मकड़ी (makdii)

noun A single-sense noun meaning 'spider'; also extends naturally to the web itself in some fixed phrases.
Sense 1 : spider
noun, feminine
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Every Hindi-speaking kid grows up with the phrase मकड़ी का जाल (makdii kaa jaal, 'spider's web'), and मकड़ी (makdii) itself is one of the first creepy-crawly words parents teach toddlers, right alongside चींटी (chiintii, 'ant') and तितली (titlii, 'butterfly'). In household speech it is almost always the spider seen scurrying up a wall that prompts someone to shout the word, rather than any abstract or literary use.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes say मकड़ी का जाल (makdii kaa jaal, 'spider's web') as just मकड़ी (makdii) when they mean the web itself -- the insect and its web are named separately in Hindi, unlike casual English usage where 'spider web' can get shortened to just talking about 'the spider' in the corner. 2) The word is feminine regardless of the spider's actual sex, so adjectives and verbs agreeing with it always take feminine forms, e.g. मकड़ी आ गई (makdii aa gaii, 'the spider came/arrived').
Sample Sentences:
देखो, दीवार पर एक मकड़ी चढ़ रही है। Look, a spider is climbing up the wall.
(dekho, diivaar par ek makdii chadh rahii hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
कमरे के कोने में मकड़ी का जाल बना हुआ है। There is a spider's web made in the corner of the room.
(kamre ke kone men makdii kaa jaal banaa huaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
बचपन में मुझे मकड़ी से बहुत डर लगता था। In my childhood, I used to be very scared of spiders.
(bachpan men mujhe makdii se bahut dar lagtaa thaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अरे, वो मकड़ी मार दो, मुझे बिल्कुल पसंद नहीं! Hey, kill that spider, I really don't like it!
(are, vo makdii maar do, mujhe bilkul pasand nahiin!)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
अगर मकड़ी जाल न बनाती, तो कीड़े कैसे पकड़ती? If the spider didn't build a web, how would it catch insects?
(agar makdii jaal n banaatii, to kiide kaise pakadtii?)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
मकड़ी बहुत तेज़ी से अपना जाल बुनती है। A spider weaves its web very quickly.
(makdii bahut tezii se apnaa jaal buntii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
बाथरूम में एक बड़ी मकड़ी दिखी, सब चिल्ला उठे। A big spider was spotted in the bathroom, and everyone screamed.
(baathroom men ek badii makdii dikhii, sab chillaa uthe।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
क्या तुमने कभी मकड़ी को जाल बुनते देखा है? Have you ever seen a spider weaving its web?
(kyaa tumne kabhii makdii ko jaal bunte dekhaa hai?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
माँ ने झाड़ू से मकड़ी का जाल साफ़ कर दिया। Mom cleaned off the spider's web with a broom.
(maan ne jhaadoo se makdii kaa jaal saaf kar diyaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
छत के कोने में एक मकड़ी अपने जाल में बैठी है। A spider is sitting in its web in the corner of the ceiling.
(chhat ke kone men ek makdii apne jaal men baithii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
शायद इस पुराने घर में कोई मकड़ी रहती हो। Maybe some spider lives in this old house.
(shaayad is puraane ghar men koii makdii rahtii ho।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): मकड़ी (makdii)
(sg.f.oblique): मकड़ी (makdii)
(pl.f.direct): मकड़ियाँ (makdiyaan)
(pl.f.oblique): मकड़ियों (makdiyon)