B1 Collocation Neutral 3 min read

प्रचार करना

prachar karna

to publicize

Literally: to do publicity / to do propagation

In 15 Seconds

  • To publicize, promote, or campaign for something.
  • Commonly used in business, politics, and social causes.
  • Implies spreading a message to a wide audience.

Meaning

Spreading information or ideas to a large group of people, like being a human megaphone for a brand, a cause, or a political party.

Key Examples

3 of 6
1

Talking about a new business

Hum apni nayi app ka prachār kar rahe hain.

We are publicizing our new app.

2

Discussing politics

Neta ji agle mahine se prachār shuru karenge.

The leader will start campaigning from next month.

3

Asking a friend for a favor

Yaar, mere YouTube channel ka thoda prachār kar de!

Buddy, promote my YouTube channel a bit!

🌍

Cultural Background

Election campaigning (Chunav Prachar) in India is famous for its scale. It involves 'Padyatras' (walking tours), massive rallies, and wall paintings. Movie stars often go on 'city tours' to promote their films. This is a crucial part of a film's success in India. The term 'Pracharak' is used for people who dedicate their lives to spreading religious or social ideologies, like in the RSS or various Hindu missions. In villages, 'Munadi' (beating a drum to make an announcement) was the traditional way of 'prachār'. Today, it's replaced by mobile vans with loudspeakers.

🎯

Use 'Prachār-Prasār' for extra points

In formal writing or speeches, use the pair 'प्रचार-प्रसार' to sound more like a native expert.

⚠️

Watch the gender

Remember 'Prachār' is masculine. Even if you are promoting a feminine thing like 'Saree', you say 'Saree ka prachār kiyā' (not kī).

In 15 Seconds

  • To publicize, promote, or campaign for something.
  • Commonly used in business, politics, and social causes.
  • Implies spreading a message to a wide audience.

What It Means

Prachār karnā is all about spreading the word. Imagine you have a great idea or a new product. You want everyone in the neighborhood to know. You aren't just telling one person. You are telling the whole world. It’s like being a human megaphone. In English, we call this "publicizing" or "promoting." It’s a very active word. You are intentionally putting information out there. It’s about making sure your message reaches the masses.

How To Use It

The grammar is quite simple. You take the thing you are promoting. Then you add ka (of) and then prachār karnā. For example, Film ka prachār (Promoting the film). It works like any other karnā (to do) verb. You can change the tense easily. Main prachār kar raha hoon means "I am promoting." Usne prachār kiya means "He promoted." It’s a very flexible phrase for your daily Hindi. Just remember to use ka before the phrase!

When To Use It

Use this when you talk about business. If a company launches a phone, they do prachār. Use it for social causes too. Spreading awareness about planting trees? That’s prachār. It’s also the go-to word for politics. In India, politicians spend months doing prachār before elections. You can even use it casually. Maybe you are telling everyone about your friend’s new cafe. That counts as prachār too! It's perfect for any situation involving a crowd.

When NOT To Use It

Don't use this for secrets. If you’re telling a friend about a crush, don't say prachār. That would mean you're announcing it on a loudspeaker! Also, don't use it for simple "sharing." If you share a single photo on WhatsApp, use share karnā. Prachār implies a bigger goal. It’s for when you want to influence many people. It’s not for one-on-one private chats or sharing a piece of gossip.

Cultural Background

In India, prachār is a massive event. Think of election season. You will see colorful posters on every wall. You will hear loud music from auto-rickshaws. This is the heart of Indian democracy. It’s loud, vibrant, and very public. Even religious festivals use prachār to invite people. It’s a word that carries the energy of Indian streets. It’s about making a big noise for a reason. It's the sound of a billion people communicating.

Common Variations

You will often hear Prachār-prasār. This is a double-word that means "promotion and spread." It sounds more formal and complete. Another word is Vigyapān, which specifically means "advertisement." If you are talking about TV ads, use Vigyapān. If you mean the whole act of spreading the word, stick with Prachār. You might also hear Mashhoor karnā (to make famous). These variations help you sound more like a local!

Usage Notes

The phrase is highly versatile and fits in both corporate and street-level conversations. Just ensure you use the object marker 'ka' correctly to sound natural.

🎯

Use 'Prachār-Prasār' for extra points

In formal writing or speeches, use the pair 'प्रचार-प्रसार' to sound more like a native expert.

⚠️

Watch the gender

Remember 'Prachār' is masculine. Even if you are promoting a feminine thing like 'Saree', you say 'Saree ka prachār kiyā' (not kī).

💬

The 'Propaganda' nuance

In Hindi, 'Prachār' is less negative than 'Propaganda' is in English. It's often just 'promotion'.

Examples

6
#1 Talking about a new business

Hum apni nayi app ka prachār kar rahe hain.

We are publicizing our new app.

Standard business usage for promotion.

#2 Discussing politics

Neta ji agle mahine se prachār shuru karenge.

The leader will start campaigning from next month.

Very common context in India regarding elections.

#3 Asking a friend for a favor

Yaar, mere YouTube channel ka thoda prachār kar de!

Buddy, promote my YouTube channel a bit!

Casual way to ask someone to spread the word.

#4 Humorous self-promotion

Main apne hāthon ke bane khāne ka prachār khud hi karta hoon.

I publicize my own handmade food myself.

Funny way to say you brag about your cooking.

#5 Social awareness

Hamein safai ka prachār karnā chahiye.

We should promote cleanliness.

Used for spreading positive social messages.

#6 Texting about an event

Event ka prachār Facebook par karo.

Publicize the event on Facebook.

Instructional and direct for digital marketing.

Test Yourself

Fill in the blank with the correct postposition and verb form.

नेता जी अपनी पार्टी ______ प्रचार ______ रहे हैं।

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: का / कर

'Prachār' takes the 'ka' postposition and the verb 'karnā'.

Which sentence is grammatically correct?

Choose the correct past tense usage:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: उसने फिल्म का प्रचार किया।

'Prachār' is masculine, so 'kiyā' is correct. 'Kiyā thā' is also grammatically okay but 'kiyā' is the standard simple past.

Match the context with the appropriate Hindi phrase.

Match the following:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: all_matched

These are the standard collocations for each context.

Complete the dialogue.

A: नया ऐप कैसा है? B: ऐप तो अच्छा है, पर हमें इसका ______ करना होगा।

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: प्रचार

You need to 'promote' (prachār) the app to make it successful.

In which situation would you NOT use 'प्रचार करना'?

Select the odd one out:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Telling your sister a secret

'Prachār' is for public/organized communication, not private secrets.

🎉 Score: /5

Visual Learning Aids

Practice Bank

5 exercises
Fill in the blank with the correct postposition and verb form. Fill Blank B1

नेता जी अपनी पार्टी ______ प्रचार ______ रहे हैं।

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: का / कर

'Prachār' takes the 'ka' postposition and the verb 'karnā'.

Which sentence is grammatically correct? Choose A2

Choose the correct past tense usage:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: उसने फिल्म का प्रचार किया।

'Prachār' is masculine, so 'kiyā' is correct. 'Kiyā thā' is also grammatically okay but 'kiyā' is the standard simple past.

Match the context with the appropriate Hindi phrase. Match B1

Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: all_matched

These are the standard collocations for each context.

Complete the dialogue. dialogue_completion A2

A: नया ऐप कैसा है? B: ऐप तो अच्छा है, पर हमें इसका ______ करना होगा।

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: प्रचार

You need to 'promote' (prachār) the app to make it successful.

In which situation would you NOT use 'प्रचार करना'? situation_matching B1

Select the odd one out:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Telling your sister a secret

'Prachār' is for public/organized communication, not private secrets.

🎉 Score: /5

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

Not necessarily, but it is neutral. 'Galat prachār' means false propaganda, which is negative.

It sounds a bit boastful. Better to say 'Main apni skills ke baare mein bata raha hoon'. Use 'Prachār' for products or parties.

'Vigyāpan' is a specific advertisement (like a poster or TV ad). 'Prachār' is the whole act of promoting.

In Hindi, many compound verbs with nouns take the genitive 'ka'. It's like saying 'doing the promotion *of* something'.

Yes, in urban Hinglish, 'Publicity karna' is very common and understood by everyone.

No, for diseases we use 'Phailna' (to spread) or 'Prasār'. 'Prachār' implies intention.

You can say 'Prachār Prabandhak' (प्रचार प्रबंधक).

Yes, 'Dharm prachār' is the standard term for missionary work or spreading religious teachings.

It specifically means 'Election Campaigning'.

Yes, 'Post ka prachār karna' is perfectly fine for boosting or sharing a post.

Related Phrases

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विज्ञापन देना

similar

To give an advertisement

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प्रसार करना

builds on

To expand or disseminate

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जागरूकता फैलाना

specialized form

To spread awareness

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नाम कमाना

contrast

To earn a name/fame

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पब्लिसिटी स्टंट

specialized form

Publicity stunt

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