راجا
rājā/ɾɑː.d͡ʒɑː/masculine
The English word 'king' is translated into Urdu using راجا (rājā). Wiktionary also lists بَادْشَاہ (bādśāh) and مَلِک (malik).
Meaning: a male of a royal family who is the supreme ruler of his nation (noun)
Ways to say it
| Urdu | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| راجا | rājā | /ɾɑː.d͡ʒɑː/ (Standard, Urdu) | masculine |
| بَادْشَاہ | bādśāh | masculine | |
| مَلِک | malik | masculine |
All provided forms of the word refer to a male member of a royal family who is the supreme ruler of a nation.
Which one should you use?
While راجا is a common word for a king, بَادْشَاہ is often used to denote a more grand, imperial or historical emperor-like figure. The word مَلِک can mean king or ruler, but it is also frequently used in a religious context to refer to God as the supreme ruler.
How does it change in a sentence?
All the provided forms are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of راجا is /ɾɑː.dʒɑː/.
Did you know?
- The word راجا is the direct linguistic cousin of the English word 'royal', both tracing back to ancient Indo-European roots related to ruling and law.
- In an Urdu-speaking household, calling a child a راجا can be a way of calling them a 'little prince' or a 'darling', used affectionately rather than formally.
- The term مَلِک is used in Urdu to refer to 'angels' in certain specific spiritual contexts, specifically the مَلائِکَہ (mala'ika), which is the plural form.
Examples in context
- آؤ بادشاہ کے ساتھ مزید تفریحی سفر پر چلیں!Let's go on another fun trip with the king!
- راجا اپنے محل میں رہتا ہے۔Raja apnay mahal mein rehta hai.The king lives in his palace.
- راجا نے جنگ جیت لی۔Raja ne jang jeet li.The king won the war.
Example conversation
Ali and Zainab are discussing a historical story.
- علی Aliکیا تم اس راجا کے بارے میں جانتی ہو؟Kya tum is raja kay baray mein janti ho?Do you know about this king?
- زینب Zainabہاں، میں نے اس کی کہانی سنی ہے۔Haan, mein ne us ki kahani suni hai.Yes, I have heard his story.
- علی Aliوہ راجا بہت بہادر تھا۔Woh raja bohat bahadur tha.That king was very brave.
- زینب Zainabجی ہاں، وہ بہت عظیم تھا۔Ji haan, woh bohat azeem tha.Yes, he was very great.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “king” translations and entries راجا, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries راجا, CC BY-SA 4.0.
