Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| मनोहर | manohar | /mə.noː.ɦəɾ/ (Hindi, Standard) |
| सुंदर | sundar | /sʊn.d̪əɾ/ (Hindi, Standard) |
| मनोरम | manoram | /mə.noː.ɾəm/ (Hindi, Standard) |
The terms used for lovely in Hindi describe something that is beautiful, charming or very pleasing in its form, looks, tone or manner.
What does it mean word for word?
The word मनोहर is composed of man (mind) and har (to steal or take away), literally meaning one that is captivating the mind.
Which one should you use?
While मनोहर and मनोरम carry a more poetic or aesthetic weight, सुंदर is the most common and versatile way to say beautiful or lovely in everyday conversation. Additionally, मनोरम is typically used to describe scenery, environments or atmospheres rather than people.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
मनोहर is a more formal or literary term compared to the common सुंदर. For informal or casual conversations with friends or family, you might use Pyari (प्यारी).
How do you pronounce it?
The word manohar is pronounced /mə.noː.ɦəɾ/ and consists of 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- In poetic Hindi, the concept of 'lovely' is often described as a theft, where words like मनोहर imply that the object has literally stolen the observer's mind.
- The word मनोहर is not just an adjective but a common given name and an epithet for deities, signifying a divine beauty that captures the soul.
- While सुंदर means 'lovely' today, it shares a linguistic root with हुनर, a word borrowed from Persian that refers to 'skill' or 'craftsmanship'.
Examples in context
- वह बहुत सुंदर थी।She was lovely.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of सुंदर.Tatoeba #6471012 by MukundChaskar, translation #6470498 by heo598
Example conversation
Vikas and Priya are visiting a scenic mountain viewpoint.
- विकास Vikasप्रिया, यहाँ का नज़ारा कितना मनोहर है!Priya, yahan ka nazara kitna manohar hai!Priya, how lovely the view is here!
- प्रिया Priyaहाँ विकास, यह सच में बहुत सुंदर है।Haan Vikas, yeh sach mein bahut sundar hai.Yes Vikas, it really is very beautiful.
- विकास Vikasहमें यहाँ कुछ समय बिताना चाहिए।Hamein yahan kuch samay bitana chahiye.We should spend some time here.
- प्रिया Priyaमुझे भी यही लगता है।Mujhe bhi yahi lagta hai.I think so too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lovely” translations and entries मनोहर, सुंदर, मनोरम, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries मनोरम, मनोहर, सुंदर, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
