ithihās par gaur karte hain. (भारत के इतिहास पर गौर करते हैं।)We pay attention to the history of India.
- Bhārat mein bahut saari jātiyon ki upasthiti hai. (भारत में बहुत सारी जातियों की उपस्थिति है।)There is a presence of many castes in India.
- इंडिया में खाना वाकई खास है। (India mein khānā vākai khaas hai।)The food in India is truly special.
- 76 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Aditya and Anjali are talking about their upcoming travel plans.
- आदित्य Adityaक्या तुम भारत घूमना चाहती हो?Kya tum Bharat ghoomna chahti ho?Do you want to travel around India?
- अंजलि Anjaliहाँ, मुझे भारत बहुत पसंद है।Haan, mujhe Bharat bahut pasand hai.Yes, I love India very much.
- आदित्य Adityaअंजलि, भारत में बहुत जगहें हैं।Anjali, Bharat mein bahut jagahien hain.Anjali, there are many places in India.
- अंजलि Anjaliआदित्य, चलो कल योजना बनाते हैं।Aditya, chalo kal yojna banate hain.Aditya, let's make a plan tomorrow.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “india” translations and entries भारत, इंडिया, हिन्दुस्तान, हिंदुस्तान, भारतवर्ष, हिंद, हिन्द, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries इंडिया, भारत, हिंदुस्तान, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
