گانا
gānā/ɡɑː.nɑː/masculine
The English word 'song' is translated into Urdu as گانا (gānā). Wiktionary also lists گِیت (gīt) and گان (gān).
Meaning: music with words (noun)
Ways to say it
| Urdu | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| گانا | gānā | /ɡɑː.nɑː/ (Standard, Urdu) | masculine |
| گِیت | gīt | masculine | |
| گان | gān | /ɡɑːn/ (Standard, Urdu) | masculine |
| تَرَانَہ | tarāna | masculine | |
| آہَن٘گ | āhaṅg | masculine | |
| سُرُود | surūd | masculine |
The term refers to music with words. Note that the noun گانا is identical in spelling to the verb meaning 'to sing'.
Which one should you use?
While گانا is the standard word for a song, تَرَانَہ refers specifically to a song with a patriotic, celebratory or anthemic quality, such as a hymn or an anthem. Other forms include گِیت, گان, آہَن٘گ and سُرُود.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the word گانا in an oblique case (for example, after a preposition), the form changes to گانے.
How do you pronounce it?
gānā is pronounced as /ɡɑː.nɑː/. It has 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- In some contexts, saying someone has a certain آہَن٘گ refers to their emotional state or the 'mood' of their voice rather than a musical tune.
- The Sanskrit origin of گانا connects it to the ancient root for 'singing' used across many Indo-Aryan languages.
- In Urdu poetry, a 'song' is often not just a melody but is linked to the concept of غزل 'ghazal', a specific poetic form that is almost always composed to be sung.
Examples in context
- مجھے گانے کی دھن یاد نہیں آ رہی۔I can't remember the melody of that song.This sentence is useful for practicing the form گان.Tatoeba #1450601 by nabeel_tahir, translation #1392879 by CK
- یہ گانا بہت اچھا ہے۔yeh gana bohat acha hai.This song is very good.
Example conversation
Hamza and Sarah are listening to music in a car.
- سارہ Saraحمزہ، کیا آپ کو یہ گانا پسند ہے؟Hamza, kya aap ko yeh gana pasand hai?Hamza, do you like this song?
- حمزہ Hamzaہاں، یہ میرا پسندیدہ گانا ہے۔haan, yeh mera pasandida gana hai.Yes, this is my favorite song.
- سارہ Saraمجھے بھی اس کے بول اچھے لگےmujhe bhi is ke bol achay lagay.I also liked its lyrics.
- حمزہ Hamzaسارہ، کیا ہم اسے دوبارہ سنیں؟Sarah, kya hum isay dobara sunein?Sarah, should we listen to it again?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “song” translations and entries گانا, گان, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries گانا, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
