ग़रीब (ghariib)
adjective/noun
Primarily an adjective meaning 'poor' (economically), with an extended noun sense referring to poor people collectively, and a common figurative use for someone humble or meek. Also spelled गरीब (gariib) without the nuqta, a very common simplification in casual writing.
Sense
1
:
poor, economically disadvantaged
adjective
Synonyms: निर्धन (nirdhan, formal), दरिद्र (daridr, literary), कंगाल (kangaal, destitute)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is one of the first adjectives learners meet, often paired with अमीर (amiir, 'rich') as a stock opposite pair, much like Hindi film plots built around 'अमीर और ग़रीब' (amiir aur ghariib, 'the rich and the poor') love stories. The nuqta under the ग़ marks its Persian/Urdu origin, but in everyday spoken Hindi almost nobody distinguishes ग़ from ग in pronunciation.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes drop the nuqta and write गरीब (gariib); both spellings are in everyday use, so this is not really an error, just a style choice. 2) कंगाल (kangaal) implies total destitution and is stronger than ग़रीब (ghariib) -- don't treat them as interchangeable in normal conversation.
Sample Sentences:
यह परिवार बहुत ग़रीब है।
This family is very poor.
(yah parivaar bahut ghariib hai।)
बचपन में हम बहुत ग़रीब थे।
In childhood, we were very poor.
(bachpan men ham bahut ghariib the।)
फ़िल्म की कहानी एक ग़रीब लड़की और एक अमीर लड़के के इश्क़ पर बनी है।
The film's story is based on the love between a poor girl and a rich boy.
(film kii kahaanii ek ghariib ladkii aur ek amiir ladke ke ishq par banii hai।)
अगर वह ग़रीब होता, तो शायद उसकी शादी नहीं होती।
If he were poor, maybe his marriage wouldn't have happened.
(agar vah ghariib hotaa, to shaayad uskii shaadii nahiin hotii।)
सरकार चाहती है कि कोई भी बच्चा ग़रीब होने की वजह से स्कूल न छोड़े।
The government wants that no child should leave school because of being poor.
(sarkaar chaahtii hai ki koii bhii bachchaa ghariib hone kii vajah se skool n chhode।)
देश की एक बड़ी आबादी अब भी ग़रीब है।
A large population of the country is still poor.
(desh kii ek badii aabaadii ab bhii ghariib hai।)
अरे यार, मैं बहुत ग़रीब हूँ, इस महीने पार्टी नहीं हो पाएगी।
Oh dude, I'm really poor, there won't be a party this month.
(are yaar, main bahut ghariib hoon, is mahiine paartii nahiin ho paaegii।)
अगर हम मेहनत नहीं करेंगे तो ग़रीब ही रह जाएँगे।
If we don't work hard, we'll just remain poor.
(agar ham mehnat nahiin karenge to ghariib hii rah jaaenge।)
उस ज़माने में गाँव के सारे किसान ग़रीब हुआ करते थे।
In those days, all the farmers in the village used to be poor.
(us zamaane men gaanv ke saare kisaan ghariib huaa karte the।)
काश हम इतने ग़रीब न होते।
I wish we weren't so poor.
(kaash ham itne ghariib n hote।)
ग़रीब से ग़रीब आदमी भी अपने बच्चों को पढ़ाना चाहता है।
Even the poorest of men wants to educate his children.
(ghariib se ghariib aadmii bhii apne bachchon ko padhaanaa chaahtaa hai।)
Sense
2
:
a poor person; the poor (collectively)
noun, masculine/feminine Used as a noun especially in the plural or generic sense, e.g. ग़रीबों की मदद (ghariibon kii madad, 'help for the poor'), often in the context of charity, government schemes, or social commentary.
Synonyms: निर्धन (nirdhan, formal), दीन-हीन (diin-hiin, destitute and helpless, literary)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You'll hear this noun sense constantly in the context of दान (daan, 'charity') and सरकारी योजनाएँ (sarkaarii yojnaaen, 'government schemes') aimed at ग़रीबों (ghariibon) -- it's a staple of news broadcasts and political speeches in India.
Sample Sentences:
सरकार ग़रीबों के लिए नई योजना लाई है।
The government has brought a new scheme for the poor.
(sarkaar ghariibon ke lie naii yojnaa laaii hai।)
यह मंदिर हर रोज़ ग़रीबों को खाना खिलाता है।
This temple feeds the poor every day.
(yah mandir har roz ghariibon ko khaanaa khilaataa hai।)
अमीरों और ग़रीबों के बीच फ़र्क़ बढ़ता जा रहा है।
The gap between the rich and the poor is increasing.
(amiiron aur ghariibon ke biich farq badhtaa jaa rahaa hai।)
ग़रीबों की मदद करो, यही असली पुण्य है।
Help the poor -- that is the true virtue.
(ghariibon kii madad karo, yahii aslii puny hai।)
काश सरकार ग़रीबों के लिए और स्कूल खोलती।
If only the government would open more schools for the poor.
(kaash sarkaar ghariibon ke lie aur skool kholtii।)
अगर मैं मंत्री होता, तो ग़रीबों को मुफ़्त इलाज देता।
If I were a minister, I would give free treatment to the poor.
(agar main mantrii hotaa, to ghariibon ko muft ilaaj detaa।)
दान हमेशा ग़रीबों को दिया जाना चाहिए, न कि दिखावे के लिए।
Charity should always be given to the poor, not for show.
(daan hameshaa ghariibon ko diyaa jaanaa chaahie, n ki dikhaave ke lie।)
पिछले साल इस इलाके के हज़ारों ग़रीबों को राशन दिया गया।
Last year, rations were given to thousands of poor people in this area.
(pichhle saal is ilaake ke hazaaron ghariibon ko raashan diyaa gayaa।)
नेता जी अगली सरकारी योजना में ग़रीबों को घर देने का वादा करेंगे।
The leader will promise houses for the poor in the next government scheme.
(netaa jii aglii sarkaarii yojnaa men ghariibon ko ghar dene kaa vaadaa karenge।)
शायद यह नई योजना ग़रीबों की ज़िंदगी बदल दे।
Perhaps this new scheme might change the lives of the poor.
(shaayad yah naii yojnaa ghariibon kii zindgii badal de।)
उन दिनों वह हर शुक्रवार ग़रीबों में कपड़े बाँटता था।
In those days, he used to distribute clothes among the poor every Friday.
(un dinon vah har shukrvaar ghariibon men kapde baanttaa thaa।)
Sense
3
:
humble, meek, harmless (figurative, of a person's nature)
adjective Used affectionately or pityingly about a person's temperament rather than their finances, e.g. calling someone a 'ग़रीब आदमी' (ghariib aadmii, 'harmless/meek fellow') even if they are financially comfortable.
Synonyms: बेचारा (bechaaraa, poor thing, pitiable), मासूम (maasoom, innocent)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This is a lovely bit of everyday Hindi color: a mother might say उसे मत डराओ, वो तो ग़रीब है (use mat daraao, vo to ghariib hai, 'don't scare him, he's such a harmless soul') about a shy child, with zero reference to income. It overlaps closely with बेचारा (bechaaraa) in tone, sympathetic and a little protective.
Common Mistakes: 1) This figurative sense has nothing to do with money -- learners sometimes miss that a wealthy person can be called ग़रीब (ghariib) to mean 'meek' or 'timid', which can seem contradictory at first.
Sample Sentences:
उसे मत डराओ, वो तो ग़रीब है।
Don't scare him, he's such a harmless soul.
(use mat daraao, vo to ghariib hai।)
मेरी बिल्ली बहुत ग़रीब है, किसी को कुछ नहीं कहती।
My cat is so meek, she never says anything to anyone.
(merii billii bahut ghariib hai, kisii ko kuchh nahiin kahtii।)
वह लड़का बचपन से ही इतना ग़रीब स्वभाव का रहा है।
That boy has had such a meek nature since childhood.
(vah ladkaa bachpan se hii itnaa ghariib svabhaav kaa rahaa hai।)
नए नौकर को मत डाँटो, वो बड़ा ग़रीब आदमी है।
Don't scold the new servant, he's a very meek man.
(nae naukar ko mat daanto, vo badaa ghariib aadmii hai।)
अगर वो थोड़ा कम ग़रीब होता, तो लोग उसका इतना फ़ायदा न उठाते।
If he weren't so meek, people wouldn't take such advantage of him.
(agar vo thodaa kam ghariib hotaa, to log uskaa itnaa faaydaa n uthaate।)
काश वो थोड़ा कम ग़रीब स्वभाव की होती और अपनी बात कह पाती।
I wish she were a bit less meek and could speak up for herself.
(kaash vo thodaa kam ghariib svabhaav kii hotii aur apnii baat kah paatii।)
यह कुत्ता देखने में डरावना है पर दिल से बड़ा ग़रीब है।
This dog looks scary but is really quite harmless at heart.
(yah kuttaa dekhne men daraavnaa hai par dil se badaa ghariib hai।)
दादी हमेशा कहती थीं कि जानवरों में सबसे ग़रीब गाय होती है।
Grandma always used to say that among animals, the cow is the most meek and harmless.
(daadii hameshaa kahtii thiin ki jaanavron men sabse ghariib gaay hotii hai।)
इतने ग़रीब आदमी को क्यों परेशान किया जा रहा है?
Why is such a harmless man being troubled?
(itne ghariib aadmii ko kyon pareshaan kiyaa jaa rahaa hai?)
Morphology
Adjective (variable)
(sg.m):
ग़रीब
(ghariib)
(pl.m):
ग़रीबे
(ghariibe)
(sg.f):
ग़रीबी
(ghariibii)
(pl.f):
ग़रीबी
(ghariibii)
Noun
(sg.m/f.direct):
ग़रीब
(ghariib)
(sg.m/f.oblique):
ग़रीब
(ghariib)
(pl.m/f.direct):
ग़रीबें
(ghariiben)
(pl.m/f.oblique):
ग़रीबों
(ghariibon)