# Persian, Urdu, and Hindi: types of roads



## Alfaaz

*Background:* English seems to have many names for ways/roads/streets, etc. 

highway 
expressway
boulevard 
street 
road , side road , back road
sidewalk , pathway
Searching the Urdu dictionary gives:
Arabic (14): شارِع , شارع عام , سَبِیل , مَسْلَک , صِراط , جادَہ , سلوك , شعب , طريق , مسلك , نہج , عقبہ , مسیر , معبر
Farsi (8): شاہراہ , راہ , راستہ , روش , سایہ دار راہ , گزر گاہ , هنجار , خلیف
Hindi/Sanskrit (2 or more): سڑک , ڈَگَر saRak, Dagar

*Questions: *

What would these English names be in your language? 
Do these languages differentiate between different kinds of roads ? 
(It seems so, as there are so many words (24) listed above )


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## searcher123

In modern Persian:



highway = بزرگراه، شاهراه 
expressway = تندراه 
boulevard = بلوار، گلراه 
street = خيابان 
road = جاده 
side road = جاده كناري 
sidewalk = پياده‌رو 
pathway = كوره‌راه


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## greatbear

"maarg", "path", "saRak", "dagar", "galii", "raastaa" (meaning "way" but could also mean "road"), "khaaNchaa" and "pagdanDii" are some of the many, many words for different kinds of roads in Hindi, with "maarg"/"saRak" being kind of generic, that is, "road". Direct translations of these terms would be difficult: the context decides how to translate.
Highway is "raajmaarg" and expressway is "drutmaarg". Since boulevards don't exist in India (neither in UK, as far as I know), I don't think we have a word for that in Hindi - just as English has borrowed the French word directly, I would favour the same approach for Hindi.


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## Qureshpor

greatbear said:


> Highway is "raajmaarg" and expressway is "drutmaarg". Since boulevards don't exist in India (neither in UK, as far as I know), I don't think we have a word for that in Hindi - just as English has borrowed the French word directly, I would favour the same approach for Hindi.



They do exist in England and other parts of the UK.


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## Qureshpor

It might have been better, Alfaaz SaaHib, if you had just asked the question rather than providing answers as well.Your lists are pretty comprehensive and therefore does n't leave much for others to add. "jaadah" I believe is Persian (and as Turkish has been mentioned recently, used there as well as "cadde"). 

paTrii/paTRii, naakaa

kuu, kuuchah


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## Qureshpor

Is the word "path" or "panth" and does n't "khaaNchaa" mean a bend in the road?


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## greatbear

QURESHPOR said:


> Is the word "path" or "panth" and does n't "khaaNchaa" mean a bend in the road?



"panth" is rather a religious or moral way of life that you embark upon; "path" could be used in both senses: the actual "way" or like a "Dagar" as in "insaaf kii Dagar pe chal ke dikhao bachcho".
"khaNchaa" does mean a bend in the road and hence also often used for side-roads, which was a part of OP's question.

Thanks for letting me know that boulevards exist in the UK. In India, I have rarely seen something that could be classified as a boulevard: only New Delhi and Bangalore come to my mind as cities having a few of those. In Delhi, they are all "marg"s, thus not classified separately.


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## greatbear

QURESHPOR said:


> paTrii/paTRii, naakaa
> 
> kuu, kuuchah



I have heard "kuuchah" though I never understood it's exact meaning: could you please tell me what is it? Never heard of "kuu" and "paTRii". And isn't "paTrii" rails and "naakaa" post (like an octroi-naakaa, where one would expect a road barred by some arrangement, so that one can pay octroi taxes)?


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## Alfaaz

> It might have been better, Alfaaz SaaHib, if you had just asked the question rather than providing answers as well.Your lists are pretty comprehensive and therefore does n't leave much for others to add.


Sorry...It was surprising to find so many words for "road"! Could members assign them English names/descriptions-where each Urdu word could be used? 
(The idea came when listening to the news and hearing Shahraah-e-Faisal and ____?____ highway in the same sentence, which made me think what other words are there and also how are they assigned to roads. For example, are there different names for tree-lined/landscaped roads, mountain roads, etc.?)


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## Alfaaz

> Since boulevards don't exist in India


Thanks for replying! I think a Wikipedia article on boulevards mentions there is a famous one in New Dehli...and the UK also (was shown recently in the royal wedding)...


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## marrish

Alfaaz SaaHib, I will have a look at a manual of the traffic code in Urdu I have somewhere but I'm afraid these words have been borrowed from English.

We also have _shaah-raah_ and _xiyaabaan_ in Urdu.


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## UrduMedium

I think at least in Pakistan at this time the most common word in use (in Urdu) is _roD _(road). It's used so much in speech and writing that there's no reason to not consider it part of the Urdu language. Whether it is Mall Road, MA Jinnah (Bunder) Road, Chundrigar Road, Clifton Road, Rashid Minhas Road, it is everywhere. It's like the word paark (for example) in its wide acceptance.

Lately I have noticed some of the upscale neighborhoods in Karachi (for example) also use the word Street, but it has not blended into the language like _roD_. Everyone from age 8 to 80 has the word on his/her tongue.


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## marrish

greatbear, I know I'm touching the old topic, but can you tell if it is pronounced drut or drit?
I'm asking because I would like to fix my pronunciation.


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## Qureshpor

greatbear said:


> I have heard "kuuchah" though I never understood it's exact meaning: could you please tell me what is it? Never heard of "kuu" and "paTRii". And isn't "paTrii" rails and "naakaa" post (like an octroi-naakaa, where one would expect a road barred by some arrangement, so that one can pay octroi taxes)?



"kuu" means a "street" (galii) whereas "kuuchah" is a small street (lane)

hai kitnaa bad-nasiib Zafar, dafn ke liye
do gaz zamiiN bhii nah milii, kuu-i-yaar meN

(Please note: Bahadur Shah Zafar was exiled and died in Burma)

Bahadur Shah Zafar

nikalnaa xuld* se Adam kaa sunte aa'e the lekin
bahut be-aabruu ho kar tere kuuche se ham nikle

Ghalib

* xuld = Garden of paradise

paTrii/paTRii are one and the same thing. The word of course is older than rails/railways. As the title of the thread is about kinds of roads, a rail-road would be "rel kii paTrii".

muR kar jo maiN ne dekhaa umiid mar chukii thii
paTRii chamak rahii thii, gaaRii guzar chukii thii

Josh Maleehabadi

Besides, "paTrii" can mean an "avenue" too.

Re: naakaa, this too can mean an avenue, a lane, an alley, a passage and so on.


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## Qureshpor

A few pieces of Urdu poetry incorporating words for "road".

yih *shaaH-raahoN* pih raNgiin saaRhiyoN kii jhalak
yih jhoNpaRoN meN GhariiboN ke be-kafan laasheN
yih maal-*roD *pih kaaroN kii rel-pel kaa shor
yih* paTriyoN* pih GhariiboN ke zard-ruu bachche
*galii-galii *meN bikte hu'e javaaN chihre
HasiiN aaNkhoN meN afsurgafii see chhaa'ii hu'ii

Sahir Ludhiyanvi

jahaaN teraa naqsh-i-qadam dekhte haiN
*xiyaabaaN xiyaabaaN* iram dekhte haiN

Ghalib

surxii *saRak* pih kuTtii dekhii
saaNs bhii bhiiR meN ghuTtii dekhii
aatish-baazii chhuTtii dekhii
lutf kii daulat luTtii dekhii
...

Akbar Ilahabadi


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## greatbear

marrish said:


> greatbear, I know I'm touching the old topic, but can you tell if it is pronounced drut or drit?
> I'm asking because I would like to fix my pronunciation.



Neither; kind of between the two. I am not a linguist, and it is difficult for me, unfortunately, to explain to you how is it pronounced. The mouth is neither rounded as otherwise in making "u" nor the lips widened as otherwise for making "i".


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## JaiHind

greatbear said:


> "maarg", "path", "saRak", "dagar", "galii", "raastaa" (meaning "way" but could also mean "road"), "khaaNchaa" and "pagdanDii" are some of the many, many words for different kinds of roads in Hindi, with "maarg"/"saRak" being kind of generic, that is, "road". Direct translations of these terms would be difficult: the context decides how to translate.
> Highway is "raajmaarg" and expressway is "drutmaarg". Since boulevards don't exist in India (neither in UK, as far as I know), I don't think we have a word for that in Hindi - just as English has borrowed the French word directly, I would favour the same approach for Hindi.



This is good answer. Dhanyavad.


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## Alfaaz

Thanks for replying everyone! 


			
				searcher123 said:
			
		

> In modern Persian:


Interesting!


			
				marrish said:
			
		

> ...I will have a look at a manual of the traffic code in Urdu I have somewhere...


Thanks, it would be interesting to see what words are used! Your effort is appreciated! 


			
				UrduMedium said:
			
		

> It's used so much in speech and writing that there's no reason to not consider it part of the Urdu language.


Yes, I would agree. As mentioned above, when I heard both English and Urdu words for "road" used in the same sentence, it caused curiosity about finding/learning more Urdu words (which seem to be less common than English ones).


			
				QURESHPOR said:
			
		

> A few pieces of Urdu poetry incorporating words for "road".


Thanks for the quotations of poetry!


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## tonyspeed

greatbear said:


> "maarg", "path", "saRak", "dagar", "galii", "raastaa" (meaning "way" but could also mean "road"), "khaaNchaa" and "pagdanDii" are some of the many, many words for different kinds of roads in Hindi, with "maarg"/"saRak" being kind of generic, that is, "road". Direct translations of these terms would be difficult: the context decides how to translate.
> Highway is "raajmaarg" and expressway is "drutmaarg". Since boulevards don't exist in India (neither in UK, as far as I know), I don't think we have a word for that in Hindi - just as English has borrowed the French word directly, I would favour the same approach for Hindi.



Only one I don't see here is raah. Alfaaz mentioned it in his original post.


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## marrish

Alfaaz said:


> *Background:* English seems to have many names for ways/roads/streets, etc.
> 
> highway
> expressway
> boulevard
> street
> road , side road , back road
> sidewalk , pathway
> Searching the Urdu dictionary gives:
> Arabic (14): شارِع , شارع عام , سَبِیل , مَسْلَک , صِراط , جادَہ , سلوك , شعب , طريق , مسلك , نہج , عقبہ , مسیر , معبر
> Farsi (8): شاہراہ , راہ , راستہ , روش , سایہ دار راہ , گزر گاہ , هنجار , خلیف
> Hindi/Sanskrit (2 or more): سڑک , ڈَگَر saRak, Dagar [...]



*
Hasn't your search provided any Urdu words?
*



Alfaaz said:


> marrish said:
> 
> 
> 
> Alfaaz SaaHib, I will have a look at a manual of the traffic code in Urdu I have somewhere but I'm afraid these words have been borrowed from English.
> 
> We also have _shaah-raah_ and _xiyaabaan_ in Urdu.
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks, it would be interesting to see what words are used! Your effort is appreciated!
Click to expand...



My effort which I've put into finding that book, hasn't really proven fruitful I'm afraid.

Overall, English loan-words are used in it, however the generic name for any type of road is undisputably _سڑک_.
It's been used over and over again. Surprisingly, the word _روڈ_ has not been used in this book (or scarcely).

The first three words you were enquiring about are there as in English. The fourth one, street, is simply _گلی_ - as indicated by Qureshpor SaaHib.

But there is one equivalent for side-road! It is _بغلی سڑک_. Side-walk is called _فٹ پاتھ_. Moreover, there is _موٹر وے_ and _سائیکل لین_ too.


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## Alfaaz

> *Hasn't your search provide any Urdu words?*


marrish SaaHib, I didn't understand the meaning of this question clearly..

I wrote Arabic, Farsi, Hindi/Sanskrit, which could have made you ask this question
If this is the case, then of course all of the words are also Urdu words, hence found in Urdu (paper/online) dictionaries  (as I mentioned in the OP)
I was just listing them in order of derivation/origin...as that seemed like an easier way, since there were so many. 






> Surprisingly, the word _روڈ_ has not been used in this book (or scarcely).
> But there is one equivalent for side-road! It is _بغلی سڑک_.


Thanks again! Interesting results.


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## marrish

Alfaaz SaaHib, these words were all Urdu words, indeed ! 
I understand that you have listed them in order of derivation, but if so, then I'll have to disagree on راستہ/راستا - this is a Urdu word, not Persian one. I haven't traced any Sanskrit word amongst them, and for the rest I don't agree on the point as if the two last words from the OP were to be derived from Hindi.

I'll try to read more of that book and if I find something I will share it here.


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## Qureshpor

marrish said:


> I understand that you have listed them in order of derivation, but if so, then I'll have to disagree on راستہ/راستا - this is a Urdu word, not Persian one.



marrish SaaHib, aap "raaste" kaa "raastah" kyoN band kar rahe haiN?

H راستا रास्ता, रासता _rāstā (for P.راسته rāsta, q.v.), s.m. Road, way, path, street, lane; (fig.) way, manner_

​


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## marrish

Qureshpor SaaHib I'm glad it hasn't escaped your eagle's eye; I wasn't aware of this meaning in Persian. Here is what Steingass says:
راسته rāsta

راسته _rāsta,_ Dexterous, right-handed; upright, just, true; *a market-place; a level road*;--_rāstaʼi-bāzār,_ or--


راستا _rāstā, Right; true; straight; a road; [ba-rāstā, Opposite, over against;]--rāsitā, Praise (doubtful)._


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## Sheikh_14

Alfaaz said:


> *Background:* English seems to have many names for ways/roads/streets, etc.
> 
> highway
> expressway
> boulevard
> street
> road , side road , back road
> sidewalk , pathway
> Searching the Urdu dictionary gives:
> Arabic (14): شارِع , شارع عام , سَبِیل , مَسْلَک , صِراط , جادَہ , سلوك , شعب , طريق , مسلك , نہج , عقبہ , مسیر , معبر
> Farsi (8): شاہراہ , راہ , راستہ , روش , سایہ دار راہ , گزر گاہ , هنجار , خلیف
> Hindi/Sanskrit (2 or more): سڑک , ڈَگَر saRak, Dagar



Would the following word طريق commonly used for road in arabic i.e. in Tareeq al Malek (King) Fahad  etc.  be qualifiable in the Urdu language?.


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## marrish

Sheikh_14 said:


> Would the following word طريق commonly used for road in Arabic i.e. in Tareeq al Malek (King) Fahad  etc.  be qualifiable in the Urdu language?.


Certainly not. There is neither a historical nor a practical reason for this.

[Edit, add:] it is impossible to comment on each and every entry from online lexicons as they may be not so serious and have different shades of meaning. For example 'the road to enlightenment' can be  طريق]


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