Indian English slang derived from the Hindi/Urdu word for mad, crazy, or mentally ill.
Indian English slang derived from the Hindi/Urdu word for mad, crazy, or mentally ill. Used widely across South Asia and in diaspora communities, 'pagal' covers a spectrum from genuinely mentally unwell to simply behaving erratically or foolishly. Delivery and context determine whether it is affectionate (fondly crazy in a fun way) or a genuine insult about someone's judgment or stability.
She called him pagal for quitting his job with nothing lined up, but he pulled it off.
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Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
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An Indian slang term meaning crazy, mad, or out of one's mind. Borrowed from Hindi/Urdu, pagal is used across South Asian English and diaspora communities to call someone nuts, reckless, or wildly irrational. It can be an insult, a playful tease, or even an affectionate compliment depending on context — calling your friend pagal for doing something daring has a totally different energy than using it seriously.
She drove four hours in the rain just to catch that concert — absolute pagal behaviour, but we love her for it.
(India) Mentally ill person; lunatic.
“BBC Asian Network Asian Network Breakfast with Nikita Kanda Now Playing Lata Mangeshkar & Udit Narayan Dil To Pagal Hai”