ऐतिहासिक (aitihaasik)

adjective A single-sense adjective meaning 'historical/historic', used both for factual ('based on history') and significance-marking ('momentous') senses in everyday speech.
Sense 1 : historical, relating to history
adjective
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You'll hear this constantly on the news and in school textbooks -- ऐतिहासिक इमारत (aitihaasik imaarat, 'historical building') for places like the Red Fort or Qutub Minar, and ऐतिहासिक घटना (aitihaasik ghatnaa, 'historical event') for things like independence.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes confuse this with इतिहास (itihaas, 'history', the noun) -- ऐतिहासिक (aitihaasik) is only the adjective form; you cannot use it where the noun 'history' is needed. 2) It describes something as belonging to or documented in history (a period, event, building, figure), not merely 'old' -- पुराना (puraanaa) is used for that.
Sample Sentences:
दिल्ली में कई ऐतिहासिक इमारतें हैं। There are many historical buildings in Delhi.
(dillii men kaii aitihaasik imaarten hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
कुतुब मीनार एक ऐतिहासिक इमारत है। Qutub Minar is a historical building.
(kutub miinaar ek aitihaasik imaarat hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
हमारी किताब में इस ऐतिहासिक घटना के बारे में विस्तार से लिखा गया है। Our book has written about this historical event in detail.
(hamaarii kitaab men is aitihaasik ghatnaa ke baare men vistaar se likhaa gayaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
पुरानी दिल्ली की ऐतिहासिक गलियों में घूमना मुझे बहुत पसंद है। I really love wandering through the historical lanes of Old Delhi.
(puraanii dillii kii aitihaasik galiyon men ghoomnaa mujhe bahut pasand hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
स्कूल में हमें हर ऐतिहासिक स्थल के बारे में पढ़ाया जाता था। In school, we used to be taught about every historical site.
(skool men hamen har aitihaasik sthal ke baare men padhaayaa jaataa thaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
अगर सरकार इस ऐतिहासिक इमारत की मरम्मत नहीं कराती, तो यह गिर जाती। If the government hadn't gotten this historical building repaired, it would have collapsed.
(agar sarkaar is aitihaasik imaarat kii marammat nahiin karaatii, to yah gir jaatii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
कृपया इस ऐतिहासिक स्मारक को छूने से बचें। Please avoid touching this historical monument.
(kripyaa is aitihaasik smaarak ko chhoone se bachen।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
भारतीय पुरातत्व सर्वेक्षण इन ऐतिहासिक इमारतों की देखभाल करता है। The Archaeological Survey of India takes care of these historical buildings.
(bhaartiiy puraatatv sarvekshan in aitihaasik imaarton kii dekhbhaal kartaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगली बार जब हम आगरा जाएंगे, तो हम सारे ऐतिहासिक स्थल देखेंगे। Next time we go to Agra, we will see all the historical sites.
(aglii baar jab ham aagraa jaaenge, to ham saare aitihaasik sthal dekhenge।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
यह क्षेत्र अपनी ऐतिहासिक पृष्ठभूमि के लिए प्रसिद्ध है। This region is famous for its historical background.
(yah kshetr apnii aitihaasik prishthbhoomi ke lie prasiddh hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
हो सकता है कि यह जगह किसी ऐतिहासिक युद्ध का स्थल रही हो। It's possible that this place was the site of some historical battle.
(ho saktaa hai ki yah jagah kisii aitihaasik yuddh kaa sthal rahii ho।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
Sense 2 : momentous, of landmark importance
adjective
Synonyms: यादगार (yaadgaar, memorable), महत्वपूर्ण (mahatvpoorn, important)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This is the sense you get in ऐतिहासिक फैसला (aitihaasik phaislaa, 'historic decision/verdict') or ऐतिहासिक जीत (aitihaasik jiit, 'historic win') -- newsreaders and politicians love this word for anything they want to sound larger than life, much like English 'historic' is overused for big sporting wins or court rulings.
Sample Sentences:
सुप्रीम कोर्ट ने आज एक ऐतिहासिक फैसला सुनाया। The Supreme Court delivered a historic verdict today.
(supriim kort ne aaj ek aitihaasik phaislaa sunaayaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
भारत की यह जीत सच में ऐतिहासिक थी। This win for India was truly historic.
(bhaarat kii yah jiit sach men aitihaasik thii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगर सरकार यह कानून पास कर दे, तो यह एक ऐतिहासिक कदम होगा। If the government passes this law, it will be a historic step.
(agar sarkaar yah kaanoon paas kar de, to yah ek aitihaasik kadam hogaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
यह समझौता ऐतिहासिक माना जाता है। This agreement is considered historic.
(yah samjhautaa aitihaasik maanaa jaataa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
काश हमारी टीम वह ऐतिहासिक मैच जीत पाती। If only our team could have won that historic match.
(kaash hamaarii tiim vah aitihaasik maich jiit paatii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
इस ऐतिहासिक पल को हमेशा याद रखना। Always remember this historic moment.
(is aitihaasik pal ko hameshaa yaad rakhnaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
प्रधानमंत्री ने इसे एक ऐतिहासिक उपलब्धि बताया। The Prime Minister called it a historic achievement.
(pradhaanmantrii ne ise ek aitihaasik uplabdhi bataayaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
यह चुनाव नतीजा ऐतिहासिक साबित हो सकता है। This election result could prove to be historic.
(yah chunaav natiijaa aitihaasik saabit ho saktaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
आज का दिन देश के लिए ऐतिहासिक रहेगा। Today's day will remain historic for the country.
(aaj kaa din desh ke lie aitihaasik rahegaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
यार, ये तो बिल्कुल ऐतिहासिक गोल था! Dude, that was a completely historic goal!
(yaar, ye to bilkul aitihaasik gol thaa!)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Adjective (invariant)
invariant: ऐतिहासिक (aitihaasik)