Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| आत्मा | ātmā | /ɑːt̪.mɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) | feminine |
| रूह | rūh | /ɾuːɦ/ (Hindi, Standard) | feminine |
| नफ़्स | nafs | masculine | |
| नफ्स | naphs | masculine |
The term refers to the spirit or essence of a person, often with the belief that it survives after death.
Which one should you use?
आत्मा is a Sanskrit-derived term used in formal, religious and philosophical contexts, often carrying Hindu or Vedic connotations. In contrast, रूह is a Persian/Arabic-derived term frequently used in poetic, romantic or Urdu-influenced contexts, such as in songs and literature. नफ़्स or नफ्स refers more specifically to the 'self', 'ego' or 'psyche' rather than the metaphysical spirit and is often used in Islamic philosophical contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
आत्मा is a feminine noun, so any adjectives or verbs describing it must agree with a feminine gender. नफ़्स and नफ्स are masculine nouns, so any adjectives or verbs describing them must agree with a masculine gender.
How do you pronounce it?
ātmā (IPA: /ɑːt̪.mɑː/)
Did you know?
- The word आत्मा is a doublet of the Sanskrit word आप, which means 'water'.
- If you are listening to a Bollywood romantic song, you are much more likely to hear the word रूह than आत्मा.
- In many Indian philosophical texts, the आत्मा is not just a part of the person but is considered identical to the universal consciousness.
Examples in context
- उनकी आत्मा को शांति मिलें।May her soul rest in peace.This sentence is useful for expressing a wish for peace for a deceased person using आत्मा.
- वह मानते हैं कि आत्मा अमर होती है।They believe that the soul is immortal.This sentence is useful for stating a belief regarding the immortality of the आत्मा.Tatoeba #3959825 by sabretou, translation #307682 by al_ex_an_der
- आत्मा अनन्त है।The soul is eternal.This sentence is useful for describing the eternal nature of the आत्मा.Tatoeba #3360411 by sabretou, translation #2443056 by MethodGT
- तुम्हारी जीवात्मा शांत रहे। (Tumhārī jīvātmā śānt rahe.)May your soul be at peace.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Anjali and Aditya are discussing spirituality at a quiet park.
- अंजलि Anjaliआदित्य, क्या आप आत्मा के अस्तित्व को मानते हैं?Aditya, kya aap aatma ke astitva ko maante hain?Aditya, do you believe in the existence of the soul?
- आदित्य Adityaहाँ अंजलि, मुझे लगता है कि आत्मा अनंत है।Haan Anjali, mujhe lagta hai ki aatma anant hai.Yes Anjali, I feel that the soul is eternal.
- अंजलि Anjaliयह बहुत गहरी बात है।Yeh bahut gehri baat hai.That is a very deep thought.
- आदित्य Adityaजीवन का असली अर्थ यही है।Jeevan ka asli arth yahi hai.This is the real meaning of life.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “soul” translations and entries आत्मा, रूह, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries आत्मा, रूह, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0, Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
