मास (maas)

noun A more formal/literary word for 'month' (mahiinaa mahiinaa is the everyday equivalent); also lives on in the common word 'monthly' (maasik).
Sense 1 : month
noun, masculine
Synonyms: महीना (mahiinaa)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You will meet मास (maas) most often attached to the names of Hindu lunar months -- सावन मास (saavan maas), पौष मास (paush maas) -- or in formal writing, government notices, and almanacs (पंचांग panchaang). In everyday speech about 'this month's rent' or 'next month', Delhi-NCR speakers reach for महीना (mahiinaa) almost every time.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners default to महीना (mahiinaa) for 'month' in speech, which is correct -- मास (maas) is not wrong but sounds bookish or formal in ordinary conversation, so overusing it in casual chat can sound stilted. 2) मास (maas) shows up constantly in fixed calendar/religious terms (चैत्र मास chaitr maas, श्रावण मास shraavan maas) even though it is rarely the word of choice for 'this month' or 'next month' in daily talk.
Sample Sentences:
श्रावण मास में शिव जी की पूजा का विशेष महत्व है। In the month of Shravan, the worship of Lord Shiva has special significance.
(shraavan maas men shiv jii kii poojaa kaa vishesh mahatv hai।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
पौष मास में सूर्य की उपासना की जाती है। In the month of Paush, the sun is worshipped.
(paush maas men soory kii upaasnaa kii jaatii hai।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
पंचांग के अनुसार इस मास की अमावस्या पंद्रह तारीख को है। According to the almanac, this month's new moon falls on the fifteenth.
(panchaang ke anusaar is maas kii amaavasyaa pandrah taariikh ko hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
सरकारी अधिसूचना में लिखा था कि यह नियम चैत्र मास से लागू होगा। The government notice stated that this rule would come into effect from the month of Chaitra.
(sarkaarii adhisoochnaa men likhaa thaa ki yah niyam chaitr maas se laagoo hogaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
आषाढ़ मास में वर्षा ऋतु का आरंभ माना जाता है। The month of Ashadh is considered the beginning of the monsoon season.
(aashaadh maas men varshaa ritu kaa aarambh maanaa jaataa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
यदि कार्तिक मास में दीप जलाए जाएँ, तो घर में सुख-समृद्धि आती है, ऐसा कहा जाता है। If lamps are lit in the month of Kartik, it is said that happiness and prosperity come to the household.
(yadi kaartik maas men diip jalaae jaaen, to ghar men sukh-samriddhi aatii hai, aisaa kahaa jaataa hai।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
पुजारी जी ने कहा, हे भक्तो, माघ मास में गंगा स्नान करो। The priest said, o devotees, bathe in the Ganga during the month of Magh.
(pujaarii jii ne kahaa, he bhakto, maagh maas men gangaa snaan karo।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
यह ग्रंथ फाल्गुन मास में रचा गया था। This scripture was composed in the month of Phalgun.
(yah granth phaalgun maas men rachaa gayaa thaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
काश हम भाद्रपद मास में तीर्थयात्रा पर जा पाते। If only we could have gone on the pilgrimage in the month of Bhadrapad.
(kaash ham bhaadrpad maas men tiirthyaatraa par jaa paate।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): मास (maas)
(sg.m.oblique): मास (maas)
(pl.m.direct): मास (maas)
(pl.m.oblique): मासों (maason)