बाघ
bāgh/bɑːɡʱ/masculine
The Hindi word for tiger is बाघ (bāgh). Wiktionary also lists व्याघ्र (vyāghra) and नाहर (nāhar).
Meaning: The mammal Panthera tigris (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| बाघ | bāgh | /bɑːɡʱ/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| व्याघ्र | vyāghra | masculine | |
| नाहर | nāhar | /nɑː.ɦəɾ/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| केहर | kehar | masculine |
All provided forms refer to the mammal Panthera tigris.
Which one should you use?
बाघ is the standard, everyday word used in most contexts. व्याघ्र is a highly formal or literary term, while नाहर is a more poetic or stylized way to refer to the animal.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
बाघ is the common, everyday choice. नाहर is typically used in poetic contexts such as songs or literature.
How does it change in a sentence?
When the word बाघ is followed by a postposition (for example, to say 'of tigers'), you should use the plural oblique form बाघों. All listed forms are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
bāgh
Did you know?
- The poetic form नाहर is built from the ancient concept of 'tearing with claws', making its name a description of the animal's weaponry rather than its appearance.
- In Hindi, the word बाघ is often used in idioms to describe someone with great courage or a fierce personality, even if they have no physical connection to the animal.
- Certain Hindi honorifics and titles for warriors historically incorporated the word नाहर to imply that the soldier possessed the strength of a tiger.
Examples in context
- वह बाघ नहीं है।That is not a tiger.This sentence uses बाघ to describe what something is not.Tatoeba #488684 by minshirui, translation #67094 by CK
- बाघ ने उसे चाटा।The tiger licked him.This sentence uses बाघ to describe an action performed by the tiger.Tatoeba #3534968 by nurendra, translation #3534969 by nurendra
- जॉन ने एक बाघ पकड़ा और दो शेर मारे।John caught a tiger and shot two lions.This sentence uses बाघ in a sentence involving catching and shooting animals.Tatoeba #480325 by minshirui, translation #52668 by CN
- पर्यावरण में बाघ की संख्या घट रही है।The population of tigers is decreasing in the environment.
- जंगल में एक व्याघ्र चुपके से घास के पास से गुजर गया।A tiger silently passed by the grass in the jungle.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Neha and Aditya are talking about a trip to the zoo.
- नेहा Nehaक्या तुमने बाघ देखा?Kya tumne baagh dekha?Did you see the tiger?
- आदित्य Adityaहाँ, वह सो रहा था।Haan, vah so raha tha.Yes, it was sleeping.
- नेहा Nehaबाघ बहुत शक्तिशाली लगता है।Baagh bahut shaktishali lagta hai.The tiger looks very powerful.
- आदित्य Adityaवह वास्तव में बहुत बड़ा है।Vah vaastav mein bahut bada hai.It is actually very big.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tiger” translations and entries बाघ, नाहर, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries नाहर, बाघ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
