आग (aag)

noun Basic word for 'fire' -- covers the literal element as well as the very common figurative uses for intense anger, passion, or fiery sensation that grow out of it.

Sense 1 : fire, flame

noun, feminine

Synonyms: अग्नि (agni, literary), आतिश (aatish, literary)

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: आग लगना (aag lagnaa, 'for a fire to break out') is the standard way to talk about a fire starting -- fire is treated as something that attaches itself or catches, not something a person actively 'makes' happen. You'll hear this phrasing constantly in news reports about building or forest fires.

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for अग्नि (agni) thinking it's the everyday word because it shows up in ceremonies and compounds like अग्निशमन (agnishman, fire extinguishing) -- in daily speech आग (aag) is what people actually say for a fire in the kitchen, the jungle, or the news.

Sample Sentences:

रसोई में आग लगी है। There is a fire in the kitchen.

(rasoii men aag lagii hai।)

कल रात जंगल में आग लग गई। A fire broke out in the forest last night.

(kal raat jangal men aag lag gaii।)

आग बहुत तेज़ी से फैल रही है। The fire is spreading very quickly.

(aag bahut tezii se phail rahii hai।)

पहले लोग खाना बनाने के लिए लकड़ी की आग जलाते थे। In the past, people used to light wood fires to cook food.

(pahle log khaanaa banaane ke lie lakdii kii aag jalaate the।)

आग बुझा दो, वरना पूरा घर जल जाएगा! Put out the fire, or the whole house will burn down!

(aag bujhaa do, varnaa pooraa ghar jal jaaegaa!)

अगर बिजली का तार ठीक से लगाया गया होता, तो आग नहीं लगती। If the electrical wiring had been installed properly, the fire wouldn't have started.

(agar bijlii kaa taar thiik se lagaayaa gayaa hotaa, to aag nahiin lagtii।)

फ़ैक्टरी में लगी आग पर दमकल विभाग ने काबू पा लिया। The fire department brought the fire in the factory under control.

(faiktrii men lagii aag par damkal vibhaag ne kaaboo paa liyaa।)

आग इतनी भड़क गई थी कि दो इमारतें जलकर खाक हो गईं। The fire had flared up so much that two buildings were reduced to ashes.

(aag itnii bhadak gaii thii ki do imaarten jalkar khaak ho gaiin।)

देखो, कहीं आग न बुझ जाए, थोड़ी और लकड़ी डाल दो। Watch out, the fire might go out--add a bit more wood.

(dekho, kahiin aag n bujh jaae, thodii aur lakdii daal do।)

आग जलाने के लिए माचिस ला दो। Bring the matches so we can light the fire.

(aag jalaane ke lie maachis laa do।)

समाचारों में बताया गया कि गोदाम में आग किसी शॉर्ट सर्किट से लगी थी। The news reported that the fire in the warehouse had been caused by a short circuit.

(samaachaaron men bataayaa gayaa ki godaam men aag kisii short sarkit se lagii thii।)

Sense 2 : intense anger, rage

noun, feminine

Synonyms: गुस्सा (gussaa), क्रोध (krodh, formal)

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: You'll hear उसके अंदर आग है (uske andar aag hai, 'there's fire inside him') or आग बबूला होना (aag baboolaa honaa, 'to become fire and embers,' i.e. to lose one's temper completely) -- Hindi leans on आग (aag) constantly as the go-to metaphor for a person boiling over with rage, much like English 'fuming' or 'burning up.'

Sample Sentences:

जब उसने सच सुना, तो वह आग बबूला हो गया। When he heard the truth, he completely lost his temper.

(jab usne sach sunaa, to vah aag baboolaa ho gayaa।)

उसके अंदर एक आग है जो उसे चैन से बैठने नहीं देती। There's a fire inside him that won't let him sit in peace.

(uske andar ek aag hai jo use chain se baithne nahiin detii।)

बॉस की एक बात पर वह आग हो गई। One remark from the boss and she turned to fury.

(bos kii ek baat par vah aag ho gaii।)

मत छेड़ो उसे, आजकल उसके सिर पर आग सवार है। Don't provoke him, he's got a fury riding on his head these days.

(mat chhedo use, aajkal uske sir par aag savaar hai।)

उसकी आँखों में आग साफ़ दिख रही थी। The rage was clearly visible in her eyes.

(uskii aankhon men aag saaf dikh rahii thii।)

अगर उसे पता चल गया कि तुमने झूठ बोला, तो वह आग बबूला हो जाएगा। If he finds out you lied, he'll erupt in fury.

(agar use pataa chal gayaa ki tumne jhooth bolaa, to vah aag baboolaa ho jaaegaa।)

काश वह इतनी जल्दी आग बबूला न होता। If only he didn't fly into a rage so quickly.

(kaash vah itnii jaldii aag baboolaa n hotaa।)

अन्याय की खबरें सुनकर लोगों के दिलों में आग भड़क उठी। Hearing the news of the injustice, fury blazed up in people's hearts.

(anyaay kii khabren sunkar logon ke dilon men aag bhadak uthii।)

इतनी आग मत पालो दिल में, इससे तुम्हें ही नुकसान होगा। Don't nurse so much rage in your heart, it'll only harm you.

(itnii aag mat paalo dil men, isse tumhen hii nuksaan hogaa।)

अध्यक्ष के भाषण से उपस्थित जनसमूह में आग फैल गई। The chairman's speech spread fury through the assembled crowd.

(adhyaksh ke bhaashan se upasthit janasmooh men aag phail gaii।)

शायद उसे न बताना ही ठीक रहे, वरना वह आग बबूला हो सकता है। Maybe it's better not to tell him, or else he might erupt in rage.

(shaayad use n bataanaa hii thiik rahe, varnaa vah aag baboolaa ho saktaa hai।)

Sense 3 : intense passion, longing, or burning desire

noun, feminine

Synonyms: जोश (josh), जलन (jalan, envy-tinged burning)

Frequency: medium

Cultural Note: In Bollywood lyrics and shayari you'll often meet दिल में आग (dil men aag, 'fire in the heart') for consuming love, ambition, or longing -- the same word that describes a kitchen fire also carries the poetic weight of an unquenchable inner drive.

Sample Sentences:

उसके दिल में कुछ कर दिखाने की आग है। There is a fire in his heart to achieve something.

(uske dil men kuchh kar dikhaane kii aag hai।)

जब से उसने वो गाना सुना, उसके दिल में आग लग गई। Ever since she heard that song, a fire has been lit in her heart.

(jab se usne vo gaanaa sunaa, uske dil men aag lag gaii।)

उसकी आँखों में जीत की आग जल रही थी। The fire of victory was burning in his eyes.

(uskii aankhon men jiit kii aag jal rahii thii।)

काश मेरे अंदर भी वैसी आग होती जैसी तुझमें है। I wish I had that same fire inside me that you have.

(kaash mere andar bhii vaisii aag hotii jaisii tujhmen hai।)

अगर तुझमें सच में कुछ बनने की आग होती, तो तू यूँ हार नहीं मानता। If you really had the fire to become something, you would not give up like this.

(agar tujhmen sach men kuchh banne kii aag hotii, to too yoon haar nahiin maantaa।)

यह गीत हर सुनने वाले के दिल में एक आग जगा देता है। This song awakens a fire in the heart of every listener.

(yah giit har sunne vaale ke dil men ek aag jagaa detaa hai।)

उसकी शायरी में इश्क़ की वही पुरानी आग महसूस होती है। In his poetry, one can still feel that same old fire of love.

(uskii shaayrii men ishq kii vahii puraanii aag mahsoos hotii hai।)

अपने अंदर की आग को कभी बुझने मत देना। Never let the fire inside you die out.

(apne andar kii aag ko kabhii bujhne mat denaa।)

प्यार में जो आग होती है, वो किसी और चीज़ में नहीं होती। The fire that exists in love is not found in anything else.

(pyaar men jo aag hotii hai, vo kisii aur chiiz men nahiin hotii।)

उम्मीद है कि तेरे भीतर की आग कभी ठंडी न पड़े। I hope the fire within you never cools down.

(ummiid hai ki tere bhiitar kii aag kabhii thandii n pade।)

Sense 4 : sharp, burning sensation (spice, heat, pain)

noun, feminine

Synonyms: जलन (jalan)

Frequency: medium

Cultural Note: At a dhaba table you'll hear friends laughingly say इस मिर्च में तो आग है (is mirch men to aag hai, 'this chili has fire in it') -- a vivid, everyday extension of the literal fire sense that a learner should recognize rather than translate word for word.

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes translate 'this chili is so hot' too literally with गरम (garam) alone; native speakers often reach for आग (aag) or जलन (jalan) to convey the burning bite of spice, e.g. मुँह में आग लग गई (munh men aag lag gaii, 'my mouth caught fire').

Sample Sentences:

इस मिर्च में तो आग है। This chili has real fire in it.

(is mirch men to aag hai।)

मसाला ज़्यादा पड़ गया, मुँह में आग लग रही है। I put in too much spice, my mouth is burning.

(masaalaa zyaadaa pad gayaa, munh men aag lag rahii hai।)

चोट पर दवा लगाते ही आग-सी उठी। As soon as I applied the medicine to the wound, a fire-like sting shot through it.

(chot par davaa lagaate hii aag-sii uthii।)

गर्म तेल की एक बूँद हाथ पर गिरी और आग-सी लगी। A drop of hot oil fell on my hand and it felt like fire.

(garm tel kii ek boond haath par girii aur aag-sii lagii।)

अगर तुम यह अचार खाओगे तो पेट में आग लग जाएगी। If you eat this pickle, your stomach will start burning.

(agar tum yah achaar khaaoge to pet men aag lag jaaegii।)

काश यह करी इतनी तीखी न होती, गले में आग नहीं लगती। If only this curry weren't so spicy, my throat wouldn't be burning like this.

(kaash yah karii itnii tiikhii n hotii, gale men aag nahiin lagtii।)

धूप में इतनी देर खड़े रहने से त्वचा पर आग-सी महसूस होने लगी। Standing in the sun for so long, my skin started to feel like it was on fire.

(dhoop men itnii der khade rahne se tvachaa par aag-sii mahsoos hone lagii।)

डॉक्टर ने कहा कि यह क्रीम लगाने से जलन की आग कम हो जाएगी। The doctor said that applying this cream will reduce the burning sensation.

(doktar ne kahaa ki yah kriim lagaane se jalan kii aag kam ho jaaegii।)

थोड़ी और मिर्च डाल दो, कुछ आग तो आनी चाहिए। Add a bit more chili, it should have some kick to it.

(thodii aur mirch daal do, kuchh aag to aanii chaahie।)

Morphology

Noun

(sg.f.direct): आग (aag)

(sg.f.oblique): आग (aag)

(pl.f.direct): आगें (aagen)

(pl.f.oblique): आगों (aagon)