बना-बनाया (banaa-banaayaa)
adjective
A reduplicated adjective meaning 'ready-made' or 'already prepared' -- describing something that comes pre-formed rather than built from scratch, often with a connotation (literal or figurative) of a set plan, mold, or excuse.
Sense
1
:
ready-made, already prepared (literal, of objects/food)
adjective Formed by doubling बना (banaa, 'made') with its own perfective participle बनाया (banaayaa); the pattern itself signals 'already in finished form.'
Synonyms: तैयार (taiyaar)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: Think of buying kapde bane-banaaye (kapde bane-banaaye, 'ready-made clothes') off the rack at a shop in Karol Bagh, as opposed to getting them stitched to order -- this is the everyday, literal use of the phrase.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes write it as two unrelated words; it should stay hyphenated as one compound adjective, बना-बनाया (banaa-banaayaa). 2) Since it inflects like a regular adjective, the feminine/plural form is बनी-बनाई (banii-banaaii), not a doubled बनाया (banaayaa) left unchanged.
Sample Sentences:
मुझे सिलवाने का समय नहीं है, इसलिए मैंने बना-बनाया कुर्ता खरीद लिया।
I don't have time to get one tailored, so I bought a ready-made kurta.
(mujhe silvaane kaa samay nahiin hai, islie mainne banaa-banaayaa kurtaa khariid liyaa।)
करोल बाग़ में बने-बनाये कपड़े बहुत सस्ते मिल जाते हैं।
Ready-made clothes are available very cheap in Karol Bagh.
(karol baagh men bane-banaaye kapde bahut saste mil jaate hain।)
क्या तुम्हें बना-बनाया खाना पसंद है या घर का बना हुआ?
Do you like ready-made food, or homemade?
(kyaa tumhen banaa-banaayaa khaanaa pasand hai yaa ghar kaa banaa huaa?)
अगर समय होता तो मैं बना-बनाया सामान नहीं लेता, सब खुद बनवाता।
If I had the time, I wouldn't buy ready-made stuff, I'd have everything custom-made.
(agar samay hotaa to main banaa-banaayaa saamaan nahiin letaa, sab khud banvaataa।)
दुकान में बना-बनाया पर्दा टँगा था, बस दाम पूछना था।
A ready-made curtain was hanging in the shop, I just had to ask the price.
(dukaan men banaa-banaayaa pardaa tangaa thaa, bas daam poochhnaa thaa।)
शादी में पहनने के लिए उसने बना-बनाया लहँगा ख़रीदा, सिलवाया नहीं।
To wear at the wedding, she bought a ready-made lehenga instead of getting one stitched.
(shaadii men pahanne ke lie usne banaa-banaayaa lahangaa khariidaa, silvaayaa nahiin।)
अगर पार्टी के लिए कुछ जल्दी चाहिए तो बना-बनाया पिज़्ज़ा बेस ले आओ।
If you need something quick for the party, bring a ready-made pizza base.
(agar paartii ke lie kuchh jaldii chaahie to banaa-banaayaa pizzaa bes le aao।)
बाज़ार में बना-बनाया अचार भी मिलता है, पर घर के अचार का स्वाद अलग होता है।
Ready-made pickle is also available in the market, but homemade pickle tastes different.
(baazaar men banaa-banaayaa achaar bhii miltaa hai, par ghar ke achaar kaa svaad alag hotaa hai।)
फ़र्नीचर बना-बनाया लिया था, इसलिए घर सजाने में ज़्यादा वक़्त नहीं लगा।
The furniture had been bought ready-made, so decorating the house didn't take much time.
(farniichar banaa-banaayaa liyaa thaa, islie ghar sajaane men zyaadaa vaqt nahiin lagaa।)
मुमकिन है कि यह मिठाई बना-बनाया माल हो, हलवाई ने ख़ुद न बनाई हो।
It's possible this sweet is ready-made stock, that the confectioner didn't make it himself.
(mumkin hai ki yah mithaaii banaa-banaayaa maal ho, halvaaii ne khud n banaaii ho।)
Sense
2
:
ready-made, pat (figurative, of excuses/opinions/plans)
adjective
Synonyms: घड़ा-घड़ाया (ghadaa-ghadaayaa, less common)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You will hear this about excuses and opinions alike: एक बना-बनाया बहाना (ek banaa-banaayaa bahaanaa, 'a ready-made/pat excuse') is the classic complaint of a parent or boss who suspects the same tired line is being recycled rather than a genuine reason being offered.
Common Mistakes: 1) This figurative sense almost always carries a mildly critical or dismissive tone -- calling someone's excuse or opinion बना-बनाया (banaa-banaayaa) implies it is lazy or insincere, not simply 'convenient.'
Sample Sentences:
उसके पास हर बार एक बना-बनाया बहाना होता है।
He has a ready-made excuse every single time.
(uske paas har baar ek banaa-banaayaa bahaanaa hotaa hai।)
मुझे अपने बच्चों से बना-बनाया जवाब नहीं चाहिए, सच बताओ क्या हुआ।
I don't want a pat answer from my kids, tell me the truth about what happened.
(mujhe apne bachchon se banaa-banaayaa javaab nahiin chaahie, sach bataao kyaa huaa।)
बॉस ने उसका बना-बनाया बहाना सुनकर आँखें तक नहीं उठाईं।
The boss didn't even look up on hearing his pat excuse.
(bos ne uskaa banaa-banaayaa bahaanaa sunkar aankhen tak nahiin uthaaiin।)
अगर तुम कोई बना-बनाया बहाना दोगे, तो मैं मान नहीं जाऊँगी।
If you give some pat excuse, I won't just accept it.
(agar tum koii banaa-banaayaa bahaanaa doge, to main maan nahiin jaaoongii।)
उसकी राय हमेशा बना-बनाई लगती है, जैसे उसने खुद कभी सोचा ही न हो।
Her opinion always sounds pre-packaged, as if she'd never actually thought it through herself.
(uskii raay hameshaa banaa-banaaii lagtii hai, jaise usne khud kabhii sochaa hii n ho।)
काश उसके पास कोई बना-बनाया जवाब न होता, तो शायद वह असली वजह बताता।
If only he didn't have some ready-made answer, maybe he'd have told the real reason.
(kaash uske paas koii banaa-banaayaa javaab n hotaa, to shaayad vah aslii vajah bataataa।)
यह योजना तो बिल्कुल बना-बनाई लग रही है, जैसे पहले से तय हो।
This plan really looks totally pre-packaged, as if it was decided in advance.
(yah yojnaa to bilkul banaa-banaaii lag rahii hai, jaise pahle se tay ho।)
टीचर को बना-बनाया बहाना देने से पहले सोच लेना कि वह सब जान जाएगी।
Think it over before giving the teacher a pat excuse -- she'll find out everything.
(tiichar ko banaa-banaayaa bahaanaa dene se pahle soch lenaa ki vah sab jaan jaaegii।)
समिति के सामने बना-बनाया बयान पेश किया गया, जिससे किसी को यकीन नहीं आया।
A pat statement was presented before the committee, which convinced no one.
(samiti ke saamne banaa-banaayaa bayaan pesh kiyaa gayaa, jisse kisii ko yakiin nahiin aayaa।)
शायद उसके पास बना-बनाया जवाब हो, इसलिए वह इतने आराम से बोल रहा है।
Maybe he has a ready-made answer, that's why he's speaking so calmly.
(shaayad uske paas banaa-banaayaa javaab ho, islie vah itne aaraam se bol rahaa hai।)
Morphology
Adjective (variable)
Morphology could not be generated (hyphen-joined variable adjective 'बना-बनाया').