बुद्धिमान (buddhimaan)

adjective A single-sense adjective meaning 'intelligent/wise'; built from बुद्धि (buddhi, 'intellect') plus the possessive suffix -मान (maan).
Sense 1 : intelligent, wise
adjective
Synonyms: समझदार (samajhdaar), अक्लमंद (aklmand), होशियार (hoshiyaar, often 'clever/sharp' rather than deeply wise), प्रतिभाशाली (pratibhaashaalii, talented/gifted)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This is the word a teacher or elder uses when praising someone's judgment or good sense, not just book-smarts -- it sits a notch above होशियार (hoshiyaar) in formality and is common in school report cards, motivational speeches, and proverbs about wise conduct.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for होशियार (hoshiyaar) as a default synonym, but बुद्धिमान (buddhimaan) carries a more formal, respectful weight -- it praises depth of judgment or wisdom, not just quickness or cleverness in daily tasks. 2) As a masculine-form adjective ending in आ (aa), it inflects for gender and number like a regular variable adjective (e.g. बुद्धिमान लड़का (buddhimaan ladkaa, intelligent boy) vs बुद्धिमान लड़की (buddhimaan ladkii, intelligent girl) -- note the feminine form does not take a separate ई (ii) ending here since it already ends in a consonant-final-sounding न, so double check the morphology table for exact inflection.
Sample Sentences:
वह बहुत बुद्धिमान लड़का है। He is a very intelligent boy.
(vah bahut buddhimaan ladkaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
मेरी बेटी बचपन से ही बुद्धिमान थी। My daughter was intelligent right from childhood.
(merii betii bachpan se hii buddhimaan thii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
एक बुद्धिमान व्यक्ति कभी गुस्से में फैसला नहीं लेता। A wise person never makes a decision in anger.
(ek buddhimaan vyakti kabhii gusse men phaislaa nahiin letaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर तुम इतने बुद्धिमान होते तो यह गलती नहीं करते। If you were so intelligent, you wouldn't have made this mistake.
(agar tum itne buddhimaan hote to yah galtii nahiin karte।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
अध्यापिका ने रिपोर्ट कार्ड में लिखा कि वह बुद्धिमान और मेहनती छात्रा है। The teacher wrote in the report card that she is an intelligent and hardworking student.
(adhyaapikaa ne riport kaard men likhaa ki vah buddhimaan aur mehantii chhaatraa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
काश मैं इतना बुद्धिमान होता जितना मेरे भाई को माना जाता है। I wish I were as intelligent as my brother is considered to be.
(kaash main itnaa buddhimaan hotaa jitnaa mere bhaaii ko maanaa jaataa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Passive
बुद्धिमान बनो, केवल पढ़े-लिखे नहीं। Be wise, not just educated.
(buddhimaan bano, keval padhe-likhe nahiin।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
उसका बुद्धिमान होना उसके शांत स्वभाव में झलकता है। His being intelligent is reflected in his calm nature.
(uskaa buddhimaan honaa uske shaant svabhaav men jhalaktaa hai।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
प्राचीन कथाओं में कहा गया है कि बुद्धिमान मनुष्य अपने क्रोध पर नियंत्रण रखता है। It is said in ancient tales that a wise man keeps control over his anger.
(praachiin kathaaon men kahaa gayaa hai ki buddhimaan manushy apne krodh par niyantran rakhtaa hai।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
क्या तुम्हें लगता है कि वह इतना बुद्धिमान है कि यह समस्या सुलझा लेगा? Do you think he is intelligent enough to solve this problem?
(kyaa tumhen lagtaa hai ki vah itnaa buddhimaan hai ki yah samasyaa suljhaa legaa?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Adjective (variable)
(sg.m): बुद्धिमान (buddhimaan)
(pl.m): बुद्धिमाने (buddhimaane)
(sg.f): बुद्धिमानी (buddhimaanii)
(pl.f): बुद्धिमानी (buddhimaanii)