लाल (laal)

adjective/noun Mainly the color adjective 'red', but also a warm, affectionate noun for 'son/dear child' -- the two senses share a root but feel quite different in daily speech.
Sense 1 : the color red
adjective
Synonyms: सुर्ख (surkh, literary, deep red)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: लाल (laal) is everywhere in daily life: लाल मिर्च (laal mirch, 'red chili'), लाल बत्ती (laal battii, 'red light/traffic signal'), and लाल किला (laal kilaa, 'the Red Fort') in Delhi itself. Red also carries strong cultural weight in India as the color of weddings and auspiciousness, so it shows up constantly in descriptions of bridal clothes and jewelry.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes try to inflect लाल (laal) like a regular -आ adjective (e.g. attempting लाली laalii or लाले laale to agree with a feminine or plural noun) -- it stays लाल (laal) in every case, since it is invariant.
Sample Sentences:
उसकी साड़ी लाल है। Her sari is red.
(uskii saadii laal hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
दुल्हन ने लाल जोड़ा पहना था। The bride was wearing a red wedding dress.
(dulhan ne laal jodaa pahnaa thaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
इस सब्ज़ी में लाल मिर्च मत डालो, बहुत तेज़ है। Don't put red chili in this vegetable, it's very strong.
(is sabzii men laal mirch mat daalo, bahut tez hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
लाल बत्ती पर हमेशा गाड़ी रोकनी चाहिए। You should always stop the car at the red light.
(laal battii par hameshaa gaadii roknii chaahie।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
लाल किला दिल्ली की सबसे मशहूर इमारतों में से एक है। The Red Fort is one of the most famous buildings in Delhi.
(laal kilaa dillii kii sabse mashahoor imaarton men se ek hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर तुम लाल रंग पहनती तो और सुंदर लगती। If you wore red, you would look even more beautiful.
(agar tum laal rang pahantii to aur sundar lagtii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
गुस्से में उसका चेहरा लाल हो गया। His face turned red with anger.
(gusse men uskaa chehraa laal ho gayaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
शादी में सारी दुकानों पर लाल चूड़ियाँ बिक रही थीं। Red bangles were being sold at all the shops during the wedding.
(shaadii men saarii dukaanon par laal choodiyaan bik rahii thiin।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
क्या तुम्हें लाल या नीला रंग पसंद है? Do you like the color red or blue?
(kyaa tumhen laal yaa niilaa rang pasand hai?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
समारोह के लिए दीवारों को लाल रंग से सजाया गया। The walls were decorated in red for the ceremony.
(samaaroh ke lie diivaaron ko laal rang se sajaayaa gayaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
काश मेरे पास वो लाल गुलाब होता जो तुमने देखा था। I wish I had that red rose you saw.
(kaash mere paas vo laal gulaab hotaa jo tumne dekhaa thaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
Sense 2 : beloved son, dear child
noun, masculine Used as a term of endearment, often vocatively, by parents or elders addressing a boy -- e.g. मेरे लाल (mere laal, 'my dear son').
Synonyms: बेटा (betaa), प्यारा बेटा (pyaaraa betaa)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This is the tender, old-fashioned voice of a Hindi mother or grandmother -- मेरा लाल (meraa laal, 'my darling son') is the kind of phrase you hear in lullabies and in blessings elders give to boys. It carries a folk-poetic warmth you would not get from the plainer बेटा (betaa).
Common Mistakes: 1) This affectionate noun sense is easy to miss because it looks identical to the color adjective -- context (usually मेरा/तेरा लाल meraa/teraa laal) is the only clue. 2) It is not gender-neutral -- it specifically means 'son,' not 'child' in general.
Sample Sentences:
मेरा लाल बड़ा होकर नाम रोशन करेगा। My darling son will grow up and bring honor to the family name.
(meraa laal badaa hokar naam roshan karegaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
सो जा मेरे लाल, नींद तुझे बुला रही है। Sleep now, my darling son, sleep is calling you.
(so jaa mere laal, niind tujhe bulaa rahii hai।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
दादी ने अपने लाल को गोद में उठा लिया। Grandmother picked up her darling boy into her lap.
(daadii ne apne laal ko god men uthaa liyaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
भगवान करे मेरा लाल हमेशा खुश रहे। May God keep my darling son happy forever.
(bhagvaan kare meraa laal hameshaa khush rahe।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
माँ अपने लाल को रोज़ सुबह प्यार से जगाती है। The mother lovingly wakes her darling son every morning.
(maan apne laal ko roz subah pyaar se jagaatii hai।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर वह मेरा लाल होता, तो मैं उसे कभी न डाँटती। If he were my darling son, I would never have scolded him.
(agar vah meraa laal hotaa, to main use kabhii n daanttii।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
नानी ने आशीर्वाद देते हुए कहा, तू मेरा लाल है। Giving her blessing, grandmother said, you are my darling son.
(naanii ne aashiirvaad dete hue kahaa, too meraa laal hai।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
इस लोरी में हर माँ अपने लाल को दुलारती नज़र आती है। In this lullaby, every mother appears to be cherishing her darling son.
(is lorii men har maan apne laal ko dulaartii nazar aatii hai।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
गाँव की बूढ़ी औरतें अब भी लड़कों को लाल कहकर पुकारती हैं। The old women of the village still call boys 'lal' with fondness.
(gaanv kii boodhii aurten ab bhii ladkon ko laal kahkar pukaartii hain।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Adjective (invariant)
invariant: लाल (laal)
Noun
(sg.m.direct): लाल (laal)
(sg.m.oblique): लाल (laal)
(pl.m.direct): लाल (laal)
(pl.m.oblique): लालों (laalon)