Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| पत्नी | patnī | /pət̪.niː/ (Hindi, Standard) | standard |
| बीवी | bīvī | colloquial | |
| धर्मपत्नी | dharmapatnī | formal, respectful |
पत्नी is the neutral word you will see in newspapers, forms and polite conversation. It is a feminine noun, so adjectives and verbs that refer to it take feminine endings.
Which one should you use?
बीवी comes from Persian through Urdu and sounds warm and conversational, the way a husband might talk about his wife with friends. धर्मपत्नी adds धर्म (dharma, duty or righteousness) and is used on invitations, in speeches and when speaking with great respect.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Use पत्नी when you are unsure. Choose धर्मपत्नी for formal introductions and written invitations, and keep बीवी for relaxed talk.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say "my wife", put मेरी (merī) before the noun: मेरी पत्नी. The possessive takes the feminine form मेरी because the word for wife is feminine.
How do you pronounce it?
Say पत्नी in two syllables, pat-nee. The t is a dental t, made with the tongue touching the back of the upper teeth.
When do people say it?
When introducing his wife, a man will often say यह मेरी पत्नी है (yah merī patnī hai), "This is my wife". Older speakers sometimes avoid naming their wife directly and refer to her as the mother of their children instead.
Did you know?
- The word पत्नी comes from Sanskrit patnī, which originally meant "mistress of the house" and is related to the Sanskrit word pati, "lord" or "husband".
Examples in context
- यह मेरी पत्नी है।yah merī patnī hai.This is my wife.
- उनकी पत्नी डॉक्टर हैं।unkī patnī ḍôkṭar hain.His wife is a doctor.
- मेरी बीवी को चाय पसंद है।merī bīvī ko chāy pasand hai.My wife likes tea.
Example conversation
Rahul introduces his wife Priya to his new colleague Amit at an office dinner.
- Rahulअमित, यह मेरी पत्नी प्रिया है।Amit, yah merī patnī Priyā hai.Amit, this is my wife Priya.
- अमित Amitनमस्ते प्रिया जी, आपसे मिलकर खुशी हुई।Namaste Priyā jī, āpse milkar khushī huī.Hello Priya, nice to meet you.
- Priyaनमस्ते, मुझे भी।Namaste, mujhe bhī.Hello, me too.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry पत्नी, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of .
