Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| प्यार | pyār | /pjɑːɾ/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| इष्ट | iṣṭ | /ɪʂʈ/ (Hindi, Standard) | |
| मोह | moh | /moːɦ/ (Hindi, Standard) | |
| प्रेम | prem | /pɾeːm/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| सम्मोह | sammoh | /səm.moːɦ/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| स्नेह | sneh | /sneːɦ/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| अनुराग | anurāg | /ə.nʊ.ɾɑːɡ/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| प्रीति | prīti | /pɾiː.t̪iː/ (Hindi, Standard) | feminine |
In Hindi, several words express the concept of love, ranging from general affection to specific types of attachment or tender care. Common terms include प्यार, प्रेम, स्नेह, अनुराग, प्रीति, सम्मोह, इष्ट and मोह.
Which one should you use?
The choice of word depends on the nuance of the emotion: प्रेम is a formal and literary term for love. स्नेह refers specifically to a tender, affectionate love, often used to describe the affection shown by elders toward younger people. मोह describe an attachment or infatuation that can imply an unhealthy or obsessive obsession. प्रीति is a feminine noun, unlike the other masculine forms.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Northern India, प्रेम is widely used to express love.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the verb 'to love', you use the noun प्यार followed by the auxiliary verb करना (to do), forming the phrase प्यार करना. Similarly, प्रेम करना can be used. If you want to say you 'need' or 'thrive on' something, you can use बहुत चाहना.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of प्यार is /pjɑːɾ/.
Did you know?
- The word स्नेह for affectionate love originally referred to oil or lubrication in Sanskrit. The metaphor suggests that love is like a soothing oil that makes relationships smooth and frictionless.
- The word प्यार actually traces its roots back to a Sanskrit construction meaning 'to do a kindness' or 'to act pleasantly'.
- In Hindi, मोह represents a type of love that is often viewed negatively. It describes a blinding attachment or delusion that can prevent a person from seeing the truth or achieving spiritual liberation.
Examples in context
- लोग टॉम को प्यार करते हैं।People love Tom.This sentence shows how to use प्यार to express that people love a person.Tatoeba #11380929 by PrasantaHembram, translation #11245822 by shekitten
- मैं अपनी माँ से प्यार करता हूँI love my mother.This sentence demonstrates using प्यार to express love for a family member.Tatoeba #4907647 by yashtib1995, translation #758900 by CK
- सामी ने लैला से प्यार नहीं किया।Sami didn't love Layla.This sentence shows the negative form of the verb using प्यार.Tatoeba #8864287 by aboi, translation #7245813 by OsoHombre
- प्रेम एक अद्वितीय और बेहद खूबसूरत भावना है।Love is a unique and incredibly beautiful emotion.
- आपका त्याग और प्यार हमें हमेशा याद रहेंगे।Your sacrifice and love will always be remembered by us.
- तुमसे मोहब्बत करना मेरी जिंदगी का सबसे अच्छा फैसला है।Loving you is the best decision of my life.
- तुम्हारे बिना मेरी ज़िंदगी अधूरी है।My life is incomplete without you.
- तुम मेरा सबकुछ हो, तुम्हें खोने का डर मुझे सताता है।You are my everything, the fear of losing you haunts me.
- 83 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing their pet dog.
- अंजलि Anjaliक्या तुम्हें इस कुत्ते से प्यार है?Kya tumhein is kutte se pyaar hai?Do you have love for this dog?
- आदित्य Adityaहाँ, मुझे इससे बहुत प्यार है।Haan, mujhe isse bahut pyaar hai.Yes, I have a lot of love for him.
- अंजलि Anjaliवह बहुत प्यारा है।Vah bahut pyaara hai.He is very lovely.
- आदित्य Adityaसच में, वह मेरा सबसे अच्छा दोस्त है।Sach mein, vah mera sabse achha dost hai.Really, he is my best friend.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “love” translations and entries प्यार, इष्ट, मोह, प्रेम, सम्मोह, स्नेह, अनुराग, प्रीति, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries प्यार, प्रेम, स्नेह, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
