फ़लाना (falaanaa)
adjective/pronoun
A placeholder word meaning 'so-and-so' or 'such-and-such,' used when the speaker deliberately skips a name or detail; almost always paired with ढिमकाना (dhimkaanaa) in the fixed phrase फ़लाना-ढिमकाना (falaanaa-dhimkaanaa, 'so-and-so and whatnot').
Sense
1
:
so-and-so, such-and-such (unnamed placeholder person/thing)
adjective Used attributively before a noun, e.g. फ़लाना आदमी (falaanaa aadmii, 'so-and-so man'), standing in for a name the speaker doesn't want to specify or can't recall.
Synonyms: अमुक (amuk, formal/literary)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This is the word you reach for when telling a story and you either don't remember someone's name or don't want to bother naming them: 'फ़लाना साहब ने कहा...' (falaanaa saahab ne kahaa, 'so-and-so sir said...'). It has a light, gossipy, slightly comic flavor, much like English 'what's-his-name' or 'such-and-such,' and is very common in everyday chatter among neighbors, relatives, and shopkeepers.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners try to use this as a real name-substitute in formal writing or documents; it belongs strictly to casual spoken narration, gossip, or storytelling. 2) It is almost always heard doubled with ढिमकाना (dhimkaanaa) as फ़लाना-ढिमकाना (falaanaa-dhimkaanaa) -- using फ़लाना (falaanaa) alone sounds a bit incomplete to native ears, though it is not wrong.
Sample Sentences:
फ़लाना साहब ने कहा कि बाज़ार में सब्ज़ी सस्ती हो गई है।
So-and-so sir said that vegetables have become cheap in the market.
(falaanaa saahab ne kahaa ki baazaar men sabzii sastii ho gaii hai।)
फ़लाना जी हर शाम पार्क में सैर करते हैं।
So-and-so ji takes a walk in the park every evening.
(falaanaa jii har shaam paark men sair karte hain।)
फ़लाना मास्टर साहब की क्लास में कोई नहीं सोता।
Nobody sleeps in so-and-so master sahib's class.
(falaanaa maastar saahab kii klaas men koii nahiin sotaa।)
फ़लाना मिसेज़ अपनी बेटी की शादी की तैयारी कर रही हैं।
So-and-so missus is preparing for her daughter's wedding.
(falaanaa misez apnii betii kii shaadii kii taiyaarii kar rahii hain।)
अगर फ़लाना चाचा से पूछा जाता, तो सच पता चल जाता।
If so-and-so uncle had been asked, the truth would have come out.
(agar falaanaa chaachaa se poochhaa jaataa, to sach pataa chal jaataa।)
फ़लाना बाबू का बेटा कल परीक्षा में फेल हो गया।
So-and-so babu's son failed the exam yesterday.
(falaanaa baaboo kaa betaa kal pariikshaa men phel ho gayaa।)
शायद फ़लाना पंडित जी इस बारे में कुछ जानते हों।
Maybe so-and-so pandit ji knows something about this.
(shaayad falaanaa pandit jii is baare men kuchh jaante hon।)
फ़लाना सेठ की दुकान पर आज ताला लगा है।
So-and-so sheth's shop has a lock on it today.
(falaanaa seth kii dukaan par aaj taalaa lagaa hai।)
फ़लाना नेता जी कल रैली में भाषण देंगे।
So-and-so leader ji will give a speech at the rally tomorrow.
(falaanaa netaa jii kal railii men bhaashan denge।)
फ़लाना बहनजी से ज़रा तमीज़ से बात कीजिए, वो बड़ी नाराज़ हो जाती हैं।
Please speak a bit politely with so-and-so behanji, she gets very upset.
(falaanaa bahanjii se zaraa tamiiz se baat kiijie, vo badii naaraaz ho jaatii hain।)
फ़लाना अंकल का किस्सा तो पूरी गली में मशहूर है।
So-and-so uncle's story is famous in the whole lane.
(falaanaa ankal kaa kissaa to poorii galii men mashahoor hai।)
Sense
2
:
so-and-so (as a stand-alone placeholder noun/pronoun)
pronoun Functions on its own as a noun-like placeholder without a following noun, e.g. 'फ़लाना आया था' (falaanaa aayaa thaa, 'so-and-so had come').
Synonyms: अमुक (amuk, formal/literary)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: Same flavor as the adjectival use -- it fills the slot where a proper name would go, often when the speaker is being deliberately vague or is recounting hearsay: 'फ़लाना ने बताया कि...' (falaanaa ne bataayaa ki, 'so-and-so mentioned that...').
Sample Sentences:
फ़लाना ने बताया कि मीटिंग कैंसल हो गई है।
So-and-so mentioned that the meeting has been canceled.
(falaanaa ne bataayaa ki miiting kainsal ho gaii hai।)
फ़लाना कह रहा था कि उसे नौकरी मिल गई।
So-and-so was saying that he got a job.
(falaanaa kah rahaa thaa ki use naukrii mil gaii।)
फ़लाना ने फ़ोन किया था, पर मैंने उठाया नहीं।
So-and-so had called, but I didn't pick up.
(falaanaa ne fon kiyaa thaa, par mainne uthaayaa nahiin।)
अगर फ़लाना पूछे तो कह देना कि मैं बाहर गया हूँ।
If so-and-so asks, just tell them I've gone out.
(agar falaanaa poochhe to kah denaa ki main baahar gayaa hoon।)
क्या फ़लाना ने अपना पैसा वापस माँगा?
Did so-and-so ask for their money back?
(kyaa falaanaa ne apnaa paisaa vaapas maangaa?)
यार, फ़लाना को छोड़ो, ये बताओ तुम कब आ रहे हो।
Dude, forget so-and-so, tell me when you're coming.
(yaar, falaanaa ko chhodo, ye bataao tum kab aa rahe ho।)
फ़लाना अगर सच में इतना बड़ा आदमी होता, तो हम सब जानते।
If so-and-so were really such a big shot, we'd all know it.
(falaanaa agar sach men itnaa badaa aadmii hotaa, to ham sab jaante।)
गवाह ने कहा कि फ़लाना वहाँ मौजूद था, पर नाम नहीं लिया।
The witness said so-and-so was present there, but didn't take the name.
(gavaah ne kahaa ki falaanaa vahaan maujood thaa, par naam nahiin liyaa।)
दफ़्तर में सब कहते हैं कि फ़लाना ही असली मालिक है।
Everyone at the office says that so-and-so is the real boss.
(daftar men sab kahte hain ki falaanaa hii aslii maalik hai।)
मान लो फ़लाना अचानक सामने आ जाए, तो तुम क्या करोगे?
Suppose so-and-so suddenly turns up in front of you, then what would you do?
(maan lo falaanaa achaanak saamne aa jaae, to tum kyaa karoge?)
Morphology
Adjective (invariant)
invariant:
फ़लाना
(falaanaa)