दादा (daadaa)

noun Most commonly means 'paternal grandfather'; also lives on in the common colloquial phrase for a neighborhood tough guy or gang leader, e.g. मोहल्ले का दादा (mohalle kaa daadaa, 'the neighborhood tough guy').

Sense 1 : paternal grandfather

noun, masculine

Synonyms: पितामह (pitaamah, literary)

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: In most North Indian households, दादा (daadaa) and दादी (daadii) are the grandparents you typically live with or near, since traditional families are patrilocal -- so these words often carry a warmer, more everyday-present feel than नाना (naanaa) and नानी (naanii), who are visited during holidays.

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often use दादा (daadaa) for any grandfather, but Hindi distinguishes sides of the family: दादा (daadaa) is specifically the father's father, while नाना (naanaa) is the mother's father -- mixing them up is a classic learner slip. 2) The paired term for grandmother is दादी (daadii), not a feminine form of दादा (daadaa) itself.

Sample Sentences:

मेरे दादा हर सुबह पार्क में सैर करते हैं। My grandfather goes for a walk in the park every morning.

(mere daadaa har subah paark men sair karte hain।)

दादा जी बरामदे में बैठे हैं। Grandfather is sitting on the veranda.

(daadaa jii baraamde men baithe hain।)

जब मैं छोटा था, तो दादा मुझे कहानियाँ सुनाते थे। When I was little, grandfather used to tell me stories.

(jab main chhotaa thaa, to daadaa mujhe kahaaniyaan sunaate the।)

दादा ने पिछले साल यह घर बनवाया था। Grandfather had this house built last year.

(daadaa ne pichhle saal yah ghar banvaayaa thaa।)

अगर दादा यहाँ होते, तो वे तुम्हें डाँटते। If grandfather were here, he would have scolded you.

(agar daadaa yahaan hote, to ve tumhen daantte।)

दादा जी, कृपया मुझे अपने बचपन की एक बात बताइए। Grandfather, please tell me something about your childhood.

(daadaa jii, kripyaa mujhe apne bachpan kii ek baat bataaie।)

शायद दादा को यह बात पहले से पता हो। Perhaps grandfather already knows this.

(shaayad daadaa ko yah baat pahle se pataa ho।)

दादा को अगले महीने अपनी पेंशन मिलेगी। Grandfather will get his pension next month.

(daadaa ko agle mahiine apnii penshan milegii।)

पूरा मोहल्ला दादा जी की इज़्ज़त करता है। The whole neighborhood respects grandfather.

(pooraa mohallaa daadaa jii kii izzat kartaa hai।)

दादा के द्वारा लगाया गया वह पेड़ अब भी खड़ा है। That tree planted by grandfather is still standing.

(daadaa ke dvaaraa lagaayaa gayaa vah ped ab bhii khadaa hai।)

दादा हमेशा कहते थे कि सच्चाई की राह कठिन पर सही होती है। Grandfather always used to say that the path of truth is hard but right.

(daadaa hameshaa kahte the ki sachchaaii kii raah kathin par sahii hotii hai।)

Sense 2 : local tough guy, gang leader, bully (figurative)

noun, masculine Almost always used in a fixed phrase naming the turf or group, like मोहल्ले का दादा (mohalle kaa daadaa, 'the neighborhood tough guy') or इलाके का दादा (ilaake kaa daadaa, 'the local don').

Synonyms: गुंडा (gundaa), भाई (bhaaii, colloquial, 'boss/don' sense), दादागिरी (daadaagirii, related noun meaning 'bullying/throwing one's weight around')

Frequency: medium

Cultural Note: This sense is everywhere in Hindi cinema and everyday banter -- a मोहल्ले का दादा (mohalle kaa daadaa) is the guy everyone in the lane is a little afraid of, and दादागिरी (daadaagirii) (the related abstract noun) means 'throwing your weight around' in that same swaggering way.

Common Mistakes: 1) This sense only works with a 'territory' attached (मोहल्ले का (mohalle kaa), कॉलेज का (kolej kaa)) -- calling someone just दादा (daadaa) alone in this sense sounds incomplete to a native ear; it needs the 'king of ___' frame to land as 'tough guy' rather than 'grandfather.'

Sample Sentences:

वो मोहल्ले का दादा बनकर घूमता है। He goes around acting like the local tough guy.

(vo mohalle kaa daadaa bankar ghoomtaa hai।)

उस गली में एक दादा है, जिससे सब डरते हैं। There is a don in that lane, whom everyone is afraid of.

(us galii men ek daadaa hai, jisse sab darte hain।)

पहले वो इस इलाके का दादा था। Earlier, he used to be the don of this area.

(pahle vo is ilaake kaa daadaa thaa।)

छोटू ने स्कूल में दादा बनने की कोशिश की, पर सब हँस पड़े। Chhotu tried to act like a big shot at school, but everyone burst out laughing.

(chhotoo ne skool men daadaa banne kii koshish kii, par sab hans pade।)

उसकी दादागिरी अब बंद होनी चाहिए। His bullying should stop now.

(uskii daadaagirii ab band honii chaahie।)

अगर वो दादा नहीं होता, तो कोई उससे इतना नहीं डरता। If he weren't such a tough guy, nobody would be so scared of him.

(agar vo daadaa nahiin hotaa, to koii usse itnaa nahiin dartaa।)

यहाँ दादागिरी मत दिखाओ, ये पुलिस थाना है, तेरा अड्डा नहीं। Don't show off your don-act here, this is a police station, not your turf.

(yahaan daadaagirii mat dikhaao, ye pulis thaanaa hai, teraa addaa nahiin।)

फिल्म में हीरो को गाँव का दादा बनते देखकर दर्शक तालियाँ बजा रहे थे। Watching the hero become the village don in the film, the audience was clapping.

(philm men hiiro ko gaanv kaa daadaa bante dekhkar darshak taaliyaan bajaa rahe the।)

अगर उसने अपनी दादागिरी नहीं छोड़ी, तो एक दिन उसे इसकी कीमत चुकानी पड़ेगी। If he doesn't give up his bullying, one day he'll have to pay the price for it.

(agar usne apnii daadaagirii nahiin chhodii, to ek din use iskii kiimat chukaanii padegii।)

उस बदमाश को हर कोई मोहल्ले का दादा कहता था। Everyone used to call that troublemaker the local don.

(us badmaash ko har koii mohalle kaa daadaa kahtaa thaa।)

Morphology

Noun

(sg.m.direct): दादा (daadaa)

(sg.m.oblique): दादा (daadaa)

(pl.m.direct): दादा (daadaa)

(pl.m.oblique): दादाओं (daadaaon)