उत्तर
uttar/ʊt̪.t̪əɾ/masculine
The Hindi word for north is उत्तर (uttar). Wiktionary also lists शुमाल (śumāl) and ऊतर (ūtar).
Meaning: compass point (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| उत्तर | uttar | /ʊt̪.t̪əɾ/ (Hindi, Standard) /uːt̪.t̪əɾ/ (Hindi, Standard) |
masculine |
| शुमाल | śumāl | masculine | |
| ऊतर | ūtar | /uː.t̪əɾ/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
The term refers to the compass point north.
Which one should you use?
उत्तर is the standard and formal term used for north in most contexts, such as geography and politics. The form शुमाल is also a masculine noun for north, while ऊतर is a variant.
How does it change in a sentence?
While उत्तर is a masculine noun, the related adjective उत्तरी can be used to describe something as being northern or related to the north direction.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ʊt̪.t̪əɾ/. It is two syllables: ut-tar.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid pronouncing उत्तर as ūtar with a long 'u' sound. Instead, use a short 'u' sound.
Did you know?
- Because उत्तर can mean 'answer', a person might accidentally ask 'Which way is north?' and have it sound like 'Which way is the answer?' if the context is unclear.
- In traditional Vastu Shastra, the architecture system of India, the उत्तर direction is associated with wealth and is often where the main entrance is ideally placed.
- The term शुमाल for north is a loanword from Arabic and is more common in Urdu-influenced dialects than in formal Sanskritized Hindi.
Examples in context
- दक्षिण कोरिया उत्तर कोरिया से कहीं अधिक सुंदर है।South Korea is much more beautiful than North Korea.This sentence illustrates the use of उत्तर in a political context regarding North Korea.Tatoeba #12396120 by Saumya, translation #3707688 by ddnktr
- वह उत्तर-पूर्व एशिया जाना चाहता है।He wants to go to north-east Asia.This sentence shows how उत्तर is used to form a compound direction for north-east.
- एलजीरिया उत्तर आफ़्रिका में स्थित है।Algeria is situated in North Africa.This sentence demonstrates the use of उत्तर when describing a geographic region like North Africa.Tatoeba #3789136 by sabretou, translation #1785742 by Amastan
- मेरा घर उत्तर में स्थित है।My house is located in the north.
- मैं उत्तरी राजस्थान में घूमने जा रहा हूँ।I am going to travel in northern Rajasthan.
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Priya and Amit are hiking in the mountains and are lost.
- प्रिया Priyaक्या कंपास उत्तर दिखा रहा है?Kya compass uttar dikha raha hai?Is the compass pointing north?
- अमित Amitहाँ, उत्तर दिशा ही हमारी मंजिल है।Haan, uttar disha hi hamari manzil hai.Yes, the north direction is our destination.
- प्रिया Priyaतो हमें इसी तरफ चलना चाहिए।To humein isi taraf chalna chahiye.Then we should walk in this direction.
- अमित Amitसावधान रहना, रास्ता कठिन है।Savdhan rehna, rasta kathin hai.Be careful, the path is difficult.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “north” translations and entries उत्तर, ऊतर, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
