विदेशी (videshii)
adjective/noun
Built from विदेश (videsh, 'foreign country') plus the adjectival suffix -ई (ii); covers both the adjective 'foreign' and the noun 'foreigner' derived from it.
Sense
1
:
foreign
adjective
Synonyms: परदेसी (pardesii, less common), बाहरी (baahrii, 'outside/external', broader meaning)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will see this word everywhere in Delhi -- विदेशी मुद्रा (videshii mudraa, 'foreign currency') at money-changers near Connaught Place, विदेशी निवेश (videshii nivesh, 'foreign investment') in news headlines, and विदेशी पर्यटक (videshii parytak, 'foreign tourists') around monuments. It carries a neutral, official tone rather than any warmth or coldness.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes confuse विदेशी (videshii) with बाहरी (baahrii) -- बाहरी just means 'outside/external' (an outsider to a group or place), while विदेशी (videshii) specifically means 'from another country.' 2) As an adjective it is invariant -- it does not change form for gender or number, so विदेशी किताब (videshii kitaab, 'foreign book') and विदेशी किताबें (videshii kitaaben, 'foreign books') both use the same form.
Sample Sentences:
दिल्ली में विदेशी पर्यटकों की संख्या हर साल बढ़ती है।
The number of foreign tourists in Delhi increases every year.
(dillii men videshii paryatkon kii sankhyaa har saal badhtii hai।)
सरकार ने विदेशी निवेश को बढ़ाने के लिए नई नीति बनाई है।
The government has made a new policy to increase foreign investment.
(sarkaar ne videshii nivesh ko badhaane ke lie naii niiti banaaii hai।)
क्या आपके पास विदेशी मुद्रा बदलने की सुविधा है?
Do you have facility for exchanging foreign currency?
(kyaa aapke paas videshii mudraa badalne kii suvidhaa hai?)
यह कंपनी पूरी तरह से विदेशी पूंजी से चल रही है।
This company is running entirely on foreign capital.
(yah kampnii poorii tarah se videshii poonjii se chal rahii hai।)
अगर विदेशी मुद्रा भंडार कम होता तो रुपया और गिर जाता।
If the foreign currency reserves were lower, the rupee would have fallen further.
(agar videshii mudraa bhandaar kam hotaa to rupyaa aur gir jaataa।)
विदेशी सामान पर आयात शुल्क बहुत ज़्यादा लगाया जाता है।
Very high import duty is levied on foreign goods.
(videshii saamaan par aayaat shulk bahut zyaadaa lagaayaa jaataa hai।)
विदेशी भाषाएँ सीखना आज के ज़माने में बहुत फायदेमंद है।
Learning foreign languages is very beneficial in today's era.
(videshii bhaashaaen siikhnaa aaj ke zamaane men bahut phaaydemand hai।)
विदेशी दूतावासों को कड़ी सुरक्षा दी जाती है।
Foreign embassies are given tight security.
(videshii dootaavaason ko kadii surakshaa dii jaatii hai।)
शायद अगले महीने कोई विदेशी प्रतिनिधिमंडल दिल्ली आए।
Perhaps some foreign delegation may come to Delhi next month.
(shaayad agle mahiine koii videshii pratinidhimandal dillii aae।)
विदेशी शिक्षा प्राप्त करने वाले छात्रों की संख्या बढ़ेगी।
The number of students receiving foreign education will increase.
(videshii shikshaa praapt karne vaale chhaatron kii sankhyaa badhegii।)
मंत्रालय ने विदेशी मामलों पर बयान जारी किया।
The ministry issued a statement on foreign affairs.
(mantraalay ne videshii maamlon par bayaan jaarii kiyaa।)
Sense
2
:
a foreigner
noun, masculine/feminine Same word as the adjective sense, used as a noun on its own, e.g. वह विदेशी है (vah videshii hai, 'he/she is a foreigner').
Synonyms: परदेसी (pardesii, less common, also carries a poetic 'far from home' feel), गोरा (goraa, informal, specifically 'white/Western foreigner')
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: In everyday chatter -- say, a shopkeeper in Paharganj sizing up customers -- विदेशी (videshii) is the polite, standard word for a foreign visitor, while गोरा (goraa) is the casual street term you will overhear more often but wouldn't necessarily use yourself in front of the person being described.
Common Mistakes: 1) गोरा (goraa) is often used colloquially to mean 'foreigner' but literally means 'fair-skinned/white person' -- it is not a neutral equivalent of विदेशी (videshii) and can sound reductive depending on context.
Sample Sentences:
पहाड़गंज में बहुत सारे विदेशी घूमते हैं।
Lots of foreigners wander around in Paharganj.
(pahaadganj men bahut saare videshii ghoomte hain।)
दुकानदार एक विदेशी को कपड़े दिखा रहा था।
The shopkeeper was showing clothes to a foreigner.
(dukaandaar ek videshii ko kapde dikhaa rahaa thaa।)
क्या आपने उस विदेशी से बात की?
Did you talk to that foreigner?
(kyaa aapne us videshii se baat kii?)
विदेशियों के लिए यहाँ अलग टिकट काउंटर है।
There is a separate ticket counter here for foreigners.
(videshiyon ke lie yahaan alag tikat kaauntar hai।)
अगर वह विदेशी थोड़ी हिंदी बोल पाता तो मुझे बहुत खुशी होती।
If that foreigner could speak a little Hindi, I would be very happy.
(agar vah videshii thodii hindii bol paataa to mujhe bahut khushii hotii।)
उस विदेशी को धोखा दिया गया था।
That foreigner had been cheated.
(us videshii ko dhokhaa diyaa gayaa thaa।)
विदेशी को अकेले रात में घूमने से बचना चाहिए।
A foreigner should avoid wandering alone at night.
(videshii ko akele raat men ghoomne se bachnaa chaahie।)
उस विदेशी की मदद कीजिए, वह रास्ता भूल गया है।
Please help that foreigner, he has lost his way.
(us videshii kii madad kiijie, vah raastaa bhool gayaa hai।)
अगली बार जब कोई विदेशी आएगा, मैं खुद उससे बात करूँगा।
Next time a foreigner comes, I will talk to him myself.
(aglii baar jab koii videshii aaegaa, main khud usse baat karoongaa।)
मुझे शक है कि वह असल में विदेशी नहीं है।
I doubt that he is actually a foreigner.
(mujhe shak hai ki vah asal men videshii nahiin hai।)
इस होटल में ज़्यादातर विदेशी ही ठहरते हैं।
Mostly it is foreigners who stay at this hotel.
(is hotal men zyaadaatar videshii hii thaharte hain।)
Morphology
Adjective (invariant)
invariant:
विदेशी
(videshii)
Noun
(sg.m/f.direct):
विदेशी
(videshii)
(sg.m/f.oblique):
विदेशी
(videshii)
(pl.m/f.direct):
विदेशियाँ
(videshiyaan)
(pl.m/f.oblique):
विदेशियों
(videshiyon)