ভাত
bhat/bʱat̪/
In Bengali, the English word rice is translated as either ভাত (bhat) or ধান depending on its state.
Meaning: seeds used as food (noun)
Ways to say it
| Bengali | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ভাত | bhat | /bʱat̪/ |
| ধান | dhan | /d̪ʱan/ |
The word used for rice depends on whether you are referring to the raw grain or the prepared food. Use ভাত when talking about the food that is ready to be eaten, such as when discussing meals or eating.
Which one should you use?
The distinction between the two forms is based on the processing of the grain. ভাত refers specifically to cooked rice. In contrast, ধান refers specifically to the unhusked grain or paddy still in its husk.
How do you pronounce it?
/bʱat̪/
Did you know?
- The word ভাত is a linguistic relative of the English word 'dividend' through the Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to divide' or 'distribute'.
- In traditional Bengali culture, the first solid food given to a baby is a ceremony called অন্নপ্রাশন, where the word অন্ন is a formal Sanskrit term for rice.
- While ভাত refers to cooked rice, Bengali has distinct words for rice based on how it is processed, such as চাল for husked raw rice.
Examples in context
- আমি ভাত পছন্দ করি।I like rice.This sentence is useful for expressing a preference for the form ভাত.Tatoeba #5595703 by tanay, translation #2807658 by Hybrid
- আমি এখন ভাত খাচ্ছি।I'm eating rice now.This sentence is useful for describing the action of eating the form ভাত.Tatoeba #5569706 by tanay, translation #1550010 by miflhanc
- আমার বাবা ধান চাষ করে।My father grows rice.This sentence is useful for describing the cultivation of the form ধান.Tatoeba #3043631 by tanay, translation #319336 by CK
- আপনি কি চাল পছন্দ করেন?Do you like rice?
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Akash and Ishani are eating lunch together.
- আকাশ Akashতুমি কি আরও ভাত খাবে?Tumi ki aro bhat khabe?Will you eat more rice?
- ইশানি Ishaniনা, আমার অনেক ভাত হয়েছে।Na, amar onek bhat hoyeche.No, I have had enough rice.
- আকাশ Akashইশানি, তুমি কি মাছের সাথে ভাত খাচ্ছ?Ishani, tumi ki machher sathe bhat khachcho?Ishani, are you eating rice with fish?
- ইশানি Ishaniহ্যাঁ, আমি ভাত আর মাছ খাচ্ছি।Hyan, ami bhat ar mach khachchi.Yes, I am eating rice and fish.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rice” translations and entries ভাত, ধান, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ধান, ভাত, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
