طوطا
totāmasculine
The English word parrot is طوطا (totā) in Urdu. Wiktionary also lists طوطی (totī).
Meaning: kind of bird (noun)
Ways to say it
| Urdu | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| طوطا | totā | masculine |
| طوطی | totī | feminine |
The term refers to a kind of bird.
Which one should you use?
Urdu uses gendered forms for this noun: use طوطا for a male parrot and طوطی for a female parrot.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of the masculine طوطا is طوطے.
How do you pronounce it?
totā
Did you know?
- In Urdu literature and poetry, the طوطا is often used as a symbol of a learned scholar or a person who can recite texts flawlessly, due to its ability to mimic speech.
- In Urdu poetry and folklore, the parrot is often personified as a wise or even mischievous character, much like the trickster figures in English literature.
- Because طوطا comes from Classical Persian, it connects the Urdu vocabulary directly to the ancient literary traditions of Central Asia and Iran.
Examples in context
- وہ ایک خوبصورت طوطا ہے۔woh ek khoobsurat tota hai.That is a beautiful parrot.
- کیا آپ کے پاس طوطا ہے؟kya aap ke paas tota hai?Do you have a parrot?
Example conversation
Aisha and Ali are talking about a pet in the living room.
- عائشہ Ayeshaعلی، کیا یہ طوطا تمہارا ہے؟Ali, kya yeh tota tumhara hai?Ali, is this parrot yours?
- علی Aliہاں، یہ میرا طوطا ہے۔Haan, yeh mera tota hai.Yes, this is my parrot.
- عائشہ Ayeshaیہ بہت پیارا ہے۔Yeh bohat pyara hai.It is very lovely.
- علی Aliشکریہ عائشہ۔Shukriya Aisha.Thank you, Aisha.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “parrot” translations and entries طوطا, طوطی, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries طوطا, طوطی, CC BY-SA 4.0.
