Hindi · People & Family
"Sister" in Hindi: बहन
बहनbahan
Sister in Hindi is बहन (bahan), and it is feminine. Badi bahan is elder sister and chhoti bahan is younger sister. Didi is a warm address for an elder sister or any older woman you respect casually.
Introducing siblings
यह मेरी छोटी बहन है, वह स्कूल में पढ़ती है।yah meri chhoti bahan hai, vah school mein padhti hai.
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How to pronounce बहन
Say it
bu-HUN
/bəɦən/
Bahan is bu-HUN with a short u and nasal n at the end. The h is soft. Do not stretch it into ba-haan with two heavy syllables.
"Sister" in Hindi: quick reference
| Hindi | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| बहनbahan | sister Your female sibling. | Your female sibling. |
| बड़ी बहनbadi bahan | elder sister The older sister in the family. | The older sister in the family. |
| छोटी बहनchhoti bahan | younger sister The younger sister. | The younger sister. |
| दीदीdidi | elder sister (affectionate) Also for unrelated older women politely. | Also for unrelated older women politely. |
| बहन-भाईbahan-bhaai | sisters and brothers Sibling pair talk. | Sibling pair talk. |
How to use बहन in real life
- 1Introducing siblings
यह मेरी छोटी बहन है, वह स्कूल में पढ़ती है।
yah meri chhoti bahan hai, vah school mein padhti hai.
This is my younger sister, she studies in school.
Meri bahan because bahan is feminine.
- 2Calling your elder sister
बहन, चाय बना दो ना!
bahan, chaay bana do na!
Sister, make some tea please!
Families also say didi; bahan still names the sibling clearly.
- 3Talking about Rakhi
हर साल बहन भाई पर राखी बाँधती है।
har saal bahan bhaai par raakhi baandhti hai.
Every year sister ties a rakhi on her brother's wrist.
Bahan-bhaai bond is central to Raksha Bandhan.
Mistakes English speakers make with बहन
Incorrect: Mera bahan
Correct: Meri bahan
Bahan is feminine: meri bahan, meri badi bahan.
Incorrect: Only use didi, never bahan
Correct: Bahan for the sibling; didi for warm address
Didi is affectionate address. Bahan is the clear word for sister.
Good to know
Raksha Bandhan celebrates bahan and bhaai with a tied thread and sweets. Calling unrelated women didi is common in North India. Sisters often manage festival prep alongside mothers.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Video call with family during a holiday
ChatPal
आपकी बहन कहाँ है, दिखाओ ना!
aapki bahan kahaan hai, dikhaao na!
Where is your sister, show her!
You
यह रही मेरी बड़ी बहन, दिल्ली से बोल रही है।
yah rahi meri badi bahan, Dilli se bol rahi hai.
Here is my elder sister, she's speaking from Delhi.
ChatPal
नमस्ते! बहन जी, त्योहार पर घर आओगी?
namaste! bahan ji, tyohaar par ghar aaogi?
Hello! Sister, will you come home for the festival?
You
हाँ, बहन त्योहार से पहले पहुँच जाएगी।
haan, bahan tyohaar se pehle pahunch jaayegi.
Yes, sister will arrive before the festival.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Sister" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Sister" in Hindi
Is bahan feminine?
Yes. Say meri bahan, yah bahan, and badi bahan.
What is the difference between bahan and didi?
Bahan is sister. Didi is affectionate address, usually for an elder sister or older woman.
How do I say younger sister?
Say chhoti bahan or chhoti didi in some families.
How do I say sisters plural?
Say do bahnen or bahan log.
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- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
