Friday, May 19, 2006

In love with Hindi & Urdu

I've been watching Bollywood for about a year now and I'm trying to figure out what the proper words are for love, beloved, my love, etc. I only speak English so this is all guesswork. [FYI, I have no idea what that rose thing says.]

The confusion might have something to do with Urdu versus Hindi but I've heard all of the following appear to have some one of those meanings and I'm never sure which: *weird spelling ahead*

maahiya (mere)
maahii (re)
mahabuub (mere)
mera saiyya
piya
pyaar
mahabuuba
merii jaan
prem mere man me hai
muhabbat
prem
saa nwariya
It seems like there's a TON of different ways to express the same thing. Are any of them significantly different? Are some appropriate in one situation but not in another? This is my quest. Perhaps the answers are close by. I would ask the nice old man at the market but I'm sure he finds me strange enough as it is. This question sounds too much like a pick up line...

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't know Hindi either, and I was wondering the same thing. So this isn't going to help much, but since I too love Bollywood videos, and have been watching for a lifetime, and just finished watching four hours of video songs today, I offer my guesses.
First of all mere, mera, means "my"

maahiya (mere)
maahii (re) I like the song, but haven't watched the movie, so no help from subtitles.
mahabuub (mere)my love, the person that I love
mera saiyya I haven't heard this for love. I think it means my savior, as in someone who saved me, but not sure.
piyabeloved
pyaar love, the verb
mahabuuba my love (same as above, just longer so it sounds better in a song)
merii jaan my life (lifetime partner, reason for living when referring to person)
prem mere man me hailove is on my mind (literally love my mind I have)
muhabbat a noun, this is more general like love for family, or love the concept, etc.
prem - a boys name, also love, the noun
saa nwariya I've never heard this

This website offers some translations of title and song names, but doesn't answer your question.

I'd be very interested in what others have to say about this.

Anonymous said...

And also ishq!

You should send this to Obi Wan

Anonymous said...

I am from north and happy to see the interest created by Bollywood.
The Photo with rose sayes "Mujhe Tum Se Pyar Hai" I Love to You in English.

In Hindi film songs many popular words of other northern languages are taken.

Maahiya or maahii are the same word used for hubby in Punjabi.

Mehboob (for male) and Mehbooba(for female) are from Urdu for beloved.

Saiyya is used for Husband.

Piya is lover.
Pyaar is LOve.
Meri jaan is my life.
prem mere man me nai - LOve is in my heart.
Muhabbat is love in urdu.
Prem is love. A popular male name also.
Sanwariya ans saiyaa is same.
Ishque is again love in Urdu.
Muahabbat can be a love to any one like we love to mother, brother, sister father and friend but ishque is love between boy and girl.

Anonymous said...

Aaina has answered quite comprehensively(and accurately), nothing much left for me to translate. Maahi/maahiya is colloquially used in Punjabi for husband(as aaina said) or lover. Saiyya too is not just hubby, it can be a male lover also, but it's a very old word, not much in use except in movies. Same is the case with words like Sanwariya and piya, people in real life don't use these terms, only in movies!

t-HYPE said...

The internet is a beautiful thing. It's like a 24 hour answer service! Thanks guys.

Anonymous said...

Wait a sec, Mahi can't not be for husband alone. I am sure it means darling. Yes it is Punjabi but I have seen it used for girls too (married or unmarried).

Mehboob can also be a male name. Mehbooba (femanine) is not a name though. Stangely it is not used now a days for refering to the person you love (except in songs) but a third person could use it for your love interest without problem.

Meri Jaan, means my life, but based on context it could be used to refer to the person you love - since you'd die without him/her. It is used in normal day-to-day lingo too.

Prem (love) mere (my) man (heart) main (in) hai (is) - make your own sentence :-)

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