रेत
ret/ɾeːt̪/feminine
In Hindi, the English word sand is translated as रेत (ret) or बालू.
Meaning: finely ground rock (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| रेत | ret | /ɾeːt̪/ (Hindi, Standard) | feminine |
| बालू | bālū | /bɑː.luː/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
Which one should you use?
रेत is the more common, everyday word for sand used in general conversation. बालू is often used in technical, industrial or construction contexts to refer to sand.
How does it change in a sentence?
रेत is a feminine noun, while बालू is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
ret
Did you know?
- The word रेत may have non-Aryan origins, meaning it might have entered the language from an indigenous source before the influence of Sanskrit.
- In some regional contexts, बालू can refer specifically to the coarse sand found in riverbeds, distinguishing it from the finer रेत found on beaches.
- If you are reading classical Sanskrit texts, you are more likely to encounter the root of बालू than the root of रेत.
Examples in context
- ग्लास रेत से बनाया जाता है।Glass is made from sand.This sentence shows how glass is produced using रेत.Tatoeba #3214205 by anubhav93, translation #63527 by CK
- वह अपना पैसा रेत में दफना रही है।She's burying her money in the sand.This sentence describes the action of burying money in रेत.Tatoeba #3625177 by sabretou, translation #680457 by Source_VOA
- बच्चों ने बीच पर रेत का किला बनाया।The children built a sand castle on the beach.This sentence illustrates children building a castle with रेत at a beach.Tatoeba #3318962 by sabretou, translation #1010130 by allmarangie
- समुद्र तट पर खासा सुंदर बालू है।There is beautiful sand on the beach.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Anjali and Vikas are at a construction site near a river.
- अंजलि Anjaliक्या यहाँ निर्माण के लिए रेत उपलब्ध है?Kya yahan nirman ke liye ret uplabdh hai?Is sand available here for construction?
- विकास Vikasहाँ, बहुत सारी रेत यहाँ मौजूद है।Haan, bahut saari ret yahan maujood hai.Yes, there is plenty of sand here.
- अंजलि Anjaliविकास, क्या वह रेत साफ है?Vikas, kya vah ret saaf hai?Vikas, is that sand clean?
- विकास Vikasहाँ, यह बहुत अच्छी रेत है।Haan, yeh bahut achhi ret hai.Yes, it is very good sand.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sand” translations and entries रेत, बालू, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries बालू, रेत, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
