Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| विद्यार्थी | vidyārthī | /ʋɪd̪.jɑːɾ.t̪ʰiː/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| विद्यार्थिनी | vidyārthinī | /ʋɪd̪.jɑːɾ.t̪ʰɪ.niː/ (Hindi, Standard) | feminine |
| छात्र | chātra | /t͡ʃʰɑːt̪.ɾᵊ/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| छात्रा | chātrā | /t͡ʃʰɑːt̪.ɾɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) | feminine |
| शिष्य | śiṣya | /ʃɪʂ.jᵊ/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| शिष्या | śiṣyā | feminine | |
| तालिब | tālib | /t̪ɑː.lɪb/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| तालिबा | tālibā | feminine | |
| स्टूडेंट | sṭūḍẽṭ | colloquial, masculine | |
| मुरीद | murīd | /mʊ.ɾiːd̪/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
The terms used for a person enrolled at a school, university or other education institution vary depending on the level of formality and the gender of the person being described.
Which one should you use?
There are several ways to express this concept. विद्यार्थी (masculine) and विद्यार्थिनी (feminine) are standard forms. छात्र (masculine) and छात्रा (feminine) are specifically used as formal terms. शिष्य (masculine) and शिष्या (feminine) are also forms of the word. तालिब (masculine) and तालिबा (feminine) are also forms of the word. मुरीद is a masculine form. Finally, स्टूडेंट is a colloquial English loanword.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For formal contexts, use छात्र for a male student and छात्रा for a female student. In casual, urban spoken Hindi, it is frequent to use the English loanword स्टूडेंट.
How does it change in a sentence?
Hindi nouns for students change based on gender. For example, while विद्यार्थी is masculine, the feminine form is विद्यार्थिनी. Similarly, छात्र is masculine and छात्रा is feminine.
How do you pronounce it?
विद्यार्थी is pronounced /ʋɪd̪.jɑːɾ.t̪ʰiː/. It has 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- The word विद्यार्थी combines विद्या meaning 'knowledge' and अर्थी meaning 'seeker'. It literally describes a student as someone who is actively seeking or desiring knowledge.
- In very traditional contexts, a शिष्य was expected to serve their teacher in daily chores as part of their education, a custom called 'seva'.
- The word मुरीद is used in Sufi traditions to describe a spiritual student or follower. It comes from an Arabic root meaning 'one who wills' or 'desires'.
Examples in context
- मैं विद्यार्थी नहीं हूँ।I'm not a student.This sentence is useful for expressing that you are not a student using विद्यार्थी.Tatoeba #588518 by minshirui, translation #258994 by CK
- उस समय टॉम विद्यार्थी था।Tom was a student at that time.This sentence is useful for describing a student in the past using विद्यार्थी.Tatoeba #10068321 by sabretou, translation #5937941 by CK
- वह छात्र कक्षा में ही सो गया।The student ended up sleeping in the classroom.This sentence is useful for describing a student's action in a classroom using छात्र.Tatoeba #3225276 by anubhav93, translation #1528594 by erikspen
- मेरे अनुसार, छात्र को निष्ठा और मेहनत के साथ पढ़ाई करनी चाहिए।According to me, a student should study with dedication and hard work.
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Anjali and Amit are talking about their new neighbor.
- अंजलि Anjaliक्या आपका नया पड़ोसी विद्यार्थी है?Kya aapka naya padosi vidyarthi hai?Is your new neighbor a student?
- अमित Amitहाँ, वह एक मेहनती विद्यार्थी है।Haan, vah ek mehanati vidyarthi hai.Yes, he is a hardworking student.
- अंजलि Anjaliवह क्या पढ़ाई कर रहा है?Vah kya padhai kar raha hai?What is he studying?
- अमित Amitवह मेडिकल का विद्यार्थी है।Vah medical ka vidyarthi hai.He is a medical student.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “student” translations and entries विद्यार्थी, विद्यार्थिनी, छात्र, छात्रा, शिष्य, शिष्या, तालिब, मुरीद, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
