Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| शिक्षक | śikṣak | /ʃɪk.ʂək/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| अध्यापक | adhyāpak | /əd̪ʱ.jɑː.pək/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| अध्यापिका | adhyāpikā | /əd̪ʱ.jɑː.pɪ.kɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) | feminine |
| शिक्षिका | śikṣikā | /ʃɪk.ʂɪ.kɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) | feminine |
| आचार्य | ācārya | /ɑː.t͡ʃɑːɾ.jᵊ/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| आचार्या | ācāryā | /ɑː.t͡ʃɑːɾ.jɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) | feminine |
| गुरु | guru | /ɡʊ.ɾuː/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| उपाध्याय m टीचर | upādhyāy | masculine | |
| मुअल्लिम | muallim | /mʊ.əl.lɪm/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| उस्ताद | ustād | /ʊs.t̪ɑːd̪/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
The term refers to a person who teaches.
Which one should you use?
For a male teacher, you can use अध्यापक, शिक्षक, आचार्य, गुरु, उपाध्याय, मुअल्लिम or उस्ताद. For a female teacher, use अध्यापिका, शिक्षिका or आचार्या. आचार्य is reserved for scholars or high-ranking academics and गुरु implies a spiritual mentor. उस्ताद is used for a master of a craft, such as in music. अध्यापिका and शिक्षिका are used specifically for female teachers.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
अध्यापक is a formal way to describe a teacher. आचार्य is a highly formal term for a scholar or professor. In contrast, उस्ताद is more informal or colloquial, often referring to an expert in arts. गुरु carries a formal, spiritual weight, suggesting a mentor rather than a simple classroom instructor.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form आचार्य is used specifically for scholars or high-ranking academic teachers.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of शिक्षक is śikṣak.
When do people say it?
The word गुरु is used for a spiritual or highly respected mentor rather than just a classroom instructor, and उस्ताद is frequently used to refer to a master of a craft or an expert, particularly in the arts or music.
Did you know?
- While गुरु describes a mentor, the term is so revered that the 'Guru Purnima' festival is dedicated entirely to honoring teachers.
- The word गुरु means 'heavy' or 'weighty' in its original Sanskrit roots, implying a person of great spiritual weight or importance.
- The term मुअल्लिम is a loanword from Arabic, reflecting the historical influence of Islamic scholarship and Madrasas on the Hindi language.
Examples in context
- चेन एक अध्यापक हैChen is a teacher.This sentence uses अध्यापक.Tatoeba #4907650 by yashtib1995, translation #1098205 by cntrational
- मैं एक अच्छा शिक्षक हूँ।I'm a good teacher.This sentence uses शिक्षक.Tatoeba #12395952 by Saumya, translation #875851 by CM
- मैं एक अध्यापिका थी.I was a teacher.This sentence uses अध्यापिका.Tatoeba #2056557 by RadiumCat, translation #432340 by CM
- कृपया अध्यापक के पास जाइए।Please go to the teacher.
- मेरे गुरु ने मुझे बहुत कुछ सिखाया है।My teacher has taught me a lot.
- शिक्षक आने में देर हो रही है।The teacher is getting late.
- 23 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Amit and Anjali are talking about their new school instructor.
- अमित Amitक्या वह नए शिक्षक हैं?Kya vah naye shikshak hain?Is he the new teacher?
- अंजलि Anjaliहाँ, वह गणित के शिक्षक हैं।Haan, vah ganit ke shikshak hain.Yes, he is the math teacher.
- अमित Amitक्या वह अच्छे शिक्षक हैं?Kya vah acche shikshak hain?Is he a good teacher?
- अंजलि Anjaliहाँ, वह बहुत अच्छे शिक्षक हैं।Haan, vah bahut acche shikshak hain.Yes, he is a very good teacher.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “teacher” translations and entries शिक्षक, अध्यापक, अध्यापिका, शिक्षिका, आचार्य, आचार्या, गुरु, मुअल्लिम, उस्ताद, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
