नौ (nau)
numeral/noun
This word has two unrelated meanings: the number 'nine' and the word for 'boat' (the latter mostly seen in compounds like नौका (naukaa).
Sense
1
:
the number nine
numeral
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: नौ (nau) is used exactly like other cardinal numbers in Hindi -- for counting, prices, ages, and time (नौ बजे (nau baje, 'at nine o'clock')). You will hear it constantly in daily contexts like bus numbers, addresses, and market haggling.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes confuse नौ (nau, 'nine') with नो (no), which is not a Hindi word in this sense -- the nasalized vowel matters, so listen for the light nasal sound at the end. 2) Do not confuse with नई (naii, 'new, feminine'), which looks unrelated in Devanagari but learners sometimes mix up in fast speech.
Sample Sentences:
मेरे पास नौ किताबें हैं।
I have nine books.
(mere paas nau kitaaben hain।)
बस नौ बजे आएगी।
The bus will come at nine o'clock.
(bas nau baje aaegii।)
वह हर रोज़ नौ बजे दफ़्तर पहुँचता है।
He reaches the office at nine o'clock every day.
(vah har roz nau baje daftar pahunchtaa hai।)
इस सेब की कीमत नौ रुपये है।
The price of this apple is nine rupees.
(is seb kii kiimat nau rupye hai।)
मेरी बेटी नौ साल की हो गई है।
My daughter has turned nine years old.
(merii betii nau saal kii ho gaii hai।)
नौ नंबर की बस लेकर चले जाओ।
Take the number nine bus and go.
(nau nambar kii bas lekar chale jaao।)
अगर कमरे में नौ कुर्सियाँ होती, तो सब बैठ सकते।
If there were nine chairs in the room, everyone could sit.
(agar kamre men nau kursiyaan hotii, to sab baith sakte।)
कल तक ये नौ काम पूरे हो जाने चाहिए।
These nine tasks should be completed by tomorrow.
(kal tak ye nau kaam poore ho jaane chaahie।)
दुकानदार ने कहा कि सेब नौ के भाव बिक रहे हैं।
The shopkeeper said the apples are selling at nine rupees each.
(dukaandaar ne kahaa ki seb nau ke bhaav bik rahe hain।)
उस मकान का नंबर नौ है।
That house's number is nine.
(us makaan kaa nambar nau hai।)
क्या यहाँ नौ लोगों के लिए जगह होगी?
Will there be room here for nine people?
(kyaa yahaan nau logon ke lie jagah hogii?)
Sense
2
:
boat, vessel
noun, feminine This standalone sense is rare in everyday speech; the root is far more commonly seen inside compounds such as नौका (naukaa, 'boat') and नौसेना (nausenaa, 'navy').
Synonyms: नाव (naav), नौका (naukaa, more common in this exact form), किश्ती (kishtii, literary)
Frequency: literary
Cultural Note: As a standalone word for 'boat', नौ (nau) is largely literary today -- in daily conversation people say नाव (naav) instead. You are much more likely to meet this root inside words like नौसेना (nausenaa, 'navy', literally 'boat-army') than on its own.
Sample Sentences:
कवि ने जीवन की तुलना एक डगमगाती नौ से की।
The poet compared life to a wavering boat.
(kavi ne jiivan kii tulnaa ek dagamgaatii nau se kii।)
नौ किनारे से दूर, अथाह जल में डोल रही थी।
The boat, far from the shore, was swaying in the fathomless water.
(nau kinaare se door, athaah jal men dol rahii thii।)
यह जीवन की नौ है, जो न जाने किस तट पर लगेगी।
This is the boat of life, which will land on who-knows-which shore.
(yah jiivan kii nau hai, jo n jaane kis tat par lagegii।)
यदि नौ का पतवार टूट जाए, तो यात्री दिशाहीन हो जाते हैं।
If the boat's rudder were to break, the travelers become directionless.
(yadi nau kaa patvaar toot jaae, to yaatrii dishaahiin ho jaate hain।)
काश मेरे पास भी कोई ऐसी नौ होती जो हर तूफ़ान से पार निकल जाए।
If only I too had such a boat that could sail through every storm.
(kaash mere paas bhii koii aisii nau hotii jo har toofaan se paar nikal jaae।)
भवसागर में यह मन की नौ भक्ति के सहारे ही पार होती है।
In this ocean of worldly existence, this boat of the mind crosses over only with the support of devotion.
(bhavsaagar men yah man kii nau bhakti ke sahaare hii paar hotii hai।)
हे प्रभु, मेरी नौ को अपने हाथों से पार लगाना।
O Lord, guide my boat across with your own hands.
(he prabhu, merii nau ko apne haathon se paar lagaanaa।)
नदी के मध्य में एक टूटी नौ बहती दिखाई दी।
In the middle of the river, a broken boat was seen drifting.
(nadii ke madhy men ek tootii nau bahtii dikhaaii dii।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
नौ
(nau)
(sg.f.oblique):
नौ
(nau)
(pl.f.direct):
नौएँ
(nauen)
(pl.f.oblique):
नौओं
(nauon)