ख़ुशबूदार (khushboodaar)

adjective A single-sense adjective meaning 'fragrant' or 'sweet-smelling' -- describing anything pleasant to smell, from food to flowers to soap.
Sense 1 : fragrant, sweet-smelling
adjective
Synonyms: सुगंधित (sugandhit, formal), महकदार (mahakdaar)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will hear this constantly around food and flowers in Delhi -- ख़ुशबूदार चावल (khushboodaar chaaval, 'fragrant rice') is basmati's calling card, and ख़ुशबूदार इत्र (khushboodaar itr, 'fragrant perfume') is a compliment at any wedding. It's built from ख़ुशबू (khushboo, 'fragrance') plus the possessive suffix -दार (-daar, 'having/possessing'), the same suffix you see in ज़िम्मेदार (zimmedaar, 'responsible') -- so learning this word helps you unlock a whole pattern of adjectives.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes confuse this with a taste word; it is strictly about smell, not flavor -- a dish can be ख़ुशबूदार (khushboodaar) because of its aroma even if you haven't tasted it yet. 2) The ख़ (kh) is a distinct sound from क (k); many learners flatten it, but in careful speech it is pronounced with a slight rasp at the back of the throat, borrowed from Persian-derived vocabulary.
Sample Sentences:
यह चावल बहुत ख़ुशबूदार है। This rice is very fragrant.
(yah chaaval bahut khushboodaar hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
बगीचे में ख़ुशबूदार फूल खिले हुए थे। Fragrant flowers were blooming in the garden.
(bagiiche men khushboodaar phool khile hue the।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
दुल्हन ने ख़ुशबूदार इत्र लगाया था। The bride had applied fragrant perfume.
(dulhan ne khushboodaar itr lagaayaa thaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम्हारे पास कोई ख़ुशबूदार साबुन है? Do you have any fragrant soap?
(kyaa tumhaare paas koii khushboodaar saabun hai?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर मसाले ताज़े होते तो खाना ज़्यादा ख़ुशबूदार बनता। If the spices were fresh, the food would turn out more fragrant.
(agar masaale taaze hote to khaanaa zyaadaa khushboodaar bantaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
माँ हमेशा ख़ुशबूदार चावल बनाती है। Mom always makes fragrant rice.
(maan hameshaa khushboodaar chaaval banaatii hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
इस मोमबत्ती को थोड़ा और ख़ुशबूदार बनाओ। Make this candle a bit more fragrant.
(is mombattii ko thodaa aur khushboodaar banaao।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
शादी में ख़ुशबूदार इत्र मेहमानों को बहुत पसंद आया। The guests really liked the fragrant perfume at the wedding.
(shaadii men khushboodaar itr mehmaanon ko bahut pasand aayaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
पूजा में ख़ुशबूदार धूप जलाई जाती है। Fragrant incense is lit during the prayer.
(poojaa men khushboodaar dhoop jalaaii jaatii hai।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
शायद यह तेल भी ख़ुशबूदार हो। Perhaps this oil is fragrant too.
(shaayad yah tel bhii khushboodaar ho।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
रसोई से ख़ुशबूदार भाप उठ रही थी। Fragrant steam was rising from the kitchen.
(rasoii se khushboodaar bhaap uth rahii thii।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Adjective (invariant)
invariant: ख़ुशबूदार (khushboodaar)