Hindi · Pronunciation Guide

How do you pronounce "बच्चा" in Hindi?

Q: How do you pronounce बच्चा in Hindi?

बच्चा is pronounced with the stress described below. In IPA it is written /bətʃ.tʃaː/. It means “child.” buh-CHHAA — hold the ch closure for an extra beat, then release the second half with a puff of air.

buh-CHHAA — hold the ch closure for an extra beat, then release the second half with a puff of air.

बच्चा /bətʃ.tʃaː/

bachchaa

The time in this word goes into the middle, where the doubled consonant sits, rather than into either vowel. Rushing that gemination is the fastest way to sound non-native.

Listen: बच्चा

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Sound it out

ba Voiced ब with no breath in it — any sigh moves it into the भ series — plus a colourless schwa.

chch A geminate affricate: one long closure held roughly twice the normal duration, like the junction in "which chair" said as a single word.

haa The release is aspirated — a distinct puff after the affricate — opening into a long aa that marks masculine agreement.

Hear it in a sentence

बच्चा बाहर खेल रहा है।

Bachchaa baahar khel rahaa hai.

The child is playing outside.

Listen: बच्चा बाहर खेल रहा है।

Free browser voice. Hear it read by a real native speaker inside the LingoDrop app.

"Bachchaa baahar khel rahaa hai" pairs the noun with baahar, whose voiced h and short schwa contrast with the long, held affricate in bachchaa. Rahaa agrees masculine, matching the -aa ending on the noun.

Where English speakers slip

Three things go missing in a beginner's version: the extended closure, the puff on the release, and the neutral schwa at the front, which usually gets upgraded to a full vowel. What comes out is something like "bacha" said fast. Lean on the ch, then blow.