खेल (khel)
noun
Primarily 'game/play/sport' as a noun, with a common figurative extension to 'a scheme, trick, or affair' (often in idiomatic phrases about life or fate).
Sense
1
:
game, sport, play
noun, masculine
Synonyms: क्रीड़ा (kriidaa, literary)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: In Delhi-NCR, कौन सा खेल पसंद है? (kaun saa khel pasand hai?, 'which game/sport do you like?') is a common icebreaker among kids and adults alike, whether about cricket, kabaddi, or carrom. The word covers everything from a casual children's game to an Olympic sport.
Common Mistakes: 1) खेल (khel) itself is the noun; the related verb 'to play' is खेलना (khelnaa) -- learners sometimes try to use खेल (khel) as a verb stem directly. 2) For 'to play' a sport or game, the verb takes the game as object with खेलना (khelnaa): क्रिकेट खेलना (kriket khelnaa, 'to play cricket') -- no postposition needed before the game name.
Sample Sentences:
तुम्हें कौन सा खेल पसंद है?
Which game do you like?
(tumhen kaun saa khel pasand hai?)
बच्चे पार्क में खेल खेल रहे हैं।
The children are playing a game in the park.
(bachche paark men khel khel rahe hain।)
क्रिकेट भारत का सबसे लोकप्रिय खेल है।
Cricket is India's most popular sport.
(kriket bhaarat kaa sabse lokapriy khel hai।)
स्कूल में हर शुक्रवार को कोई नया खेल खिलाया जाता है।
A new game is made to be played at school every Friday.
(skool men har shukrvaar ko koii nayaa khel khilaayaa jaataa hai।)
काश हम कोई और खेल खेल पाते।
If only we could have played some other game.
(kaash ham koii aur khel khel paate।)
अगर बारिश न होती तो हम मैदान में खेल खेलते।
If it hadn't rained, we would have played a game in the field.
(agar baarish n hotii to ham maidaan men khel khelte।)
चलो, कोई नया खेल खेलते हैं!
Come on, let's play some new game!
(chalo, koii nayaa khel khelte hain!)
ओलंपिक खेलों में एथलीटों ने कई खेलों में हिस्सा लिया।
In the Olympic Games, athletes took part in many sports.
(olampik khelon men ethliiton ne kaii khelon men hissaa liyaa।)
उम्मीद है कि इस बार का खेल बहुत रोमांचक होगा।
It is hoped that this time's game will be very exciting.
(ummiid hai ki is baar kaa khel bahut romaanchak hogaa।)
अपने बचपन का पसंदीदा खेल याद करो।
Recall your favorite childhood game.
(apne bachpan kaa pasandiidaa khel yaad karo।)
इस साल स्कूल में खेल प्रतियोगिता आयोजित की जाएगी।
This year, a sports competition will be organized at school.
(is saal skool men khel pratiyogitaa aayojit kii jaaegii।)
Sense
2
:
scheme, trick, ploy; a matter/affair (figurative)
noun, masculine
Synonyms: चाल (chaal, scheme/trick), माजरा (maajraa, affair/matter)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This is the खेल (khel) you hear in gossip or political commentary: यह तो नेताओं का खेल है (yah to netaaon kaa khel hai, 'this is just the politicians' game/scheme'). It frames life's twists, corruption, or fate itself as a kind of 'game' being played by unseen hands -- compare किस्मत का खेल (kismat kaa khel, 'a game of fate').
Common Mistakes: 1) This figurative sense often appears with यह सब किसका खेल है? (yah sab kiskaa khel hai?, 'whose doing/scheme is all this?') -- learners may miss that खेल (khel) here means 'scheme' or 'affair,' not literal 'game.' 2) The phrase बच्चों का खेल (bachchon kaa khel) literally means 'children's game' but is idiomatically used to mean 'a trivial, easy thing' -- similar to English 'child's play.'
Sample Sentences:
यह तो नेताओं का खेल है।
This is just the politicians' game.
(yah to netaaon kaa khel hai।)
सब किस्मत का खेल है, इसमें किसी का दोष नहीं।
It's all a game of fate, no one is to blame in this.
(sab kismat kaa khel hai, ismen kisii kaa dosh nahiin।)
मुझे पहले ही समझ आ गया था कि यह कोई बड़ा खेल चल रहा है।
I had already understood that some big scheme was going on.
(mujhe pahle hii samajh aa gayaa thaa ki yah koii badaa khel chal rahaa hai।)
ठेकेदार और अफसर मिलकर यह खेल सालों से खेल रहे हैं।
The contractor and the officer have been playing this game together for years.
(thekedaar aur aphsar milkar yah khel saalon se khel rahe hain।)
अगर तुम इस खेल में फँस गए, तो निकलना मुश्किल होगा।
If you get caught up in this scheme, it will be hard to get out.
(agar tum is khel men phans gae, to nikalnaa mushkil hogaa।)
पूरा घोटाला सामने आने के बाद पता चला कि यह कितना बड़ा खेल था।
After the whole scam came to light, it became clear how big a scheme this was.
(pooraa ghotaalaa saamne aane ke baad pataa chalaa ki yah kitnaa badaa khel thaa।)
इस खेल को समझो, फिर बात करना।
Understand this game first, then let's talk.
(is khel ko samjho, phir baat karnaa।)
यह सारा खेल पैसे और सत्ता का है।
This whole affair is about money and power.
(yah saaraa khel paise aur sattaa kaa hai।)
अगर उसे इस खेल की भनक भी लग जाती, तो सब बिगड़ जाता।
If he had even gotten wind of this scheme, everything would have fallen apart.
(agar use is khel kii bhanak bhii lag jaatii, to sab bigad jaataa।)
जिंदगी भी अजीब खेल है, कभी हँसाती है कभी रुलाती है।
Life too is a strange game, sometimes it makes you laugh, sometimes it makes you cry.
(jindgii bhii ajiib khel hai, kabhii hansaatii hai kabhii rulaatii hai।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
खेल
(khel)
(sg.m.oblique):
खेल
(khel)
(pl.m.direct):
खेल
(khel)
(pl.m.oblique):
खेलों
(khelon)