EngToHindi

Vegetables in Hindi

The market basket — सब्ज़ी (सब्ज़ी, sabzi) — in Devanagari with pronunciation, and the one word that means both the raw vegetable and the dish you cook from it.

Vegetables sit at the heart of Indian cooking, so this is some of the most useful kitchen-and-market vocabulary you can learn. The daily routine of buying fresh produce at the सब्ज़ी मंडी (vegetable market) means these words come up constantly — and the holy trinity of आलू (potato), प्याज़ (onion) and टमाटर (tomato) forms the base of an enormous number of dishes.

The single most important word here is सब्ज़ी itself. It does double duty: it names the raw vegetable on the cart and the cooked vegetable dish on your plate. So when someone asks आज क्या सब्ज़ी बनी? they mean “what vegetable dish was cooked today?”, not which raw vegetable you bought.

Everyday vegetables

The staples that appear in most Indian kitchens.
EnglishHindiPronunciation
Potatoआलूaaloo
Onionप्याज़pyaaz
Tomatoटमाटरtamaatar
Okraभिंडीbhindi
Eggplant / brinjalबैंगनbaingan
Cauliflowerफूलगोभीphoolgobhi
Cabbageपत्तागोभीpattagobhi
Spinachपालकpaalak
Peasमटरmatar
Carrotगाजरgaajar
Garlicलहसुनlahsun
Gingerअदरकadrak

More vegetables to know

Common in Indian cooking and worth recognising at the market.
EnglishHindiPronunciation
Green chilliहरी मिर्चhari mirch
Capsicum / bell pepperशिमला मिर्चshimla mirch
Bottle gourdलौकीlauki
Bitter gourdकरेलाkarela
Pumpkinकद्दूkaddoo
Radishमूलीmooli
Cucumberखीराkheera
Beetrootचुकंदरchukandar
Corianderधनियाdhaniya
Fenugreek leavesमेथीmethi
Green beansफलियाँ / बीन्सphaliyaan / beans
सब्ज़ी = vegetable AND the dish. The word सब्ज़ी (sabzi) means both a raw vegetable and a cooked vegetable preparation. सब्ज़ी ख़रीदना is “to buy vegetables”, while रोटी-सब्ज़ी on a menu means flatbread with a vegetable curry. The vegetable market is the सब्ज़ी मंडी and a vegetable-seller is a सब्ज़ी वाला.

At the market & in the kitchen

Buying by weight. Vegetables are sold per kilo. “Give me one kilo of potatoes” is एक किलो आलू दीजिए (ek kilo aaloo dijiye); “half a kilo of tomatoes” is आधा किलो टमाटर. Ask the rate with यह कितने का है? (yeh kitne ka hai?).

Two words for chilli. मिर्च (mirch) covers chilli generally; हरी मिर्च is the fresh green chilli and लाल मिर्च the dried red one or chilli powder. शिमला मिर्च (“Shimla chilli”) is the mild bell pepper.

The gobhi family. गोभी (gobhi) is the cabbage/cauliflower family: फूलगोभी is cauliflower (“flower-gobhi”) and पत्तागोभी is cabbage (“leaf-gobhi”).

A frequent learner mistake is assuming सब्ज़ी always means a single vegetable. When a host proudly says they made two सब्ज़ियाँ, they mean two vegetable dishes — listen for whether food is being cooked or bought.

Translate your own shopping list

Want to write “one kilo of onions and some coriander” in Hindi to show the vegetable-seller? Type it below.

Frequently asked

How do you say common vegetables in Hindi?
Potato is आलू (aaloo), onion is प्याज़ (pyaaz), tomato is टमाटर (tamaatar), okra is भिंडी (bhindi), eggplant is बैंगन (baingan) and cauliflower is फूलगोभी (phoolgobhi). Vegetable itself is सब्ज़ी (sabzi).
What does सब्ज़ी mean in Hindi?
सब्ज़ी (sabzi) means both a raw vegetable and a cooked vegetable dish — context decides. The vegetable market is the सब्ज़ी मंडी.
What is the Hindi word for potato and onion?
Potato is आलू (aaloo) and onion is प्याज़ (pyaaz). With टमाटर (tomato) they form the base of countless Indian dishes.
How do I buy vegetables in a Hindi market?
Vegetables are sold by weight, so ask for a किलो or आधा किलो: एक किलो आलू दीजिए means “give me one kilo of potatoes”. Ask the price with यह कितने का है?