سِپاہی
sipāhīmasculine
The English word soldier is سِپاہی (sipāhī) in Urdu. Wiktionary also lists فَوجی (faujī) and عَسْکَرِی ('askarī).
Meaning: member of an army (noun)
Ways to say it
| Urdu | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| سِپاہی | sipāhī | masculine |
| فَوجی | faujī | masculine |
| عَسْکَرِی | 'askarī | masculine |
| لَشْکَری | laśkarī | masculine |
| سَینِک | sainik | masculine |
| سولْجَر | soljar | masculine |
The term is used to describe a member of an army.
Which one should you use?
سِپاہی is a standard term for a soldier. In contrast, فَوجی is a very common, slightly more colloquial way to refer to someone in the army, derived from the word for 'army' (fauj). Additionally, عَسْکَرِی is primarily used as an adjective meaning 'military' or 'martial' rather than as a noun for a single soldier.
How do you pronounce it?
sipāhī
Did you know?
- The word سِپاہی entered the English language as 'sepoy' during the British colonial era to describe an Indian soldier. It is widely recognized globally due to its role in the history of the 1857 rebellion.
- The word سَینِک (sainik) is recognizable to Urdu speakers because it is also used in Hindi, though it is much more common in Indian contexts. In Pakistan, you are far more likely to hear the Persian-influenced سِپاہی in daily conversation.
- The term لَشْکَری (lashkarī) derives from the word for 'army' or 'camp' and is often used to describe things that are 'militant' or 'martial' in nature. It carries a stronger, more rugged connotation than the more formal عَسْکَرِی.
Examples in context
- وہ ایک بہادر سِپاہی ہے۔woh ek bahadur sipahi hai.He is a brave soldier.
- سِپاہی اپنے وطن کی حفاظت کرتا ہے۔sipahi apne watan ki hifazat karta hai.A soldier protects his country.
- پرانے دور کا سِپاہی بہت طاقتور تھا۔purane dor ka sipahi bohat taqatwar tha.The soldier of the old era was very powerful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “soldier” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
