From Arabic *su'āl* (سؤال), meaning "a question" or "a request," derived from the root *sa'ala* (سأل), "to ask." The word entered Hindi via Persian, which carried vast amounts of Arabic vocabulary into the Subcontinent during the medieval period. Its twin, *jawāb* (जवाब, "answer"), also Arabic in origin, traveled the same route — the two words are natural partners in both languages.

In Indian classrooms and everyday conversation, *savāl* is the go-to word for "question," preferred over the Sanskrit-derived *praśna* (प्रश्न) in spoken Hindi. You will hear it constantly on news programmes ("yeh savāl uthta hai" — "this question arises") and in Bollywood dialogue. Note that *savāl* can also carry the weight of a challenge or issue, as in "yeh savāl nahin, yeh izzat ka masla hai" ("this is not just a question, it's a matter of honour").