खेल-कूद (khel-kood)

noun A compound noun meaning 'games and sports' or 'play and frolic' -- built from खेल (khel, 'game/play') and कूद (kood, 'jump/leap'), paired together the way Hindi often doubles up near-synonyms for a fuller, rounder sense.
Sense 1 : sports and games (as an activity/category)
noun, masculine
Synonyms: खेल (khel, covers games alone, without the 'frolic' nuance)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will see this word constantly in school contexts -- खेल-कूद प्रतियोगिता (khel-kood pratiyogitaa, 'sports competition') or खेल-कूद का मैदान (khel-kood kaa maidaan, 'playground') -- it is the standard umbrella term for a school's annual sports day and PE period alike. The pairing of खेल (khel) and कूद (kood) is a classic Hindi 'echo compound,' where two related words are yoked together to suggest a whole domain of activity rather than one precise action.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes treat this as strictly 'sports' in the competitive sense, but it just as often means general outdoor play and running around, especially for children -- closer to 'playing about' than 'athletics.' 2) It is used as an invariant compound noun; do not try to inflect कूद (kood) separately from खेल (khel).
Sample Sentences:
हमारे स्कूल में हर साल खेल-कूद प्रतियोगिता होती है। Every year there is a sports competition at our school.
(hamaare skool men har saal khel-kood pratiyogitaa hotii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
बच्चे खेल-कूद के मैदान में दौड़ रहे हैं। The children are running around on the playground.
(bachche khel-kood ke maidaan men daud rahe hain।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
पढ़ाई के साथ खेल-कूद भी जरूरी है। Along with studies, sports and games are also important.
(padhaaii ke saath khel-kood bhii jaroorii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
कल स्कूल में खेल-कूद प्रतियोगिता हुई थी। There was a sports competition at school yesterday.
(kal skool men khel-kood pratiyogitaa huii thii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगले हफ्ते हमारे यहाँ खेल-कूद का आयोजन किया जाएगा। Next week a sports event will be organized at our place.
(agle haphte hamaare yahaan khel-kood kaa aayojan kiyaa jaaegaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Passive
अगर हमारे पास बेहतर मैदान होता, तो खेल-कूद की गतिविधियाँ और अच्छी होतीं। If we had a better ground, the sports activities would be even better.
(agar hamaare paas behtar maidaan hotaa, to khel-kood kii gatividhiyaan aur achchhii hotiin।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
बच्चों को खेल-कूद में हिस्सा लेना चाहिए। Children should take part in sports and games.
(bachchon ko khel-kood men hissaa lenaa chaahie।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
खेल-कूद प्रतियोगिता में हिस्सा लो, इससे सेहत भी बनती है। Take part in the sports competition, it also builds your health.
(khel-kood pratiyogitaa men hissaa lo, isse sehat bhii bantii hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
विद्यालय में शिक्षा और खेल-कूद दोनों पर समान ध्यान दिया जाता है। At school, equal attention is given to both education and sports.
(vidyaalay men shikshaa aur khel-kood donon par samaan dhyaan diyaa jaataa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
मुझे यकीन नहीं कि इस मौसम में खेल-कूद की प्रतियोगिताएँ हो पाएँगी। I'm not sure whether the sports competitions will be able to happen in this weather.
(mujhe yakiin nahiin ki is mausam men khel-kood kii pratiyogitaaen ho paaengii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
विद्यालय का खेल-कूद का मैदान बहुत बड़ा है। The school's sports ground is very large.
(vidyaalay kaa khel-kood kaa maidaan bahut badaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): खेल-कूद ([[खेल-कूद]])
(sg.m.oblique): खेल-कूद ([[खेल-कूद]])
(pl.m.direct): खेल-कूद ([[खेल-कूद]])
(pl.m.oblique): खेल-कूदों ([[खेल-कूदों]])