पुराना (puraanaa)
adjective
A common adjective covering 'old' in the sense of age of an object or duration of time (used since long ago), and by extension 'former/ex-' or 'stale/outdated'; all senses share one root idea of 'not new'.
Sense
1
:
old (of objects, in age/condition)
adjective
Synonyms: जीर्ण (jiirn, literary)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is the everyday word you will hear in a Delhi bazaar for anything from पुरानी किताबें (puraanii kitaaben, 'old books') at Daryaganj's Sunday book market to a पुरानी कार (puraanii kaar, 'old/used car'). Note the contrast with नया (nayaa, 'new') -- the two form the most basic old/new pair a learner will use constantly.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for बूढ़ा (boodhaa) for any 'old' thing, but बूढ़ा (boodhaa) is reserved for aged people/animals; objects, clothes, houses, and cars take पुराना (puraanaa) instead. 2) For 'old friend' or 'old habit' meaning long-standing rather than aged-in-years, पुराना (puraanaa) is still correct -- e.g. पुराना दोस्त (puraanaa dost, 'old friend') -- English speakers sometimes wrongly search for a separate word.
Sample Sentences:
यह मेरी पुरानी साइकिल है।
This is my old bicycle.
(yah merii puraanii saaikil hai।)
दरियागंज में हर इतवार पुरानी किताबें बिकती हैं।
Old books are sold every Sunday in Daryaganj.
(dariyaaganj men har itvaar puraanii kitaaben biktii hain।)
उसने एक पुरानी कार खरीदी।
He bought an old car.
(usne ek puraanii kaar khariidii।)
यह कुर्सी बहुत पुरानी हो गई है, इसे फेंक दो।
This chair has become very old, throw it away.
(yah kursii bahut puraanii ho gaii hai, ise phenk do।)
अगर यह मकान इतना पुराना न होता तो हम इसे न बेचते।
If this house were not so old, we would not sell it.
(agar yah makaan itnaa puraanaa n hotaa to ham ise n bechte।)
पुराने कपड़े यहाँ मत रखो, अलमारी भर गई है।
Don't keep the old clothes here, the cupboard is full.
(puraane kapde yahaan mat rakho, almaarii bhar gaii hai।)
शायद यह फ़र्नीचर इतना पुराना हो कि मरम्मत के लायक भी न हो।
Perhaps this furniture is so old that it isn't even worth repairing.
(shaayad yah farniichar itnaa puraanaa ho ki marammat ke laayak bhii n ho।)
यह इमारत सन् उन्नीस सौ में बनी थी, बहुत पुरानी है।
This building was built in 1900, it is very old.
(yah imaarat san unniis sau men banii thii, bahut puraanii hai।)
पुराने बरतन नए बरतनों से बदले जाएँगे।
The old utensils will be exchanged for new ones.
(puraane bartan nae baratnon se badle jaaenge।)
यह जूते बहुत पुराने हो चुके हैं, नए ले लो।
These shoes have already become very old, get new ones.
(yah joote bahut puraane ho chuke hain, nae le lo।)
पुरानी दीवार पर दरारें पड़ गई थीं।
Cracks had appeared on the old wall.
(puraanii diivaar par daraaren pad gaii thiin।)
Sense
2
:
old, long-standing (of relationships, time periods, practices)
adjective
Synonyms: पूर्व (poorv, formal/former)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: पुराने दिन (puraane din, 'old days') or पुराने ज़माने की बात (puraane zamaane kii baat, 'a thing of olden times') are phrases you will hear grandparents use with real nostalgia -- this sense reaches toward 'from a bygone era' rather than just 'aged.'
Sample Sentences:
हम दोनों बहुत पुराने दोस्त हैं।
We two are very old friends.
(ham donon bahut puraane dost hain।)
यह हमारी पुरानी रीत है, इसे मत तोड़ो।
This is our long-standing custom, don't break it.
(yah hamaarii puraanii riit hai, ise mat todo।)
दादी अक्सर पुराने दिनों को याद करके भावुक हो जाती हैं।
Grandma often gets emotional remembering the old days.
(daadii aksar puraane dinon ko yaad karke bhaavuk ho jaatii hain।)
यह तो पुराने ज़माने की बात है, अब कोई ऐसा नहीं करता।
That's a thing of olden times, nobody does that anymore.
(yah to puraane zamaane kii baat hai, ab koii aisaa nahiin kartaa।)
हमारी पुरानी दुश्मनी अब दोस्ती में बदल गई है।
Our long-standing enmity has now turned into friendship.
(hamaarii puraanii dushmnii ab dostii men badal gaii hai।)
काश हमारी पुरानी दोस्ती फिर से जिंदा हो जाती।
I wish our old, long-standing friendship would come alive again.
(kaash hamaarii puraanii dostii phir se jindaa ho jaatii।)
अगर वह पुरानी परंपरा टूट जाती, तो पूरा गाँव नाराज़ हो जाता।
If that long-standing tradition had broken, the whole village would have been upset.
(agar vah puraanii parampraa toot jaatii, to pooraa gaanv naaraaz ho jaataa।)
पुराने रिश्तों की कदर करनी चाहिए।
One should value old, long-standing relationships.
(puraane rishton kii kadar karnii chaahie।)
यह इलाका अपने पुराने संबंधों के लिए जाना जाता है।
This area is known for its long-standing ties.
(yah ilaakaa apne puraane sambandhon ke lie jaanaa jaataa hai।)
पुराने दिनों में लोग एक-दूसरे की ज़्यादा मदद करते थे।
In the old days, people used to help each other more.
(puraane dinon men log ek-doosre kii zyaadaa madad karte the।)
नानी पुराने ज़माने की कहानियाँ सुनाते हुए मुस्कुराती हैं।
Grandma smiles while telling stories of olden times.
(naanii puraane zamaane kii kahaaniyaan sunaate hue muskuraatii hain।)
Sense
3
:
stale, outdated, no longer fresh/relevant
adjective
Synonyms: बासी (baasii, for stale food specifically)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You will hear this in पुरानी सोच (puraanii soch, 'old-fashioned thinking') -- a very common way to criticize outdated attitudes, often contrasted with आधुनिक (aadhunik, 'modern') in family or generational conversations.
Common Mistakes: 1) For stale food specifically, native speakers usually prefer बासी (baasii) over पुराना (puraanaa); पुराना (puraanaa) works but sounds more general, like 'not fresh anymore' rather than 'spoiled.'
Sample Sentences:
उसकी सोच बहुत पुरानी है।
His thinking is very old-fashioned.
(uskii soch bahut puraanii hai।)
यह खबर अब पुरानी हो गई है, अब इसकी कोई अहमियत नहीं।
This news is stale now, it doesn't matter anymore.
(yah khabar ab puraanii ho gaii hai, ab iskii koii ahmiyat nahiin।)
दादाजी की पुरानी सोच की वजह से घर में अक्सर बहस हो जाती है।
Because of grandfather's old-fashioned thinking, arguments often break out at home.
(daadaajii kii puraanii soch kii vajah se ghar men aksar bahas ho jaatii hai।)
यह तरीका बहुत पुराना है, अब लोग आधुनिक तरीके अपनाते हैं।
This method is very outdated, now people adopt modern methods.
(yah tariikaa bahut puraanaa hai, ab log aadhunik tariike apnaate hain।)
क्या तुम्हें नहीं लगता कि यह विचार अब पुराना पड़ चुका है?
Don't you think this idea has become outdated by now?
(kyaa tumhen nahiin lagtaa ki yah vichaar ab puraanaa pad chukaa hai?)
अपनी पुरानी सोच छोड़ो और नए ज़माने के साथ चलो।
Drop your old-fashioned thinking and move with the times.
(apnii puraanii soch chhodo aur nae zamaane ke saath chalo।)
अगर वह पुरानी सोच रखता तो कभी तरक्की न करता।
If he had held onto outdated thinking, he would never have progressed.
(agar vah puraanii soch rakhtaa to kabhii tarakkii n kartaa।)
यह जानकारी पुरानी मानी जाती है, इसे अपडेट करना ज़रूरी है।
This information is considered outdated; it needs to be updated.
(yah jaankaarii puraanii maanii jaatii hai, ise apdet karnaa zaroorii hai।)
समिति ने कहा कि नियम पुराने हो चुके हैं और इनमें बदलाव किया जाना चाहिए।
The committee said that the rules have become outdated and should be changed.
(samiti ne kahaa ki niyam puraane ho chuke hain aur inmen badlaav kiyaa jaanaa chaahie।)
Morphology
Adjective (variable)
(sg.m):
पुराना
(puraanaa)
(pl.m):
पुराने
(puraane)
(sg.f):
पुरानी
(puraanii)
(pl.f):
पुरानी
(puraanii)