Rhyme in Hindi Poetry: A Simple Guide

• क़ाफ़िया (qaafiya), the rhyming word
• रदीफ़ (radeef), the repeated word or phrase after it

Example: if every line ends in "... ho gaya", the repeated phrase is the radif, and the words before it, such as "pyaar" and "intezaar" in an "-aar" rhyme, are the qafiyas.

Common rhyme families

Sound	Words
-आर	प्यार, इंतज़ार, इक़रार, इज़हार
-आना	दीवाना, फ़साना, ज़माना, बहाना
-ईद	उम्मीद, ताकीद
-आई	जुदाई, तन्हाई, रुसवाई
-आब	ख़्वाब, गुलाब, जवाब, शराब

Hearing the rhyme

Read a verse aloud and listen for the last sound of each line. If they match, you have found the rhyme.

Rhyme and meaning

Rhyme is not decoration. A strong rhyme word can sum up a verse. In "pyaar" and "intezaar", the sounds themselves suggest the connection.

Not all verse rhymes

Modern free verse does not rely on rhyme. Many contemporary poets prefer natural speech to strict rhyme.

Trying it

If you want to write your own, start by listing rhyming words for your theme, then build a line around each.

An original example

दिल को हर बार तेरा इंतज़ार रहता है, ये सफ़र कितना बेक़रार रहता है।

Dil ko har baar tera intezaar rehta hai, ye safar kitna beqaraar rehta hai. The heart always waits for you; this journey remains so restless.

An original couplet for illustration only.

Tips

1. Listen to the end of each line.
2. Learn a few rhyme families.
3. Enjoy the sound of verses read aloud.

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