सवाल
savāl/sə.ʋɑːl/masculine
The Hindi word for 'question' is सवाल (savāl). Wiktionary also lists प्रश्न (praśna).
Meaning: sentence, phrase or word (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| सवाल | savāl | /sə.ʋɑːl/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| प्रश्न | praśna | /pɾəʃ.nᵊ/ (Hindi, Standard) /pɾəʃ.nə/ (Hindi, Standard) |
masculine |
Both सवाल and प्रश्न refer to a sentence, phrase or word. When you want to 'ask' a question in Hindi, you use the verb पूछना (pūchnā).
Which one should you use?
प्रश्न is a formal, Sanskrit-derived term used in academic, literary or official contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both सवाल and प्रश्न are masculine nouns, so any accompanying adjectives or verbs must agree with a masculine subject.
Did you know?
- In casual conversation, सवाल is often used in the phrase सवाल ही नहीं उठता, which means 'it is out of the question' or 'not even an option'.
- While प्रश्न is the formal term, सवाल is actually a traveler that arrived in Hindi via Persian and Arabic. It shows how much of the everyday vocabulary in North India was shaped by historical trade and cultural exchange.
- The word सवाल is also used in Hindi to refer to a 'problem' or a 'matter of concern', such as when saying someone's life is 'at question'.
Examples in context
- मैं टॉम से एक सवाल पूछना चाहूँगी।I'd just like to ask Tom one question.This sentence shows how to express the desire to ask सवाल.Tatoeba #8876356 by simranbansal, translation #1934844 by CK
- मुझे पता है कि अगला सवाल क्या होगा।I know what the next question will be.This sentence is used to refer to the next सवाल in a sequence.Tatoeba #8864221 by aboi, translation #3142877 by CK
- यदि ब्रह्माण्ड एक उत्तर है, तो प्रश्न क्या है?If the universe is an answer, what is the question?This sentence uses the formal term प्रश्न in a philosophical context.Tatoeba #12403518 by Saumya, translation #1666224 by al_ex_an_der
- 33 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Rahul and Neha are studying together for an exam.
- राहुल Rahulनेहा, क्या तुम्हारा कोई सवाल है?Neha, kya tumhara koi sawal hai?Neha, do you have any questions?
- नेहा Nehaहाँ, यह सवाल बहुत कठिन है।Haan, yeh sawal bahut kathin hai.Yes, this question is very difficult.
- राहुल Rahulमैं तुम्हारी मदद कर सकता हूँ।Main tumhari madad kar sakta hoon.I can help you.
- नेहा Nehaशुक्रिया, राहुल!Shukriya, Rahul!Thanks, Rahul!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “question” translations and entries सवाल, प्रश्न, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries प्रश्न, सवाल, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
