अतीत
atīt/ə.t̪iːt̪/masculine
In Hindi, the English phrase 'past' can be translated using several words, most commonly अतीत (atīt). Wiktionary also lists गुज़श्ता (guzašta) and माज़ी (māzī).
Meaning: period of time that has already happened (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| अतीत | atīt | /ə.t̪iːt̪/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| गुज़श्ता | guzašta | /ɡʊ.zəʃ.t̪ɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) /ɡʊ.d͡ʒəʃ.t̪ɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) |
|
| माज़ी | māzī | /mɑː.ziː/ (Hindi, Standard) /mɑː.d͡ʒiː/ (Hindi, Standard) |
masculine |
The terms are used to describe a period of time that has already happened.
Which one should you use?
The word अतीत is a noun referring to the past. In contrast, गुज़श्ता is typically used as an adjective to mean 'past' or 'gone by', such as when describing 'past days'. While अतीत is formal, the phrase बीता हुआ is the common, everyday way to describe something that has passed or is in the past.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
अतीत is the standard, formal term used in literature and formal speech. माज़ी is a more poetic or Urdu-influenced term often found in songs or literature.
How does it change in a sentence?
अतीत and माज़ी are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
atīt (/ə.t̪iːt̪/)
Did you know?
- In high-register Hindi, अतीत can be used to describe something 'transcendent' or 'beyond' the ordinary, not just something that happened yesterday.
- In Hindi, the concept of the past is often described using the verb बीतना, which literally means 'to spend' or 'to pass', similar to how one spends money.
- The word गुज़श्ता shares a linguistic ancestor with the English word 'gone', as both stem from an ancient root meaning 'to go'.
Examples in context
- मुझे तो अतीत के इतिहास से कहीं अच्छे लगते हैं भविष्य के सपने।I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past.This sentence is useful for comparing the dreams of the future to the history of the अतीत.Tatoeba #2655256 by gauravjiii, translation #2655257 by gauravjiii
- ऐसा कोई युग कभी नहीं रहा जिस में अतीत का गुणगान और वर्तमान पर विलाप न किया गया हो।There has never been an age that did not applaud the past and lament the present.This sentence is useful for describing an age that applauds the अतीत.Tatoeba #2655568 by gauravjiii, translation #2655569 by gauravjiii
- हमें न अतीत पर कुढ़ना चाहिए और न ही हमें भविष्य के बारे में चिंतित होना चाहिए, विवेकी व्यक्ति केवल वर्तमान क्षण में ही जीते हैं।We should not fret for what is past, nor should we be anxious about the future, men of discernment deal only with the present moment.This sentence is useful for advising someone not to fret for what is in the अतीत.Tatoeba #2655127 by gauravjiii, translation #2655128 by gauravjiii
Example conversation
Pooja and Amit are discussing their childhood memories.
- पूजा Poojaअमित, क्या तुम अक्सर अपने अतीत के बारे में सोचते हो?Amit, kya tum aksar apne ateet ke baare mein sochte ho?Amit, do you often think about your past?
- अमित Amitहाँ, कभी-कभी अतीत की यादें बहुत अच्छी होती हैं।Haan, kabhi-kabhi ateet ki yaadein bahut achhi hoti hain.Yes, sometimes memories of the past are very nice.
- पूजा Poojaलेकिन हमें अतीत को पीछे छोड़कर आगे बढ़ना चाहिए।Lekin humein ateet ko peeche chhodkar aage badhna chahiye.But we should leave the past behind and move forward.
- अमित Amitतुम सही कह रही हो, पूजा।Tum sahi keh rahi ho, Pooja.You are right, Pooja.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “past” translations and entries अतीत, गुज़श्ता, माज़ी, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
