महँगा (mahangaa)

adjective A single-sense adjective meaning 'expensive, costly.' Also commonly spelled महंगा (mahangaa) with the anusvaar instead of the chandrabindu -- both are standard.
Sense 1 : expensive, costly
adjective
Synonyms: क़ीमती (qiimtii, valuable, not always 'overpriced'), भारी (bhaarii, colloquial, of price)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will hear this word constantly at any Delhi bazaar -- bargaining almost always starts with someone saying यह तो बहुत महँगा है (yah to bahut mahangaa hai, 'this is way too expensive') to a shopkeeper, whether or not they mean it. Its opposite, सस्ता (sastaa, 'cheap'), is worth learning alongside it since the two are used constantly as a pair in comparing prices.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for क़ीमती (qiimtii) to mean 'expensive,' but it leans more toward 'valuable/precious' -- a thing can be क़ीमती (qiimtii) without being महँगा (mahangaa) in the sense of overpriced, and vice versa. 2) The comparative is formed with से (se) -- यह उससे महँगा है (yah usse mahangaa hai, 'this is more expensive than that') -- not with a separate comparative word as in English.
Sample Sentences:
यह तो बहुत महँगा है। This is way too expensive.
(yah to bahut mahangaa hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
यह जैकेट पिछले साल इतनी महँगी नहीं थी। This jacket wasn't this expensive last year.
(yah jaiket pichhle saal itnii mahangii nahiin thii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगर पेट्रोल इतना महँगा न होता, तो मैं रोज़ गाड़ी से ऑफिस जाता। If petrol weren't so expensive, I would drive to office every day.
(agar petrol itnaa mahangaa n hotaa, to main roz gaadii se ophis jaataa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
दिवाली के आस-पास हर चीज़ महँगी हो जाती है। Around Diwali, everything becomes expensive.
(divaalii ke aas-paas har chiiz mahangii ho jaatii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
क्या आपके पास इससे कम महँगा कोई मॉडल है? Do you have a model that's less expensive than this?
(kyaa aapke paas isse kam mahangaa koii modal hai?)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
इतना महँगा मत खरीदो, सस्ता वाला ही ठीक है। Don't buy something this expensive, the cheap one is fine.
(itnaa mahangaa mat khariido, sastaa vaalaa hii thiik hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
मुझे डर है कि आने वाले महीनों में किराया और महँगा हो जाएगा। I'm afraid the rent will become even more expensive in the coming months.
(mujhe dar hai ki aane vaale mahiinon men kiraayaa aur mahangaa ho jaaegaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
शायद यह उतना महँगा न हो जितना तुम सोच रहे हो। Maybe this isn't as expensive as you're thinking.
(shaayad yah utnaa mahangaa n ho jitnaa tum soch rahe ho।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
इस दुकान में हर चीज़ महँगी बेची जाती है। Everything is sold expensively in this shop.
(is dukaan men har chiiz mahangii bechii jaatii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
पापा हमेशा कहते हैं कि सेहत से महँगी कोई चीज़ नहीं होती। Dad always says nothing is more precious/expensive than health.
(paapaa hameshaa kahte hain ki sehat se mahangii koii chiiz nahiin hotii।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
आजकल दिल्ली के बाज़ारों में सब्ज़ियाँ भी महँगी हो गई हैं। These days even vegetables have become expensive in Delhi's markets.
(aajkal dillii ke baazaaron men sabziyaan bhii mahangii ho gaii hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Adjective (variable)
(sg.m): महँगा (mahangaa)
(pl.m): महँगे (mahange)
(sg.f): महँगी (mahangii)
(pl.f): महँगी (mahangii)