अचार (achaar)

noun A single, concrete sense: the pickle (mango, lime, mixed vegetable, etc.) that is a fixture of Indian meals; also lives inside one common idiom about being past one's prime.
Sense 1 : pickle (food)
noun, masculine
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: अचार (achaar) is practically a member of the family in North Indian kitchens -- most households have a signature recipe (mango, lime, mixed vegetable, chilli) made once a year in the summer sun, stored in a glass or ceramic जार (jaar) on the windowsill to mature. There is also a well-known idiom, अचार डालना (achaar daalnaa, 'to pickle someone/something'), used jokingly to mean someone is being kept aside/preserved because they are of no more use -- e.g. 'अब इसका अचार डालो' (ab iskaa achaar daalo, 'now just pickle this thing/person,' i.e. it is useless now.'
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes translate English 'pickle' with a generic word for 'preserved/sour' rather than अचार (achaar), which is the specific, expected term at any Indian table. 2) Note the common phrase अचार डालना (achaar daalnaa), 'to make/put up pickle,' using डालना (daalnaa) rather than बनाना (banaanaa) -- this is how the process of pickling is usually described, not just the act of serving it.
Sample Sentences:
मुझे खाने के साथ आम का अचार बहुत पसंद है। I love mango pickle with my food.
(mujhe khaane ke saath aam kaa achaar bahut pasand hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
दादी हर साल गर्मियों में नींबू का अचार बनाती हैं। Grandma makes lime pickle every year in the summer.
(daadii har saal garmiyon men niimboo kaa achaar banaatii hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अचार का जार खिड़की पर धूप में रखा है। The jar of pickle is kept in the sun on the windowsill.
(achaar kaa jaar khidkii par dhoop men rakhaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
थाली में थोड़ा सा अचार डाल दो। Put a little pickle on the plate.
(thaalii men thodaa saa achaar daal do।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
पिछले हफ्ते हमने मिली-जुली सब्ज़ियों का अचार बनाया था। Last week we made mixed vegetable pickle.
(pichhle haphte hamne milii-julii sabziyon kaa achaar banaayaa thaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम्हें लगता है कि यह अचार बहुत तीखा है? Do you think this pickle is too spicy?
(kyaa tumhen lagtaa hai ki yah achaar bahut tiikhaa hai?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर धूप न मिलती तो अचार ठीक से नहीं पकता। If it didn't get sunlight, the pickle wouldn't mature properly.
(agar dhoop n miltii to achaar thiik se nahiin paktaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
यह अचार इतनी मेहनत से बनाया गया है कि इसका स्वाद ही अलग है। This pickle has been made with such effort that its taste is simply different.
(yah achaar itnii mehnat se banaayaa gayaa hai ki iskaa svaad hii alag hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
मैंने सोचा कि शायद तुम अपने साथ थोड़ा अचार ले आओ। I thought maybe you would bring some pickle along.
(mainne sochaa ki shaayad tum apne saath thodaa achaar le aao।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
अब तो ऑफिस में उसका कोई काम नहीं रहा, बस उसका अचार डालो। He's got no more use in the office now, just pickle him already.
(ab to ophis men uskaa koii kaam nahiin rahaa, bas uskaa achaar daalo।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
इस साल हमारा अचार पहले से ज़्यादा तीखा बनेगा। This year our pickle will turn out spicier than before.
(is saal hamaaraa achaar pahle se zyaadaa tiikhaa banegaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): अचार (achaar)
(sg.m.oblique): अचार (achaar)
(pl.m.direct): अचार (achaar)
(pl.m.oblique): अचारों (achaaron)