Homonyms in Urdu is Hum naam (ہم نام) which is “we name” when literally translated into English. These are words that sound the same and may have similar meanings but do not mean the same. In the English language, we have many. Let’s look at some interesting Urdu Homonyms today!
A homonym means a word with the same spelling and pronunciation as another word, but with a different meaning. There are many similar words that you probably use daily, like bear (the animal) and bear (support), or left (opposite of right) and left (to go away). But enough of the English language, let’s get into Urdu homonyms.
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Difference Between Homonyms & Homophones
Urdu meanings can sometimes get tricky due to the pronunciation of the words. Some are pronounced the same way, while others are spelled similarly. The only way to learn the differences is to use them often. This way, you won’t need to depend on the dictionary whenever someone uses an Urdu homonym. Moreover, do not get confused between homonyms and homophones. The difference is that homonyms have the same spelling and pronunciation but different meanings, while homophones have the same pronunciation but different spellings and meanings.
Here are some more examples of homonyms in the English language:
- Bark (the sound a dog makes/the outer layer of a tree)
- Bear (a large mammal/to tolerate or put up with something)
- Left (opposite of right/past tense of leave)
- Mail (letters, packages, etc./the delivery system)
In contrast, some examples of homophones are:
- Air (gas) / heir (inheritor)
- Hear (listen), here (location)
- Piece (portion) / peace (calm)
- Right (correct) / write (compose)
Now that we have that cleared off – let’s check out a list of Urdu homonyms.
List Of Urdu Homonyms
Below are some words in Urdu that are similar. These Urdu homonyms meaning will clarify any confusion you may have about the words. And, of course, the more you practice using the words in sentences, the better your understanding of Urdu grammar and the different meanings of homonyms will be.
| English | Urdu | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Suit | سوٹ | Soot |
| Yarn | سوت | Sot |
| City | شہر | Sheher |
| Honey | شہد | Shehed |
| Stone | سنگ | Sung |
| Together | سنگ | Sung |
| Lion | شیر | Shair |
| Poetry | شیر | Shair |
| Home | گھر | Ghar |
| Stranger | گھر | Ghair |
| Curtain | پردے | Parda |
| Forgiveness | پردے | Parda |
| Grace/Please | کرم | Karam |
| Work | کرم | Karam |
| Language | زبان | Zabaan |
| Tongue | زبان | Zabaan |
| Decision | فیصلہ | Faisla |
| Judgment | فیصلہ | Faisla |
| Wrong | غلط | Ghalat |
| False | غلط | Ghalat |
| Heat | گرمی | Garmi |
| Warmth | گرمی | Garmi |
| Near | قریب | Qareeb |
| Close | قریب | Qareeb |
| Illness | بیماری | Bimari |
| Disease | بیماری | Bimari |
Urdu Words That Sound Similar To English
We have looked at several homonyms from the Urdu language. Now let’s have some fun and look at Urdu words whose pronunciation sounds similar to English but mean something else entirely.
| English | Urdu | Pronunciation | Pronunciation In English Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Journey | سفر | Safar | They suffer the loss. |
| Color | رنگ | Rung | She had rung up already. |
| Green (for females) | حری | Hurry | They need to hurry. |
| World | جگ | Jug | Pass the water jug. |
| Fruit | سمر | Summer | Summer holidays start soon. |
| Between | بیچ | Beach | We will travel to the beach. |
| Work | کام | Calm | She will need to calm down. |
| Art | فن | Fun | We had fun today. |
| Thief | چور | Chore | Don’t you have a chore to do? |
| Hit | ہٹ | Hut | He lives in a hut. |
| Immediate | فوری | Foreign | The language is foreign to me. |
| Grounded chickpeas | بیسن | Basin | Fix the basin by the toilet. |
| Truth | سچ | Such | She has such lovely hair. |
About The Urdu Language
Urdu is a special language because it combines elements of both Persian and Arabic, and has a rich cultural and literary heritage. It is the official language of Pakistan but is also spoken in parts of India, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan, and can trace its roots back to the Middle East and Central Asia.
Urdu is closely related to Hindi, but is written in a different script and has a unique vocabulary. It is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, with an estimated 120 million people speaking it as their first language.
Urdu-speaking people are known for their hospitality, generosity, and sense of humor. In Pakistan, Urdu is the most widely used language for official and educational purposes. It has a vast body of literature, including poetry, novels, short stories, and plays. If you are into Bollywood, you will surely understand some of the language, as both Urdu and Hindi are used.
How Do You Say Homonyms In Urdu?
The literal meaning of the word Homonym in Urdu is ابہام (abhaam). Yet, as all words have different meaning, thus, homonyms in Urdu also has distinct meanings. Like, in Urdu we also say homonyms as ہم تلفظ (hum talafuz) or ہم املا (hum imla) and words as الفاظ (alfaaz). So, collectively, we say homonym words in Urdu as ہم تلفظ الفاظ (hum talafuz alfaaz).
Common Questions Regarding Urdu Homonyms
What Is The Hindi Name Of Homonyms?
The Hindi word for homonym is समरूपी शब्द (samaroopi shabd). It has the same meaning as in the Urdu language, which is the words that have similar sounds but different meanings.
What Are The 7 Languages That Make Urdu?
Urdu is a mixture of 7 languages that are as follows:
- Persian- major influence on Urdu vocabulary and poetry
- Arabic- Contributes to religious vocabulary
- Turkish – Urdu is itself a Turkish word meaning lashkar
- Sanskrit- contributes to root words and Urdu grammar
- Prakrit – an old dialect of Hindi that contributed to the early development of Urdu
- Hindi – the main basis of modern Hindi and Urdu
- Chagatai- influenced the Urdu language in the Mughal era
How To Know If A Word Is Urdu Or Hindi?
To learn if a word is Urdu or Hindi, you have to consider different factors. For instance, the main factor is the script- Urdu follows Persio-Arabic Nastaliq script, and Hindi uses Devangari script. Apart from this, the pronunciation and connotation of Hindi and Urdu words also differ. So, by closely looking at it, you can differentiate between Urdu and Hindi vocabulary.
Explore More About Urdu With Ling
If you are able to understand Urdu meanings but struggle to write it, you can use Roman Urdu too! This is when you type with English letters, or the Latin script, but the words are in Urdu. But if you want to grasp all – reading, writing, listening, and speaking – the Ling app is for you!
Ling is an interactive app with tools like quizzes, flashcards, and fun games designed to help you learn the language. There are 60+ languages to choose from, not just Urdu. It provides audio and video lessons that help you improve your pronunciation and listening skills.
The comprehensive vocabulary section is designed to help you build your Urdu vocabulary. It also offers detailed explanations of Urdu grammar and provides examples to help you understand it better. Ling provides cultural insights through articles, videos, and audio recordings to help students gain a better understanding of the language and culture.
Learning a new language has never been easier. So, why wait, when you can start today? Download the Ling app from the Apple Store or Google Play Store and start learning Urdu immediately!
