ভয়

What does ভয় mean?

ভয় (bhoy) is a Bangla noun that means fear, fright in English.

Refers to fear, dread, or fright. In natural spoken Bangla, feeling afraid is expressed impersonally using the verbs পাওয়া (paoa) or লাগা (laga), rather than describing oneself directly with an adjective. A common learner error is translating 'I am afraid' word-for-word as আমি ভীত (ami bhito), which sounds stiff and bookish.

How do you say “fear” in Bangla?

Say ভয়, pronounced bhoy. Press play to hear a native Bangladeshi voice say it.

Pronunciation tips

• It has a breathy consonant (bh, chh, dh, kh, th): say it with a small puff of air, as if a soft h follows.

These sounds have no exact English match. Practise them letter by letter in the Bengali alphabet guide.