बेटा (betaa)
noun
Literally means 'son', but is used constantly as a warm term of address for any younger person, male or female, regardless of actual parentage.
Sense
1
:
son (one's male child)
noun, masculine
Synonyms: पुत्र (putr, formal/literary), लड़का (ladkaa, boy, not quite the same as 'son' but overlaps in casual speech)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is the word you will hear a hundred times a day in any Indian household with a son -- from berating him for coming home late to boasting about his exam results to the neighbors. It pairs naturally with बेटी (betii), 'daughter'.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes reach for पुत्र (putr) as the default word for 'son' because it looks like a dictionary match, but बेटा (betaa) is what people actually say at home; पुत्र (putr) sounds formal or literary, more suited to a wedding invitation or a legal document than a family conversation.
Sample Sentences:
मेरा बेटा दिल्ली में पढ़ता है।
My son studies in Delhi.
(meraa betaa dillii men padhtaa hai।)
शर्मा जी का बेटा कल रात देर से घर आया।
Sharma ji's son came home late last night.
(sharmaa jii kaa betaa kal raat der se ghar aayaa।)
उनका बेटा और बेटी दोनों विदेश में रहते हैं।
Their son and daughter both live abroad.
(unkaa betaa aur betii donon videsh men rahte hain।)
अगर मेरा बेटा होता, तो मैं उसे क्रिकेट सिखाता।
If I had a son, I would teach him cricket.
(agar meraa betaa hotaa, to main use kriket sikhaataa।)
पड़ोसन पूरे मोहल्ले में अपने बेटे के नंबरों की डींगें हांक रही थी।
The neighbor lady was boasting to the whole neighborhood about her son's marks.
(padosan poore mohalle men apne bete ke nambron kii diingen haank rahii thii।)
काश मेरा बेटा भी इंजीनियर बन जाता।
I wish my son had become an engineer too.
(kaash meraa betaa bhii injiiniyar ban jaataa।)
यह मेरा बेटा है, राहुल।
This is my son, Rahul.
(yah meraa betaa hai, raahul।)
श्रीमान शर्मा का बेटा अगले महीने अमेरिका जाएगा।
Mr. Sharma's son will go to America next month.
(shriimaan sharmaa kaa betaa agle mahiine amerikaa jaaegaa।)
क्या तुम्हारा बेटा भी इस स्कूल में पढ़ता है?
Does your son also study at this school?
(kyaa tumhaaraa betaa bhii is skool men padhtaa hai?)
उसे अपने बेटे पर गर्व है।
She is proud of her son.
(use apne bete par garv hai।)
जब तक मेरा बेटा नौकरी नहीं ढूंढ लेता, मैं चिंता करता रहूंगा।
Until my son finds a job, I will keep worrying.
(jab tak meraa betaa naukrii nahiin dhoondh letaa, main chintaa kartaa rahoongaa।)
Sense
2
:
affectionate term of address for a younger person (male)
noun, masculine Used vocatively, often as बेटे (bete) when directly addressing someone, even if the speaker is not the person's parent.
Synonyms: बच्चा (bachchaa, child, broader), बेटे (bete, oblique/vocative form used in direct address)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: An auto-rickshaw driver's mother, a doctor, or an elderly stranger might call a young man बेटा (betaa) purely out of warmth or worry -- it is one of the clearest examples of how Hindi kinship terms spill over into everyday address between strangers, especially across a generation gap.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners are often surprised that a shopkeeper, teacher, doctor, or stranger on the street can call a young man बेटा (betaa) with no family relationship implied -- it is simply a marker of affectionate seniority, not literal kinship. 2) Do not assume this address is condescending; it usually signals warmth or concern, not superiority.
Sample Sentences:
बेटा, यहाँ आकर बैठो।
Come sit here, son.
(betaa, yahaan aakar baitho।)
बेटा, खाना खा लिया?
Dear, have you eaten?
(betaa, khaanaa khaa liyaa?)
डॉक्टर साहब ने मरीज़ से कहा, "बेटा, चिंता मत करो, सब ठीक हो जाएगा।"
The doctor said to the patient, "My boy, don't worry, everything will be fine."
(doktar saahab ne mariiz se kahaa, "betaa, chintaa mat karo, sab thiik ho jaaegaa।")
बुढ़िया ने रिक्शेवाले से पूछा, "बेटा, थोड़ा धीरे चलाओगे क्या?"
The old woman asked the rickshaw driver, "Son, will you drive a little slower?"
(budhiyaa ne rikshevaale se poochhaa, "betaa, thodaa dhiire chalaaoge kyaa?")
अगर मैं तुम्हारी जगह होती, बेटा, तो ऐसा न करती।
If I were in your place, dear, I wouldn't do that.
(agar main tumhaarii jagah hotii, betaa, to aisaa n kartii।)
गुरुजी हर छात्र को बेटा कहकर बुलाते थे।
The teacher used to call every student "son."
(gurujii har chhaatr ko betaa kahkar bulaate the।)
बेटा, अपना ख्याल रखना।
Take care of yourself, dear.
(betaa, apnaa khyaal rakhnaa।)
क्या तुम मेरी थोड़ी मदद कर सकते हो, बेटा?
Could you help me a little, son?
(kyaa tum merii thodii madad kar sakte ho, betaa?)
पुजारी ने मंदिर में आए युवक से कहा, "आओ बेटा, आशीर्वाद लो।"
The priest said to the young man who had come to the temple, "Come, my boy, take your blessing."
(pujaarii ne mandir men aae yuvak se kahaa, "aao betaa, aashiirvaad lo।")
शायद उसे बेटा कहकर बुलाया जाए तो वह ज़्यादा सहज महसूस करे।
Perhaps if he's addressed as "son," he might feel more at ease.
(shaayad use betaa kahkar bulaayaa jaae to vah zyaadaa sahaj mahsoos kare।)
चौकीदार ने नए लड़के को बेटा कहकर अंदर बुला लिया।
The watchman called the new boy inside, addressing him as "son."
(chaukiidaar ne nae ladke ko betaa kahkar andar bulaa liyaa।)
Sense
3
:
young offspring of an animal (male)
noun, masculine
Synonyms: बच्चा (bachchaa, general term for young animal or child)
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: You might hear a farmer refer to a calf or a pet's male offspring as बेटा (betaa) with real affection -- the kinship framing extends naturally to animals in a family-like household.
Sample Sentences:
गाय ने रात में एक बेटे को जन्म दिया।
The cow gave birth to a male calf last night.
(gaay ne raat men ek bete ko janm diyaa।)
यह कुतिया का बेटा है, बड़ा प्यारा है।
This is the female dog's male pup, he's really adorable.
(yah kutiyaa kaa betaa hai, badaa pyaaraa hai।)
किसान अपनी भैंस के बेटे को बड़े लाड़ से खिलाता है।
The farmer feeds his buffalo's male calf with real affection.
(kisaan apnii bhains ke bete ko bade laad se khilaataa hai।)
बेटे को अभी माँ का दूध ही पिलाना है।
The (male) calf still needs to be fed only its mother's milk.
(bete ko abhii maan kaa doodh hii pilaanaa hai।)
शेरनी अपने बेटे को शिकार करना सिखा रही थी।
The lioness was teaching her cub to hunt.
(shernii apne bete ko shikaar karnaa sikhaa rahii thii।)
अगर बेटा स्वस्थ रहता, तो किसान बहुत खुश होता।
If the calf had stayed healthy, the farmer would have been very happy.
(agar betaa svasth rahtaa, to kisaan bahut khush hotaa।)
बेटे को बाहर मत जाने दो, अभी बहुत छोटा है।
Don't let the little cub go outside, he's still too small.
(bete ko baahar jaane mat do, abhii bahut chhotaa hai।)
हो सकता है यह बेटा ही आगे झुंड का सरदार बने।
It's possible that this cub will grow up to be the leader of the herd.
(ho saktaa hai yah betaa hii aage jhund kaa sardaar bane।)
उस बकरी के बेटे को गाँव में सब जानते हैं।
Everyone in the village knows that goat's male kid.
(us bakrii ke bete ko gaanv men sab jaante hain।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
बेटा
(betaa)
(sg.m.oblique):
बेटे
(bete)
(pl.m.direct):
बेटे
(bete)
(pl.m.oblique):
बेटों
(beton)