दर्जन (darjan)

noun A borrowed counting word meaning 'dozen' -- used just like in English, for a group of twelve, and often loosely for 'a bunch of' something.

Sense 1 : a group of twelve

noun, masculine

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: You will hear this constantly at the sabzi mandi (sabzii mandii) or from a fruitwala haggling over kelे (kele, bananas) or ande (ande, eggs) -- दर्जन (darjan) is one of those everyday loanwords (from English 'dozen') that has been fully absorbed into bazaar Hindi.

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often forget that दर्जन (darjan) itself stays invariant when counting -- you say दो दर्जन केले (do darjan kele, 'two dozen bananas'), not a plural form of दर्जन (darjan) itself. 2) Unlike English 'a dozen eggs,' Hindi does not need एक (ek) before दर्जन (darjan) when just one dozen is meant in casual speech -- दर्जन भर अंडे (darjan bhar ande, 'a dozen eggs' or literally 'dozen-full eggs') is a common pattern using भर (bhar).

Sample Sentences:

एक दर्जन केले दे दो। Give me a dozen bananas.

(ek darjan kele de do।)

आधा दर्जन अंडे कितने के हैं? How much for half a dozen eggs?

(aadhaa darjan ande kitne ke hain?)

मैंने बाज़ार से एक दर्जन संतरे खरीदे। I bought a dozen oranges from the market.

(mainne baazaar se ek darjan santre khariide।)

दुकानदार हर हफ़्ते दो दर्जन अंडे मंगाता है। The shopkeeper orders two dozen eggs every week.

(dukaandaar har hafte do darjan ande mangaataa hai।)

अगर तुम्हें ज़्यादा चाहिए तो मैं एक दर्जन और मँगवा दूँगी। If you need more, I'll order a dozen more.

(agar tumhen zyaadaa chaahie to main ek darjan aur mangvaa doongii।)

काश दुकान में एक दर्जन अंडे बचे होते। If only a dozen eggs had been left in the shop.

(kaash dukaan men ek darjan ande bache hote।)

फलवाले ने एक दर्जन केलों का भाव बढ़ा दिया। The fruitwala raised the price of a dozen bananas.

(phalvaale ne ek darjan kelon kaa bhaav badhaa diyaa।)

क्या आपके पास एक दर्जन अंडों का पैकेट है? Do you have a pack of a dozen eggs?

(kyaa aapke paas ek darjan andon kaa paiket hai?)

सब्ज़ी मंडी में एक दर्जन नींबू पाँच रुपये के बिक रहे थे। A dozen lemons were selling for five rupees in the vegetable market.

(sabzii mandii men ek darjan niimboo paanch rupye ke bik rahe the।)

हो सकता है कि हलवाई को एक दर्जन अंडे और चाहिए हों। It's possible the halwai needs a dozen more eggs.

(ho saktaa hai ki halvaaii ko ek darjan ande aur chaahie hon।)

पार्टी के लिए कम से कम दो दर्जन समोसे बनवा लो। Get at least two dozen samosas made for the party.

(paartii ke lie kam se kam do darjan samose banvaa lo।)

Sense 2 : a good number of, many (approximate/figurative)

noun, masculine Often doubled as दर्जनों (darjnon) to mean 'dozens of' in a loose, non-exact sense, similar to English 'dozens of complaints.'

Synonyms: बहुत (bahut, general 'many', not exclusive to counting), ढेर (dher, a heap/lots)

Frequency: medium

Cultural Note: This is the same shift English makes when it says 'dozens of people showed up' -- a precise number word sliding into a vague 'a lot.' You will hear दर्जनों बार (darjnon baar, 'dozens of times') from an exasperated parent or teacher scolding someone for repeating a mistake.

Common Mistakes: 1) दर्जनों (darjnon) is the form used for this vague 'many' sense -- learners sometimes use the plain singular दर्जन (darjan) here, which sounds odd since this figurative use expects the oblique plural.

Sample Sentences:

मैंने तुम्हें दर्जनों बार समझाया है, फिर भी तुम नहीं सुनते। I have explained it to you dozens of times, yet you don't listen.

(mainne tumhen darjnon baar samjhaayaa hai, phir bhii tum nahiin sunte।)

उस हादसे में दर्जनों लोग घायल हो गए। Dozens of people were injured in that accident.

(us haadse men darjnon log ghaayal ho gae।)

मास्टरजी ने उसे दर्जनों बार यही गलती करते देखा है। The teacher has seen him make this same mistake dozens of times.

(maastarjii ne use darjnon baar yahii galtii karte dekhaa hai।)

बाजार में दर्जनों दुकानें एक जैसा सामान बेच रही हैं। Dozens of shops in the market are selling the same kind of goods.

(baajaar men darjnon dukaanen ek jaisaa saamaan bech rahii hain।)

उसने अपनी जिंदगी में दर्जनों नौकरियाँ बदली होंगी। He must have changed dozens of jobs in his life.

(usne apnii jindgii men darjnon naukriyaan badlii hongii।)

अगर वक्त पर मदद मिलती तो दर्जनों जिंदगियाँ बच जातीं। If help had arrived on time, dozens of lives would have been saved.

(agar vakt par madad miltii to darjnon jindgiyaan bach jaatiin।)

मत दोहराओ यही गलती दर्जनों बार, अब तो सुधर जाओ। Don't repeat this same mistake dozens of times, now just improve already.

(mat dohraao yahii galtii darjnon baar, ab to sudhar jaao।)

प्रबंधन को उम्मीद है कि इस योजना से दर्जनों नई नौकरियाँ पैदा होंगी। The management hopes that this scheme will create dozens of new jobs.

(prabandhan ko ummiid hai ki is yojnaa se darjnon naii naukriyaan paidaa hongii।)

इस मुहल्ले में दर्जनों परिवार बिना पानी के गुजारा कर रहे हैं। Dozens of families in this neighborhood are getting by without water.

(is muhalle men darjnon parivaar binaa paanii ke gujaaraa kar rahe hain।)

Morphology

Noun

(sg.m.direct): दर्जन (darjan)

(sg.m.oblique): दर्जन (darjan)

(pl.m.direct): दर्जन (darjan)

(pl.m.oblique): दर्जनों (darjnon)