ब्याज
byāj/bjɑːd͡ʒ/
In Hindi, the word for interest is ब्याज (byāj).
Use ब्याज only when discussing monetary interest or the profit earned on an investment.
Meaning: something one is interested in (noun)
Which one should you use?
The word ब्याज refers specifically to financial interest, whereas रुचि is used for a person's interest or hobby. दिलचस्पी is used in formal settings to denote interest or curiosity.
How do you pronounce it?
byāj
Did you know?
- The word ब्याज for financial interest is a linguistic 'trick' that evolved from the Sanskrit word for 'deceit' or 'fraud'.
- While ब्याज refers to money, the word रुचि for hobby is also used to describe a person's physical 'taste' or 'preference' for certain foods.
- To express a deep, heartfelt interest in something, Hindi speakers often use the word दिलचस्पी, which literally contains the word for 'heart' (दिल).
Examples in context
- ज्ञान में पूंजी लगाने से सर्वाधिक ब्याज मिलता है।An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.This sentence illustrates the use of ब्याज regarding investment returns.Tatoeba #2655125 by gauravjiii, translation #2655126 by gauravjiii
- मुझे उस विषय में रुचि है।I have an interest in that subject.
- मुझे उस खेल में मन है।I have an interest in that sport.
Example conversation
Amit and Neha are talking about their hobbies.
- अमित Amitनेहा, क्या तुम्हें कला में ब्याज है?Neha, kya tumhein kala mein byaaj hai?Neha, are you interested in art?
- नेहा Nehaहाँ, मुझे पेंटिंग करना बहुत पसंद है।Haan, mujhe painting karna bahut pasand hai.Yes, I love painting very much.
- अमित Amitमेरा ब्याज खेलों में ज़्यादा है।Mera byaaj khelon mein zyada hai.My interest is more in sports.
- नेहा Nehaयह तो बहुत अच्छी बात है, अमित।Yeh toh bahut acchi baat hai, Amit.That is a very good thing, Amit.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ब्याज, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ब्याज, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
