फ़ौज (fauj)
noun
A single-sense noun meaning 'army' or 'military force', used both literally and in casual figurative talk about a large crowd of people.
Sense
1
:
army, military force
noun, feminine
Synonyms: सेना (senaa), सिपाही (sipaahii, army of soldiers -- related term, not a direct synonym)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: फ़ौज (fauj) is the word you will hear on the street and in family conversation when someone talks about a relative 'in the army' (fauj men hai, 'is in the army'), while सेना (senaa) shows up more in official and news contexts like भारतीय सेना (bhaartiiy senaa, 'Indian Army'). The word comes from Persian/Urdu and carries that everyday, slightly informal warmth in Hindi speech.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes confuse फ़ौज (fauj) with सेना (senaa) as if one were formal and the other casual -- in practice both are used interchangeably in everyday speech and news, so there is no strict register split to memorize. 2) The nuqta on फ़ (fauj) is often dropped in casual writing as फौज (phauj); both are read and understood the same way.
Sample Sentences:
मेरा भाई फ़ौज में है।
My brother is in the army.
(meraa bhaaii fauj men hai।)
उसके पिताजी फ़ौज में थे।
His father was in the army.
(uske pitaajii fauj men the।)
गाँव के बहुत से लड़के फ़ौज में भर्ती होते हैं।
Many boys from the village get recruited into the army.
(gaanv ke bahut se ladke fauj men bhartii hote hain।)
फ़ौज सरहद पर डटी हुई है।
The army is standing firm at the border.
(fauj sarahad par datii huii hai।)
अगर मैं जवान होता, तो फ़ौज में भर्ती हो जाता।
If I were young, I would have joined the army.
(agar main javaan hotaa, to fauj men bhartii ho jaataa।)
फ़ौज में जाना है तो पहले खूब मेहनत कर।
If you want to join the army, work hard first.
(fauj men jaanaa hai to pahle khoob mehnat kar।)
शायद वह अगले साल फ़ौज में चला जाए।
Maybe he will join the army next year.
(shaayad vah agle saal fauj men chalaa jaae।)
दुश्मन की फ़ौज को हरा दिया गया।
The enemy's army was defeated.
(dushman kii fauj ko haraa diyaa gayaa।)
फ़ौज कल शहर में घुस आएगी, ऐसी खबर है।
There is news that the army will enter the city tomorrow.
(fauj kal shahar men ghus aaegii, aisii khabar hai।)
मेरे दादाजी फ़ौज में हवलदार रह चुके हैं।
My grandfather has served as a havildar in the army.
(mere daadaajii fauj men havaldaar rah chuke hain।)
फ़ौज ने सरहद पर अपनी जान की बाज़ी लगा दी।
The army staked its life at the border.
(fauj ne sarahad par apnii jaan kii baazii lagaa dii।)
Sense
2
:
a large crowd or horde (figurative)
noun, feminine Used metonymically for any large, overwhelming group, e.g. मच्छरों की फ़ौज (machchhron kii fauj, 'an army of mosquitoes') or बच्चों की फ़ौज (bachchon kii fauj, 'a horde of children').
Synonyms: भीड़ (bhiid, crowd -- close in sense), झुंड (jhund, herd/swarm)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This is the same affectionate exaggeration English speakers make with 'an army of...' -- a Delhi mother might say मेहमानों की पूरी फ़ौज आ गई (mehmaanon kii poorii fauj aa gaii, 'a whole army of guests has arrived') when relatives descend unannounced for a festival.
Sample Sentences:
दिवाली पर मेहमानों की पूरी फ़ौज आ गई।
A whole army of guests arrived on Diwali.
(divaalii par mehmaanon kii poorii fauj aa gaii।)
बच्चों की फ़ौज पार्क में शोर मचा रही थी।
A horde of kids was making noise in the park.
(bachchon kii fauj paark men shor machaa rahii thii।)
मक्खियों की पूरी फ़ौज खाने पर टूट पड़ी।
A whole swarm of flies descended on the food.
(makkhiyon kii poorii fauj khaane par toot padii।)
रिश्तेदारों की फ़ौज देखकर मम्मी घबरा गईं।
Seeing the horde of relatives, mom got flustered.
(rishtedaaron kii fauj dekhkar mammii ghabraa gaiin।)
अगर तुम मुफ़्त का खाना बाँटोगे तो भिखारियों की फ़ौज खड़ी हो जाएगी।
If you distribute free food, a whole horde of beggars will show up.
(agar tum muft kaa khaanaa baantoge to bhikhaariyon kii fauj khadii ho jaaegii।)
पत्रकारों की फ़ौज नेता के घर के बाहर खड़ी है।
A horde of journalists is standing outside the leader's house.
(patrkaaron kii fauj netaa ke ghar ke baahar khadii hai।)
काश शिकायत करने वालों की फ़ौज इतनी बड़ी न होती।
I wish the horde of complainers wasn't this big.
(kaash shikaayat karne vaalon kii fauj itnii badii n hotii।)
सेल लगते ही ग्राहकों की फ़ौज दुकान में घुस आई।
As soon as the sale started, a horde of customers came pouring into the shop.
(sel lagte hii graahkon kii fauj dukaan men ghus aaii।)
क्या तुमने कभी चींटियों की ऐसी फ़ौज देखी है?
Have you ever seen such a horde of ants?
(kyaa tumne kabhii chiintiyon kii aisii fauj dekhii hai?)
शादी में फोटोग्राफरों की पूरी फ़ौज बुलाई गई थी।
A whole army of photographers had been called for the wedding.
(shaadii men photograaphron kii poorii fauj bulaaii gaii thii।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
फ़ौज
(fauj)
(sg.f.oblique):
फ़ौज
(fauj)
(pl.f.direct):
फ़ौजें
(faujen)
(pl.f.oblique):
फ़ौजों
(faujon)