रिहा (rihaa)

adjective An invariant adjective meaning 'released, set free', almost always used with करना (karnaa) or होना (honaa) in the compound sense 'to release' or 'to be released'.
Sense 1 : released, set free (from custody)
adjective Functions almost exclusively as the complement in रिहा करना (rihaa karnaa, 'to release someone') and रिहा होना (rihaa honaa, 'to be released'), rather than as a standalone attributive adjective before a noun.
Synonyms: मुक्त (mukt, formal), आज़ाद (aazaad, broader sense of 'free')
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You will hear this constantly in news broadcasts: कैदी को रिहा कर दिया गया (kaidii ko rihaa kar diyaa gayaa, 'the prisoner was released') is classic news-anchor phrasing, since रिहा (rihaa) has a formal, official flavor suited to legal and journalistic contexts rather than casual chat about letting a pet out of a cage.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes try to use रिहा (rihaa) alone as a verb; it needs करना (karnaa) or होना (honaa) to actually do anything -- रिहा (rihaa) by itself is just the descriptive state. 2) Confusing रिहा करना (rihaa karnaa) with छोड़ना (chhodnaa); रिहा करना (rihaa karnaa) is specifically used for official/legal release (from jail, custody, captivity), while छोड़ना (chhodnaa) is the general word for 'to let go' or 'to leave' in everyday contexts.
Sample Sentences:
कैदी को रिहा कर दिया गया। The prisoner was released.
(kaidii ko rihaa kar diyaa gayaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
पुलिस ने उसे कुछ घंटों बाद रिहा कर दिया। The police released him a few hours later.
(pulis ne use kuchh ghanton baad rihaa kar diyaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अदालत ने आदेश दिया कि आरोपी को रिहा किया जाए। The court ordered that the accused be released.
(adaalat ne aadesh diyaa ki aaropii ko rihaa kiyaa jaae।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Passive
अगर सबूत नहीं मिलते तो वह पहले ही रिहा हो जाता। If evidence hadn't been found, he would have already been released.
(agar saboot nahiin milte to vah pahle hii rihaa ho jaataa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Perfective -- Voice: Active
बंधकों को कल शाम रिहा किया जाएगा। The hostages will be released tomorrow evening.
(bandhkon ko kal shaam rihaa kiyaa jaaegaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Passive
उसे रिहा करो, उसने कुछ नहीं किया! Release him, he hasn't done anything!
(use rihaa karo, usne kuchh nahiin kiyaa!)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
नेता जी को जमानत पर रिहा किया गया है। The leader has been released on bail.
(netaa jii ko jamaanat par rihaa kiyaa gayaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
सरकार हर साल कुछ बुज़ुर्ग कैदियों को रिहा करती है। The government releases some elderly prisoners every year.
(sarkaar har saal kuchh buzurg kaidiyon ko rihaa kartii hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
खबर है कि वह जल्द ही रिहा हो सकता है। There's news that he might be released soon.
(khabar hai ki vah jald hii rihaa ho saktaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
पत्रकारों की भीड़ के बीच वह रिहा होकर बाहर निकला। Amid a crowd of journalists, he came out having been released.
(patrkaaron kii bhiid ke biich vah rihaa hokar baahar niklaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Adjective (invariant)
invariant: रिहा (rihaa)