हिज्जे (hijje)

noun Means 'spelling' -- the letters that make up a written word. Almost always used in the phrase हिज्जे करना (hijje karnaa) 'to spell out.'
Sense 1 : spelling (of a word)
noun, masculine Used almost exclusively with करना (karnaa) as in हिज्जे करना (hijje karnaa, 'to spell out'); rarely appears as a standalone subject.
Synonyms: स्पेलिंग (speling, common English loanword, used especially by younger/urban speakers)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You will hear this word most in a school or classroom setting -- a teacher telling a student हिज्जे करो (hijje karo, 'spell it out'). In everyday adult conversation, especially among younger or English-educated speakers in Delhi-NCR, स्पेलिंग (speling) has become the more common casual choice, with हिज्जे (hijje) retaining a slightly more traditional, textbook flavor.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for the English loan स्पेलिंग (speling) by default; हिज्जे (hijje) is the native word and sounds more natural in formal or school contexts, like when a teacher asks a child to spell a word aloud. 2) हिज्जे (hijje) is grammatically plural in form and typically takes plural agreement even when referring to the spelling of a single word, e.g. हिज्जे सही हैं (hijje sahii hain, 'the spelling is correct'), which can surprise learners expecting singular agreement.
Sample Sentences:
इस शब्द के हिज्जे क्या हैं? What is the spelling of this word?
(is shabd ke hijje kyaa hain?)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
बच्चों, अपनी किताब खोलो और इस शब्द के हिज्जे करो। Children, open your books and spell out this word.
(bachchon, apnii kitaab kholo aur is shabd ke hijje karo।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
उसने परीक्षा में इस शब्द के हिज्जे गलत लिख दिए। He wrote the spelling of this word wrong in the exam.
(usne pariikshaa men is shabd ke hijje galat likh die।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
मास्टर जी हर रोज़ हमसे मुश्किल शब्दों के हिज्जे करवाते थे। The teacher used to make us spell out difficult words every day.
(maastar jii har roz hamse mushkil shabdon ke hijje karvaate the।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगर तुम्हें हिज्जे याद न हों तो शब्दकोश देख लो। If you don't remember the spelling, check the dictionary.
(agar tumhen hijje yaad n hon to shabdkosh dekh lo।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
इस शब्द के हिज्जे शायद दो तरह से लिखे जा सकते हैं। The spelling of this word can perhaps be written in two ways.
(is shabd ke hijje shaayad do tarah se likhe jaa sakte hain।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
काश मुझे उस दिन सही हिज्जे याद रहते तो मैं फेल न होता। If only I had remembered the correct spelling that day, I would not have failed.
(kaash mujhe us din sahii hijje yaad rahte to main phel n hotaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
पुरानी किताबों में इस शब्द के हिज्जे थोड़े अलग हुआ करते थे। In old books, the spelling of this word used to be a bit different.
(puraanii kitaabon men is shabd ke hijje thode alag huaa karte the।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
शिक्षिका ने बोर्ड पर शब्द के हिज्जे लिख दिए ताकि सब समझ जाएँ। The teacher wrote the spelling of the word on the board so that everyone would understand.
(shikshikaa ne bord par shabd ke hijje likh die taaki sab samajh jaaen।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम इस कठिन शब्द के हिज्जे बता सकते हो? Can you tell me the spelling of this difficult word?
(kyaa tum is kathin shabd ke hijje bataa sakte ho?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): हिज्जे (hijje)
(sg.m.oblique): हिज्जे (hijje)
(pl.m.direct): हिज्जे (hijje)
(pl.m.oblique): हिज्जेों ([[हिज्जेों]])