बहादुर (bahaadur)
adjective/noun
A loanword (via Persian) meaning 'brave, courageous'; used as an adjective describing courage and, historically, as a title/honorific suffix attached to names and ranks.
Sense
1
:
brave, courageous
adjective
Synonyms: साहसी (saahsii), निडर (nidar), वीर (viir, literary), हिम्मती (himmtii)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You'll hear this constantly in stories told to kids -- a बहादुर बच्चा (bahaadur bachchaa, 'brave child') is a stock phrase in Hindi children's tales and moral lessons. It also survives as a formal title in some contexts (e.g. historical military ranks like राव बहादुर (raav bahaadur)), which is where the word's Persian-via-Mughal-administration history shows through most clearly.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes treat this like a regular -आ adjective and try to inflect it for gender/number (bahaadurii as a feminine form is wrong for the adjective use) -- as an adjective it stays invariant regardless of the noun's gender or number.
Sample Sentences:
वह बहुत बहादुर बच्चा है।
He is a very brave child.
(vah bahut bahaadur bachchaa hai।)
सैनिक ने बहादुरी से नहीं, बल्कि डरते हुए काम किया, फिर भी सब उसे बहादुर कहते हैं।
The soldier didn't act bravely, he acted while scared, yet everyone calls him brave.
(sainik ne bahaadurii se nahiin, balki darte hue kaam kiyaa, phir bhii sab use bahaadur kahte hain।)
बहादुर बनो, डरो मत।
Be brave, don't be afraid.
(bahaadur bano, daro mat।)
अगर तुम बहादुर होते तो सच बोल देते।
If you were brave, you would have told the truth.
(agar tum bahaadur hote to sach bol dete।)
कहानी की नायिका इतनी बहादुर थी कि उसने अकेले ही राक्षस का सामना किया।
The heroine of the story was so brave that she faced the demon all alone.
(kahaanii kii naayikaa itnii bahaadur thii ki usne akele hii raakshas kaa saamnaa kiyaa।)
शायद वह इतना बहादुर हो कि तूफान में भी नाव चला सके।
Perhaps he is brave enough to sail the boat even in a storm.
(shaayad vah itnaa bahaadur ho ki toophaan men bhii naav chalaa sake।)
अंग्रेज़ों के ज़माने में कुछ ज़मींदारों को 'राव बहादुर' की उपाधि दी जाती थी।
During British times, some landlords were given the title 'Rao Bahadur'.
(angrezon ke zamaane men kuchh zamiindaaron ko 'raav bahaadur' kii upaadhi dii jaatii thii।)
माँ अपने बच्चों को सिखाती है कि बहादुर बनना यानी सच का साथ देना है।
The mother teaches her children that being brave means standing by the truth.
(maan apne bachchon ko sikhaatii hai ki bahaadur bannaa yaanii sach kaa saath denaa hai।)
क्या तुम इतने बहादुर हो कि अपनी गलती मान लोगे?
Are you brave enough to admit your mistake?
(kyaa tum itne bahaadur ho ki apnii galtii maan loge?)
वह घायल होने के बावजूद बहादुरी से लड़ता रहा।
Despite being wounded, he kept fighting bravely.
(vah ghaayal hone ke baavjood bahaadurii se ladtaa rahaa।)
बहादुर बनो और अपने डर का सामना करो।
Be brave and face your fear.
(bahaadur bano aur apne dar kaa saamnaa karo।)
Sense
2
:
a brave person, hero
noun, masculine Used as a noun of address or description, often affectionately or teasingly toward children or young men, e.g. calling someone बहादुर (bahaadur) to praise or gently mock a show of courage.
Synonyms: वीर (viir, literary), शूरवीर (shoorviir, literary)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: Older Delhi households sometimes still use बहादुर (bahaadur) as a generic, slightly old-fashioned way to address a domestic helper or watchman (historically linked to Gorkha/Nepali watchmen often being called by this name-like title) -- younger speakers today would find this usage dated and best avoided in casual conversation.
Sample Sentences:
वह असली बहादुर है जिसने बच्चे को बचाया।
He is the real hero who saved the child.
(vah aslii bahaadur hai jisne bachche ko bachaayaa।)
गाँव के लोग उस बहादुर को कभी नहीं भूलेंगे।
The villagers will never forget that brave one.
(gaanv ke log us bahaadur ko kabhii nahiin bhoolenge।)
सिपाही ने बहादुर की तरह दुश्मनों का सामना किया।
The soldier faced the enemies like a hero.
(sipaahii ne bahaadur kii tarah dushmnon kaa saamnaa kiyaa।)
बहादुरों के किस्से किताबों में लिखे जाते हैं।
The tales of heroes are written in books.
(bahaaduron ke kisse kitaabon men likhe jaate hain।)
बहादुर, ज़रा वो बैग ऊपर पहुँचा देना।
Bahadur, please take that bag upstairs.
(bahaadur, zaraa vo baig oopar pahunchaa denaa।)
अगर वह उस दिन वहाँ न होता, तो कोई बहादुर उन्हें बचाने नहीं आता।
If he hadn't been there that day, no hero would have come to save them.
(agar vah us din vahaan n hotaa, to koii bahaadur unhen bachaane nahiin aataa।)
क्या तुम सच में उस बहादुर से मिली हो जिसने आग से बच्चों को निकाला था?
Did you really meet the hero who pulled the children out of the fire?
(kyaa tum sach men us bahaadur se milii ho jisne aag se bachchon ko nikaalaa thaa?)
इतिहास में ऐसे कई बहादुर हुए हैं जिनका नाम कभी दर्ज नहीं हुआ।
History has had many such heroes whose names were never recorded.
(itihaas men aise kaii bahaadur hue hain jinkaa naam kabhii darj nahiin huaa।)
पुरानी दिल्ली की हवेलियों में अब भी कुछ बूढ़े लोग चौकीदार को बहादुर कहकर बुलाते हैं।
In the old havelis of Delhi, some elderly people still call the watchman by addressing him as 'Bahadur'.
(puraanii dillii kii haveliyon men ab bhii kuchh boodhe log chaukiidaar ko bahaadur kahkar bulaate hain।)
माना जाता है कि हर समाज को अपने बहादुरों की ज़रूरत होती है।
It is believed that every society needs its heroes.
(maanaa jaataa hai ki har samaaj ko apne bahaaduron kii zaroorat hotii hai।)
Morphology
Adjective (invariant)
invariant:
बहादुर
(bahaadur)
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
बहादुर
(bahaadur)
(sg.m.oblique):
बहादुर
(bahaadur)
(pl.m.direct):
बहादुर
(bahaadur)
(pl.m.oblique):
बहादुरों
(bahaaduron)