अवतार (avtaar)
noun
Primarily a religious/mythological term for a divine descent or incarnation, but also used loosely and figuratively for a person's 'form' or 'guise' in everyday and modern (even internet/gaming) contexts.
Sense
1
:
divine incarnation (e.g. of Vishnu)
noun, masculine
Synonyms: रूप (roop, form/incarnation, meaning scope), अंश (ansh, literary)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is a core concept in Hindu theology: Vishnu is said to take अवतार (avtaar) -- descend into the world in a form like Ram or Krishna -- whenever cosmic balance (dharm) is threatened. You will hear this word constantly around festivals like Ram Navami or Janmashtami, and in casual conversation about mythology or TV serials retelling these stories.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes use अवतार (avtaar) as a generic word for 'god,' but it specifically means a *descent* or *incarnation of* a deity, not the deity in the abstract. 2) It is almost always used with a possessive or genitive link to the deity it belongs to, e.g. विष्णु का अवतार (vishnu kaa avtaar, 'Vishnu's incarnation'), not standing alone as a title.
Sample Sentences:
भगवान विष्णु ने कई अवतार लिए हैं।
Lord Vishnu has taken many incarnations.
(bhagvaan vishnu ne kaii avtaar lie hain।)
राम को विष्णु का अवतार माना जाता है।
Ram is considered to be an incarnation of Vishnu.
(raam ko vishnu kaa avtaar maanaa jaataa hai।)
जब-जब धर्म की हानि होती है, तब-तब भगवान अवतार लेते हैं।
Whenever dharma suffers harm, God takes incarnation.
(jab-jab dharm kii haani hotii hai, tab-tab bhagvaan avtaar lete hain।)
कृष्ण जन्माष्टमी पर हम भगवान कृष्ण के अवतार का जन्मदिन मनाते हैं।
On Janmashtami, we celebrate the birthday of Lord Krishna's incarnation.
(krishn janmaashtmii par ham bhagvaan krishn ke avtaar kaa janmdin manaate hain।)
क्या तुम जानते हो कि विष्णु के दस अवतार कौन-कौन से हैं?
Do you know which are the ten incarnations of Vishnu?
(kyaa tum jaante ho ki vishnu ke das avtaar kaun-kaun se hain?)
काश मैं भी किसी अवतार की कथा इतनी अच्छी तरह सुना पाता।
I wish I too could narrate the story of some incarnation so well.
(kaash main bhii kisii avtaar kii kathaa itnii achchhii tarah sunaa paataa।)
अगर धरती पर फिर से अधर्म बढ़ता, तो शायद कोई नया अवतार होता।
If unrighteousness increased on earth again, perhaps a new incarnation would occur.
(agar dhartii par phir se adharm badhtaa, to shaayad koii nayaa avtaar hotaa।)
यह टीवी सीरियल भगवान के विभिन्न अवतारों की कहानियाँ दिखाता है।
This TV serial shows the stories of God's various incarnations.
(yah tiivii siiriyal bhagvaan ke vibhinn avtaaron kii kahaaniyaan dikhaataa hai।)
पंडित जी ने प्रवचन में बताया कि हर अवतार का एक विशेष उद्देश्य होता है।
The pandit explained in his discourse that every incarnation has a special purpose.
(pandit jii ne pravchan men bataayaa ki har avtaar kaa ek vishesh uddeshy hotaa hai।)
मंदिर में भगवान के दस अवतारों की मूर्तियाँ स्थापित हैं।
Idols of the ten incarnations of God are installed in the temple.
(mandir men bhagvaan ke das avtaaron kii moortiyaan sthaapit hain।)
हे प्रभु, अपने किसी अवतार में इस संसार को फिर से धर्म का मार्ग दिखाइए।
O Lord, in some incarnation of yours, show this world the path of dharma again.
(he prabhu, apne kisii avtaar men is sansaar ko phir se dharm kaa maarg dikhaaie।)
Sense
2
:
figurative form, guise, persona (of a person or thing)
noun, masculine Used to describe someone appearing in a strikingly different role, look, or version of themselves, often with a tone of exaggeration or admiration.
Synonyms: रूप (roop, form), स्वरूप (svaroop, somewhat formal)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You'll hear this in everyday Hindi media: a film critic might say an actor appeared in a 'नए अवतार में' (nae avtaar men, 'in a new avatar') after a surprising role change, or a friend might joke that you're in your 'सुबह के अवतार' (subah ke avtaar, 'morning avatar') when you're grumpy before coffee. It borrows the weight of the religious sense to add a bit of drama to ordinary description.
Common Mistakes: 1) This figurative use always needs context (a role, a change, a comparison) -- used alone, अवतार (avtaar) defaults to the religious sense, so learners should pair it with a describing phrase like नए अवतार में (nae avtaar men, 'in a new avatar/form').
Sample Sentences:
फिल्म में हीरो एक नए अवतार में नज़र आया।
In the film, the hero appeared in a new avatar.
(philm men hiiro ek nae avtaar men nazar aayaa।)
सुबह-सुबह तुम अपने गुस्सैल अवतार में आ जाते हो।
First thing in the morning, you turn into your grumpy avatar.
(subah-subah tum apne gussail avtaar men aa jaate ho।)
यह कंपनी अब पूरी तरह नए अवतार में बाज़ार में उतरेगी।
This company will now enter the market in a completely new avatar.
(yah kampnii ab poorii tarah nae avtaar men baazaar men utregii।)
अरे, तुम तो आज बॉस के अवतार में आए हो!
Whoa, you've come in your boss avatar today!
(are, tum to aaj bos ke avtaar men aae ho!)
काश मैं भी किसी नए अवतार में ज़िंदगी शुरू कर पाता।
I wish I too could start life in some new avatar.
(kaash main bhii kisii nae avtaar men zindgii shuroo kar paataa।)
अगर वह गंभीर अवतार में होता, तो शायद कोई उसकी बात सुनता।
If he were in a serious avatar, maybe someone would listen to him.
(agar vah gambhiir avtaar men hotaa, to shaayad koii uskii baat suntaa।)
अपने असली अवतार में सामने आओ, यह नाटक बंद करो।
Come out in your true avatar, stop this drama.
(apne aslii avtaar men saamne aao, yah naatak band karo।)
पुरानी हवेली को अब एक आधुनिक होटल के अवतार में बदल दिया गया है।
The old mansion has now been transformed into the avatar of a modern hotel.
(puraanii havelii ko ab ek aadhunik hotal ke avtaar men badal diyaa gayaa hai।)
पत्रकार महोदय, क्या यह सरकार अपने पुराने अवतार से कुछ अलग है?
Sir journalist, is this government any different from its earlier avatar?
(patrkaar mahoday, kyaa yah sarkaar apne puraane avtaar se kuchh alag hai?)
शायद वह अपने पुराने अवतार में लौट आए।
Perhaps he will return to his old avatar.
(shaayad vah apne puraane avtaar men laut aae।)
Sense
3
:
digital/online avatar (profile icon or character)
noun, masculine A direct borrowing of the English tech term 'avatar,' reinforced by the fact that English itself borrowed this word from Sanskrit/Hindi originally.
Synonyms: प्रोफ़ाइल तस्वीर (profaail tasviir, profile picture, meaning scope)
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: This sense has come full circle: English borrowed अवतार (avtaar) from Sanskrit centuries ago, and now that English tech usage ('choose your avatar') has been re-borrowed back into casual Hindi, especially among younger, urban, internet-savvy speakers in Delhi-NCR.
Sample Sentences:
अपना अवतार चुन लो।
Choose your avatar.
(apnaa avtaar chun lo।)
मुझे अपने गेम के लिए एक कूल अवतार बनाना है।
I have to create a cool avatar for my game.
(mujhe apne gem ke lie ek kool avtaar banaanaa hai।)
उसने अपना अवतार बदल कर एक कार्टून कैरेक्टर लगा दिया।
He changed his avatar and put up a cartoon character.
(usne apnaa avtaar badal kar ek kaartoon kairektar lagaa diyaa।)
क्या तुम्हारा इंस्टाग्राम अवतार भी यही है?
Is your Instagram avatar the same too?
(kyaa tumhaaraa instaagraam avtaar bhii yahii hai?)
गेम खेलने से पहले सब लोग अपना अवतार सेट करते हैं।
Before playing the game, everyone sets their avatar.
(gem khelne se pahle sab log apnaa avtaar set karte hain।)
अगर मुझे टाइम मिलता तो मैं भी नया अवतार डिज़ाइन करता।
If I had the time, I would design a new avatar too.
(agar mujhe taaim miltaa to main bhii nayaa avtaar dizaain kartaa।)
यार, तेरा नया अवतार तो एकदम फाड़ू है!
Dude, your new avatar is absolutely awesome!
(yaar, teraa nayaa avtaar to ekdam phaadoo hai!)
ऐप में साइन अप करते वक्त तुम्हें एक अवतार चुनना होगा।
While signing up on the app, you will have to choose an avatar.
(aip men saain ap karte vakt tumhen ek avtaar chunnaa hogaa।)
शायद उसका अवतार अभी लोड नहीं हुआ हो।
Maybe his avatar hasn't loaded yet.
(shaayad uskaa avtaar abhii lod nahiin huaa ho।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
अवतार
(avtaar)
(sg.m.oblique):
अवतार
(avtaar)
(pl.m.direct):
अवतार
(avtaar)
(pl.m.oblique):
अवतारों
(avtaaron)