# Hindi: Light (as in the sun, as well as electrical light)



## amiramir

Hello,

Thank you all for your help.

There is an interesting thread here on light, particularly in an Urdu context: http://forum.wordreference.com/threads/urdu-hindi-light-jagaana.1835176/

From a Hindi perspective, if indeed this perspective is different, I'm looking for a decent way of referring to:
1) 'turn on the light'
2) Light, as in the light from the sun, lamp, candle

Re: 1) In my family, I mostly hear Light on/off karo. Or batti/bijli on/off karo if people are feeling at least somewhat desi that day. Can I say batti/bijli chaalu karo? Is that OK? I don't ever hear the word chaalu (unless it refers to people!) in my anglicized family, so I'm doubting myself.

Re: 2) I know the word roshani, but I'm not sure if this is a usual word. Would I refer to the light from the sun, a lamp, a candle, and a streetlight all as roshani? Specifically, my baby daughter keeps pointing to light from lamps, and she says light. I'm trying to tell her what it is in Hindi, but calling it roshani sounds strange to me, but I'm no native.

Many thanks.


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## tonyspeed

amiramir said:


> I know the word roshani, but I'm not sure if this is a usual word. Would I refer to the light from the sun, a lamp, a candle, and a streetlight all as roshani?



I believe the word is commonly pronounced either raushnii or roshnii - notice the 'a' is gone.


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## Khaanabadosh

This is what we use in North India, specifically Uttar Pradesh (so this equally applies for both Hindi andUrdu speakers)

1) Switch on the fan
Pankha chalaa do/ Pankha chalaao

2) Turn on the light (electric bulb)
Batti jalaa do/ Batti jalaao

We don't use the word 'raushnii' for this phrase.

However, it's used to refer to light from all the sources whether it's sun, lamp, candle or bulb

sooraj kii raushnii (Sun light)
diye kii raushnii (Light from lamp)
lantern kii raushnii (Light from lantern)
bulb kii raushnii (Light from Electric bulb)
tube light kii raushnii (Light from Tubelight)
mom-batti kii raushnii (Candle light)


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## Dib

For electric lamps, the normal (non-Anglicized) Hindi word is "battii":
1. turn on the lamp = battii jalaa do
2. turn off the lamp = battii bujhaa do

For sunlight, it is indeed raushnii (or roshnii?), as in "suuraj kii raushnii". In fact, "raushnii" is the everyday word for the physical energy called "light". However, remember there is also "dhuup" (feminine), which means specifically "sunlight", but there is a difference in usage. "raushnii" only refers to the character of making things visible, bright; while "dhuup" additionally involves the characteristics of warmth, etc. My description of the distinction is ad-hoc, though. I am sure other posters will make it clearer if necessary.

EDIT: Cross-posted with Khaanabadosh. But thankfully, we agree on all points.


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## Khaanabadosh

Agree with you on 'dhuup'. Context is always warmth from sun-light.


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## Alfaaz

*Questions:* 

Where would प्रकाश be on the spectrum? (It is one of the words currently suggested on Google Translate for _light_.) 
Is it mostly used in literature and formal language or is it also used in colloquial language?


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## Khaanabadosh

Prakaash is mostly used formally in Hindi or when someone switches to a higher register. It's derived from Sanskrit.


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## tonyspeed

There are also ujaalaa/ujiyaalaa and jyoti


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## amiramir

Thank you all for your super helpful comments. 

Just to confirm, so no one says batti chaalu karo? Is chaalu more for machines etc? 

And I noticed no one in the thread uses bijli either...

Many thanks.


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## Dib

tonyspeed said:


> There are also ujaalaa/ujiyaalaa and jyoti


 
I like the word "ujaalaa", though I am not very sure about its correct usage beyond the only context where I use it:
e.g. "subah ujaalaa hote hii, ham nikal paRe"

Can it be considered synonymous with "daylight"?

Your "jyoti" reminds me of another word - "jot" (feminine), which I have heard in Delhi in Hindu ritualic context for referring to oil-lamps (diipak, diyaa), etc.



amiramir said:


> And I noticed no one in the thread uses bijli either...


 
bijlii is electricity. So, you can actually say "bijlii chaaluu/band karo" if you mean "turn the power on/off". I'd normally use this for the main switch controlling the power supply for a whole house, for example but that's, of course, not the only possible context.


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## amiramir

Thanks, Dibji.


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## Khaanabadosh

When after electricity cut, the power comes back, we say
Bijlii aa gayii or
Batti aa gayii

Ujaalaa isn't used in context of a light emitting source, it refers to a state of brightness or light, so 
Sooraj ke nikalte hi ujaalaa Ho gaya

Jyoti/jyot (jot is colloquial and I think influenced by Punjabi speakers) can refer to light or flame, but it's usage is more formal or when light becomes an abstract noun.


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## Alfaaz

Thanks for the answers to the previous questions. 


			
				Khaanabadosh said:
			
		

> Jyoti/jyot (jot is colloquial and I think influenced by Punjabi speakers) ...


 _jot/jotii_ actually seem to be considered acceptable pronunciations (and more common, at least in Urdu: Platts entry).


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## mundiya

Happy Diwali everyone! Diwali is the festival of *lights*...

"jot" is a common variant of "jyoti" and indeed acceptable, but it's not the result of Punjabi influence. On a side note, I was just listening to an old Hindi song: jot se jot jagaate chalo.


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## marrish

Happy Diwali too! _*jot*_ is there in Urdu too. _bijlii/battii *j*alaanaa_ is also there. It's not _chalaanaa_. I think _*chaaluu* karo_ is not quite idiomatic and has probably to do with some sort of slang or regional usage.


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## mundiya

Dib said:


> For sunlight, it is indeed raushnii (or roshnii?),



Both pronunciations are prevalent, but I feel "r*o*shnii" is used more.


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## bakshink

bijli aa gayee- chalee gayi, bijli ka bill, bijalee vaale aye hain is how bijli word used in North (Punjab) India. Bijli ka kharcha zyada ayega- but [batti jala do/bujha do] is what is commonly used. Surprisingly, no one has said here "Batti jaga do" which we in Indian Punjab say in place of jala do unless we are referring to lighting the lamp/diya by giving fire to it.


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