गरज (garaj)

noun Two related but distinct senses: the physical/literal roar of thunder or a lion (a sound), and the figurative sense of 'need, self-interest, or motive' that drives a person to act. Also connects to the verb गरजना (garajnaa, 'to roar/thunder').

Sense 1 : self-interest, need, ulterior motive

noun, feminine

Synonyms: मतलब (matlab), स्वार्थ (svaarth), ज़रूरत (zaroorat)

Frequency: medium

Cultural Note: This is the sense behind the well-known saying गरज़ पड़ना (garaz padnaa, 'for a need/interest to fall upon someone'), often used cynically about people who only show up when they want something -- जब गरज़ होती है तब याद करते हैं (jab garaz hotii hai tab yaad karte hain, 'they remember you only when they need you'). It captures a very Delhi-market kind of worldliness about self-interested behavior.

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often only know गरज (garaj) as 'thunder' and miss this completely separate figurative sense of 'selfish need/motive' -- as in the common saying गरज़ है तो सब कुछ (garaz hai to sab kuchh, 'if there's a need, everything follows'). 2) This sense pairs heavily with the postposition से in idiomatic phrases like किसी से गरज़ होना (kisii se garaz honaa, 'to have a need/interest in someone') -- the से marks who the need is directed toward, not a cause.

Sample Sentences:

जब गरज़ होती है तब ही लोग याद करते हैं। People remember you only when they need something.

(jab garaz hotii hai tab hii log yaad karte hain।)

उसे मुझसे क्या गरज़ है? What does he want from me anyway?

(use mujhse kyaa garaz hai?)

पिछले हफ्ते अचानक उसका फोन आया, यकीनन कोई गरज़ रही होगी। He suddenly called last week -- there must have been some ulterior motive.

(pichhle haphte achaanak uskaa phon aayaa, yakiinan koii garaz rahii hogii।)

जब उसे गरज़ पड़ी तो सीधा मेरे पास दौड़ा चला आया। When he found himself in need, he came running straight to me.

(jab use garaz padii to siidhaa mere paas daudaa chalaa aayaa।)

बिना किसी गरज़ के कोई किसी की मदद नहीं करता। Nobody helps anyone without some self-interest involved.

(binaa kisii garaz ke koii kisii kii madad nahiin kartaa।)

अगर तुम्हें कोई गरज़ न होती तो तुम कभी फोन न करते। If you had no self-interest in this, you would never have called.

(agar tumhen koii garaz n hotii to tum kabhii phon n karte।)

साहब, हमें आपसे कोई गरज़ नहीं, बस अपना हक़ माँग रहे हैं। Sir, we have no ulterior motive with you, we're just asking for what's ours.

(saahab, hamen aapse koii garaz nahiin, bas apnaa haq maang rahe hain।)

गरज़ पड़ने पर गधे को भी बाप बनाना पड़ता है। When you're in need, you even have to call a donkey your father (necessity makes you flatter anyone).

(garaz padne par gadhe ko bhii baap banaanaa padtaa hai।)

क्या तुम्हें सच में मुझसे मिलने की गरज़ है, या बस ऐसे ही आए हो? Do you actually have some need to meet me, or did you just come by casually?

(kyaa tumhen sach men mujhse milne kii garaz hai, yaa bas aise hii aae ho?)

उसकी अपनी गरज़ थी, इसलिए वह इतना विनम्र बन रहा था। He had his own self-interest at stake, that's why he was acting so polite.

(uskii apnii garaz thii, islie vah itnaa vinamr ban rahaa thaa।)

Sense 2 : roar, thunder, loud rumbling sound

noun, feminine

Synonyms: गड़गड़ाहट (gadagdaahat), दहाड़ (dahaad, typically for an animal's roar)

Frequency: medium

Cultural Note: This is the literal sound sense, as in बादल की गरज (baadal kii garaj, 'the roar of the clouds/thunder') or शेर की गरज (sher kii garaj, 'the lion's roar'). It shares its root with the verb गरजना (garajnaa, 'to thunder, to roar'), and Hindi speakers often pair it with बरसना (barasnaa, 'to rain') in the old saying about empty threats: बहुत गरजने वाले बादल कम बरसते हैं (bahut garajne vaale baadal kam baraste hain, 'clouds that thunder a lot rain little') -- used for people who talk big but do little.

Sample Sentences:

बादल की गरज सुनकर बच्चा डर गया। Hearing the roar of the clouds, the child got scared.

(baadal kii garaj sunkar bachchaa dar gayaa।)

शेर की गरज दूर तक सुनाई देती है। The lion's roar can be heard far away.

(sher kii garaj door tak sunaaii detii hai।)

बहुत गरजने वाले बादल कम बरसते हैं। Clouds that thunder a lot rain little.

(bahut garajne vaale baadal kam baraste hain।)

आसमान में बिजली चमकी और फिर एक तेज़ गरज सुनाई दी। Lightning flashed in the sky, and then a loud thunderclap was heard.

(aasmaan men bijlii chamkii aur phir ek tez garaj sunaaii dii।)

क्या तुमने रात में बादलों की गरज नहीं सुनी? Didn't you hear the roar of the clouds at night?

(kyaa tumne raat men baadlon kii garaj nahiin sunii?)

अगर बादल की गरज इतनी तेज़ न होती, तो बच्चे इतने न डरते। If the roar of the clouds hadn't been so loud, the children wouldn't have been so scared.

(agar baadal kii garaj itnii tez n hotii, to bachche itne n darte।)

तूफ़ान से पहले आकाश में गरज बढ़ती जा रही थी। Before the storm, the thunder in the sky kept growing louder.

(toofaan se pahle aakaash men garaj badhtii jaa rahii thii।)

उस गरज ने पूरे जंगल को हिला दिया, मानो शेर बहुत गुस्से में हो। That roar shook the whole forest, as if the lion were very angry.

(us garaj ne poore jangal ko hilaa diyaa, maano sher bahut gusse men ho।)

मौसम विभाग ने कहा है कि आज शाम तेज़ गरज के साथ बारिश हो सकती है। The weather department has said that this evening there may be rain accompanied by loud thunder.

(mausam vibhaag ne kahaa hai ki aaj shaam tez garaj ke saath baarish ho saktii hai।)

Morphology

Noun

(sg.f.direct): गरज (garaj)

(sg.f.oblique): गरज (garaj)

(pl.f.direct): गरजें (garjen)

(pl.f.oblique): गरजों (garjon)