शब्द
śabd/ʃəbd̪/masculine
In Hindi, the English phrase "word" is translated as शब्द (śabd). Wiktionary also lists बोल (bol) and बात (bāt).
Meaning: unit of language (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| शब्द | śabd | /ʃəbd̪/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| बोल | bol | /boːl/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| बात | bāt | /bɑːt̪/ (Hindi, Standard) | feminine |
| लुग़त | luġat | /lʊ.ɣət̪/ (Hindi, Standard) /lʊ.ɡət̪/ (Hindi, Standard) |
masculine |
| लफ़्ज़ | lafz | /ləfz/ (Hindi, Standard) /ləpʰd͡ʒ/ (Hindi, Standard) |
masculine |
शब्द refers to a linguistic unit or a word in a formal or dictionary sense. लफ़्ज़ is a more poetic or literary term, and बोल can refer to a word, speech or even a specific dialect.
Which one should you use?
शब्द is the standard, formal term for a linguistic unit. In contrast, लफ़्ज़ is a loanword from Arabic/Urdu used frequently in poetry, songs and literature. बोल can refer to a word or a specific way of speaking or dialect.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The standard term शब्द is a masculine noun. However, बात is a feminine noun, which means it requires feminine agreement for adjectives and verbs in a sentence.
How do you pronounce it?
The word शब्द is pronounced /ʃəbd̪/.
Did you know?
- In certain financial contexts, बात can be a loanword referring to the 'baht', a unit of currency from Thailand.
- The term बोल does not just mean a 'word', but can also refer to a specific regional dialect or a particular musical phrasing in Indian classical music.
- While शब्द is the formal term for a linguistic unit, लफ़्ज़ is often chosen in Bollywood songs and Ghazals to evoke a more romantic or melancholic mood.
Examples in context
- टॉम ने पूरी रात एक शब्द भी नहीं बोला।Tom didn't speak a word all night long.This sentence is useful for emphasizing silence using the phrase एक शब्द भी नहीं.Tatoeba #12403607 by Saumya, translation #4638973 by corbinjurgens
- वह अपनी बात का धनी है।He is true to his word.This sentence shows how to use the feminine form बात when talking about being true to one's word.
- इस शब्द का हिन्दी में काफ़ी प्रयोग होता है।This word is used a lot in Hindi.This sentence demonstrates the common usage of the word शब्द in Hindi.
- 15 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Priya is asking Vikas for the meaning of a difficult word in a book.
- प्रिया Priyaविकास, इस शब्द का मतलब क्या है?Vikas, is shabd ka matlab kya hai?Vikas, what is the meaning of this word?
- विकास Vikasयह एक कठिन शब्द है, मैं देखता हूँ।Yeh ek kathin shabd hai, main dekhta hoon.This is a difficult word, I will look it up.
- प्रिया Priyaक्या आप मुझे इसका सही उच्चारण बता सकते हैं?Kya aap mujhe iska sahi uchcharan bata sakte hain?Can you tell me the correct pronunciation of it?
- विकास Vikasहाँ, इस शब्द को ऐसे बोला जाता है।Haan, is shabd ko aise bola jaata hai.Yes, this word is spoken like this.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “word” translations and entries शब्द, बोल, बात, लुग़त, लफ़्ज़, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries बात, बोल, लुग़त, शब्द, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
