Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| तौलिया | tauliyā | /t̪ɔː.lɪ.jɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| अँगौछा | aṅgauchā | /əŋ.ɡɔː.t͡ʃʰɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
तौलिया is the word you need at home, at a hotel or at a swimming pool, for a bath towel or a hand towel.
Which one should you use?
अँगौछा (aṅgauchā) refers more specifically to a cloth or towel often worn around the shoulders or used for wiping sweat. It belongs to more traditional contexts, while तौलिया is the general word.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both तौलिया and अँगौछा are masculine nouns, so adjectives and verbs that agree with them take masculine endings.
How do you pronounce it?
Say it as tauliyā, IPA /t̪ɔː.lɪ.jɑː/, in three syllables. The t is dental, made with the tongue against the upper teeth and the first vowel is close to the sound in the English word law.
When do people say it?
A cotton अँगौछा draped over the shoulder is a familiar sight in rural North India, where it is used to wipe sweat or shade the head.
Did you know?
- The word तौलिया was borrowed from the Portuguese word 'toalha'.
- Beyond just drying, an अँगौछा is often used by laborers as a practical way to carry small loads or tools while moving.
Examples in context
- उसने अपने कंधे पर एक सूती अंगौछा डाल रखा था।He had placed a cotton towel on his shoulderThis sentence uses the traditional shoulder cloth, spelled अंगौछा here.
- मैं एक और तौलिया लाती हूँ।I'll bring one more towel.एक और तौलिया means one more towel.Tatoeba #514117 by minshirui, translation #35404 by CK
- मेरे लिए एक और गरम तौलिया ला सकते हैं क्या?Could you bring me another hot towel?गरम तौलिया means a hot towel, with the adjective before the noun.Tatoeba #483798 by minshirui, translation #65055 by CK
Example conversation
Amit is getting ready for a shower at home.
- प्रिया Priyaअमित, क्या तुमने अपना तौलिया धो लिया है?Amit, kya tumne apna tauliya dho liya hai?Amit, have you washed your towel?
- अमित Amitनहीं, मैं कल उसे धो दूँगा।Nahin, main kal use dho doonga.No, I will wash it tomorrow.
- प्रिया Priyaठीक है, पर उसे गीला मत छोड़ना।Thik hai, par use geela mat chhodna.Okay, but don't leave it wet.
- अमित Amitमैं उसे धूप में सुखा दूँगा।Main use dhoop mein sukha doonga.I will dry it in the sun.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “towel” translations and entries तौलिया, अँगौछा, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries अँगौछा, तौलिया, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0, Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
