Animal Names in Marathi and Hindi
Animal names are one of the easiest ways to start teaching Marathi or Hindi, because children already love animals and many of the words are short and fun to say. This list gives common animal names in Marathi and Hindi with their English meanings and a simple guide to saying each one, grouped into farm animals, wild animals, birds and small creatures. After the list you'll find games to practise the words and free worksheets to start reading and writing them.
How to Use This List
Each line shows the English name, then the Marathi word and the Hindi word, with a rough pronunciation in brackets. Start with 4–6 animals your child sees often, such as a dog, cat or cow, and add more once those feel easy.
Some animals have more than one common name. In Marathi, for example, both शेळी (sheli) and बकरी (bakri) are used for a goat. Use the word your family says at home.
Farm and Home Animals
- Dog: कुत्रा (kutra) · कुत्ता (kutta)
- Cat: मांजर (manjar) · बिल्ली (billi)
- Cow: गाय (gaay) · गाय (gaay)
- Buffalo: म्हैस (mhais) · भैंस (bhains)
- Horse: घोडा (ghoda) · घोड़ा (ghoda)
- Goat: शेळी (sheli) · बकरी (bakri)
- Sheep: मेंढी (mendhi) · भेड़ (bhed)
- Donkey: गाढव (gadhav) · गधा (gadha)
- Pig: डुक्कर (dukkar) · सूअर (suar)
Wild Animals
- Elephant: हत्ती (hatti) · हाथी (haathi)
- Lion: सिंह (sinha) · शेर (sher)
- Tiger: वाघ (vaagh) · बाघ (baagh)
- Monkey: माकड (maakad) · बंदर (bandar)
- Bear: अस्वल (asval) · भालू (bhaalu)
- Deer: हरीण (harin) · हिरन (hiran)
- Camel: उंट (unt) · ऊँट (oont)
Birds
- Peacock: मोर (mor) · मोर (mor)
- Parrot: पोपट (popat) · तोता (tota)
- Crow: कावळा (kavla) · कौआ (kauva)
- Sparrow: चिमणी (chimni) · गौरैया (gauraiya)
- Pigeon: कबूतर (kabutar) · कबूतर (kabutar)
- Duck: बदक (badak) · बत्तख (battakh)
- Rooster: कोंबडा (kombda) · मुर्गा (murga)
Small Creatures
- Rabbit: ससा (sasa) · खरगोश (khargosh)
- Mouse: उंदीर (undir) · चूहा (chooha)
- Snake: साप (saap) · साँप (saanp)
- Frog: बेडूक (beduk) · मेंढक (mendhak)
- Tortoise: कासव (kasav) · कछुआ (kachhua)
Same or Similar in Both Languages
Children learning both languages will enjoy spotting words that are the same: गाय (cow), मोर (peacock) and कबूतर (pigeon) are identical in Marathi and Hindi, and घोडा/घोड़ा (horse) and वाघ/बाघ (tiger) sound very close. Point these out; they make the second language feel familiar.
Games to Learn Animal Names
Keep each game to a few minutes and use only a handful of animals at a time.
- Animal sounds: you make the sound, your child says the animal's name in Marathi or Hindi
- Picture cards: draw or print a picture for each animal and match it to its name
- Act it out: take turns moving like an animal while the other person guesses the name
- Roll an animal: our printable roll an animal game gets children moving; say each animal's name as you play
- Puzzles: the animal word search and easy animal maze are good for older children
- Story time: tell a short story and let your child shout the animal's name each time it appears
Start Reading and Writing the Words
Once your child knows the spoken words, letter practice helps them read them too. Many animal names start with letters children learn early: क for कुत्रा, म for मांजर and मोर, ह for हत्ती.
Marathi: start with the free Marathi mulakshare worksheets, then Marathi reading and Marathi writing practice.
Hindi: start with the free Hindi varnamala worksheets, then Hindi reading and Hindi writing practice.
If you want all the letters, barakhadi, numbers, reading and writing practice in order in one PDF, the Complete Marathi Worksheets Pack and Complete Hindi Worksheets Pack cost ₹199 each.
Put it into practice
Bring this guide to life with our free printable worksheets.