पिछला (pichhlaa)

adjective A single core meaning -- 'previous, last, past' -- used for time (last week, last year) and for physical position (the back/rear part of something).
Sense 1 : previous, last (in time)
adjective
Synonyms: बीता (biitaa, of time that has passed), गत (gat, formal/literary)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will hear this constantly in everyday small talk: पिछले साल (pichhle saal, 'last year'), पिछले हफ्ते (pichhle haphte, 'last week'), पिछली बार (pichhlii baar, 'last time'). It pairs naturally with अगला (aglaa, 'next') as its opposite -- if you learn one, learn both together.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes reach for अगला (aglaa, 'next') by mistake when they mean 'last' -- पिछला (pichhlaa) points backward in time, अगला (aglaa) points forward. 2) It agrees with the noun it modifies like any regular -आ adjective, so it becomes पिछली (pichhlii) before a feminine noun like पिछली बार (pichhlii baar, 'last time') -- learners forget this and leave it as पिछला (pichhlaa) by default.
Sample Sentences:
पिछले साल मैं दिल्ली गया था। Last year I went to Delhi.
(pichhle saal main dillii gayaa thaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
पिछले हफ्ते बहुत बारिश हुई थी। It rained a lot last week.
(pichhle haphte bahut baarish huii thii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
पिछली बार जब हम मिले थे, तुम बहुत खुश थे। The last time we met, you were very happy.
(pichhlii baar jab ham mile the, tum bahut khush the।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
पिछली परीक्षा में मेरे अच्छे अंक आए थे। I got good marks in the last exam.
(pichhlii pariikshaa men mere achchhe ank aae the।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम्हें पिछला वाला घर याद है? Do you remember the previous house?
(kyaa tumhen pichhlaa vaalaa ghar yaad hai?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
पिछली सरकार ने यह योजना शुरू की थी। The previous government had started this scheme.
(pichhlii sarkaar ne yah yojnaa shuroo kii thii।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगर तुम पिछली बार ध्यान देते, तो यह गलती नहीं होती। If you had paid attention last time, this mistake wouldn't have happened.
(agar tum pichhlii baar dhyaan dete, to yah galtii nahiin hotii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
पिछली रिपोर्ट अभी तक जमा नहीं की गई है। The previous report has not been submitted yet.
(pichhlii riport abhii tak jamaa nahiin kii gaii hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
पिछले महीने की तुलना में इस महीने बिक्री बढ़ी है। Compared to last month, sales have increased this month.
(pichhle mahiine kii tulnaa men is mahiine bikrii badhii hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
पिछली बार की गलतियों से सीखो और अगली बार बेहतर करो। Learn from last time's mistakes and do better next time.
(pichhlii baar kii galtiyon se siikho aur aglii baar behtar karo।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
मुझे उम्मीद है कि पिछली बार जैसी समस्या फिर न हो। I hope the same problem as last time doesn't happen again.
(mujhe ummiid hai ki pichhlii baar jaisii samasyaa phir n ho।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
Sense 2 : rear, back (physical position)
adjective
Synonyms: पीछे का (piichhe kaa, phrase form)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Used for the back part of a physical thing, like पिछला दरवाज़ा (pichhlaa darvaazaa, 'back door') or पिछली सीट (pichhlii siit, 'back seat') in a car or auto-rickshaw -- a phrase you will hear a lot when giving directions to a driver in Delhi.
Sample Sentences:
गाड़ी का पिछला दरवाज़ा खुला है। The car's back door is open.
(gaadii kaa pichhlaa darvaazaa khulaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
भाई, पिछली सीट पर बैठ जाओ। Brother, sit in the back seat.
(bhaaii, pichhlii siit par baith jaao।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
ऑटो वाले भाई, पिछले दरवाज़े से उतार देना। Auto driver, please drop me off from the back door.
(oto vaale bhaaii, pichhle darvaaze se utaar denaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
मकान के पिछले हिस्से में एक छोटा बगीचा है। There is a small garden in the back part of the house.
(makaan ke pichhle hisse men ek chhotaa bagiichaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
ट्रक का पिछला हिस्सा दुर्घटना में बुरी तरह क्षतिग्रस्त हो गया था। The rear part of the truck was badly damaged in the accident.
(trak kaa pichhlaa hissaa durghatnaa men burii tarah kshatigrast ho gayaa thaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगर पिछला दरवाज़ा बंद होता, तो चोर अंदर नहीं आ पाता। If the back door had been closed, the thief would not have been able to come in.
(agar pichhlaa darvaazaa band hotaa, to chor andar nahiin aa paataa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
इमारत की पिछली दीवार पर पेंट किया जा रहा है। The back wall of the building is being painted.
(imaarat kii pichhlii diivaar par pent kiyaa jaa rahaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
क्या आप गाड़ी को पिछले गेट के पास खड़ी करेंगे? Will you park the car near the back gate?
(kyaa aap gaadii ko pichhle get ke paas khadii karenge?)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
बस के पिछले हिस्से में हमेशा ज़्यादा भीड़ होती है। There is always more crowd in the back part of the bus.
(bas ke pichhle hisse men hameshaa zyaadaa bhiid hotii hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
मैंने कहा कि हो सके तो पिछली सीट खाली रखना। I said that if possible, keep the back seat empty.
(mainne kahaa ki ho sake to pichhlii siit khaalii rakhnaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
पिछले पहियों में हवा कम लग रही है। The back wheels seem to have less air.
(pichhle pahiyon men havaa kam lag rahii hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Adjective (variable)
(sg.m): पिछला (pichhlaa)
(pl.m): पिछले (pichhle)
(sg.f): पिछली (pichhlii)
(pl.f): पिछली (pichhlii)