Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| वचन | vacan | /ʋə.t͡ʃən/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| शपथ | śapath | /ʃə.pət̪ʰ/ (Hindi, Standard) | feminine |
| वादा | vādā | /ʋɑː.d̪ɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| प्रतिज्ञा | pratijñā | /pɾə.t̪ɪd͡ʒ.nɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) | feminine |
| प्रण | praṇ | /pɾəɳ/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
The term for promise varies depending on whether you are making a casual commitment, a solemn moral vow or a formal legal oath. While वादा is the most common way to refer to a standard promise, other forms like वचन or शपथ are used to elevate the gravity or context of the commitment.
Which one should you use?
वादा is the everyday, common word for a promise used in casual conversation. वचन is a more formal term often referring to one's 'word' or a solemn commitment, frequently used in literary or moral contexts. शपथ specifically refers to a formal oath, such as those taken in legal or religious settings. प्रतिज्ञा is a highly formal term used for a solemn vow or a formal pledge. प्रण is another form of a vow. वादा is masculine, while शपथ and प्रतिज्ञा are feminine. वचन and प्रण are masculine.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
वादा is the informal choice for daily speech. वचन and प्रतिज्ञा are formal, with प्रतिज्ञा being rare. शपथ is formal due to its association with oaths. If you want to say 'to promise' formally, you can use the verb phrase वचन देना.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the common word वादा, you can combine it with different verbs to change its meaning: to make a promise is वादा करना, to keep a promise is वादा निभाना and to break a promise is वादा तोड़ना.
How do you pronounce it?
vādā is pronounced /ʋɑː.d̪ɑː/ with two syllables.
When do people say it?
In informal situations, speakers may use the phrase Kasam Se to express that they are making a promise. For a solemn commitment, one might use the phrase वचन देना to mean 'to promise' in a more formal manner.
Did you know?
- The formal word वचन shares a prehistoric root with the English word 'word' through the Proto-Indo-European root *wekʷ-.
- The phrase कसम से is often used as an emphatic filler similar to 'I swear' or 'honestly' rather than as a literal vow.
- In Hindi, the act of keeping a promise वादा निभाना is expressed using a verb that literally means 'to fulfill' or 'to carry out' a duty.
Examples in context
- वह अपने वचन पर अटल है।He is resolute in his promise.This sentence shows how to describe someone being resolute in their वचन.
- अपना वादा मत तोड़ो।Don't go back on your promise.This sentence uses वादा to tell someone not to go back on their promise.Tatoeba #450398 by minshirui, translation #324215 by CM
- हमे अपना वादा निभाना चाहिए।We should keep our promise.This sentence uses वादा to express the obligation of keeping a promise.Tatoeba #511725 by minshirui, translation #28751 by CK
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Amit and Priya are talking about a future trip.
- अमित Amitमैं तुमसे साथ चलने का वादा करता हूँ।Main tumse saath chalne ka vaada karta hoon.I promise you that I will go along.
- प्रिया Priyaक्या यह वादा सच होगा?Kya yeh vaada sach hoga?Will this promise come true?
- अमित Amitहाँ, मेरा वादा पक्का है।Haan, mera vaada pakka hai.Yes, my promise is firm.
- प्रिया Priyaठीक है, मैं तुम्हारा भरोसा करती हूँ।Theek hai, main tumhara bharosa karti hoon.Okay, I trust you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “promise” translations and entries वचन, शपथ, वादा, प्रतिज्ञा, प्रण, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries प्रतिज्ञा, वचन, वादा, शपथ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0, Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
