बच्चा
baccā/bət̪.t͡ʃɑː/masculine
The English word "kid" translates to Hindi as बच्चा (baccā). Wiktionary also lists बच्ची (baccī).
Meaning: child (colloq.) (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| बच्चा | baccā | /bət̪.t͡ʃɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| बच्ची | baccī | /bət̪.t͡ʃiː/ (Hindi, Standard) | feminine |
The term is used colloquially to mean a child.
Which one should you use?
बच्चा is a masculine noun used to refer to a male child or can serve as a generic term. In contrast, बच्ची specifically refers to a female child. If you want to specify a boy, you can use लड़का or use लड़की to specify a girl.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of the masculine noun बच्चा is बच्चे. When using the plural with a postposition, such as "of" or "to", the form changes to the oblique plural बच्चों.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /bət̪.tʃɑː/. The romanization is baccā.
Did you know?
- The word बच्चा shares a common ancestor with the word बछड़ा, which refers to a 'calf' or a young bovine.
- In many Indian households, बच्चा is used as a term of endearment for adults, similar to how 'baby' or 'kid' might be used in English to show affection or protectiveness.
- Calling someone बच्चा in a condescending way can be used to imply that the person is naive or inexperienced in life, regardless of their actual age.
Examples in context
- बच्चा दूध पीता है।The kid is drinking the milk.Tatoeba #4083642 by sabretou, translation #1152141 by FiRez
- जब मैं बच्चा था, मुझे कीड़ों को छूने से कोई परेशानी नहीं होती थी, पर अब मैं उनकी तस्वीरें देखना भी बर्दाश्त नहीं कर सकता।When I was a kid, touching bugs didn't bother me a bit. Now I can hardly stand looking at pictures of them.Tatoeba #485964 by minshirui, translation #272157 by CM
- वह सुंदर लड़का है।He is a beautiful boy.
- वह बच्चा बहुत शरारती है।vaha bachcha bahut shararati hai.That kid is very naughty.
Example conversation
Amit and Neha are talking about a neighbor's child.
- अमित Amitक्या तुमने उस बच्चे को देखा?kya tumne us bachche ko dekha?Did you see that kid?
- नेहा Nehaहाँ, वह बच्चा खेल रहा है।haan, vaha bachcha khel raha hai.Yes, that kid is playing.
- अमित Amitवह बच्चा बहुत प्यारा है।vaha bachcha bahut pyaara hai.That kid is very cute.
- नेहा Nehaहाँ, अमित, वह बहुत प्यारा है।haan, Amit, vaha bahut pyaara hai.Yes, Amit, he is very cute.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “kid” translations and entries बच्चा, बच्ची, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries बच्चा, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
