अँग्रेज़ी (angrezii)

noun/adjective This word means 'English' -- both the language and, as an adjective, anything relating to England/the English/Western style. Also commonly spelled अंग्रेज़ी (angrezii) with the anusvara instead of the chandrabindu; both spellings are current and pass as the same word.
Sense 1 : the English language
noun, feminine
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: In Delhi-NCR, how much अँग्रेज़ी (angrezii) someone speaks is loaded with class signaling -- 'अँग्रेज़ी में बात करता है' (angrezii men baat kartaa hai, 'he talks in English') can be said with admiration or with a pointed dig at someone showing off. Many urban households mix Hindi and English so freely that fluency in this word's referent is assumed rather than remarked on.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes add an unnecessary article-like word before अँग्रेज़ी (angrezii) when naming the language, e.g. saying 'the English' style phrasing carried over from English; Hindi just uses the bare noun, as in अँग्रेज़ी बोलना (angrezii bolnaa, 'to speak English').
Sample Sentences:
मुझे अँग्रेज़ी बोलनी नहीं आती। I don't know how to speak English.
(mujhe angrezii bolnii nahiin aatii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
वह हमेशा अँग्रेज़ी में बात करता है, चाहे सामने वाला समझे या न समझे। He always talks in English, whether the other person understands or not.
(vah hameshaa angrezii men baat kartaa hai, chaahe saamne vaalaa samjhe yaa n samjhe।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
स्कूल में हमें अँग्रेज़ी और हिंदी दोनों पढ़ाई जाती हैं। In school, we are taught both English and Hindi.
(skool men hamen angrezii aur hindii donon padhaaii jaatii hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
अगर तुम्हें अँग्रेज़ी सीखनी है, तो हर दिन अभ्यास करो। If you want to learn English, practice every day.
(agar tumhen angrezii siikhnii hai, to har din abhyaas karo।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
मेरी बेटी बहुत अच्छी अँग्रेज़ी बोलती है। My daughter speaks very good English.
(merii betii bahut achchhii angrezii boltii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
काश मुझे भी अँग्रेज़ी उतनी अच्छी आती जितनी उसे आती है। I wish I knew English as well as he does.
(kaash mujhe bhii angrezii utnii achchhii aatii jitnii use aatii hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
इंटरव्यू में उससे अँग्रेज़ी में सवाल पूछे गए। In the interview, he was asked questions in English.
(intravyoo men usse angrezii men savaal poochhe gae।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
क्या तुम मुझे थोड़ी अँग्रेज़ी सिखा सकते हो? Can you teach me a little English?
(kyaa tum mujhe thodii angrezii sikhaa sakte ho?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
मुझे लगता है वह जानबूझकर अँग्रेज़ी में बात करता है ताकि सब उसे पढ़ा-लिखा समझें। I think he deliberately talks in English so that everyone considers him educated.
(mujhe lagtaa hai vah jaanboojhkar angrezii men baat kartaa hai taaki sab use padhaa-likhaa samjhen।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
पहले वह अँग्रेज़ी में हिचकिचाता था, अब आराम से बोल लेता है। He used to hesitate in English before, but now he speaks it comfortably.
(pahle vah angrezii men hichkichaataa thaa, ab aaraam se bol letaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
भारत में अँग्रेज़ी को अक्सर तरक्की और पद की भाषा माना जाता है। In India, English is often considered the language of progress and status.
(bhaarat men angrezii ko aksar tarakkii aur pad kii bhaashaa maanaa jaataa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
Sense 2 : English, Western, foreign (in style or origin)
adjective
Synonyms: विदेशी (videshii, broader: any foreign, not specifically English)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This adjective use goes beyond nationality: अँग्रेज़ी दवा (angrezii davaa, 'English medicine') means Western/allopathic medicine as opposed to आयुर्वेदिक (aayurvedik) or देसी (desii) remedies, and अँग्रेज़ी शराब (angrezii sharaab, 'English liquor') distinguishes bottled Western-style liquor from देसी (desii) country liquor. The underlying contrast is always 'foreign/modern' versus 'desi/traditional.'
Sample Sentences:
बुखार ज़्यादा है, अँग्रेज़ी दवा ले लो। The fever is high, take some Western medicine.
(bukhaar zyaadaa hai, angrezii davaa le lo।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
मेरी दादी अँग्रेज़ी दवाओं पर भरोसा नहीं करतीं, वे हमेशा देसी नुस्खे अपनाती हैं। My grandmother doesn't trust Western medicines, she always uses traditional remedies.
(merii daadii angrezii davaaon par bharosaa nahiin kartiin, ve hameshaa desii nuskhe apnaatii hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
पार्टी में उसने अँग्रेज़ी शराब ही मँगवाई थी। He had only ordered English liquor for the party.
(paartii men usne angrezii sharaab hii mangvaaii thii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
गाँव की दुकान में देसी शराब मिलती है, अँग्रेज़ी शराब के लिए शहर जाना पड़ता है। The village shop has country liquor, for English liquor you have to go to the city.
(gaanv kii dukaan men desii sharaab miltii hai, angrezii sharaab ke lie shahar jaanaa padtaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उसने पूरे घर को अँग्रेज़ी ढंग से सजाया है। He has decorated the whole house in a Western style.
(usne poore ghar ko angrezii dhang se sajaayaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर उसे अँग्रेज़ी खाना पसंद होता, तो वह हर हफ़्ते उस रेस्तराँ में जाता। If he liked Western food, he would go to that restaurant every week.
(agar use angrezii khaanaa pasand hotaa, to vah har hafte us restraan men jaataa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
डॉक्टर ने सलाह दी कि आयुर्वेदिक की जगह अँग्रेज़ी इलाज कराया जाए। The doctor advised that Western treatment be taken instead of Ayurvedic.
(doktar ne salaah dii ki aayurvedik kii jagah angrezii ilaaj karaayaa jaae।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Passive
शादी में लड़के वालों ने अँग्रेज़ी सूट पहना और लड़की वालों ने देसी पोशाक। At the wedding, the groom's side wore Western suits and the bride's side wore traditional attire.
(shaadii men ladke vaalon ne angrezii soot pahnaa aur ladkii vaalon ne desii poshaak।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
यह अँग्रेज़ी तौर-तरीका हमारी संस्कृति से मेल नहीं खाता। This Western way of doing things doesn't match our culture.
(yah angrezii taur-tariikaa hamaarii sanskriti se mel nahiin khaataa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर दर्द ज़्यादा बढ़े, तो अँग्रेज़ी दवा खा लेना, वरना घरेलू नुस्खे से ठीक हो जाएगा। If the pain increases too much, then take Western medicine, otherwise it'll get better with home remedies.
(agar dard zyaadaa badhe, to angrezii davaa khaa lenaa, varnaa ghareloo nuskhe se thiik ho jaaegaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): अँग्रेज़ी (angrezii)
(sg.f.oblique): अँग्रेज़ी (angrezii)
(pl.f.direct): अँग्रेज़ियाँ (angreziyaan)
(pl.f.oblique): अँग्रेज़ियों (angreziyon)
Adjective (invariant)
invariant: अँग्रेज़ी (angrezii)