Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| अमीर | amīr | /ə.miːɾ/ (Hindi, Standard) |
| धनी | dhanī | /d̪ʱə.niː/ (Hindi, Standard) |
| संपन्न | sampann | /səm.pənn/ (Hindi, Standard) |
| धनवान | dhanvān | /d̪ʱən.ʋɑːn/ (Hindi, Standard) |
All the forms provided describe someone who has wealth. While अमीर is the standard everyday term, संपन्न carries an additional nuance of being prosperous or well-established in a social sense.
What does it mean word for word?
The word धनवान is composed of धन (dhan), meaning wealth and the suffix वान (vān), meaning possessing or endowed with.
Which one should you use?
अमीर is the most common everyday word for 'rich'. In contrast, धनी and धनवान are more formal and are often used in literature or news. संपन्न differs by implying that a person is not just wealthy, but also well-to-do or socially prosperous.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
अमीर and धनवान can both be used in formal contexts to describe an individual as rich. संपन्न is a formal term used to denote being prosperous or well-established.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective अमीर does not change its form based on the gender or number of the noun it describes.
How do you pronounce it?
amīr (/ə.miːɾ/)
Did you know?
- The word अमीर originates from the Arabic word for 'commander' or 'prince'. Over time, the meaning shifted from having political power to having financial wealth.
- The word अमीर is used throughout the Islamic world, meaning it can describe a rich person in Hindi, Urdu, Persian and Arabic.
- The word धनी is derived from Sanskrit, the ancient liturgical language of India, which explains why it feels more formal and 'heavy' to a native speaker than अमीर.
Examples in context
- उसने अमीर बूढ़े से शादी कर ली ।She married a rich old man.This sentence shows how to use अमीर to describe a person's marital situation.Tatoeba #883263 by thevikas, translation #313323 by CK
- वह अमीर लगता है।He seems rich.This sentence demonstrates the use of अमीर to describe how someone appears.Tatoeba #10037852 by sabretou, translation #8477071 by CH
- टॉम बहुत अमीर है।Tom is very rich.This sentence shows how to use अमीर to state someone's level of wealth.Tatoeba #3638843 by sabretou, translation #3410766 by CK
- 29 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Priya and Amit are talking about a new neighbor.
- प्रिया Priyaक्या नया पड़ोसी अमीर है?Kya naya padosi ameer hai?Is the new neighbor rich?
- अमित Amitहाँ, उसके पास बहुत बड़ी कार है।Haan, uske paas bahut badi car hai.Yes, he has a very big car.
- प्रिया Priyaवह बहुत अमीर दिखता है।Vah bahut ameer dikhta hai.He looks very rich.
- अमित Amitमुझे भी ऐसा ही लगता है, प्रिया।Mujhe bhi aisa hi lagta hai, Priya.I think so too, Priya.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rich” translations and entries अमीर, धनी, संपन्न, धनवान, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries अमीर, धनवान, धनी, संपन्न, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
