बहिन (bahin)

noun This is a variant spelling of बहन (bahan), meaning 'sister' -- both spellings are used, with बहन (bahan) being more common in everyday writing.
Sense 1 : sister (sibling relation)
noun, feminine
Synonyms: बहन (bahan, more common spelling), भगिनी (bhaginii, literary)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: In daily speech you will hear बहन (bahan) far more often than बहिन (bahin); the latter feels slightly old-fashioned or is common in some regional and Punjabi-influenced speech, but it is completely understood everywhere. Calling an unrelated woman बहन जी (bahan jii, 'respected sister') or दीदी (diidii) is a common polite way to address her, much like 'sister' is used in some English dialects.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes treat बहिन (bahin) and बहन (bahan) as different words with different meanings -- they are the same word, just alternate spellings, and either is fine to use. 2) Like most kinship terms, it is often used to address or refer to a woman who is not a blood relative, as a respectful or affectionate term.
Sample Sentences:
मेरी बहिन दिल्ली में रहती है। My sister lives in Delhi.
(merii bahin dillii men rahtii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उसकी बहिन ने कल फ़ोन किया था। His sister had called yesterday.
(uskii bahin ne kal fon kiyaa thaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
मेरी बड़ी बहिन अगले महीने शादी करेगी। My elder sister will get married next month.
(merii badii bahin agle mahiine shaadii karegii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
काश मेरी भी एक बहिन होती। I wish I too had a sister.
(kaash merii bhii ek bahin hotii।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
अगर उसकी बहिन साथ होती, तो वह इतना नहीं डरती। If his sister had been with him, he would not have been so scared.
(agar uskii bahin saath hotii, to vah itnaa nahiin dartii।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
उसकी बहिन को यह समाचार सुनकर बहुत दुख हुआ। His sister was very saddened on hearing this news.
(uskii bahin ko yah samaachaar sunkar bahut dukh huaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम्हारी बहिन इस साल कॉलेज जा रही है? Is your sister going to college this year?
(kyaa tumhaarii bahin is saal kolej jaa rahii hai?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अपनी बहिन का ध्यान रखना, वह अकेली रहती है। Take care of your sister, she lives alone.
(apnii bahin kaa dhyaan rakhnaa, vah akelii rahtii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
हो सकता है कि उसकी बहिन भी इस समारोह में आए। It's possible that his sister might also come to this ceremony.
(ho saktaa hai ki uskii bahin bhii is samaaroh men aae।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
बहिन-भाई का रिश्ता बहुत गहरा होता है। The bond between sister and brother is very deep.
(bahin-bhaaii kaa rishtaa bahut gahraa hotaa hai।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): बहिन (bahin)
(sg.f.oblique): बहिन (bahin)
(pl.f.direct): बहिनें (bahinen)
(pl.f.oblique): बहिनों (bahinon)