Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| प्रेमी | premī | /pɾeː.miː/ (Hindi, Standard) | |
| प्रेमिक | premik | /pɾeː.mɪk/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| प्रेमिका | premikā | /pɾeː.mɪ.kɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) | feminine |
The term refers to a sexual partner. In modern conversational Hindi, the word प्रेमी is frequently used to mean 'boyfriend' specifically.
Which one should you use?
The forms differ based on the gender of the person being described: प्रेमिक is the masculine form, प्रेमिका is specifically used for a female lover and प्रेमी acts as the masculine or general form. While प्रेमी can mean 'lover', it is often used to mean 'boyfriend' in contemporary conversation.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form प्रेमी is used for a male lover or as a general term. The form प्रेमिका is used specifically for a female lover.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of premī is /pɾeː.miː/. It has 2 syllables.
When do people say it?
When referring to a loved one, speakers may use the term of endearment जान, which is similar to the English terms 'baby' or 'darling'.
Did you know?
- While प्रेमी refers to a romantic partner, it can also describe an enthusiast or connoisseur of a specific thing, such as a पुस्तक प्रेमी for a 'book lover'.
- In traditional poetry and music, प्रेम is often distinguished from इश्क़ or मोहब्बत, with the former being seen as a more spiritual or pure form of love.
- In many Bollywood songs, instead of using प्रेमी, lyricists often use the word साजन to refer to a lover, adding a layer of traditional folk charm to the romance.
Examples in context
- मेरा कोई प्रेमी नहीं है।I don't have a lover.This sentence is useful for stating that you do not have a प्रेमी.Tatoeba #4640300 by sabretou, translation #3098772 by Hybrid
- वह मेरा प्रेमी है।He/She is my lover.
- कैसे हो, जान?How are you, darling?
- यार, तू मेरा प्यार है!Dude, you are my love!
- क्या तुम्हारा कोई प्रेमी है?kyā tumhārā koī premī hai?Do you have a lover?
Example conversation
Priya and Amit are talking about a mutual friend's relationship.
- प्रिया Priyaक्या उसने अपने प्रेमी से बात की?kya usne apne premi se baat ki?Did she talk to her lover?
- अमित Amitहाँ, उन्होंने कल लंबी बात की थी।haan, unhone kal lambi baat ki thi.Yes, they had a long conversation yesterday.
- प्रिया Priyaवह अपने प्रेमी से बहुत प्यार करती है।vah apne premi se bahut pyaar karti hai.She loves her lover very much.
- अमित Amitहाँ, वे एक बहुत खुश जोड़ा हैं।haan, ve ek bahut khush joda hain.Yes, they are a very happy couple.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lover” translations and entries प्रेमी, प्रेमिक, प्रेमिका, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
