पनीर (paniir)

noun A single, concrete sense: the fresh, unaged cheese central to North Indian cooking. No figurative or idiomatic extension in everyday speech.
Sense 1 : Indian cottage cheese (a fresh, non-melting dairy cheese)
noun, masculine
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: पनीर (paniir) is the backbone of North Indian vegetarian cooking, standing in for meat in dishes like पनीर बटर मसाला (paniir batar masaalaa, 'paneer butter masala') and मटर पनीर (matar paniir, 'peas and paneer'), and it's often the special-occasion or guest-honoring dish at a Delhi dinner table since it's pricier than most vegetables. Unlike aged Western cheeses, it's made fresh at home or bought same-day from the local दूध वाला (doodh vaalaa, 'milkman/dairyman'), by curdling milk with lemon juice or vinegar and draining the curd in cloth.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes translate this as "cheese" generically and expect it to melt like cheddar or mozzarella -- पनीर (paniir) holds its shape when cooked, which is exactly why dishes like पनीर टिक्का (paniir tikkaa, 'paneer tikka') can be grilled or fried without it turning gooey. 2) The word is grammatically masculine even though it names a food most learners don't think to gender at all -- watch for agreement in phrases like पनीर अच्छा है (paniir achchhaa hai, 'the paneer is good').
Sample Sentences:
मुझे पनीर बहुत पसंद है। I like paneer a lot.
(mujhe paniir bahut pasand hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
आज रात हम पनीर बटर मसाला बनाएँगे। Tonight we will make paneer butter masala.
(aaj raat ham paniir batar masaalaa banaaenge।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
माँ हर हफ्ते घर पर पनीर बनाती है। Mom makes paneer at home every week.
(maan har haphte ghar par paniir banaatii hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
रसोई में पनीर उबल रहा है। The paneer is boiling in the kitchen.
(rasoii men paniir ubal rahaa hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
मेहमानों के लिए मटर पनीर बना लिया गया था। Peas and paneer had been made for the guests.
(mehmaanon ke lie matar paniir banaa liyaa gayaa thaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
कृपया दूध वाले से ताज़ा पनीर ले आओ। Please bring fresh paneer from the milkman.
(kripyaa doodh vaale se taazaa paniir le aao।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
काश आज खाने में पनीर होता। I wish there was paneer in today's meal.
(kaash aaj khaane men paniir hotaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
अगर पनीर ताज़ा न होता, तो सब्ज़ी का स्वाद बिगड़ जाता। If the paneer had not been fresh, the dish's flavor would have been ruined.
(agar paniir taazaa n hotaa, to sabzii kaa svaad bigad jaataa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
शायद पार्टी में पनीर टिक्का भी परोसा जाए। Perhaps paneer tikka will also be served at the party.
(shaayad paartii men paniir tikkaa bhii parosaa jaae।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Passive
पनीर को हल्दी वाले पानी में भिगोकर रखिए ताकि वह मुलायम रहे। Keep the paneer soaked in turmeric water so that it stays soft.
(paniir ko haldii vaale paanii men bhigokar rakhie taaki vah mulaayam rahe।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
पिछली दिवाली पर मेरी नानी ने खुद पनीर की खीर बनाई थी। Last Diwali, my grandmother had made paneer kheer herself.
(pichhlii divaalii par merii naanii ne khud paniir kii khiir banaaii thii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): पनीर (paniir)
(sg.m.oblique): पनीर (paniir)
(pl.m.direct): पनीर (paniir)
(pl.m.oblique): पनीरों (paniiron)