दुआ (duaa)
noun
A single-sense word meaning 'prayer' in the sense of a blessing or well-wishing for someone, distinct from formal ritual worship.
Sense
1
:
prayer, blessing, good wishes
noun, feminine
Synonyms: आशीर्वाद (aashiirvaad, typically from an elder to a younger person), प्रार्थना (praarthnaa, more formal/ritual worship)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This word carries real warmth in everyday Hindi-Urdu speech -- elders send off travelers with meri dua hai tumhaare saath (merii duaa hai tumhaare saath, 'my prayers are with you'), and asking for someone's दुआ (duaa) before an exam or journey is a common, affectionate ritual. It is a Persian-origin word shared with Urdu, and feels a notch softer and more personal than the Sanskritic प्रार्थना (praarthnaa).
Common Mistakes: 1) दुआ (duaa) is not the word for formal ritual prayer or worship (that is प्रार्थना praarthnaa or पूजा poojaa) -- it means a heartfelt wish for someone's wellbeing, often requested or given between people. 2) The common verb pairing is दुआ करना (duaa karnaa, 'to pray/wish well') or दुआ माँगना (duaa maangnaa, 'to ask for someone's blessing'), not पढ़ना (padhnaa) as with reciting scripture.
Sample Sentences:
मुझे आपकी दुआ चाहिए।
I need your blessing.
(mujhe aapkii duaa chaahie।)
मेरी दुआ हमेशा तुम्हारे साथ है।
My prayers are always with you.
(merii duaa hameshaa tumhaare saath hai।)
परीक्षा से पहले मैंने अपनी दादी से दुआ माँगी।
Before the exam, I asked my grandmother for her blessing.
(pariikshaa se pahle mainne apnii daadii se duaa maangii।)
माँ रोज़ रात को उसकी सलामती की दुआ करती है।
Mother prays every night for his safety.
(maan roz raat ko uskii salaamtii kii duaa kartii hai।)
जब वह विदेश जा रहा था, तो सब उसे दुआएँ दे रहे थे।
When he was leaving for abroad, everyone was giving him their blessings.
(jab vah videsh jaa rahaa thaa, to sab use duaaen de rahe the।)
अगर तुम्हारे पास वक़्त हो तो मेरे लिए दुआ करना।
If you have time, please pray for me.
(agar tumhaare paas vaqt ho to mere lie duaa karnaa।)
काश उसकी दुआ कबूल हो जाए।
I wish her prayer would be granted.
(kaash uskii duaa kabool ho jaae।)
अगर उसकी दुआएँ काम आतीं, तो वह आज ज़िंदा होता।
If her prayers had worked, he would be alive today.
(agar uskii duaaen kaam aatiin, to vah aaj zindaa hotaa।)
यह सब आपकी दुआओं का असर है।
All this is the result of your blessings.
(yah sab aapkii duaaon kaa asar hai।)
उसके हक़ में इतनी दुआएँ की गईं कि वह जल्दी ठीक हो गया।
So many prayers were said for him that he recovered quickly.
(uske haq men itnii duaaen kii gaiin ki vah jaldii thiik ho gayaa।)
बुज़ुर्गों की दुआएँ हमेशा फलती हैं, ऐसा मानते हैं लोग।
People believe that elders' blessings always bear fruit.
(buzurgon kii duaaen hameshaa phaltii hain, aisaa maante hain log।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
दुआ
(duaa)
(sg.f.oblique):
दुआ
(duaa)
(pl.f.direct):
दुआएँ
(duaaen)
(pl.f.oblique):
दुआओं
(duaaon)