پرانا
purānā/pʊ.ɾɑː.nɑː/
The English word "old" is translated into Urdu as پرانا (purānā).
پرانا is used for objects (like an old book).
Meaning: of a living being: having lived for relatively many years (adj)
Which one should you use?
While پرانا refers to things that are old or aged, بوڑھا is the specific adjective used for living beings like humans or animals to denote old age.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective پرانا changes its ending depending on the noun it describes. Use پرانی when describing a feminine noun, and use پرانے when describing plural nouns or when using a respectful tone for a singular noun.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is purānā (/pʊ.ɾɑː.nɑː/). It has 3 syllables.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using پرانا to describe an elderly person. This is a common error for English speakers. In Urdu, use بوڑھا for people and پرانا for objects.
Did you know?
- The word پرانا is used for 'old' in the sense of 'ancient' or 'previous'. For example, a 'previous' friend or a 'long-time' acquaintance is described as پرانا, even if the person is young.
- The word پرانا is inherited from the Sanskrit word purāṇa, which also appears in the title of the 'Puranas', a vast genre of ancient Indian literature.
- In many South Asian cultures, describing someone as بوڑھا can be perceived as quite blunt or even disrespectful if the person is of high social standing.
Example conversation
Zainab and Hamza are talking about a neighbor.
- زینب Zainabکیا آپ اس آدمی کو جانتے ہیں؟Kya aap is aadmi ko jaante hain?Do you know this man?
- حمزہ Hamzaہاں، وہ ایک پرانا دوست ہے۔Haan, woh ek purana dost hai.Yes, he is an old friend.
- زینب Zainabوہ بہت سمجھدار لگتے ہیں۔Woh bohat samajhdar lagte hain.He seems very wise.
- حمزہ Hamzaوہ واقعی بہت پرانا اور تجربہ کار ہے۔Woh waqai bohat purana aur tajrubakar hai.He is indeed very old and experienced.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry پرانا, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries پرانا, CC BY-SA 4.0.
