ভেলা
bhela/bʱɛ.lɑ/
The English word pelican is translated into Assamese as ভেলা (bhela) or ঢেঁৰা.
Meaning: any of various seabirds of the family Pelecanidae (noun)
Ways to say it
| Assamese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ভেলা | bhela | /bʱɛ.lɑ/ |
| ঢেঁৰা | dhẽra | /dʱẽɹɑ/ |
The term refers to any of various seabirds of the family Pelecanidae.
Which one should you use?
The word ভেলা (bhela) is more commonly used in Assamese to mean a 'raft' or something that floats, rather than the bird 'pelican'.
How do you pronounce it?
The word ভেলা is pronounced as /bʱɛ.lɑ/. It has 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- The word ঢেঁৰা has an unexpected linguistic connection to the concept of a 'large belly' or 'gravid womb' in Hindi and Maithili.
- The use of ঢেঁৰা for 'pelican' evokes the image of the bird's large gular pouch, mirroring the meaning of its cognates in Maithili and Hindi which describe a swollen belly.
- The term ঢেঁৰা highlights a regional linguistic connection between Assamese and Maithili regarding how they describe large, rounded shapes.
Examples in context
- মই তাত এটা ডাঙৰ ঢেঁৰা দেখিছোঁ।I saw a big pelican there.This sentence is useful for seeing how to describe seeing a large ঢেঁৰা.Tatoeba #12288451 by Mohsin_Ali, translation #2693392 by AlanF_US
- ঢেঁৰাটোৱে দুঃখ পাইছে আৰু উৰিব নোৱাৰে।The pelican is injured and can't fly.This sentence is useful for describing an injured ঢেঁৰা that cannot fly.Tatoeba #12288456 by Mohsin_Ali, translation #11850624 by Amastan
- ঢেঁৰাই নিজৰ ঠোঁটত এগাল মাছ খাপ খুৱাই থ’ব পাৰে।A pelican can fit a lot of fish in its beak.This sentence is useful for describing how a ঢেঁৰা can hold fish in its beak.Tatoeba #12288459 by Mohsin_Ali, translation #693434 by darinmex
Example conversation
Ananya and Pritam are looking at birds during a trip to the coast.
- প্রীতম Pritamঅনন্যা, সেইটো এটা ভেলা নেকি?Ananya, seito eta bhela neki?Ananya, is that a pelican?
- অনন্যা Ananyaহয়, সিটো এটা ডাঙৰ ভেলা।Hoy, sito eta dangor bhela.Yes, it is a big pelican.
- প্রীতম Pritamতাৰ ঠোঁটটো বৰ অদ্ভুত!Tar thont-to bor obhut!Its beak is very strange!
- অনন্যা Ananyaভেলাই ইয়াৰ সহায়ত মাছ ধৰে।Bhelai iyar xohayot mas dhore.The pelican catches fish with the help of it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pelican” translations and entries ভেলা, ঢেঁৰা, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ঢেঁৰা, ভেলা, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
