अन्तर
ántara/ɐ́n.tɐ.ɾɐ/
The English word inner is translated into Sanskrit as अन्तर (ántara).
As an adjective, अन्तर means inner or internal. In formal contexts, अन्तर can also denote the interior or the space within oneself. This contrasts with the term Kutastha, which is used in formal Sanskrit to refer specifically to the unchanging, eternal essence within oneself.
Meaning: being or occurring inside (adj)
What does it mean word for word?
The word अन्तर can literally mean the inside, the space between or an interval of time.
How does it change in a sentence?
In Sanskrit, अन्तर functions as an adjective meaning inner or internal when it is used to modify a noun.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ɐ́n.tɐ.ɾɐ/. It has 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- Because अन्तर can mean both 'inner' and 'interval', it is used in Indian music and mathematics to describe the space between two notes or points.
- The Sanskrit word is a 'cousin' to the English word 'other'.
Example conversation
Aditya and Ananya are discussing meditation.
- आदित्य Adityaअनन्य, त्वं कथं कुरुषि?Ananya, tvaṃ kathaṃ kuruṣi?Ananya, how are you doing it?
- अनन्या Ananyaअहं अन्तर शान्तिं खोजामि।ahaṃ antara śāntiṃ khojāmi.I am searching for inner peace.
- आदित्य Adityaकिं तत् कठिनम् अस्ति?kiṃ tat kaṭhinam asti?Is that difficult?
- अनन्या Ananyaन, केवलं ध्यानं कुरु।na, kevalaṃ dhyānaṃ kuru.No, just meditate.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry अन्तर, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries अन्तर, CC BY-SA 4.0.
