رات
rāt/ɾɑːt̪/feminine
The English word 'night' is translated into Urdu as رات (rāt). Wiktionary also lists شَب (śab).
Meaning: period between sunset and sunrise (noun)
Ways to say it
| Urdu | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| رات | rāt | /ɾɑːt̪/ (Standard, Urdu) | feminine |
| شَب | śab | feminine |
Both رات and شَب refer to the period between sunset and sunrise.
Which one should you use?
رات is the standard, everyday term for night used in most contexts, whereas شَب is a more formal or poetic term often found in literature or songs.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express 'at night' or 'during the night', you use the prepositional phrase رات میں. The plural form of رات is راتوں, which is used in certain grammatical constructions such as 'during the nights'. Both terms are feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of رات is /ɾɑːt̪/ (rāt).
Did you know?
- Urdu has a specific term شبِ برات which refers to a holy night of forgiveness and prayer in the Islamic calendar.
- The word رات shares a common ancestor with the Sanskrit word रात्रि, which has been used to describe the night for thousands of years in the Indian subcontinent.
- Urdu speakers may use the term شب in formal greetings like شب بخیر, which literally translates to 'night with goodness' to mean 'goodnight'.
Examples in context
- رات کو دیر نہ جاگو۔Don't stay up late at night.This example shows how to use رات when discussing staying up late.Tatoeba #12486889 by Roomba_Unit, translation #1437119 by CK
- تم رات کو سو سکے تھے۔Did you get any sleep at all last night?This example uses رات to ask about sleeping during the night.Tatoeba #4229954 by nabeel_tahir, translation #3741662 by patgfisher
- ٹام رات کو گھر آیا تھا۔Tom came over last night.This example uses رات to indicate when someone arrived.Tatoeba #1459171 by nabeel_tahir, translation #1095693 by CK
- Raat ko khana kha liya? (رات کو کھانا کھا لیا؟)Did you have dinner at night?
- Aj raat party hai! (آج رات پارٹی ہے!)We have a party tonight!
- Raat bhar jagna (رات بھر جاگنا)To stay awake all night
- Chalo raat ko cinema chalte hain. (چلو رات کو سینما چلتے ہیں۔)Let's go to the movies at night.
- Shab-e-Qadr (شبِ قدر)The Night of Power
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ali and Sarah are talking in their living room after dinner.
- علی Aliآج رات بہت ٹھنڈی ہے۔Aaj raat bohat thandi hai.Tonight is very cold.
- سارہ Saraہاں، علی، موسم بدل رہا ہے۔Haan, Ali, mausam badal raha hai.Yes, Ali, the weather is changing.
- علی Aliکیا تم رات کو آرام کرو گی؟Kya tum raat ko aaram karo gi?Will you rest tonight?
- سارہ Saraجی ہاں، میں جلدی سو جاؤں گی۔Ji haan, mein jaldi so jaon gi.Yes, I will go to sleep early.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “night” translations and entries رات, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries رات, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
