खुले आम (khule aam)
adverb
An adverbial phrase meaning 'openly, publicly, in full view' -- literally 'in the open, public (space)'. Related to खुला (khulaa, 'open') and आम (aam, 'common/public' in this sense, not the fruit).
Sense
1
:
openly, publicly, without hiding
adverb Functions as a fixed adverbial phrase; it does not inflect and typically sits right before the verb it modifies, e.g. खुले आम धमकी दी (khule aam dhamkii dii, 'openly threatened').
Synonyms: सरेआम (sareaam), खुल्लम खुल्ला (khullam khullaa, colloquial), प्रकट रूप से (prakat roop se, formal)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You'll hear this constantly in news reports about crimes committed खुले आम (khule aam, 'in broad daylight/publicly') -- like a theft or an assault happening in full public view, with a crowd watching but nobody stepping in. It carries a mild undertone of shock or disapproval: something that should have been hidden or shameful was instead done brazenly, for everyone to see.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes try to inflect आम (aam) here or treat it like the fruit आम (aam, 'mango') -- in this phrase it means 'public/common' and the whole expression is frozen, so only खुले (khule) shows any agreement-like form and even that doesn't change. 2) It's easy to confuse with सरेआम (sareaam), which means the same thing and is arguably more common in news/crime reporting -- both are safe to use interchangeably in most contexts.
Sample Sentences:
चोर ने खुले आम उसका मोबाइल छीन लिया।
The thief snatched his mobile phone right out in the open.
(chor ne khule aam uskaa mobaail chhiin liyaa।)
बाजार में दुकानदार खुले आम नकली सामान बेच रहे हैं।
In the market, shopkeepers are openly selling fake goods.
(baajaar men dukaandaar khule aam naklii saamaan bech rahe hain।)
इस तरह खुले आम झूठ मत बोलो।
Don't lie so openly like this.
(is tarah khule aam jhooth mat bolo।)
अगर वह खुले आम धमकी देता तो पुलिस पहले ही आ जाती।
If he had openly threatened someone, the police would have already come.
(agar vah khule aam dhamkii detaa to pulis pahle hii aa jaatii।)
सड़क पर खुले आम रिश्वत ली जा रही थी।
Bribes were being taken openly right there on the street.
(sadak par khule aam rishvat lii jaa rahii thii।)
क्या सरकारी दफ्तरों में भ्रष्टाचार खुले आम हो सकता है?
Can corruption really happen so openly in government offices?
(kyaa sarkaarii daphtron men bhrashtaachaar khule aam ho saktaa hai?)
उसने खुले आम अपनी गलती मान ली।
He openly admitted his mistake.
(usne khule aam apnii galtii maan lii।)
पत्रकार ने खबर दी कि दिन-दहाड़े खुले आम हत्या हुई।
The journalist reported that a murder happened openly, in broad daylight.
(patrkaar ne khabar dii ki din-dahaade khule aam hatyaa huii।)
काश वे लोग खुले आम इस मुद्दे पर बात करते।
I wish those people would talk about this issue openly.
(kaash ve log khule aam is mudde par baat karte।)
सारा शहर देख रहा था, फिर भी वह खुले आम मारपीट करता रहा।
The whole town was watching, yet he kept beating him openly, right there.
(saaraa shahar dekh rahaa thaa, phir bhii vah khule aam maarpiit kartaa rahaa।)