Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| प्रार्थना | prārthanā | /pɾɑːɾ.t̪ʰə.nɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| अर्चना | arcanā | /əɾ.t͡ʃə.nɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) | feminine |
| वंदना | vandnā | /ʋən.d̪ə.nɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) | feminine |
| दुआ | duā | /d̪ʊ.ɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) | feminine |
In Hindi, there are different terms for the practice of communicating with one's God depending on the specific nuance of the communication, such as whether you are performing a ritual, singing praises or making a supplication.
Which one should you use?
While प्रार्थना is a standard term for prayer, दुआ is a very common, more colloquial term often used in everyday speech and is specifically associated with Islamic contexts or Urdu-influenced Hindi. वंदना specifically implies prayer in the sense of worship, adoration or singing praises to a deity, rather than just asking for something. अर्चना is a highly formal and ritualistic term for prayer, often implying the act of worshiping or honoring a deity through specific rites.
How does it change in a sentence?
प्रार्थना is grammatically masculine, which affects how adjectives and verbs are conjugated when describing it. The other forms, अर्चना, वंदना and दुआ, are all grammatically feminine, which affects how adjectives and verbs are conjugated when describing them.
How do you pronounce it?
prārthanā is pronounced /pɾɑːɾ.t̪ʰə.nɑː/ and has 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- The root of वंदना is shared with the gesture of नमस्ते, as both involve the act of bowing or greeting with reverence.
- The term दुआ is used in a specific idiom to mean a 'blessing' given by an elder, effectively turning the 'prayer' into a gift given to another person.
- In many parts of India, the phrase 'दुआ लगाना' (to apply/give a prayer) is used colloquially to mean wishing someone well, rather than the literal act of praying in a temple.
Examples in context
- हे ईश्वर, मेरी प्रार्थना सुनो।God, hear my prayer.This sentence is useful for hearing how to use प्रार्थना in a direct address to God.Tatoeba #3807173 by sabretou, translation #1196590 by nadsat
- ईश्वर के सामर्थ्य पर विश्वास करते हुए, मैं पूजा करता हूँ।Believing in the power of God, I perform worship.
- हे ईश्वर, मुझे सामर्थ्य दें अपनी मर्ज़ी से अच्छे कर्म करने का।O God, grant me the ability to perform good deeds as per your will.
- आपका आशीर्वाद हमेशा मेरे साथ रहे।May your blessings always be with me.
- उसकी प्रार्थना बहुत सच्ची है।uskī prārthanā bahut sacchī hai.His prayer is very sincere.
- सुबह की प्रार्थना शांति देती है।subah kī prārthanā śānti detī hai.Morning prayer gives peace.
Example conversation
Amit and Pooja are talking about their morning routine.
- अमित Amitक्या तुम सुबह प्रार्थना करती हो?kyā tum subah prārthanā kartī ho?Do you pray in the morning?
- पूजा Poojaहाँ, मैं रोज़ प्रार्थना करती हूँ।hā̃, maĩ rōz prārthanā kartī hū̃.Yes, I pray every day.
- अमित Amitयह बहुत अच्छी आदत है।yah bahut acchī ādat hai.That is a very good habit.
- पूजा Poojaहाँ, इससे मन शांत रहता है।hā̃, isse man śānt rahtā hai.Yes, it keeps the mind calm.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “prayer” translations and entries प्रार्थना, अर्चना, वंदना, दुआ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
