चालू (chaaloo)
adjective
Covers two related strands: a literal/functional sense ('running, operational, current') used for machines, systems, and ongoing schedules, and a figurative sense describing a person as 'shrewd, cunning, or sly' -- often with a disapproving edge.
Sense
1
:
operational, running, switched on
adjective
Synonyms: जारी (jaarii), सक्रिय (sakriy)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will hear this constantly about gadgets and vehicles: TV चालू है (tiivii chaaloo hai, 'the TV is on'), गाड़ी चालू करो (gaadii chaaloo karo, 'start the car'). It is the everyday opposite of बंद (band, 'off/closed'), and Delhi shopkeepers and mechanics use this pair constantly.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes reach for चालू (chaaloo) to mean 'current' as in 'current month/year' -- that sense exists too (see the 'ongoing/present' sense) but is distinct from a machine being switched on. 2) चालू (chaaloo) describes the state of being on/running, not the act of turning something on -- for that, use चालू करना (chaaloo karnaa, 'to start/turn on') as a phrase, not चालू alone as a verb.
Sample Sentences:
टीवी चालू है, तुम देख सकते हो।
The TV is on, you can watch it.
(tiivii chaaloo hai, tum dekh sakte ho।)
गाड़ी चालू करो, देर हो रही है।
Start the car, we're getting late.
(gaadii chaaloo karo, der ho rahii hai।)
पंखा चालू रखो, बहुत गर्मी है।
Keep the fan running, it's very hot.
(pankhaa chaaloo rakho, bahut garmii hai।)
मशीन कल रात से चालू है।
The machine has been running since last night.
(mashiin kal raat se chaaloo hai।)
जब मैं घर पहुँचा, तो एसी चालू था।
When I got home, the AC was on.
(jab main ghar pahunchaa, to esii chaaloo thaa।)
अगर जनरेटर चालू होता, तो लाइट नहीं जाती।
If the generator had been running, the power wouldn't have gone out.
(agar janretar chaaloo hotaa, to laait nahiin jaatii।)
मैकेनिक ने कहा कि इंजन चालू हो चुका है।
The mechanic said the engine is already running.
(maikenik ne kahaa ki injan chaaloo ho chukaa hai।)
क्या पानी की मोटर चालू है या बंद?
Is the water motor on or off?
(kyaa paanii kii motar chaaloo hai yaa band?)
यह मशीन जल्दी ही चालू हो जाएगी।
This machine will be up and running soon.
(yah mashiin jaldii hii chaaloo ho jaaegii।)
कृपया सुनिश्चित करें कि सभी उपकरण चालू हालत में हों।
Please ensure that all equipment is in working order.
(kripyaa sunishchit karen ki sabhii upakran chaaloo haalat men hon।)
बिजली कटने के बाद भी कंप्यूटर चालू पाया गया।
The computer was found running even after the power cut.
(bijlii katne ke baad bhii kampyootar chaaloo paayaa gayaa।)
Sense
2
:
current, ongoing, in progress (of a period or process)
adjective
Synonyms: मौजूदा (maujoodaa), वर्तमान (vartmaan, formal)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This shows up in official and semi-formal language: चालू साल (chaaloo saal, 'the current year'), चालू महीना (chaaloo mahiinaa, 'the current month'). It is common on forms, notices, and in bank or government contexts, sitting a notch more formal than its machine-related cousin above.
Sample Sentences:
चालू साल में महंगाई काफी बढ़ी है।
Inflation has increased a lot in the current year.
(chaaloo saal men mahangaaii kaaphii badhii hai।)
चालू महीने की रिपोर्ट कल तक जमा कर दें।
Please submit the current month's report by tomorrow.
(chaaloo mahiine kii riport kal tak jamaa kar den।)
यह योजना चालू वित्तीय वर्ष से लागू होगी।
This scheme will be implemented from the current financial year.
(yah yojnaa chaaloo vittiiy varsh se laagoo hogii।)
चालू सत्र में दाखिले अभी भी हो रहे हैं।
Admissions are still happening in the current session.
(chaaloo satr men daakhile abhii bhii ho rahe hain।)
बैंक ने चालू तिमाही का ब्याज दर तय कर दिया है।
The bank has fixed the interest rate for the current quarter.
(baink ne chaaloo timaahii kaa byaaj dar tay kar diyaa hai।)
काश चालू परियोजना समय पर पूरी हो जाती।
If only the ongoing project would get finished on time.
(kaash chaaloo pariyojnaa samay par poorii ho jaatii।)
अगर चालू महीने में लक्ष्य पूरा नहीं हुआ, तो अगला महीना मुश्किल होगा।
If the target isn't met in the current month, next month will be difficult.
(agar chaaloo mahiine men lakshy pooraa nahiin huaa, to aglaa mahiinaa mushkil hogaa।)
चालू परियोजना पर काम पिछले हफ्ते शुरू किया गया था।
Work on the ongoing project was started last week.
(chaaloo pariyojnaa par kaam pichhle haphte shuroo kiyaa gayaa thaa।)
क्या आपको चालू सत्र की फीस की जानकारी है?
Do you have information about the current session's fee?
(kyaa aapko chaaloo satr kii phiis kii jaankaarii hai?)
Sense
3
:
cunning, shrewd, sly (of a person)
adjective
Synonyms: शातिर (shaatir), चालबाज़ (chaalbaaz), घाघ (ghaagh, colloquial)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is the word you use for the shopkeeper who always finds a way to overcharge you, or the colleague who takes credit for others' work -- बड़ा चालू आदमी है (badaa chaaloo aadmii hai, 'he's a real sly one'). It shares its root with चलना (chalnaa, 'to move/run'), so the underlying image is of someone always 'working an angle,' always in motion finding tricks.
Common Mistakes: 1) This sense is usually mildly to strongly negative -- calling someone चालू (chaaloo) is rarely a compliment, unlike English 'clever' or 'smart' which can be neutral or admiring. 2) Don't confuse this with तेज़ (tez, 'sharp/quick-witted'), which can be praise; चालू (chaaloo) implies the person manipulates situations or people for personal gain.
Sample Sentences:
बड़ा चालू आदमी है, हर किसी को उल्लू बना देता है।
He's a real sly one, he makes a fool of everybody.
(badaa chaaloo aadmii hai, har kisii ko ulloo banaa detaa hai।)
वो दुकानदार बहुत चालू है, ज़रा भी ध्यान हटा तो ज़्यादा पैसे ले लेता है।
That shopkeeper is very crafty, if you look away even for a second he charges you more.
(vo dukaandaar bahut chaaloo hai, zaraa bhii dhyaan hataa to zyaadaa paise le letaa hai।)
मुझे पहले ही शक था कि वो कितना चालू निकलेगा।
I already suspected how sly he would turn out to be.
(mujhe pahle hii shak thaa ki vo kitnaa chaaloo niklegaa।)
इतना चालू मत बनो, सबको तुम्हारी चाल समझ आ जाती है।
Don't be so crafty, everyone catches on to your tricks.
(itnaa chaaloo mat bano, sabko tumhaarii chaal samajh aa jaatii hai।)
अगर वो इतना चालू न होता तो अब तक नौकरी से निकाल दिया जाता।
If he weren't so sly, he would have been fired by now.
(agar vo itnaa chaaloo n hotaa to ab tak naukrii se nikaal diyaa jaataa।)
दफ्तर में सब कहते हैं कि वह सबसे चालू आदमी है, हमेशा दूसरों की मेहनत का श्रेय ले लेता है।
Everyone in the office says he's the craftiest guy, always taking credit for others' hard work.
(daphtar men sab kahte hain ki vah sabse chaaloo aadmii hai, hameshaa doosron kii mehnat kaa shrey le letaa hai।)
क्या पता वो कितना चालू हो, ज़रा संभल कर बात करना।
Who knows how sly he might be, talk to him carefully.
(kyaa pataa vo kitnaa chaaloo ho, zaraa sambhal kar baat karnaa।)
उस चालू सेल्समैन ने ऐसी बातें बनाईं कि मैं फालतू सामान खरीद बैठा।
That crafty salesman spun such a story that I ended up buying useless stuff.
(us chaaloo selsmain ne aisii baaten banaaiin ki main phaaltoo saamaan khariid baithaa।)
राजनीति में सीधे लोगों की जगह चालू लोग ज़्यादा आगे बढ़ते हैं।
In politics, crafty people get ahead more than straightforward ones.
(raajniiti men siidhe logon kii jagah chaaloo log zyaadaa aage badhte hain।)
वह इतनी चालू है कि बॉस के सामने कुछ और है और पीठ पीछे कुछ और।
She's so sly that she's one thing in front of the boss and something else behind his back.
(vah itnii chaaloo hai ki bos ke saamne kuchh aur hai aur piith piichhe kuchh aur।)
Morphology
Adjective (invariant)
invariant:
चालू
(chaaloo)