प्रिय (priy)
adjective/noun
Mainly an adjective meaning 'dear/beloved', with a related noun sense referring to a loved person; also survives in compounds and forms of address.
Sense
1
:
dear, beloved, favorite
adjective
Synonyms: प्यारा (pyaaraa), चाहता (chaahtaa, less common as adjective), प्रियतम (priytam, literary, more intense)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You will meet this word right at the top of a formal letter or speech -- प्रिय महोदय (priy mahoday, 'dear sir') or प्रिय साथियों (priy saathiyon, 'dear colleagues') -- much like 'dear' opens an English letter. In everyday chat among friends and family, प्यारा (pyaaraa) is what people actually reach for; प्रिय (priy) has a slightly more formal, written-page feel.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for this in casual speech where प्यारा (pyaaraa) would sound more natural; प्रिय (priy) leans slightly formal/written, common in letters, speeches, and set phrases like प्रिय मित्र (priy mitr, 'dear friend'). 2) As an adjective it is often invariant in fixed address phrases (प्रिय मित्रों priy mitron, 'dear friends') even though it can inflect elsewhere -- learners sometimes over-inflect or under-inflect it inconsistently.
Sample Sentences:
प्रिय साथियों, आज की सभा में आपका स्वागत है।
Dear colleagues, welcome to today's meeting.
(priy saathiyon, aaj kii sabhaa men aapkaa svaagat hai।)
प्रिय महोदय, आपके पत्र के लिए धन्यवाद।
Dear sir, thank you for your letter.
(priy mahoday, aapke patr ke lie dhanyvaad।)
संगीत उसे बहुत प्रिय है।
Music is very dear to him.
(sangiit use bahut priy hai।)
यह उसका सबसे प्रिय विषय था।
This was his most favorite subject.
(yah uskaa sabse priy vishay thaa।)
देश की एकता हमें सबसे प्रिय होनी चाहिए।
The unity of the country should be most dear to us.
(desh kii ektaa hamen sabse priy honii chaahie।)
यदि सत्य हमें प्रिय होता, तो हम झूठ न बोलते।
If truth were dear to us, we would not lie.
(yadi saty hamen priy hotaa, to ham jhooth n bolte।)
उन्हें बचपन से ही किताबें प्रिय रही हैं।
Books have been dear to him since childhood.
(unhen bachpan se hii kitaaben priy rahii hain।)
प्रिय पाठकों, इस अंक में हमने कई नई कहानियाँ जोड़ी हैं।
Dear readers, we have added many new stories in this issue.
(priy paathkon, is ank men hamne kaii naii kahaaniyaan jodii hain।)
क्या तुम्हें भी शांति इतनी प्रिय है जितनी मुझे?
Is peace as dear to you as it is to me?
(kyaa tumhen bhii shaanti itnii priy hai jitnii mujhe?)
Sense
2
:
beloved one, dear one (person)
noun, masculine/feminine Used as a noun referring to a loved person, especially in poetry, songs, and romantic or devotional contexts.
Synonyms: प्रियतम (priytam, literary, intensified), महबूब (mahboob, more common in speech/song)
Frequency: literary
Cultural Note: This is the word you'll hear in old film songs and shayari addressing a beloved -- ऐ मेरे प्रिय (ai mere priy, 'oh my beloved') -- carrying a soft, romantic, slightly old-fashioned charm rather than something you'd say to your partner over chai.
Common Mistakes: 1) This noun use is mostly literary/poetic -- in ordinary conversation about a boyfriend/girlfriend or spouse, learners should reach for महबूब (mahboob), प्यार (pyaar), or just a name/relation term rather than प्रिय (priy).
Sample Sentences:
ऐ मेरे प्रिय, तुम कहाँ खो गए?
Oh my beloved, where have you gotten lost?
(ai mere priy, tum kahaan kho gae?)
प्रिय की याद में कवि ने यह गीत रचा।
In memory of the beloved, the poet composed this song.
(priy kii yaad men kavi ne yah giit rachaa।)
हे प्रिय, इस मिलन की घड़ी को कभी मत भूलना।
O beloved, never forget this hour of union.
(he priy, is milan kii ghadii ko kabhii mat bhoolnaa।)
प्रिय की प्रतीक्षा में रात कट नहीं रही थी।
Waiting for the beloved, the night simply would not pass.
(priy kii pratiikshaa men raat kat nahiin rahii thii।)
काश मेरा प्रिय आज मेरे पास होता।
If only my beloved were with me today.
(kaash meraa priy aaj mere paas hotaa।)
इस पत्र में उसने अपने प्रिय को दिल की हर बात लिख दी।
In this letter, she wrote every feeling of her heart to her beloved.
(is patr men usne apne priy ko dil kii har baat likh dii।)
प्रिय के बिना यह जीवन अधूरा-सा लगता है।
Without the beloved, this life feels somehow incomplete.
(priy ke binaa yah jiivan adhooraa-saa lagtaa hai।)
शायर हमेशा अपने प्रिय के लिए नई-नई पंक्तियाँ रचता है।
The poet always composes fresh lines for his beloved.
(shaayar hameshaa apne priy ke lie naii-naii panktiyaan rachtaa hai।)
क्या प्रिय की एक झलक भी अब कभी नसीब होगी?
Will even a single glimpse of the beloved ever be my fortune now?
(kyaa priy kii ek jhalak bhii ab kabhii nasiib hogii?)
Morphology
Adjective (variable)
(sg.m):
प्रिय
(priy)
(pl.m):
प्रिये
(priye)
(sg.f):
प्रियी
(priyii)
(pl.f):
प्रियी
(priyii)
Noun
(sg.m/f.direct):
प्रिय
(priy)
(sg.m/f.oblique):
प्रिय
(priy)
(pl.m/f.direct):
प्रियें
(priyen)
(pl.m/f.oblique):
प्रियों
(priyon)