या
yā/jɑː/
The Hindi word for 'or' is या (yā).
या is a conjunction used to connect two or more possibilities or alternatives.
Which one should you use?
या is the most common and neutral way to say 'or' in Hindi. The word अथवा is a more formal alternative to या used in literature or official contexts. The phrase या फिर is commonly used in informal conversations to say 'or' and provides a casual and friendly tone.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the 'either… or' construction, use the correlative pair या तो (yā to) before the first option and या (yā) before the second.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is yā (/jɑː/).
Did you know?
- The word या is not native to India but was borrowed from Arabic and Persian.
- The phrase या फिर is often used not just as a choice but as a way to soften a suggestion, making a request sound less demanding.
- While या is the standard for 'or', Hindi uses a completely different structure involving the word नहीं (not) to create an 'or' meaning in negative questions.
Examples in context
- या तुम गलत हो या मैं |Either you or I am wrong.This sentence demonstrates the 'either… or' structure using या.Tatoeba #968332 by thevikas, translation #17726 by CK
- तो क्या प्याला आधा भरा है या फिर आधा खाली?So, is the glass half full or half empty?This sentence uses या to present two opposing options in a question.Tatoeba #8864252 by aboi, translation #4823841 by whitefishglobal
- कोई भी प्रकृति के सबसे स्पष्ट खतरे-संकेतों को पढ़े बिना, उसकी झुकी हुई, सनकी पलकों वाली क्रूर नीली आँखों को, या भयंकर, आक्रामक नाक और धमकी भरी, गहरी रेखाओं वाली भौंह को नहीं देख सकता है।One could not look upon his cruel blue eyes, with their drooping, cynical lids, or upon the fierce, aggressive nose and the threatening, deep-lined brow, without reading Nature’s plainest danger-signals.This sentence uses या to connect different descriptive elements in a complex sentence.Tatoeba #12642235 by PrasantaHembram, translation #7453247 by Hybrid
- क्या आपके पास समय है या नहीं?Do you have time or not?
- कृपया इसका रंग लाल या नीला करें।Please color it red or blue.
- आपको या तो घर पर रहना होगा या फिर मेरे साथ चलना होगा।You will either have to stay at home or come with me.
- समय पर पहुँचने के लिए आपको या तो जल्दी उठना होगा या अलार्म लगाना होगा।To reach on time, you will either have to wake up early or set an alarm.
- आपको खाने में क्या पसंद है, या फिर आपको कुछ और खाना है?What do you like to eat, or do you want something else to eat?
- 60 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Priya and Aditya are deciding what to drink at a cafe.
- प्रिया Priyaतुम चाय पियोगे या कॉफ़ी?tum chaay piyoge ya coffee?Will you drink tea or coffee?
- आदित्य Adityaमुझे चाय पसंद है।mujhe chaay pasand hai.I like tea.
- प्रिया Priyaठीक है, मैं तुम्हारे लिए चाय ले आती हूँ।theek hai, main tumhare liye chaay le aati hoon.Okay, I will get tea for you.
- आदित्य Adityaधन्यवाद, प्रिया।dhanyavaad, Priya.Thank you, Priya.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry या, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries या, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
