पूरा (pooraa)
adjective/adverb
Core meaning is 'complete/whole/full,' extending to 'entire' as a quantifier over a noun and 'fulfilled/achieved' when paired with certain verbs like करना (karnaa) or होना (honaa).
Sense
1
:
complete, whole, entire
adjective
Synonyms: सारा (saaraa), समस्त (samast, literary), संपूर्ण (sampoorn, formal)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will hear पूरा (pooraa) constantly in daily life -- पूरा दिन (pooraa din, 'the whole day'), पूरा परिवार (pooraa parivaar, 'the whole family') -- it is the default word Delhi speakers reach for when English speakers would say 'whole' or 'entire.'
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for सारा (saaraa) and पूरा (pooraa) interchangeably, which mostly works, but पूरा (pooraa) leans toward 'complete/intact' while सारा (saaraa) leans toward 'all of it' -- e.g. पूरा घर (pooraa ghar, 'the whole house') suggests the entire structure, while सारा दिन (saaraa din, 'the whole day') is more natural for stretches of time.
Sample Sentences:
मैंने पूरा दिन उसका इंतज़ार किया।
I waited for him the whole day.
(mainne pooraa din uskaa intzaar kiyaa।)
पूरा परिवार दिवाली पर इकट्ठा होता है।
The whole family gathers together on Diwali.
(pooraa parivaar divaalii par ikatthaa hotaa hai।)
क्या तुमने पूरी किताब पढ़ ली?
Did you read the whole book?
(kyaa tumne poorii kitaab padh lii?)
पूरा शहर बारिश में डूब गया।
The whole city got flooded in the rain.
(pooraa shahar baarish men doob gayaa।)
पूरा काम कल तक हो जाना चाहिए।
The entire task should be done by tomorrow.
(pooraa kaam kal tak ho jaanaa chaahie।)
पूरी रात बिजली नहीं आई थी।
The electricity hadn't come the entire night.
(poorii raat bijlii nahiin aaii thii।)
अगर तुम पूरा सच बताते तो शायद बात बन जाती।
If you had told the whole truth, things might have worked out.
(agar tum pooraa sach bataate to shaayad baat ban jaatii।)
पूरी टीम मैदान में उतर चुकी है।
The entire team has already come onto the field.
(poorii tiim maidaan men utar chukii hai।)
पूरा घर सजाया जा रहा है त्योहार के लिए।
The whole house is being decorated for the festival.
(pooraa ghar sajaayaa jaa rahaa hai tyohaar ke lie।)
पूरा मामला अदालत में विचाराधीन है।
The entire matter is under consideration in court.
(pooraa maamlaa adaalat men vichaaraadhiin hai।)
कृपया पूरा फ़ॉर्म भरें, आधा नहीं।
Please fill out the whole form, not half.
(kripyaa pooraa form bharen, aadhaa nahiin।)
Sense
2
:
fulfilled, accomplished (of a wish, task, or need)
adjective This sense shows up in fixed pairings like सपना पूरा होना (sapnaa pooraa honaa, 'for a dream to be fulfilled') and इच्छा पूरी करना (ichchhaa poorii karnaa, 'to fulfill a wish') -- पूरा (pooraa) here functions almost like a verbal complement with होना (honaa) or करना (karnaa).
Synonyms: संपन्न (sampann, formal), सम्पूर्ण (sampoorn, formal)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is the phrase behind countless Hindi film lines and everyday aspirations -- सपना पूरा होना (sapnaa pooraa honaa) is how people talk about dreams coming true, and मेरी बात पूरी करो (merii baat poorii karo, 'let me finish what I am saying') is a common interruption-stopper in conversation.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes use सिद्ध (siddh) or similar bookish words where पूरा होना (pooraa honaa) is what a native speaker would actually say for 'a wish came true' or 'a goal was achieved.' 2) Remember agreement: पूरा (pooraa) changes to पूरी (poorii) with feminine nouns like इच्छा (ichchhaa) or बात (baat) -- this trips up learners focused only on the meaning.
Sample Sentences:
आखिरकार मेरा सपना पूरा हो गया।
Finally my dream came true.
(aakhirkaar meraa sapnaa pooraa ho gayaa।)
पहले मेरी बात पूरी करने दो, फिर तुम बोलना।
Let me finish what I'm saying first, then you can talk.
(pahle merii baat poorii karne do, phir tum bolnaa।)
क्या तुम्हारी सारी इच्छाएँ पूरी हुई हैं?
Have all your wishes been fulfilled?
(kyaa tumhaarii saarii ichchhaaen poorii huii hain?)
अगर मेहनत करते तो तुम्हारा सपना जरूर पूरा होता।
If you had worked hard, your dream would definitely have come true.
(agar mehnat karte to tumhaaraa sapnaa jaroor pooraa hotaa।)
भगवान करे तुम्हारी हर मुराद पूरी हो।
May God grant that every wish of yours is fulfilled.
(bhagvaan kare tumhaarii har muraad poorii ho।)
जब तक यह काम पूरा नहीं होगा, मैं यहाँ से नहीं हिलूँगा।
Until this task is completed, I won't move from here.
(jab tak yah kaam pooraa nahiin hogaa, main yahaan se nahiin hiloongaa।)
बचपन की वह ख्वाहिश आज भी पूरी नहीं हो पाई।
That childhood wish still hasn't been fulfilled to this day.
(bachpan kii vah khvaahish aaj bhii poorii nahiin ho paaii।)
उम्मीद है इस बार आपकी माँग पूरी की जाएगी।
It is hoped that this time your demand will be fulfilled.
(ummiid hai is baar aapkii maang poorii kii jaaegii।)
साहब, आपकी हर जरूरत पूरी करने की पूरी कोशिश करेंगे।
Sir, we will make every effort to fulfill your every need.
(saahab, aapkii har jaroorat poorii karne kii poorii koshish karenge।)
जिस दिन उसकी यह ख्वाहिश पूरी होगी, वह सबसे खुश इंसान होगा।
The day this wish of his is fulfilled, he will be the happiest man.
(jis din uskii yah khvaahish poorii hogii, vah sabse khush insaan hogaa।)
Sense
3
:
full, filled to capacity
adjective
Synonyms: भरा (bharaa), भरपूर (bharpoor)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: Used for things reaching capacity or a set amount, like गिलास पूरा भर गया (gilaas pooraa bhar gayaa, 'the glass got completely full') -- often paired with भरना (bharnaa) for emphasis on totality rather than just fullness.
Sample Sentences:
गिलास पूरा भर गया।
The glass got completely full.
(gilaas pooraa bhar gayaa।)
कमरा धुएँ से पूरा भर गया था।
The room had become completely full of smoke.
(kamraa dhuen se pooraa bhar gayaa thaa।)
बस पूरी भरी हुई है, अंदर जगह नहीं है।
The bus is completely full, there's no space inside.
(bas poorii bharii huii hai, andar jagah nahiin hai।)
टंकी को पूरा भर दो, आधी मत छोड़ना।
Fill the tank all the way up, don't leave it half.
(tankii ko pooraa bhar do, aadhii mat chhodnaa।)
हॉल पूरा भरा रहता है जब भी कोई बड़ा कलाकार आता है।
The hall stays completely full whenever a big artist comes.
(hol pooraa bharaa rahtaa hai jab bhii koii badaa kalaakaar aataa hai।)
अगर बारिश तेज़ होती तो नाला पूरा भर जाता।
If the rain had been heavy, the drain would have gotten completely full.
(agar baarish tez hotii to naalaa pooraa bhar jaataa।)
थैला पूरा भरा जा रहा था जब मशीन अचानक रुक गई।
The bag was being completely filled up when the machine suddenly stopped.
(thailaa pooraa bharaa jaa rahaa thaa jab mashiin achaanak ruk gaii।)
डिब्बा पूरा भरा हुआ है, अब इसमें और कुछ मत डालो।
The box is completely full, don't put anything more into it now.
(dibbaa pooraa bharaa huaa hai, ab ismen aur kuchh mat daalo।)
शायद टंकी पूरी भर गई हो, ज़रा देख लो।
Maybe the tank has gotten completely full, just go check.
(shaayad tankii poorii bhar gaii ho, zaraa dekh lo।)
स्टेडियम पूरा भरा हुआ देखकर खिलाड़ियों का जोश बढ़ गया।
Seeing the stadium completely full, the players' spirits soared.
(stediyam pooraa bharaa huaa dekhkar khilaadiyon kaa josh badh gayaa।)
Sense
4
:
completely, fully, entirely
adverb Functions adverbially before an adjective or verb, e.g. पूरा तैयार (pooraa taiyaar, 'completely ready'), distinct from its use as an attributive adjective modifying a noun.
Synonyms: बिलकुल (bilkul), पूर्णतया (poornatyaa, formal)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: In casual speech you will hear पूरा (pooraa) used loosely as an intensifier, almost like 'totally' in English -- पूरा गड़बड़ हो गया (pooraa gadbad ho gayaa, 'it got totally messed up').
Sample Sentences:
उसने पूरा दिन काम किया।
He worked completely through the day.
(usne pooraa din kaam kiyaa।)
पूरा गड़बड़ हो गया यार, अब क्या करें।
It's totally messed up, man, what do we do now.
(pooraa gadbad ho gayaa yaar, ab kyaa karen।)
मुझे यह किताब पूरा समझ नहीं आती।
I don't completely understand this book.
(mujhe yah kitaab pooraa samajh nahiin aatii।)
कृपया फॉर्म को पूरा ध्यान से भरें।
Please fill out the form with complete care.
(kripyaa phorm ko pooraa dhyaan se bharen।)
अगर वह पूरा मेहनत करता तो सफल हो जाता।
If he had worked completely hard, he would have succeeded.
(agar vah pooraa mehnat kartaa to saphal ho jaataa।)
यह इमारत पूरा नई तकनीक से बनाई जा रही है।
This building is being constructed completely with new technology.
(yah imaarat pooraa naii takniik se banaaii jaa rahii hai।)
वह पूरा थक चुका है, अब आराम करने दो उसे।
He's completely exhausted, let him rest now.
(vah pooraa thak chukaa hai, ab aaraam karne do use।)
मुझे उम्मीद है कि वह पूरा तैयार होकर आएगा।
I hope he will come completely prepared.
(mujhe ummiid hai ki vah pooraa taiyaar hokar aaegaa।)
परमात्मा की इच्छा से सृष्टि पूरा व्यवस्थित रहती है।
By the will of the divine, creation remains completely ordered.
(parmaatmaa kii ichchhaa se srishti pooraa vyavasthit rahtii hai।)
उसका कमरा पूरा बिखरा पड़ा था।
His room was completely scattered about.
(uskaa kamraa pooraa bikhraa padaa thaa।)
Morphology
Adjective (variable)
(sg.m):
पूरा
(pooraa)
(pl.m):
पूरे
(poore)
(sg.f):
पूरी
(poorii)
(pl.f):
पूरी
(poorii)