# Bengali vocabulary

Bengali (বাংলা Bangla) is one of the Eastern Indo-Aryan languages, which evolved from Magadhi Prakrit, native to the eastern Indian subcontinent. The core of Bengali vocabulary is thus etymologically of Magadhi Prakrit origin, with significant ancient borrowings from the older substrate language(s) of the region. However, in medieval times, more borrowings have occurred, from Sanskrit, Arabic, Classical Persian, Turkish and other languages has led to the adoption of a wide range of words with foreign origins; thus making the origins of borrowed words in the Bengali vocabulary numerous and diverse, due to centuries of contact with various languages.

## Origins of words in Bengali

Bengali is typically thought to have around 100,000 separate words, of which 16,000 (16%) are considered to be তদ্ভব tôdbhôbô, or Tadbhava (inherited Indo-Aryan vocabulary), 40,000 (40%) are তৎসম tôtśômô or Tatsama (words directly borrowed from Sanskrit), and borrowings from দেশী deśi, or "indigenous" words, which are at around 16,000 (16%) of the Bengali vocabulary. The rest are বিদেশী bideśi or "foreign" sources, including Persian, Turkish, Arabic, and English among others, accounting for around 28,000 (28%) of all Bengali words, highlighting the significant influence that foreign languages and cultures have had on the Bengali language throughout Bengal's long history of contact with different peoples and the cultural exchanges that came with such interactions.
Persian had one of the most significant influence in terms of foreign loanwords, and numerous sources put this figure at around 10,000 words at a minimum, which includes words that were borrowed directly from Persian and words influenced by it. However, these figures do not reflect the average Bengali speaker's vocabulary, as this will vary greatly by dialect. For example, Muslims and Bangladeshis typically lean on more Persian and Arabic words in their Bengali than their Hindu and Indian Bengali counterparts. Persian influence was so significant throughout Bengal's history, and was the official language of the region for 600 years, until the British arrived and changed it to English in 1836. Persian influence was so extensive that during the medieval Bengal period, a register of highly Persianized Bengali formed, known as Dobhashi, which was used by administrative officials and for literary purposes.

## Differences in vocabulary

This table below compares the differences of spoken and used Bengali vocabularies in Dhaka (Bangladesh) & Shantipur (West Bengal, India).
| Word | Dhakaiya dialect | Dhakaiya transcription | Shantipuri dialect | Shantipuri transcription |
| Water | পানি | pani | জল | jôl |
| Salt | লবণ | lôbôn | নুন | nun |
| Invitation | দাওয়াত | dawat | আমন্ত্রণ/নিমন্ত্রণ/নেমন্তন্ন | amôntrôn/nimôntrôn/nemôntônnô |
| Chili | মরিচ | môric | লঙ্কা | laṅkā |
| Maternal Aunt | খালা | khala | মাসি | maśi |
| Paternal Aunt | ফুফু | phuphu | পিসি | piśi |
| Bath | গোসল | gosôl | স্নান/চান | snān/chān |
| Wind | বাতাস | batas | হাওয়া | hāoā |

## Examples of borrowed words

Due to centuries of contact with Mughals, Arabs, Persians, Central Asians, and Europeans the Bengali language has absorbed countless words from foreign languages, often totally integrating these borrowings into the core vocabulary. The most common borrowings from foreign languages come from three different kinds of contact. After centuries of contact from Persia and the Middle East, followed by the invasions of the Mughal Empire, numerous Turkic, Arabic, and Persian words were absorbed and fully integrated into the lexicon. Later, European colonialism brought words from Portuguese, French, Dutch, and most significantly English. Some very common borrowings are shown below.

### Sanskrit (সংস্কৃত Sôṅskritô)

| Word | IPA | Meaning |
| বিশ্ব | biśśô | world |
| ধন্যবাদ | dhônnôbad | thanks |
| আশীর্বাদ | aśirbad | blessing |
| স্বাগত | śagôtô | welcome |
| নির্বাণ | nirban | Nirvana |
| যোগ | jog | Yoga |
| আর্য | arjô | Aryan |
| আসন | aśôn | seat |
| আশ্রম | asrôm | hermitage or monastery |
| অবতার | ôbôtar | Avatar |
| আয়ুর্বেদ | ayurbed | Ayurveda |
| বন্ধু | bôndhu | friend |
| বাসমতী | baśmôti | Basmati rice |
| ভাং | bhaṅ | Bhang |
| খাট | khaṭ | cot |
| ধুতি | dhuti | Dhoti |
| লুঠ | luṭh | Looting |
| মায়া | maya | Maya |
| সখা | śôkha | friend |
| স্বামী | śami | Husband |
| লাখ | lakh | Lakh |
| লক্ষ্মী | lôkkhi | Lakshmi |

### Substrate languages (দেশী Deśi "Native")

| Word | Meaning |
| কানা kana | blind |
| কালা kala | deaf |
| কুড়ি kuṛi | twenty |
| খোঁচা khõca | poke |
| খোঁজ khõj | notice |
| চিংড়ি ciṅṛi | prawn |
| চুলা cula | oven, stove |
| ছোট choṭô | small |
| ঝিনুক jhinuk | shell |
| ঝোল jhol | gravy |
| টক ṭôk | sour |
| ঠ্যাং ṭhæṅ | leg |
| ডাব ḍab | (green) coconut |
| ঢং ḍhoṅ | guile, dissimulation; fashion |
| ঢোল ḍhol | dhol |
| পেট peṭ | belly |
| বোবা boba | mute |
| মাঠ maṭh | field, open land |
| মুড়ি muṛi | puffed rice |

### Foreign (বিদেশী Bideśi)
#### Classical Persian (ফারসি Farsi)

| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning | Original form |
| আবহাওয়া abohawa | a.bo.ɦa.wa | weather | آب و هوا āb-o-hawā |
| চাকরি cakri | t͡ʃak.ri | job | چاکری čakri |
| আয়না ayna | aj.na | mirror | آینه āynah |
| আরাম aram | a.ram | comfort | آرام ārām |
| বকশিশ bôkśiś | bok.ʃiʃ | tip | بخشش baxšiš |
| মুসলমান musôlman | musol.maˑn | Muslim | مسلمان musalmān |
| আস্তে aste | as.t̪e | slowly, softly | آهسته āhistah "slowly" |
| কম kôm | kɔm | less, few | كم kam |
| কাগজ kagôj | ka.ɡoj | paper | كاغذ kāğaz |
| খারাপ kharap | kʰa.rap | bad | خراب xarāb |
| খোদা khoda | kʰo.d̪a | god | خدا xoda |
| খুব khub | kʰuˑb | very, greatly | خوب xūb "good" |
| গরম gôrôm | ɡɔ.rom | hot | گرم garm |
| চশম côśôm | t͡ʃɔʃom | eye | چشم čašm |
| চাকর cakôr | t͡ʃa.kor | employee, servant | چاکر čākar |
| চাদর cadôr | t͡ʃa.d̪or | blanket | چادر čādar |
| জান jan | d͡ʒaˑn | dear | جان jān |
| জায়গা jayga | d͡ʒae.ɡa | place | جايگاه jāegāh |
| ডেগচি ḍegci | ɖeɡ.t͡ʃi | pot | ديگچه dēgčah |
| দম dôm | d̪ɔˑm | breath | دم dam |
| দের der | d̪e.r | late | دير dēr |
| দোকান dokan | do.kan | store, shop | دكان dukān |
| পর্দা pôrda | pɔr.d̪a | curtain | پرده pardah |
| বদ bôd | bɔˑd̪ | bad | بد bad |
| বাগান bagan | ba.ɡan | garden | باغوان bāğwān |
| রাস্তা rasta | ras.t̪a | road, way | راسته rāstah |
| রোজ roj | roˑd͡ʒ | everyday | روز rōz "day" |
| হিন্দু Hindu | hin.d̪u | Hindu | هندو Hindū |
| পছন্দ pôchôndô | pɔ.t͡ʃʰon.d̪o | like, appreciate | پسند pasand |
| টেক্কা ṭekka | ʈek.ka | ace | تيكه tika "contract" |
| খুন khun | kʰuˑn | kill | خون xūn "blood" |
| আঙ্গুর āṅgur | aŋ.gur | grape | انگور angūr |
| আওয়াজ aoaj | a.wad͡ʒ | sound | آواز āwāz |

#### Arabic (আরবি Arbi)

| Bangla Word | Bangla transliteration | English meaning | Original form | IPA |
| আসল | aśôl | real | أصل | aṣl |
| আহাদ | ahad | one | أحد | ahad |
| এলাকা | elaka | area | علاقة ("relationship") | ʕalāqa |
| ওজন | ojôn | weight | وزن | wazn |
| কলম | kôlôm | pen | قلم | qalam |
| কিসমত | kismôt | luck | قسمة | qisma(t) |
| খবর | khôbôr | news | خبر | xabr |
| খালাস | khalas | conclusion | خلاص | khalāṣ |
| খালি | khali | empty | خالي | xālī |
| খেয়াল | kheyal | consideration | خيال | xayāl |
| গরিব | gôrib | poor | غريب | ğarīb |
| জমা | jôma | collect | جمعة | jamʿah |
| তারিখ | tarikh | date | تاريخ | tārīx |
| দুনিয়া | duniya | world | دﻧﯿـا | dunya |
| নকল | nôkôl | fake | نقل | naql |
| ফকির | phôkir | poor person | فقير | faqīr |
| বদল | bodol | exchange | بدل | badl |
| বাকি | baki | remaining | باقي | bāqī |
| শয়তান | śôytan | Satan | شَيْطَان | šayṭan |
| সাহেব | śaheb | sir | صاحب | ṣāḥib |
| সনদ | śônôd | certificate | سَنْد | sand |
| সন | śôn | year | سَنَة | sanah |
| হেকিম | hekim | physician | حكيم | ḥakīm |
| হিসাব | hiśab | calculation | حساب | ḥisāb |

#### Turkic (তুর্কি Turki)

| Word | Meaning | Original form |
| আপা apa | elder sister, any unknown adult lady | apa |
| কোরমা korma | korma | kavurma |
| খান khan | Khan | xan |
| খাতুন khatun | Khatun | xatun |
| চকমক cokmok | lighter | çakmak |
| বেগম begôm | lady | begüm |
| ক্যাচি kêci, কাঁচি kãci | scissor | qãïnçi |

#### Portuguese (পর্তুগিজ Pôrtugij)

| Word | Meaning | Original form |
| আলমারি almari | closet, cupboard | armário |
| আয়া aya | nurse | aia |
| ইস্ত্রি istri ইস্তিরি istiri | to iron | estirar |
| ইস্পাত iśpat | steel | espada "sword" |
| কামিজ kamij | shirt | camisa |
| গামলা gamla | basket | gamela "wooden trough" |
| চাবি cabi | key | chave |
| জানালা janala | window | janela |
| তামাক tamak | tobacco | tabaco |
| পেরেক perek | nail | prego |
| ফিতা phita | lace, ribbon | fita |
| বারান্দা baranda | verandah | varanda |
| বালতি balti | Bucket | balde |
| বেহালা behala | viola | viola |
| বোতাম botam | button | botão |
| মেজ mej | table | mesa |
| সাবান śaban | soap | sabão |
| কেদারা kedara | chair | cadeira |
| আতা ata | custard apple | ata |
| আনারস anarôś | pineapple | ananás |
| কাজু kaju | cashew | cajú |
| কপি kôpi | cabbage, cauliflower | couve |
| পাঁউ pãu | European-style bread | pão |
| পেঁপে pẽpe | papaya | papaia |
| নিলাম nilam | auction | leilão |
| পেয়ারা peyara | guava | pera "pear" |
| সালাদ salad | salad | salada |
| ক্রুশ krush | cross | cruz |
| গির্জা girja | church | igreja |
| যিশু Jiśu | Jesus | Jesus |
| পাদ্রি padri | Catholic priest | padre |
| ইংরেজ iṅgrej | English | inglês |

#### Dutch (ওলন্দাজ Olôndaj)

| Word | Meaning | Original form |
| ইস্কাবন iskabôn ইশকাপন iśkapôn | spades | schoppen |
| রুইতন ruitôn | diamonds | ruiten (lit. "rhombi") |
| হরতন hôrotôn | hearts | harten |
| চিড়িতন ciriton | clubs | klaveren (lit. "clovers") |
| তুরুপ turup | trump | troef |
| ইস্ক্রুপ iskrup | screw | schroef |

#### English (ইংরেজি Iṅreji)

| Word | Original form |
| অফিস ôfiś | office |
| জেল jel | jail |
| ডাক্তার ḍaktar | doctor |
| পুলিশ puliś | police |
| ব্যাংক baṅk | bank |
| ভোট bhoṭ | vote |
| ইস্কুল iśkul স্কুল skul | school |
| হাসপাতাল haśpatal | hospital |
| কাপ kap | cup |
| গ্লাস glas | glass |
| চেয়ার ceyar | chair |
| টেবিল ṭebil | table |
| বাক্স bakśô | box |
| লণ্ঠন lônṭhôn | lantern |
| প্লাস্টিক plasṭik | plastic |
| কলেজ kôlej | college |
| আস্তাবল astabôl | stable |
| সাইকেল saikel | bicycle |
| টাউট ṭauṭ | tout |
| ইঞ্জিন injin | engine |
| ক্যাঙারু kæṅgaru | kangaroo |
| বুমেরাং bumeraṅ | boomerang |

#### French (ফরাসি Phôrasi)

| Word | Meaning | Original form |
| ওলন্দাজ olôndaj | Dutch | hollandaise |
| কার্তুজ kartuj | cartridge | cartouche |
| রেস্তোরাঁ restorã | restaurant | restaurant |
| শেমিজ śemij | chemise | chemise "shirt" |
| পাতি pati | small | petit |

#### Chinese (চীনা Cīna)

| Word | Meaning | Original form |
| সাম্পান sampan | flat-bottomed wooden boat | 舢舨 sampan |

#### Japanese (জাপানি Japani/নিহোঙ্গো Nihoṅgo)

| Word | Meaning | Original form |
| মাঙ্গা maṅga | Manga | マンガ manga |
| সুনামি sunami | Tsunami | つなみ tsunami |
| রিকশা rikśā | Rickshaw | 力車 rikisha "(man-) driven vehicle" |

#### Burmese (বর্মী Bôrmī)

| Word | Meaning | Original form |
| লুঙ্গি luṅgi | longyi | လုံချည် lum hkyany |
| ঘুঘনি ghughni | | |

#### German (জার্মান Jarman)

| Word | Meaning | Original form |
| কিন্ডারগার্টেন kindargarten | kindergarten | |
| নাৎসি Natsi | Nazism | Nazi |

#### Italian (ইতালীয় Italīẏô)

| Word | Meaning | Original form |
| ফ্যাসিস্ত Phasist | Fascist | |
| ম্যালেরিয়া malaria | malaria | |
| মাফিয়া maphiya | mafia | mafia |
| স্টুডিও studio | studio | |