सैनिक
sainik/sɛː.nɪk/masculine
The Hindi word for soldier is सैनिक (sainik). Wiktionary also lists सिपाही (sipāhī) and फ़ौजी (faujī).
Meaning: member of an army (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| सैनिक | sainik | /sɛː.nɪk/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| सिपाही | sipāhī | /sɪ.pɑː.ɦiː/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| फ़ौजी | faujī | /fɔː.d͡ʒiː/ (Hindi, Standard) /pʰɔː.d͡ʒiː/ (Hindi, Standard) |
masculine |
All provided terms refer to a member of an army. While सैनिक is a gender-neutral term that can be used for both male and female soldiers, the other forms in this pack are marked as masculine.
What does it mean word for word?
The term फ़ौजी is an adjective-derived noun meaning 'one who belongs to the army', from the word fauj (army).
Which one should you use?
सैनिक is the more formal or standard term, often found in official or literary contexts. फ़ौजी is a colloquial term used in everyday speech. सिपाही is a common term for a soldier, but it is also frequently used to refer to lower-ranking police officers.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the word सैनिक plural in the oblique case, which is required when using postpositions, change it to सैनिकों.
How do you pronounce it?
sainik
Did you know?
- The word सिपाही traveled from Persia to India and eventually entered English as the word 'sepoy'.
- The root of फ़ौजी is fauj, which is a direct loanword from Arabic via Persian, marking the historical influence of the Mughal era on military terminology.
- In historical contexts, the term सिपाही specifically referred to the infantry, distinguishing them from cavalry or elite guards.
Examples in context
- टॉम पहले एक सैनिक था।Tom was a soldier previously.This sentence describes a person's previous occupation using सैनिक.Tatoeba #10198533 by vinay, translation #12827182 by Yepthatscool
- अभी तुम सैनिक हो।You're a soldier now.This sentence describes a person's current occupation using सैनिक.Tatoeba #3617757 by sabretou, translation #2547444 by CK
- क्या आप सैनिक थे?Were you a soldier?This sentence asks about a person's past occupation using सैनिक.Tatoeba #4088230 by sabretou, translation #2647822 by CK
- उस सैनिक ने देश के लिए बहुत बड़ा बलिदान दिया।That soldier made a great sacrifice for the country.
- हमारे जवान हमेशा देश की सेवा में तत्पर रहते हैं।Our soldiers always remain devoted to the service of the nation.
- मेरे भाई सिपाही हैं और उनकी बहादुरी पर मैं गर्व करता हूँ।My brother is a soldier, and I am proud of his bravery.
- चाचा जी फौजी होने के बावजूद बहुत प्यारे हैं।Despite being a soldier, Uncle is very lovable.
- 13 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Pooja is asking Vikas about his career aspirations.
- पूजा Poojaविकास, क्या तुम सैनिक बनना चाहते हो?vikas, kyā tum sainik bannā chāhte ho?Vikas, do you want to become a soldier?
- विकास Vikasहाँ, मैं एक सैनिक बनना चाहता हूँ।hā̃, main ek sainik bannā chāhtā hūn.Yes, I want to become a soldier.
- पूजा Poojaयह एक बहुत गर्व की बात है।yah ek bahut garv kī bāt hai.That is a matter of great pride.
- विकास Vikasधन्यवाद, पूजा।dhanyavād, pūjā.Thank you, Pooja.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “soldier” translations and entries सैनिक, सिपाही, फ़ौजी, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries फ़ौजी, सिपाही, सैनिक, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
