Hindi · Body & Health
"Doctor" in Hindi: डॉक्टर
डॉक्टरdoktar
Doctor in Hindi is डॉक्टर (doktar), the English word said the Hindi way. Everyone uses it, from small neighborhood clinics to big city hospitals. The formal Hindi word चिकित्सक (chikitsak) appears mostly on signs and in official writing.
Calling a clinic
क्या डॉक्टर साहब आज शाम को मिलेंगे?kya doktar saahab aaj shaam ko milenge?
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How to pronounce डॉक्टर
Say it
DOK-tur
/ɖɔːk.ʈər/
Say DOK-tur. The ऑ is an open "o", like the o in British "hot". The ड and ट are retroflex, with the tongue tip curled back a little, which is close to how English speakers already say d and t. Finish with a light tapped r.
"Doctor" in Hindi: quick reference
| Hindi | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| डॉक्टरdoktar | doctor The everyday word, for men and women, in every setting. | The everyday word, for men and women, in every setting. |
| डॉक्टर साहबdoktar saahab | doctor (respectful address) How patients often address or refer to a male doctor. For a woman, people say doktar madam or doktar saahiba. | How patients often address or refer to a male doctor. For a woman, people say doktar madam or doktar saahiba. |
| चिकित्सकchikitsak | physician (formal) Government signs, forms, and newspapers. You will rarely hear it in conversation. | Government signs, forms, and newspapers. You will rarely hear it in conversation. |
| वैद्यvaidya | Ayurvedic doctor A practitioner of Ayurveda, the traditional Indian system of medicine. | A practitioner of Ayurveda, the traditional Indian system of medicine. |
| अस्पतालaspataal | hospital Where you go for bigger problems. Small practices are called clinics, in English. | Where you go for bigger problems. Small practices are called clinics, in English. |
How to use डॉक्टर in real life
- 1Calling a clinic
क्या डॉक्टर साहब आज शाम को मिलेंगे?
kya doktar saahab aaj shaam ko milenge?
Will the doctor be available this evening?
Milenge is plural to show respect, even though it is one doctor. Milna here means "to be available".
- 2Describing a symptom
डॉक्टर, मुझे दो दिन से बुख़ार है।
doktar, mujhe do din se bukhaar hai.
Doctor, I've had a fever for two days.
Hindi uses se (since) with the present tense for "I have had … for": do din se.
- 3Giving a friend advice
खाँसी ठीक नहीं हो रही तो डॉक्टर को दिखा दो।
khaansi theek nahin ho rahi to doktar ko dikha do.
If your cough isn't getting better, go and see a doctor.
Doktar ko dikhaana, literally "to show to the doctor", is how Hindi says "to see a doctor". Dikha do is the tum form.
Mistakes English speakers make with डॉक्टर
Incorrect: Main doktar dekhna chaahta hoon.
Correct: Mujhe doktar ko dikhaana hai.
Translating "see a doctor" word for word gives dekhna, which sounds like you want to look at the doctor. Hindi says you "show yourself" to the doctor: doktar ko dikhaana.
Incorrect: Doktar aa gaya. (about a female doctor)
Correct: Doktar aa gayi hain.
The noun doktar does not change, but the verb follows the doctor's gender. Use the respectful plural too: aa gayi hain for a woman, aa gaye hain for a man.
Good to know
In India, many people first visit a neighborhood clinic or a family doctor rather than a hospital, and it is normal to walk in without an appointment and wait your turn. Pharmacies, usually called chemists or medical stores, are on almost every market street. Alongside modern medicine, Ayurveda is officially recognized, so you will also see clinics run by a vaidya.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Checking in at a clinic in Lucknow
ChatPal
नमस्ते! आप डॉक्टर शर्मा से मिलने आए हैं?
namaste! aap doktar Sharma se milne aaye hain?
Hello! Are you here to see Dr. Sharma?
You
जी हाँ, मेरे गले में दो दिन से दर्द है।
ji haan, mere gale mein do din se dard hai.
Yes, my throat has been hurting for two days.
ChatPal
ठीक है, बैठिए। डॉक्टर साहब दस मिनट में आपको बुलाएँगे।
theek hai, baithiye. doktar saahab das minat mein aapko bulaayenge.
Okay, please have a seat. The doctor will call you in ten minutes.
You
धन्यवाद। क्या डॉक्टर की फ़ीस पहले देनी है?
dhanyavaad. kya doktar ki fees pahle deni hai?
Thanks. Do I pay the doctor's fee first?
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Doctor" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Doctor" in Hindi
Is doktar masculine or feminine in Hindi?
The word itself is treated as masculine, but the verb and adjectives follow the real person. Doktar aa gaye hain is about a man, and doktar aa gayi hain is about a woman.
How do I address a doctor politely?
Say doktar saahab to a man, or doktar madam to a woman, and use aap. Many people simply say doktar, or add the surname: Doktar Sharma.
How do you say "I need to see a doctor" in Hindi?
Say mujhe doktar ko dikhaana hai. The verb dikhaana means "to show", so the phrase is literally "I have to show myself to the doctor".
What is a vaidya?
A vaidya is a practitioner of Ayurveda, India's traditional medicine. For modern medicine, and in most conversations, the word you want is doktar.
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