এক
ek/æk/
The Bengali word for one is এক (ek).
The word এক is the standard translation for the cardinal number one.
Meaning: cardinal number 1 (num)
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the word changes depending on what you are counting. When counting people, এক changes to একজন to include the human classifier জন. When used as a counting number for objects, it is often followed by a classifier like টি or টা to form একটা.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is romanized as ek and pronounced /æk/.
Did you know?
- In Bengali, এক is used in the phrase একদম to mean 'absolutely' or 'completely'. This transforms the number 'one' into an intensifier for emphasis.
- The word এক shares a distant ancestral root with the English word 'one', both tracing back to the Proto-Indo-European root '*h₁óykos'.
- In Bengali poetry and music, এক is frequently used to symbolize the 'Ultimate Reality' or the oneness of the divine in Sufi and Baul traditions.
Examples in context
- এটা কি এক না সাত?Is this a one or a seven?This sentence is useful for distinguishing between the numbers one and seven using the form এক.Tatoeba #11507425 by robingaspi, translation #11394477 by kulupuJeti
- আমার একজন ভাই আছে।I have one brother.This sentence is useful for counting a person using the form এক.Tatoeba #12045809 by robingaspi, translation #256071 by CK
- একটা সমস্যা এখনো রয়েছে।One problem still remains.This sentence is useful for counting a problem using the form এক.Tatoeba #5710736 by tanay, translation #4501719 by CK
- আমার একটা বই আছে।I have one book.
- 49 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Tania and Sourav are counting items on a table.
- সৌরভ Souravএখানে কয়টি কলম আছে?Ekhane koyti kolom ache?How many pens are here?
- তানিয়া Taniaএখানে মাত্র একটি কলম আছে।Ekhane matro ekti kolom ache.There is only one pen here.
- সৌরভ Souravআমার আরও একটি দরকার।Amar aro ekti dorkar.I need one more.
- তানিয়া Taniaআমি তোমাকে একটি দিচ্ছি।Ami tomake ekti dicchi.I am giving you one.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “one” translations and entries এক, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries এক, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
