नदी
nadī/nə.d̪iː/feminine
The English word 'river' is translated into Hindi as नदी (nadī). Wiktionary also lists सरिता (saritā) and शैलजा (śailjā).
Meaning: large stream which drains a landmass (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| नदी | nadī | /nə.d̪iː/ (Hindi, Standard) | feminine |
| सरिता | saritā | /sə.ɾɪ.t̪ɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) | feminine |
| शैलजा | śailjā | /ʃɛːl.d͡ʒɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) | feminine |
The primary word for a large stream of water that drains a landmass is नदी.
Which one should you use?
While नदी is the standard and common word for a river, सरिता is a synonym used in more formal or poetic contexts, such as literature. The form शैलजा is also a synonym for river.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word for river is a feminine noun. Because of this, any adjectives or verbs used to describe the river must agree with it in gender.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is nadī. It is pronounced with two syllables as /nə.d̪iː/.
Did you know?
- In Hindu culture, rivers are often personified as goddesses, which explains why नदी is a feminine noun and why people may offer prayers or flowers to them.
- The synonym शैलजा literally means 'daughter of the mountain'. It is a poetic name for the river Ganga because she is believed to originate from the Himalayas.
- While नदी is the everyday word, using सरिता in a casual conversation can make you sound like a character from an ancient epic.
Examples in context
- हम नदी के पार तेर पाए.We managed to swim across the river.This sentence shows how to use नदी when talking about swimming across it.Tatoeba #883264 by thevikas, translation #262877 by CK
- बहुत देर के बाद, नदी समुद्र में गिर जाती है।After a long time, the river falls into the sea.This sentence uses नदी to describe its path into the sea.
- वह नदी में गिर गयी।She fell into the river.This sentence uses नदी to describe someone falling into the water.Tatoeba #10049767 by sabretou, translation #9828207 by ddnktr
- मैं गंगा के किनारे घूमने जा रहा हूँ।I am going to roam around the banks of the Ganges River.
- कछुए नदी के पास छोटे घरों में रहते हैं।Turtles live in small houses near the river.
- क्या तुम उस दरिया में नहाने गए थे?Did you go swimming in that river?
- 23 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Pooja and Aditya are walking near a scenic water body.
- पूजा Poojaयह नदी बहुत सुंदर है।yah nadī bahut sundar hai.This river is very beautiful.
- आदित्य Adityaहाँ, नदी का पानी बहुत साफ़ है।hā̃, nadī kā pānī bahut sāf hai.Yes, the river water is very clean.
- पूजा Poojaक्या हम नदी के किनारे बैठें?kyā ham nadī ke kināre baiṭhẽ?Shall we sit by the riverbank?
- आदित्य Adityaचलो, वहीं बैठते हैं।calō, vahī̃ baiṭhte haĩ.Let's go, let's sit there.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “river” translations and entries नदी, सरिता, शैलजा, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
