दही (dahii)
noun
A single, everyday sense: the dairy product yogurt/curd (dahii), a staple in North Indian kitchens.
Sense
1
:
yogurt, curd
noun, masculine
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: दही (dahii) is everywhere in a North Indian kitchen: a bowl of it appears alongside almost any meal, it goes into रायता (raaytaa), लस्सी (lassii), and countless marinades, and there's an old belief that eating dahi before an exam or a journey brings good luck ('दही (dahii) खाकर जाओ', 'go after eating some yogurt'). It is grammatically masculine, so you'll hear 'दही अच्छा है (dahii achchhaa hai, the yogurt is good)', not feminine agreement.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often try to make दही (dahii) agree like a regular masculine noun in oblique/plural contexts, but it is mostly used as an uncountable mass noun, so plural forms are rarely needed in everyday speech. 2) Do not confuse with छाछ (chhaachh, buttermilk), which is a thin, salty drink made from dahi, not the same thing.
Sample Sentences:
सुबह के खाने में दही ज़रूर होता है।
There is definitely yogurt with breakfast.
(subah ke khaane men dahii zaroor hotaa hai।)
यह दही घर का बना हुआ है।
This yogurt is homemade.
(yah dahii ghar kaa banaa huaa hai।)
इम्तिहान के लिए निकलने से पहले दही खाकर जाओ।
Before leaving for the exam, go after eating some yogurt.
(imtihaan ke lie nikalne se pahle dahii khaakar jaao।)
अगर फ्रिज में दही होता, तो मैं रायता बना लेती।
If there were yogurt in the fridge, I would have made raita.
(agar phrij men dahii hotaa, to main raaytaa banaa letii।)
दही अच्छा है, इसलिए खराब होने से पहले खा लो।
The yogurt is good, so eat it before it goes bad.
(dahii achchhaa hai, islie kharaab hone se pahle khaa lo।)
दही को अच्छी तरह फेंट लीजिए ताकि लस्सी में गुठलियाँ न रहें।
Please whisk the yogurt well so there are no lumps in the lassi.
(dahii ko achchhii tarah phent liijie taaki lassii men guthliyaan n rahen।)
क्या तुम चाहते हो कि मैं मटन के लिए दही मैरिनेड बनाऊँ?
Do you want me to make a yogurt marinade for the mutton?
(kyaa tum chaahte ho ki main matan ke lie dahii mairined banaaoon?)
बाज़ार से दही मिठाई की दुकान वाले से मँगवाया गया था।
The yogurt was ordered from the sweet shop owner in the market.
(baazaar se dahii mithaaii kii dukaan vaale se mangvaayaa gayaa thaa।)
गर्मियों में मैं रोज़ दही खाता हूँ, इससे पेट ठंडा रहता है।
In summer I eat yogurt every day, it keeps the stomach cool.
(garmiyon men main roz dahii khaataa hoon, isse pet thandaa rahtaa hai।)
दही जमाने के लिए बर्तन को गरम जगह पर रख दिया गया।
The pot was kept in a warm place to set the yogurt.
(dahii jamaane ke lie bartan ko garam jagah par rakh diyaa gayaa।)
काश दही थोड़ा और गाढ़ा होता।
I wish the yogurt were a bit thicker.
(kaash dahii thodaa aur gaadhaa hotaa।)
थाली में चावल के साथ दही परोसा जा रहा था।
Yogurt was being served with rice on the plate.
(thaalii men chaaval ke saath dahii parosaa jaa rahaa thaa।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
दही
(dahii)
(sg.m.oblique):
दही
(dahii)
(pl.m.direct):
दही
(dahii)
(pl.m.oblique):
दहीयों
(dahiiyon)