भद्दा (bhaddaa)

adjective One adjective with two closely linked senses: physically ugly/unattractive, and (by extension) crude, tasteless, or unseemly in manner, speech, or humor.

Sense 1 : ugly, unattractive in appearance

adjective

Synonyms: बदसूरत (badsoorat), कुरूप (kuroop, literary)

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: You will hear this constantly about clothes, colors, haircuts, or furniture -- यह रंग भद्दा है (yah rang bhaddaa hai, 'this color is ugly') is a very ordinary complaint in a Delhi market or living room. It agrees in gender and number with the noun it describes, so you will meet भद्दा (bhaddaa), भद्दे (bhadde), and भद्दी (bhaddii) depending on context.

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes reach for बुरा (buraa, 'bad') when they mean 'ugly' -- भद्दा (bhaddaa) is the word for visual/aesthetic ugliness, while बुरा (buraa) covers general badness of quality or behavior.

Sample Sentences:

यह रंग बहुत भद्दा है। This color is very ugly.

(yah rang bahut bhaddaa hai।)

उसने भद्दे जूते खरीद लिए। He bought ugly shoes.

(usne bhadde joote khariid lie।)

यह कुर्सी इतनी भद्दी क्यों दिखती है? Why does this chair look so ugly?

(yah kursii itnii bhaddii kyon dikhtii hai?)

उसका नया हेयरकट थोड़ा भद्दा लग रहा है। His new haircut looks a bit ugly.

(uskaa nayaa heyarkat thodaa bhaddaa lag rahaa hai।)

अगर दीवार पर वह भद्दा पोस्टर न लगा होता, तो कमरा अच्छा दिखता। If that ugly poster hadn't been put up on the wall, the room would have looked nice.

(agar diivaar par vah bhaddaa postar n lagaa hotaa, to kamraa achchhaa dikhtaa।)

यह पर्दे मत खरीदो, ये बहुत भद्दे हैं। Don't buy these curtains, they're very ugly.

(yah parde mat khariido, ye bahut bhadde hain।)

मुझे नहीं लगता कि यह डिज़ाइन इतना भद्दा है। I don't think this design is that ugly.

(mujhe nahiin lagtaa ki yah dizaain itnaa bhaddaa hai।)

शायद यह वॉलपेपर उसे भद्दा लगे। Maybe this wallpaper seems ugly to him.

(shaayad yah volpepar use bhaddaa lage।)

इस इमारत को इतना भद्दा बना दिया गया है कि देखने में अच्छा नहीं लगता। This building has been made so ugly that it doesn't look good.

(is imaarat ko itnaa bhaddaa banaa diyaa gayaa hai ki dekhne men achchhaa nahiin lagtaa।)

बाज़ार में सब कुछ महंगा था, और जो सस्ता था वह भद्दा था। Everything in the market was expensive, and whatever was cheap was ugly.

(baazaar men sab kuchh mahangaa thaa, aur jo sastaa thaa vah bhaddaa thaa।)

उसकी नई गाड़ी का रंग बहुत भद्दा निकला। The color of his new car turned out to be very ugly.

(uskii naii gaadii kaa rang bahut bhaddaa niklaa।)

Sense 2 : crude, tasteless, or unseemly (of behavior, jokes, remarks)

adjective Commonly pairs with मज़ाक (mazaak, 'joke'), बात (baat, 'remark'), or हरकत (harkat, 'act/gesture') to mean a joke or comment that crosses a line of taste or propriety.

Synonyms: फूहड़ (phoohad), अश्लील (ashliil, leans toward vulgar/obscene)

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: This is the extended, figurative cousin of the 'ugly' sense: something that looks fine on the surface but feels distasteful or improper once you notice it, much like an object that is visually भद्दा (bhaddaa). Elders often use it to scold -- ऐसी भद्दी बात मत करो (aisii bhaddii baat mat karo, 'don't say such a crude thing') is a classic mild reprimand.

Common Mistakes: 1) भद्दा मज़ाक (bhaddaa mazaak, 'crude joke') is stronger than just 'a bad joke' -- it implies the joke was embarrassing, in poor taste, or crossed a social line, not merely unfunny.

Sample Sentences:

ऐसी भद्दी बात मत करो। Don't say such a crude thing.

(aisii bhaddii baat mat karo।)

उसने पार्टी में भद्दा मज़ाक किया। He made a crude joke at the party.

(usne paartii men bhaddaa mazaak kiyaa।)

यह चुटकुला बहुत भद्दा है, बच्चों के सामने मत सुनाना। This joke is very crude, don't tell it in front of the kids.

(yah chutkulaa bahut bhaddaa hai, bachchon ke saamne mat sunaanaa।)

नेता के भद्दे बयान से सब नाराज़ हो गए। Everyone got angry at the leader's crude remark.

(netaa ke bhadde bayaan se sab naaraaz ho gae।)

अगर तुम भद्दे कमेंट करते रहे तो मैं तुम्हें ब्लॉक कर दूँगी। If you keep making crude comments, I'll block you.

(agar tum bhadde kament karte rahe to main tumhen blok kar doongii।)

यह मत भूलो कि सार्वजनिक मंच पर भद्दी टिप्पणी करना अशोभनीय माना जाता है। Don't forget that making crude remarks on a public platform is considered improper.

(yah mat bhoolo ki saarvajnik manch par bhaddii tippnii karnaa ashobhniiy maanaa jaataa hai।)

काश वह इतनी भद्दी टिप्पणी न करता। I wish he hadn't made such a crude remark.

(kaash vah itnii bhaddii tippnii n kartaa।)

यदि उसकी भाषा इतनी भद्दी न होती तो लोग उसकी बात ध्यान से सुनते। If his language weren't so crude, people would listen to him carefully.

(yadi uskii bhaashaa itnii bhaddii n hotii to log uskii baat dhyaan se sunte।)

दादी हमेशा कहती हैं कि भद्दी बातें करने वालों से दूर रहना चाहिए। Grandma always says one should stay away from people who make crude remarks.

(daadii hameshaa kahtii hain ki bhaddii baaten karne vaalon se door rahnaa chaahie।)

फ़िल्म समीक्षकों ने कहा कि संवाद बहुत भद्दे थे और परिवार के साथ देखने लायक नहीं। Film critics said the dialogues were very crude and not fit to watch with family.

(film samiikshkon ne kahaa ki sanvaad bahut bhadde the aur parivaar ke saath dekhne laayak nahiin।)

क्या तुम्हें नहीं लगता कि यह इशारा थोड़ा भद्दा था? Don't you think that gesture was a bit crude?

(kyaa tumhen nahiin lagtaa ki yah ishaaraa thodaa bhaddaa thaa?)

Morphology

Adjective (variable)

(sg.m): भद्दा (bhaddaa)

(pl.m): भद्दे (bhadde)

(sg.f): भद्दी (bhaddii)

(pl.f): भद्दी (bhaddii)