Hindi · People & Family
"Brother" in Hindi: भाई
भाईbhaai
Brother in Hindi is भाई (bhaai), and it is masculine. For your own siblings, bada bhai means elder brother and chhota bhai means younger brother. Among friends, bhai is also a warm term like bro.
Introducing family
यह मेरा छोटा भाई है, वह दिल्ली में पढ़ता है।yah mera chhota bhaai hai, vah Dilli mein padhta hai.
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How to pronounce भाई
Say it
BHAH-ee
/bʱɑːiː/
Bhaai is BHAH-ee, with a long aa in the first syllable and a short ee at the end. The bh is aspirated. Do not say bhaiye unless you mean brothers plural.
"Brother" in Hindi: quick reference
| Hindi | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| भाईbhaai | brother Sibling or friendly address among men. | Sibling or friendly address among men. |
| बड़ा भाईbada bhaai | elder brother The older male sibling in the family. | The older male sibling in the family. |
| छोटा भाईchhota bhaai | younger brother The younger male sibling. | The younger male sibling. |
| भाई-बहनbhaai-bahan | brothers and sisters Sibling talk as a pair. | Sibling talk as a pair. |
| भैयाbhaiya | elder brother (affectionate) Polite or warm; also for shopkeepers and strangers. | Polite or warm; also for shopkeepers and strangers. |
How to use भाई in real life
- 1Introducing family
यह मेरा छोटा भाई है, वह दिल्ली में पढ़ता है।
yah mera chhota bhaai hai, vah Dilli mein padhta hai.
This is my younger brother, he studies in Delhi.
Mera bhaai because bhaai is masculine.
- 2Casual address to a friend
अरे भाई, कल का प्लान क्या है?
are bhaai, kal ka plan kya hai?
Hey bro, what's the plan for tomorrow?
Bhaai among friends is very common in North India.
- 3Talking about siblings
मेरे दो भाई हैं, एक बड़ा भाई और एक छोटा।
mere do bhaai hain, ek bada bhaai aur ek chhota.
I have two brothers, one elder and one younger.
Do bhaai uses plural verb hain.
Mistakes English speakers make with भाई
Incorrect: Meri bhaai
Correct: Mera bhaai
Bhaai is masculine, so mera bhaai and mera chhota bhaai.
Incorrect: Bhaai only means sibling
Correct: Bhaai / bhaiya also friendly address
Shopkeepers and friends often say bhaiya as a respectful warm term.
Good to know
Bhaiya extends beyond blood relations to older men you respect casually. Raksha Bandhan celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters. Asking kitne bhaai-behen hain? is normal small talk.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Showing family photos to a new friend
ChatPal
यह कौन है, आपका भाई?
yah kaun hai, aapka bhaai?
Who is this, your brother?
You
हाँ, यह मेरा बड़ा भाई है, इंजीनियर है।
haan, yah mera bada bhaai hai, engineer hai.
Yes, this is my elder brother, he's an engineer.
ChatPal
और छोटा भाई कहाँ रहता है?
aur chhota bhaai kahaan rehta hai?
And where does the younger brother live?
You
छोटा भाई घर पर है, कॉलेज की तैयारी कर रहा है।
chhota bhaai ghar par hai, college ki taiyaari kar raha hai.
The younger brother is at home, preparing for college.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Brother" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Brother" in Hindi
What is the difference between bhaai and bhaiya?
Bhaai is brother. Bhaiya is affectionate or respectful, often for an elder brother or friendly address.
Can women call friends bhaai?
Less common, but everyone understands it among close mixed groups in casual North Indian speech.
How do I say elder brother?
Say bada bhaai or bhaiya for warm tone.
How do I say brothers plural?
Say bhaai log or do teen bhaai.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
