Hindi · Emotions & Descriptions

"Bad" in Hindi: बुरा

बुराbura

Say it: bu-RAAadjective/bʊrɑː/

Note: also: ख़राब (kharaab)

बुरा (bura) means bad, and it changes for gender: bura masculine, बुरी (buri) feminine. ख़राब (kharaab) often describes things that are broken, spoiled, or poor quality. For people behaving badly, bura fits well.

Talking about weather plans

आज मौसम बुरा है, मत निकलना।

aaj mausam bura hai, mat nikalna.

The weather is bad today, don't go out.
Practice Hindi out loud

Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free

How to pronounce बुरा

Say it

bu-RAA

/bʊrɑː/

Bura is bu-RAA with a short u and long final aa. Keep the r as a light tap. Kharaab is khu-RAAB with a long final aab.

"Bad" in Hindi: quick reference

HindiEnglish
बुराburabad (masculine)

Bad news, bad behavior, bad luck with masculine nouns.

बुरीburibad (feminine)

With feminine nouns: buri aadat, buri baat.

ख़राबkharaabbad; broken; spoiled

Machines, health, food gone off, poor quality.

बहुत बुराbahut buravery bad

Strong dislike or bad news.

How to use बुरा in real life

  1. 1Talking about weather plans

    आज मौसम बुरा है, मत निकलना।

    aaj mausam bura hai, mat nikalna.

    The weather is bad today, don't go out.

    Mausam is masculine, so bura.

  2. 2A spoiled phone

    मेरा दिन आज बहुत बुरा रहा।

    mera din aaj bahut bura raha.

    My day has been very bad today.

    Din is masculine, so bura.

  3. 3Reacting to news

    यह बहुत बुरी ख़बर है।

    yah bahut buri khabar hai.

    This is very bad news.

    Khabar is feminine, so buri.

Mistakes English speakers make with बुरा

Incorrect: Bura film thi.

Correct: Buri film thi. / Film kharaab thi.

Match gender: buri with feminine film, or use kharaab.

Incorrect: Calling a person kharaab for rude manners

Correct: Bura / badtameez

Kharaab fits objects and health more than personality. For manners, bura or badtameez is clearer.

Good to know

Complaints are often softened: thoda kharaab or zyada achha nahin. A blunt bura hai can sound harsh about food a host cooked, so soften with tone and thanks.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

A friend warns you about traffic

  1. ChatPal

    आज सड़क का हाल बुरा है।

    aaj sadak ka haal bura hai.

    The road situation is bad today.

  2. You

    क्या इतना बुरा है कि देर हो जाएगी?

    kya itna bura hai ki der ho jaayegi?

    Is it so bad that we'll be late?

  3. ChatPal

    हाँ, ट्रैफ़िक बहुत ख़राब लग रहा है।

    haan, traffic bahut kharaab lag raha hai.

    Yes, the traffic looks very bad.

  4. You

    फिर थोड़ी देर बाद चलते हैं, बुरा समय टालते हैं।

    phir thodi der baad chalte hain, bura samay taalte hain.

    Then let's go a bit later and avoid the bad time.

This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.

Practice this conversation in ChatPal

"Bad" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Bad" in Hindi

When do I use buri?

Use buri with feminine nouns like baat, aadat, or khabar.

Is kharaab the same as bura?

Close, but kharaab often means broken, spoiled, or poor quality.

How do I say I feel bad?

Say mujhe bura lag raha hai for feeling sorry or upset.

How do I soften a complaint about food?

Try thoda namak zyada hai instead of a blunt bura hai.

Learn a word, then use it out loud

  1. Step 1: See it in context
  2. Step 2: Say it out loud
  3. Step 3: Get feedback
  4. Step 4: Use it in real scenarios

Keep reading

Ready to say it out loud?

ChatPal is a voice-first app for practicing real conversations in Hindi. Try real scenarios and get personalized feedback on your speaking.

Start with 7 days free.