मिठाई (mithaaii)
noun
A single-sense noun meaning 'sweet(s)' -- the general term for Indian confections, especially the kind exchanged at festivals and celebrations.
Sense
1
:
Indian sweets/confectionery
noun, feminine
Synonyms: मीठा (miithaa, can mean 'sweets' informally but literally 'sweet thing')
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: No trip to a Hindu or Sikh household during Diwali, a wedding, or after exam results is complete without a box of मिठाई (mithaaii) -- from काजू कतली (kaajoo katlii) to गुलाब जामुन (gulaab jaamun). Giving and receiving मिठाई (mithaaii) is such a strong social ritual that मिठाई (mithaaii, 'sweets') often stands in for the good news itself, as in मुँह मीठा करो (munh miithaa karo, 'sweeten your mouth') said when sharing celebratory sweets.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes use मीठा (miithaa) and मिठाई (mithaaii) interchangeably, but मीठा (miithaa) is the adjective/noun for 'sweet' in general (a sweet dish, a sweet taste), while मिठाई (mithaaii) specifically means the shop-bought or festival confections like लड्डू (laddoo) or बर्फ़ी (barfii). 2) मिठाई (mithaaii) is typically treated as a mass noun in everyday speech (like 'sweets' collectively), so learners overuse the plural form when the singular/collective मिठाई (mithaaii) already covers it.
Sample Sentences:
दिवाली पर हमारे घर बहुत सारी मिठाई आती है।
A lot of sweets come to our house on Diwali.
(divaalii par hamaare ghar bahut saarii mithaaii aatii hai।)
उसने शादी में सबको मिठाई खिलाई।
He fed sweets to everyone at the wedding.
(usne shaadii men sabko mithaaii khilaaii।)
बेटा, थोड़ी मिठाई खा लो।
Son, eat a little sweets.
(betaa, thodii mithaaii khaa lo।)
रिज़ल्ट आने के बाद पापा मिठाई लेकर आए।
After the results came, Papa brought sweets.
(rizalt aane ke baad paapaa mithaaii lekar aae।)
अगर तुम पास हो जाते तो मैं तुम्हारे लिए मिठाई लाता।
If you had passed, I would have brought sweets for you.
(agar tum paas ho jaate to main tumhaare lie mithaaii laataa।)
दुकान में हलवाई ताज़ी मिठाई बना रहा है।
The confectioner is making fresh sweets in the shop.
(dukaan men halvaaii taazii mithaaii banaa rahaa hai।)
क्या तुम काजू कतली या गुलाब जामुन में से कोई मिठाई पसंद करोगे?
Would you prefer some sweet, either kaju katli or gulab jamun?
(kyaa tum kaajoo katlii yaa gulaab jaamun men se koii mithaaii pasand karoge?)
खबर सुनकर सबने मुँह मीठा किया और मिठाई बाँटी।
On hearing the news, everyone sweetened their mouths and distributed sweets.
(khabar sunkar sabne munh miithaa kiyaa aur mithaaii baantii।)
त्योहार के मौके पर मिठाई बाँटी जाती है।
Sweets are distributed on the occasion of the festival.
(tyohaar ke mauke par mithaaii baantii jaatii hai।)
काश उस दुकान की मिठाई इतनी महँगी न होती।
I wish that shop's sweets weren't so expensive.
(kaash us dukaan kii mithaaii itnii mahangii n hotii।)
बच्चे चाहते हैं कि उन्हें रोज़ मिठाई मिले।
The children wish that they get sweets every day.
(bachche chaahte hain ki unhen roz mithaaii mile।)
मेहमानों के स्वागत में उन्होंने विशेष मिठाई मँगवाई थी।
For welcoming the guests, they had ordered special sweets.
(mehmaanon ke svaagat men unhonne vishesh mithaaii mangvaaii thii।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
मिठाई
(mithaaii)
(sg.f.oblique):
मिठाई
(mithaaii)
(pl.f.direct):
मिठाईएँ
(mithaaiien)
(pl.f.oblique):
मिठाईओं
(mithaaiion)