Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| महासागर | mahāsāgar | /mə.ɦɑː.sɑː.ɡəɾ/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| अम्बुधि | ambudhi | ||
| सागर | sāgar | /sɑː.ɡəɾ/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| समुद्र | samudra | /sə.mʊd̪.ɾᵊ/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| महासमुद्र | mahāsmudra | masculine | |
| समुन्दर | samundar | masculine | |
| बहर | bahar | /bə.ɦəɾ/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
The terms provided are used to describe large bodies of water, ranging from common spoken words to highly poetic and literary terms.
What does it mean word for word?
The word महासागर is composed of महा, meaning great or large and सागर, meaning ocean or sea.
Which one should you use?
While सागर can mean both 'sea' and 'ocean', महासागर is specifically used to denote the 'great oceans' of the world. Additionally, अम्बुधि is a highly poetic or literary term for the ocean, often found in classical Hindi or Sanskrit-influenced poetry.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The word समुन्दर is a more colloquial or common spoken variation of the formal, Sanskrit-derived word समुद्र.
How does it change in a sentence?
All forms of 'ocean' in this list are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of महासागर is /mə.ɦɑː.sɑː.ɡəɾ/. It has 4 syllables.
Did you know?
- In Indian mythology, the 'Churning of the Ocean' is a central story involving the word सागर, where gods and demons stir the sea to find the nectar of immortality.
- In many Hindi poetic traditions, the ocean is often described using the word अम्बुधि, where अम्बु means 'water' and धि means 'container'.
- The term बहर for 'ocean' or 'sea' comes from Arabic and is often used in the context of poetry to describe the 'meter' or rhythm of a verse.
Examples in context
- सागर में एक बूँद के समान है।It is like a drop in the ocean.This sentence is useful for using सागर in a metaphorical sense.
- टॉम महासागर में डूब कर मरा।Tom drowned in the ocean.This sentence is useful for using सागर in the context of drowning.Tatoeba #2070053 by sabretou, translation #680742 by Source_VOA
- अमरीका पहुँचने के लिये महासागर पार करना पड़ता है।You have to cross the ocean to get to America.This sentence is useful for using सागर when talking about crossing a body of water.Tatoeba #3669386 by sabretou, translation #67599 by CK
- यह सागर कितना ख़ूबसूरत है।This ocean is so beautiful.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Rahul and Pooja are discussing geography.
- राहुल Rahulदुनिया में पाँच मुख्य महासागर हैं।Duniya mein paanch mukhya mahaasagar hain.There are five main oceans in the world.
- पूजा Poojaसबसे बड़ा महासागर कौन सा है?Sabse bada mahaasagar kaun sa hai?Which is the largest ocean?
- राहुल Rahulप्रशांत महासागर सबसे बड़ा है।Prashant mahaasagar sabse bada hai.The Pacific Ocean is the largest.
- पूजा Poojaयह जानकारी बहुत दिलचस्प है।Yeh jaankaari bahut dilchasp hai.This information is very interesting.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ocean” translations and entries महासागर, सागर, समुद्र, बहर, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0, Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
