औरत (aurat)
noun
A common everyday word for 'woman'; it has one core sense but carries register and tone nuances the learner should pick up on.
Sense
1
:
woman
noun, feminine
Synonyms: महिला (mahilaa, formal), स्त्री (strii, formal/literary)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is the word you will hear constantly in daily life -- in markets, on the street, in family conversation -- while महिला (mahilaa) shows up more in news reports, government schemes, and polite formal address (like 'महिला सुरक्षा' (mahilaa surakshaa, 'women's safety') in official contexts). Getting a feel for when to reach for औरत (aurat) versus महिला (mahilaa) is a small but real marker of register awareness in Hindi.
Common Mistakes: 1) औरत (aurat) is the plain, everyday word for 'woman' -- it is not rude or slang, but in polite or formal contexts (announcements, official forms, addressing someone respectfully) महिला (mahilaa) is preferred. Using औरत (aurat) about a specific woman in front of her can sound blunt depending on tone, so many speakers default to महिला (mahilaa) in mixed or formal company. 2) Learners sometimes assume स्त्री (strii) and औरत (aurat) are freely interchangeable in speech; स्त्री (strii) leans literary/formal and is rarer in casual conversation.
Sample Sentences:
वो औरत बाज़ार में सब्ज़ी खरीद रही है।
That woman is buying vegetables in the market.
(vo aurat baazaar men sabzii khariid rahii hai।)
हर औरत को इज़्ज़त से जीने का हक़ है।
Every woman has the right to live with dignity.
(har aurat ko izzat se jiine kaa haq hai।)
उस औरत ने अकेले अपने तीनों बच्चों को पाला।
That woman raised all three of her children alone.
(us aurat ne akele apne tiinon bachchon ko paalaa।)
अरे भाई, उस औरत को रास्ता दे दो!
Hey man, make way for that woman!
(are bhaaii, us aurat ko raastaa de do!)
काश वो औरत यहाँ होती तो सब ठीक हो जाता।
If only that woman were here, everything would be fine.
(kaash vo aurat yahaan hotii to sab thiik ho jaataa।)
गाँव की औरतें सुबह जल्दी उठकर खेतों में काम करती हैं।
The women of the village get up early and work in the fields.
(gaanv kii aurten subah jaldii uthkar kheton men kaam kartii hain।)
उस औरत को देखकर लगता है कि वो बहुत परेशान है।
Looking at that woman, it seems she is very troubled.
(us aurat ko dekhkar lagtaa hai ki vo bahut pareshaan hai।)
एक अकेली औरत का रात को बाहर निकलना यहाँ आसान नहीं है।
It is not easy for a lone woman to go out at night around here.
(ek akelii aurat kaa raat ko baahar nikalnaa yahaan aasaan nahiin hai।)
क्या तुमने उस औरत से बात की जो कल यहाँ आई थी?
Did you talk to that woman who came here yesterday?
(kyaa tumne us aurat se baat kii jo kal yahaan aaii thii?)
उस बुज़ुर्ग औरत को अस्पताल जल्दी पहुँचाना ज़रूरी था।
It was necessary to get that elderly woman to the hospital quickly.
(us buzurg aurat ko asptaal jaldii pahunchaanaa zaroorii thaa।)
उस औरत को थाने में बुलाया गया।
That woman was called to the police station.
(us aurat ko thaane men bulaayaa gayaa।)
Sense
2
:
wife (colloquial)
noun, feminine Used possessively (e.g. 'मेरी औरत' (merii aurat, 'my wife')) in informal, often rural or working-class speech; not the neutral default term for 'wife' in polite usage.
Synonyms: पत्नी (patnii, formal), बीवी (biivii, colloquial), घरवाली (gharvaalii, colloquial)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You'll mostly hear this usage in villages, older generations, or in Bollywood dialogue meant to sound rustic or blunt -- a city-dwelling professional would rarely call his wife 'मेरी औरत' (merii aurat) in polite company.
Common Mistakes: 1) This sense can sound crude or old-fashioned in urban middle-class speech -- पत्नी (patnii) or बीवी (biivii) are the safer everyday choices when referring to someone's wife respectfully.
Sample Sentences:
यह मेरी औरत है।
This is my wife.
(yah merii aurat hai।)
उसकी औरत खेत में काम करती है।
His wife works in the field.
(uskii aurat khet men kaam kartii hai।)
मेरी औरत ने आज खाना नहीं बनाया।
My wife didn't cook food today.
(merii aurat ne aaj khaanaa nahiin banaayaa।)
अपनी औरत को लेकर गाँव चला जा।
Take your wife and go to the village.
(apnii aurat ko lekar gaanv chalaa jaa।)
उसने अपनी औरत को कभी शहर नहीं ले गया था।
He had never taken his wife to the city.
(usne apnii aurat ko kabhii shahar nahiin le gayaa thaa।)
अगर वह अपनी औरत की बात सुनता तो आज यह हाल न होता।
If he had listened to his wife, things wouldn't be like this today.
(agar vah apnii aurat kii baat suntaa to aaj yah haal n hotaa।)
उसकी औरत उससे कहीं ज़्यादा समझदार है।
His wife is far more sensible than him.
(uskii aurat usse kahiin zyaadaa samajhdaar hai।)
मुखिया अपनी औरत के साथ पंचायत में आया।
The village head came to the panchayat with his wife.
(mukhiyaa apnii aurat ke saath panchaayat men aayaa।)
साले, तेरी औरत तुझसे बेहतर कमाती है।
Dude, your wife earns better than you.
(saale, terii aurat tujhse behtar kamaatii hai।)
क्या तेरी औरत को यह बात पता है?
Does your wife know about this?
(kyaa terii aurat ko yah baat pataa hai?)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
औरत
(aurat)
(sg.f.oblique):
औरत
(aurat)
(pl.f.direct):
औरतें
(aurten)
(pl.f.oblique):
औरतों
(aurton)