ek ladhki ki sautan

English translation: two girlfriends

11:32 May 20, 2011
Hindi to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Advertising / Public Relations / literature
Hindi term or phrase: ek ladhki ki sautan
a girl whose boyfriend got himself another girlfriend.what will their relationship be called.what will the two girls be called?
Humera Nyem
English translation:two girlfriends
Explanation:
To answer the English part of your question, if someone has a girlfriend then gets another one, in the UK or probably also America, they do not have a relationship as such, certainly not one that is codified into the list of family relationships like aunt, sister, etc., or even like wife and mistress. They might be primary and secondary girlfriend at a pinch, or first and second, but there is no actual phrase we'd use as far as I know.

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Note added at 4 mins (2011-05-20 11:36:58 GMT)
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The original girlfriend and boyfriend also wouldn't have a specific title that described their relationship, apart from girlfriend and boyfriend or injured party and cheat, I suppose!
Selected response from:

Liz Dexter (was Broomfield)
United Kingdom
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2two girlfriends
Liz Dexter (was Broomfield)
4 +1Rival or adversary
sukirat anand
3 +1co(-)girlfriends / contemporaneous girlfriends
Noni Gilbert Riley
3 +1(co) victim of a "two-timer"
Shera Lyn Parpia
4 -1Ménage à trois
Lara Barnett


Discussion entries: 15





  

Answers


3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
two girlfriends


Explanation:
To answer the English part of your question, if someone has a girlfriend then gets another one, in the UK or probably also America, they do not have a relationship as such, certainly not one that is codified into the list of family relationships like aunt, sister, etc., or even like wife and mistress. They might be primary and secondary girlfriend at a pinch, or first and second, but there is no actual phrase we'd use as far as I know.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 mins (2011-05-20 11:36:58 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

The original girlfriend and boyfriend also wouldn't have a specific title that described their relationship, apart from girlfriend and boyfriend or injured party and cheat, I suppose!

Liz Dexter (was Broomfield)
United Kingdom
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Donna Stevens
33 mins
  -> Thank you!

neutral  writeaway: the suggestion in the discussion box is more accurate- it sounds like a love triangle. but what does it mean in the language it's posted in?
47 mins
  -> The relationship between each pair isn't a love triangle, though ...

agree  Thuy-PTT (X)
3 days 20 hrs
  -> Thank you!
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5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): -1
Ménage à trois


Explanation:
In English we use the French term.

"Ménage à trois"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ménage_à_trois

Lara Barnett
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:12
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Thayenga: Yes, and the 2 girls are either rivals or bi-sexual. :)
17 mins
  -> Thank you.

disagree  Donna Stevens: Menage a trois implies that all three participate in the relationship. The two girlfriends know about each other and may go out together with their shared boyfriend.
30 mins

disagree  writeaway: yes we use the French term but this is not a ménage à trois. In English or in French (or any other language) /it is sexual basically-if it's not sexual, then it's used more as an amusing expression. As a stand-alone expression, it is definitely sexual
43 mins

disagree  Arabic & More: This implies a sexual relationship that all three participate in together.
1 hr
  -> Please note " In contemporary usage, the meaning of the term has been extended to mean any living relationship between three people, whether or not sex is involved, ..." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ménage_à_trois

agree  Shera Lyn Parpia: Not necessarily sexual. Good solution.
19 hrs
  -> Thank you.
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
co(-)girlfriends / contemporaneous girlfriends


Explanation:
If they are both occupying the position of girlfriend, this is how I would describe them in relation to each other (not, I note, their relationship, whether it be cordial to the point of sexual, or of enmity).

The second option is a bit unwieldy

Noni Gilbert Riley
Spain
Local time: 18:12
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Rajan Chopra: co-girlfriends is the exact word in this context
6 days
  -> Thank you
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20 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
(co) victim of a "two-timer"


Explanation:
Just an idea, shifting the focus to the man. You might have to rearrange the text considerably.

The boy would be a two-timer and the girls his "victims".

More context is necessary to give a better answer, as others have said. There are also probaly strong cultural overtones to this concept and the implied acceptability/morality.

The hindi word "sautan" you have used actually means co-wife which would imply a relationship where they know about each other at the very least.


Shera Lyn Parpia
Italy
Local time: 18:12
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Vesna Maširević: :D
10 hrs
  -> Thanks!
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6 days   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Rival or adversary


Explanation:

Literally speaking, SOUTAN is 'the other wife of one's husband.

In this context ( of slightly figurative use of the word) I suggest the choice of word on these lines.. because it is about two contenders for one man's affection. Whether the boy is two timing , or the girls know each other or not, is not relevant.

sukirat anand
Local time: 22:42
Native speaker of: Native in PunjabiPunjabi

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  writeaway: thank you for an interesting explanation based on knowledge of the language
4 hrs
  -> Thank you!
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