Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| श्री | śrī | /ʃɾiː/ (Hindi, Standard) /sɾiː/ (Hindi, Standard) |
|
| साहब | sāhab | alternative form | |
| साहिब | sāhib | /sɑː.ɦɪb/ (Hindi, Standard) /sɑː.ɦəb/ (Hindi, Standard) |
masculine |
In Hindi, there are several ways to express the concept of "Mr." or to address a man respectfully depending on whether you are using it as a prefix to a name or as a standalone title. श्री serves as a formal honorific prefix placed before a person's name, similar to how "Mr." is used in English. साहिब or its alternative spelling साहब are used to address a person politely as a standalone title or as a suffix to a name, often functioning like "Sir."
Which one should you use?
श्री is primarily used as a prefix placed before a person's name. In contrast, साहिब (or साहब) is often used as a suffix or as a standalone term of respect to address someone as "Sir."
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
श्री is a formal honorific used before a name. साहिब and साहब are also formal terms used to address people politely. In very formal settings or official correspondence, the term Mahoday may be used for men. For an informal, friendly address similar to "mate" or "buddy", one might use Bhai, which literally means "brother."
How do you pronounce it?
śrī (/ʃɾiː/)
Did you know?
- The word श्री is not just a title for men but also appears in the names of goddesses and is used to describe beauty and prosperity.
- The term साहब entered Hindi via Persian and Arabic, reflecting the historical influence of the Mughal Empire on Indian social titles.
- While श्री is the standard formal prefix, the word साहब was historically used to address colonial officials and European masters during the British Raj.
Examples in context
- श्री वर्मा यहाँ हैं।Shrī Verma yahā̃ haĩ.Mr. Verma is here.
- क्या आप श्री कपूर को जानते हैं?Kyā āp Shrī Kapoor ko jānate haĩ?Do you know Mr. Kapoor?
- श्री शर्मा का स्वागत है।Shrī Sharma kā svāgat hai.Mr. Sharma is welcome.
Example conversation
Priya is introducing a client to Aditya in an office.
- प्रिया Priyaआदित्य, ये श्री गुप्ता हैं।Aditya, ye Shri Gupta hain.Aditya, this is Mr. Gupta.
- आदित्य Adityaनमस्ते श्री गुप्ता, आपसे मिलकर खुशी हुई।Namaste Shri Gupta, aapse milkar khushi hui.Hello Mr. Gupta, nice to meet you.
- प्रिया Priyaवे हमारे नए क्लाइंट हैं।Ve hamare naye client hain.He is our new client.
- आदित्य Adityaस्वागत है आपका।Swagat hai aapka.You are welcome.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mr.” translations and entries श्री, साहब, साहिब, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries श्री, साहिब, CC BY-SA 4.0.
