جیل
jēl/d͡ʒeːl/masculine
In Urdu, jail is referred to using several terms, the default being جیل (jēl). Wiktionary also lists کاراگار (kārāgār) and بندیگھر (bandīghar).
Meaning: place for short-term confinement (noun)
Ways to say it
| Urdu | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| جیل | jēl | /d͡ʒeːl/ (Standard, Urdu) | masculine |
| کاراگار | kārāgār | masculine | |
| بندیگھر | bandīghar | masculine | |
| قیدخانہ | qaidxānā | masculine |
All the terms provided refer to a place for short-term confinement.
What does it mean word for word?
The formal term قیدخانہ is a compound of قید, meaning imprisonment and خانہ, meaning house or room.
Which one should you use?
جیل is the most common, everyday term for jail and is often borrowed from English. In contrast, کاراگار is a more formal or literary term for a place of confinement and قیدخانہ is also used as a formal word for jail.
How does it change in a sentence?
All provided forms are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
jēl is pronounced /dʒeːl/.
Did you know?
- The formal term کاراگار has ancient roots in Sanskrit, making it a much older word in the language than the borrowed جیل.
- While جیل is the everyday word, Urdu poets and writers often use کاراگار to evoke a more dramatic or mournful atmosphere.
- The term بندیگھر literally translates to 'prisoner house', using گھر which is the same word for a regular home or dwelling.
Examples in context
- ٹام واپس جیل جا رہا ہے۔Tom is going back to jail.This sentence is useful for showing how to use جیل when describing someone returning to jail.Tatoeba #12486845 by Roomba_Unit, translation #6666135 by CK
- چور کو جیل بھیج دیا گیا۔chor ko jail bhej diya gaya.The thief was sent to jail.
- کیا یہ جیل بہت پرانی ہے؟kya yeh jail bohat purani hai?Is this jail very old?
Example conversation
Ayesha and Hamza are discussing a news report about a criminal.
- عائشہ Ayeshaکیا وہ شخص جیل چلا گیا؟Kya woh shakhs jail chala gaya?Did that person go to jail?
- حمزہ Hamzaہاں، اسے کل گرفتار کیا گیا۔Haan, usay kal giraftar kiya gaya.Yes, he was arrested yesterday.
- عائشہ Ayeshaجیل میں اسے سزا ملے گی۔Jail mein usay saza mile gi.He will be punished in jail.
- حمزہ Hamzaجی، قانون سب کے لیے برابر ہے۔Ji, qanoon sab ke liye barabar hai.Yes, the law is equal for everyone.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “jail” translations and entries جیل, کاراگار, بندیگھر, قیدخانہ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries بندیگھر, جیل, قیدخانہ, کاراگار, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
