बंदर (bandar)
noun
A concrete noun meaning 'monkey'; also used figuratively for a mischievous or fickle person. Also spelled बन्दर (bandar) with the full nasal, an equally valid variant.
Sense
1
:
monkey (the animal)
noun, masculine
Synonyms: वानर (vaanar, literary)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Monkeys are a real presence in Delhi-NCR -- around Old Delhi, government buildings, and hill stations, signs warn बंदरों से सावधान (bandron se saavdhaan, 'beware of monkeys'), and people genuinely lock their windows because of them. The word also carries strong religious resonance through Hanuman (hanumaan), who is worshipped as a divine monkey, so बंदर (bandar) is never a purely neutral zoological term the way 'monkey' can feel in English.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes reach for वानर (vaanar) as the default word, but in everyday speech बंदर (bandar) is what people actually say; वानर (vaanar) sounds bookish or mythological, mainly evoking Hanuman and the Ramayana's monkey army.
Sample Sentences:
छत पर बंदर बैठा है।
There is a monkey sitting on the roof.
(chhat par bandar baithaa hai।)
खिड़की बंद कर दो, बंदर अंदर आ जाएगा।
Close the window, the monkey will come inside.
(khidkii band kar do, bandar andar aa jaaegaa।)
पुरानी दिल्ली में जगह-जगह बोर्ड लगे हैं, "बंदरों से सावधान"।
In Old Delhi there are boards everywhere saying, "Beware of monkeys."
(puraanii dillii men jagah-jagah bord lage hain, "bandron se saavdhaan"।)
पहाड़ी इलाकों में बंदर अक्सर सैलानियों का खाना छीन लेते हैं।
In hilly areas, monkeys often snatch food from tourists.
(pahaadii ilaakon men bandar aksar sailaaniyon kaa khaanaa chhiin lete hain।)
अगर तुम खिड़की खुली रखते तो बंदर जरूर अंदर आ जाता।
If you had kept the window open, the monkey would definitely have come inside.
(agar tum khidkii khulii rakhte to bandar jaroor andar aa jaataa।)
मंदिर के पास बंदरों का एक झुंड रहता है, हनुमान जी की वजह से लोग उन्हें कुछ नहीं कहते।
A troop of monkeys lives near the temple, and because of Hanuman ji people don't say anything to them.
(mandir ke paas bandron kaa ek jhund rahtaa hai, hanumaan jii kii vajah se log unhen kuchh nahiin kahte।)
सरकारी दफ्तर के गार्ड ने बंदर को भगाने के लिए डंडा उठाया।
The guard at the government office picked up a stick to chase away the monkey.
(sarkaarii daphtar ke gaard ne bandar ko bhagaane ke lie dandaa uthaayaa।)
काश यहाँ बंदर न होते, तो हम बालकनी में आराम से बैठ सकते।
If only there were no monkeys here, we could sit comfortably on the balcony.
(kaash yahaan bandar n hote, to ham baalaknii men aaraam se baith sakte।)
हनुमान जी को वानरराज कहा जाता है, इसलिए बंदर को हिंदू धर्म में पवित्र माना जाता है।
Hanuman ji is called the king of monkeys, so the monkey is considered sacred in Hindu religion.
(hanumaan jii ko vaanarraaj kahaa jaataa hai, islie bandar ko hindoo dharm men pavitr maanaa jaataa hai।)
रात होते ही बंदर पेड़ों पर चढ़ जाते हैं और सुबह फिर उतर आते हैं।
As soon as night falls, the monkeys climb up the trees and come down again in the morning.
(raat hote hii bandar pedon par chadh jaate hain aur subah phir utar aate hain।)
उस बंदर ने मेरे हाथ से केला छीन लिया।
That monkey snatched the banana right out of my hand.
(us bandar ne mere haath se kelaa chhiin liyaa।)
Sense
2
:
a mischievous, fickle, or foolish person (figurative)
noun, masculine
Synonyms: शैतान (shaitaan, mischievous rather than fickle)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You will hear mothers scold a restless child with अरे बंदर, बैठ जा (are bandar, baith jaa, 'hey monkey, sit down') -- it is warm, not harsh. The idiom बंदर क्या जाने अदरक का स्वाद (bandar kyaa jaane adrak kaa svaad, 'what does a monkey know of the taste of ginger') is a classic way of saying someone lacks the refinement to appreciate something good.
Common Mistakes: 1) Calling a child बंदर (bandar) is affectionate teasing, not an insult -- learners sometimes hesitate to use it thinking it is rude, but parents and grandparents say it constantly to naughty kids.
Sample Sentences:
अरे बंदर, बैठ जा, कब से उछल रहा है!
Hey monkey, sit down, you've been jumping around forever!
(are bandar, baith jaa, kab se uchhal rahaa hai!)
बंदर क्या जाने अदरक का स्वाद, उसे तो बस शोर मचाना है।
What does a monkey know of the taste of ginger -- all he wants is to make noise.
(bandar kyaa jaane adrak kaa svaad, use to bas shor machaanaa hai।)
मेरा छोटा भाई पूरा बंदर है, एक जगह टिकता ही नहीं।
My little brother is a total monkey, he never stays put in one place.
(meraa chhotaa bhaaii pooraa bandar hai, ek jagah tiktaa hii nahiin।)
क्लास में सब बंदर बने हुए थे, टीचर के आने से पहले तक।
Everyone in class was acting like monkeys, right up until the teacher arrived.
(klaas men sab bandar bane hue the, tiichar ke aane se pahle tak।)
अगर तू बंदर की तरह उछलता-कूदता रहा, तो चोट लग जाएगी।
If you keep jumping around like a monkey, you're going to get hurt.
(agar too bandar kii tarah uchhaltaa-koodtaa rahaa, to chot lag jaaegii।)
अगर वो थोड़ा कम बंदर होता, तो उसे नौकरी मिल जाती।
If he were a little less of a fool, he would have gotten the job.
(agar vo thodaa kam bandar hotaa, to use naukrii mil jaatii।)
दफ्तर में उसे बंदर समझकर कोई भी काम गंभीरता से नहीं देते।
Thinking him a fool, nobody at the office gives him any work seriously.
(daphtar men use bandar samajhkar koii bhii kaam gambhiirtaa se nahiin dete।)
वह हर बात पर मुँह बनाकर बंदर जैसी हरकतें करता है।
He pulls faces and does monkey-like antics over every little thing.
(vah har baat par munh banaakar bandar jaisii harakten kartaa hai।)
इतना समझदार आदमी और शादी में इतनी बंदरगीरी करेगा, ये किसी ने नहीं सोचा था।
Nobody thought such a sensible man would act so like a fool at the wedding.
(itnaa samajhdaar aadmii aur shaadii men itnii bandargiirii karegaa, ye kisii ne nahiin sochaa thaa।)
मीटिंग में जिस तरह उसने बीच-बीच में बकवास की, बिल्कुल बंदर लग रहा था।
The way he kept butting in with nonsense during the meeting, he looked exactly like a monkey.
(miiting men jis tarah usne biich-biich men bakvaas kii, bilkul bandar lag rahaa thaa।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
बंदर
(bandar)
(sg.m.oblique):
बंदर
(bandar)
(pl.m.direct):
बंदर
(bandar)
(pl.m.oblique):
बंदरों
(bandron)