शिमला मिर्च (shimlaa mirch)

noun A compound noun naming the vegetable bell pepper/capsicum (shimlaa mirch); it has one straightforward sense in everyday cooking vocabulary.
Sense 1 : bell pepper / capsicum (the vegetable)
noun, feminine
Synonyms: कैप्सिकम (kaipsikam, English loanword, common in urban markets), शिमला मिर्ची (shimlaa mirchii, colloquial variant)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: In a Delhi sabzi mandi (sabzii mandii, 'vegetable market'), you will hear vendors call out शिमला मिर्च (shimlaa mirch) right alongside hot green chilies simply called मिर्च (mirch) or हरी मिर्च (harii mirch) -- the contrast in naming helps cooks quickly signal 'mild bell pepper' versus 'spicy chili' at a glance.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes assume this is a spicy chili because it contains मिर्च (mirch, 'chili/pepper'); in fact शिमला मिर्च (shimlaa mirch) refers specifically to the mild, sweet bell pepper, not a hot chili. 2) The first word शिमला (shimlaa) is the hill-station name Shimla, but this has nothing to do with regional origin -- it is just the fixed name for the vegetable everywhere in India, not a marker of where it is grown.
Sample Sentences:
माँ बाज़ार से एक किलो शिमला मिर्च ले आई। Mom brought a kilo of bell peppers from the market.
(maan baazaar se ek kilo shimlaa mirch le aaii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
मुझे शिमला मिर्च वाली सब्ज़ी बहुत पसंद है। I really like the bell pepper vegetable dish.
(mujhe shimlaa mirch vaalii sabzii bahut pasand hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
सब्ज़ी वाला रोज़ सुबह ताज़ी शिमला मिर्च बेचता है। The vegetable vendor sells fresh bell peppers every morning.
(sabzii vaalaa roz subah taazii shimlaa mirch bechtaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
शिमला मिर्च को बारीक काट लो और तेल में भून लो। Chop the bell pepper finely and fry it in oil.
(shimlaa mirch ko baariik kaat lo aur tel men bhoon lo।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
पिज़्ज़ा में लाल और पीली शिमला मिर्च डाली गई थी। Red and yellow bell peppers had been put in the pizza.
(pizzaa men laal aur piilii shimlaa mirch daalii gaii thii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
अगर बाज़ार में अच्छी शिमला मिर्च मिलती तो मैं उसका अचार बनाती। If good bell peppers had been available in the market, I would have made pickle from them.
(agar baazaar men achchhii shimlaa mirch miltii to main uskaa achaar banaatii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम कल शिमला मिर्च का भरवाँ सब्ज़ी बनाओगी? Will you make stuffed bell pepper dish tomorrow?
(kyaa tum kal shimlaa mirch kaa bharvaan sabzii banaaogii?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
शेफ़ चाहते हैं कि सलाद में शिमला मिर्च के पतले टुकड़े हों। The chef wants there to be thin slices of bell pepper in the salad.
(shef chaahte hain ki salaad men shimlaa mirch ke patle tukde hon।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
सब्ज़ी मंडी में शिमला मिर्च और हरी मिर्च अलग-अलग टोकरियों में रखी थीं। In the vegetable market, bell peppers and green chilies were kept in separate baskets.
(sabzii mandii men shimlaa mirch aur harii mirch alag-alag tokriyon men rakhii thiin।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
इस डिश में शिमला मिर्च की जगह गाजर भी डाली जा सकती है। In this dish, carrots can also be added in place of bell pepper.
(is dish men shimlaa mirch kii jagah gaajar bhii daalii jaa saktii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): शिमला मिर्च (shimlaa mirch)
(sg.f.oblique): शिमला मिर्च (shimlaa mirch)
(pl.f.direct): शिमला मिर्चें (shimlaa mirchen)
(pl.f.oblique): शिमला मिर्चों (shimlaa mirchon)