Hindi · Emotions & Descriptions

"Big" in Hindi: बड़ा

बड़ाbada

Say it: BUH-daaadjective/bəɽɑː/

Big in Hindi is बड़ा (bada) with masculine nouns. With feminine nouns use बड़ी (badi), and with plural use बड़े (bade). Bahut bada means very big. The retroflex ड़ sounds like a curled-back d.

Describing a house

यह बड़ा घर है, तीन कमरे हैं।

yah bada ghar hai, teen kamre hain.

This is a big house, it has three rooms.
Practice Hindi out loud

Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free

How to pronounce बड़ा

Say it

BUH-daa

/bəɽɑː/

Bada is BUH-daa with a retroflex d, tongue curled back. The aa is long. Badi ends in a short i. Bade has a long e-like ay sound.

"Big" in Hindi: quick reference

HindiEnglish
बड़ाbadabig (masculine)

Bada ghar, bada ped, bada bhaai.

बड़ीbadibig (feminine)

Badi khidki, badi mez, badi bahan.

बड़ेbadebig (plural / respectful)

Bade log, bade phool.

बहुत बड़ाbahut badavery big

Emphasis on size.

विशालvishaalhuge (formal)

Speeches and written Hindi.

How to use बड़ा in real life

  1. 1Describing a house

    यह बड़ा घर है, तीन कमरे हैं।

    yah bada ghar hai, teen kamre hain.

    This is a big house, it has three rooms.

    Ghar is masculine, so bada.

  2. 2Shopping for clothes

    मुझे बड़ी साइज़ चाहिए, यह छोटी है।

    mujhe badi size chahiye, yah chhoti hai.

    I need a big size, this one is small.

    Size is treated feminine in shop talk: badi size.

  3. 3At a wedding hall

    बड़े परिवार के लिए बड़ा हॉल बुक किया।

    bade parivaar ke liye bada hall book kiya.

    We booked a big hall for a large family.

    Bade parivaar uses plural form bade.

Mistakes English speakers make with बड़ा

Incorrect: Bada khidki

Correct: Badi khidki

Khidki is feminine, so badi not bada.

Incorrect: Bada bahan

Correct: Badi bahan

Bahan is feminine. Elder sister is badi bahan.

Good to know

Bada often carries respect, not only size: bade log means elders or important people. Saying bada dhanyavaad adds warmth. In markets, bada packet usually means better value.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

Choosing a mango at a fruit stall

  1. ChatPal

    कौन सा आम लेना है, बड़ा या छोटा?

    kaun sa aam lena hai, bada ya chhota?

    Which mango to take, big or small?

  2. You

    दो बड़े आम दीजिए, मीठा होना चाहिए।

    do bade aam dijiye, meetha hona chahiye.

    Give two big mangoes, they should be sweet.

  3. ChatPal

    ये देखिए, बहुत बड़ा आम है।

    ye dekhiye, bahut bada aam hai.

    Look at this one, it's a very big mango.

  4. You

    हाँ, बड़ा और पका लग रहा है।

    haan, bada aur pakka lag raha hai.

    Yes, it looks big and ripe.

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

Practice this conversation in ChatPal

"Big" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Big" in Hindi

When do I use badi?

With feminine nouns: badi khidki, badi chaay ki dukaan, badi bahan.

What is bade for?

Plural nouns and some respectful forms: bade log, bade bachche.

How do I say very big?

Say bahut bada, bahut badi, or bahut bade depending on the noun.

What is the opposite of bada?

Chhota for masculine, chhoti for feminine, chhote for plural.

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.