आज (aaj)
adverb
A simple time adverb meaning 'today'; it also has an extended sense referring to the present era or modern times, as in 'nowadays.'
Sense
1
:
today (this calendar day)
adverb
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: आज (aaj) is one of the very first words every learner picks up, right alongside कल (kal) -- and famously कल (kal) does double duty for both 'yesterday' and 'tomorrow,' which makes आज (aaj) the stable anchor point in any conversation about time. You will hear it constantly in weather reports, plans, and greetings like आज (aaj) कैसा (kaisaa) दिन (din) है (hai, 'how is today')? .
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes add a postposition after आज (aaj) when talking about actions happening on that day, e.g. saying आज को (aaj ko) -- native speakers just say आज (aaj) जाऊँगा (jaaoongaa, 'will go'), no को (ko) needed, unlike with named days like सोमवार को (somvaar ko, 'on Monday'). 2) आज (aaj) is used with both past and future tense freely -- it does not lock you into one tense the way 'today' sometimes nudges English speakers.
Sample Sentences:
आज मौसम बहुत अच्छा है।
The weather is very nice today.
(aaj mausam bahut achchhaa hai।)
आज मैं दफ़्तर नहीं गया।
I did not go to the office today.
(aaj main daftar nahiin gayaa।)
आज शाम को हम सिनेमा देखने जाएँगे।
This evening we will go to watch a movie.
(aaj shaam ko ham sinemaa dekhne jaaenge।)
आज कैसा दिन है?
How is today?
(aaj kaisaa din hai?)
आज काम जल्दी खत्म कर लो।
Finish the work early today.
(aaj kaam jaldii khatm kar lo।)
काश आज छुट्टी होती।
I wish there was a holiday today.
(kaash aaj chhuttii hotii।)
आज रात का खाना कौन बनाएगा?
Who will make dinner tonight?
(aaj raat kaa khaanaa kaun banaaegaa?)
यह पत्र आज ही डाकघर से भेजा जाएगा।
This letter will be sent from the post office this very day.
(yah patr aaj hii daakghar se bhejaa jaaegaa।)
आज बैठक हो सकती है, पक्का नहीं है।
There might be a meeting today, it's not certain.
(aaj baithak ho saktii hai, pakkaa nahiin hai।)
आज मेरी माँ का जन्मदिन है।
Today is my mother's birthday.
(aaj merii maan kaa janmdin hai।)
मान लीजिए आज बारिश हो जाए, तो हम कल जाएँगे।
Suppose it rains today, then we will go tomorrow.
(maan liijie aaj baarish ho jaae, to ham kal jaaenge।)
Sense
2
:
nowadays, these days, in the present era
adverb
Synonyms: आजकल (aajkal, more common for this exact sense), वर्तमान (vartmaan, formal)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This sense shows up in reflective or generational comments, like something an elder might say about how times have changed: आज (aaj) के (ke) बच्चे (bachche) मोबाइल (mobaail) पर (par) लगे (lage) रहते (rahte) हैं (hain, 'today's children stay glued to their mobiles'). It is the same word stretched from a single day to an entire era, much like English 'today' can mean 'in this day and age.'
Common Mistakes: 1) For this extended sense many speakers actually reach for आजकल (aajkal) rather than आज (aaj) alone; using आज (aaj) by itself for 'nowadays' works but can sound slightly more literary or emphatic, as in आज (aaj) के (ke) ज़माने (zamaane) में (men, 'in today's era').
Sample Sentences:
आज के बच्चे मोबाइल पर लगे रहते हैं।
Nowadays' children stay glued to their mobiles.
(aaj ke bachche mobaail par lage rahte hain।)
आज के ज़माने में सब कुछ इंटरनेट पर मिल जाता है।
Nowadays, you can find everything on the internet.
(aaj ke zamaane men sab kuchh intarnet par mil jaataa hai।)
आज की पीढ़ी को बड़ों का उतना डर नहीं रहा।
Today's generation doesn't fear elders as much anymore.
(aaj kii piidhii ko badon kaa utnaa dar nahiin rahaa।)
आज के दौर में रिश्ते निभाना आसान नहीं रहा।
In this day and age, maintaining relationships isn't easy anymore.
(aaj ke daur men rishte nibhaanaa aasaan nahiin rahaa।)
अगर आज जैसा ज़माना पहले होता, तो लोग शायद इतना अकेला महसूस न करते।
If an era like today's had existed earlier, people probably wouldn't have felt so lonely.
(agar aaj jaisaa zamaanaa pahle hotaa, to log shaayad itnaa akelaa mahsoos n karte।)
दादी अक्सर कहती हैं कि आज के बच्चों में सब्र नहीं रहा।
Grandmother often says that today's children have no patience left.
(daadii aksar kahtii hain ki aaj ke bachchon men sabr nahiin rahaa।)
आज की दुनिया में जल्दी सफलता पाने की होड़ लगी रहती है।
In today's world, there's a constant race to achieve success quickly.
(aaj kii duniyaa men jaldii saphaltaa paane kii hod lagii rahtii hai।)
काश आज के समय में इंसानियत भी उतनी ही तेज़ी से बढ़ती।
If only humanity grew as fast in this era too.
(kaash aaj ke samay men insaaniyat bhii utnii hii tezii se badhtii।)
आज के समाज में हर कोई जल्दी में दिखता है।
In today's society, everyone seems to be in a hurry.
(aaj ke samaaj men har koii jaldii men dikhtaa hai।)