याद
yād
/jaːd/
Definition
A memory or recollection; the act of remembering someone or something.
Example
मुझे अपने बचपन की याद आती है।
Show translation
I remember my childhood. (Lit. "The memory of my childhood comes to me.")
Etymology
From Persian یاد (yād), meaning "memory" or "remembrance." Persian heavily influenced Hindi-Urdu vocabulary, and یاد entered common use across the subcontinent centuries ago. The same root gives the verb याद करना ("to remember/memorize") and याद दिलाना ("to remind").
Cultural note
याद is deeply embedded in South Asian music, poetry, and everyday speech. Bollywood songs endlessly invoke याद in the context of longing and nostalgia — phrases like "तेरी याद आती है" ("I miss you," lit. "your memory comes to me") are instantly recognizable to any Hindi speaker. Note also that Hindi uses याद आना (memory "comes") rather than a direct verb like "I remember," which can trip up English speakers.