نَماز
namāzfeminine
The English word prayer can be translated into Urdu as نَماز (namāz), دُعا or صَلات.
Meaning: practice of communicating with one's God (noun)
Ways to say it
| Urdu | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| نَماز | namāz | feminine |
| دُعا | du'ā | feminine |
| صَلات | salāt | feminine |
In Urdu, the term used for prayer depends on whether you are referring to a structured ritual or a personal request to God. نَماز is used specifically to discuss the physical acts and prescribed movements of the Islamic prayer ritual. In contrast, دُعا is used for the act of making a request or heartfelt plea to God, which can happen at any time.
Which one should you use?
نَماز refers specifically to the formal, ritualized Islamic prayer performed at set times. دُعا refers to a more general form of prayer, such as a personal supplication or asking God for something.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both نَماز and دُعا are feminine nouns. صَلات is also a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
namāz
Did you know?
- When someone says نَماز پڑھنا, which literally means 'to read prayer', it refers to the act of performing the ritual.
- While صَلات is the formal Arabic term for prayer found in the Quran, نَماز is a Persian loanword that became the everyday term for the ritual in Urdu.
- In Urdu literature, many poets use the term نَماز metaphorically to describe a state of intense devotion or a 'ritual' of love and longing.
Examples in context
- نَماز وقت پر ادا کرنا چاہیے۔namāz waqt par adā karnā chāhiye.Prayer should be performed on time.
- وہ مسجد میں نَماز پڑھ رہی ہے۔voh masjid mein namāz parh rahī hai.She is praying in the mosque.
Example conversation
Hamza and Zainab are discussing their daily routine at home.
- حمزہ Hamzaزینب، کیا آپ نے نَماز پڑھ لی؟Zainab, kyā āp ne namāz parh lī?Zainab, have you prayed?
- زینب Zainabجی ہاں، میں نے ابھی نَماز پڑھی ہے۔Ji hāñ, maiñ ne abhī namāz parhī hai.Yes, I have just prayed.
- حمزہ Hamzaبہت اچھّی بات ہے۔Bohat achī bāt hai.That is very good.
- زینب Zainabاب حمزہ، آپ بھی جلدی کریں!Ab Hamza, āp bhī jaldi kareñ!Now Hamza, you should hurry too!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “prayer” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
