प्यास (pyaas)
noun
A feminine noun meaning 'thirst', used both for the literal bodily sensation and, very commonly, as a metaphor for a deep craving or longing.
Sense
1
:
physical thirst
noun, feminine Used with लगना (lagnaa) in the dative-subject frame -- मुझे प्यास लगी है (mujhe pyaas lagii hai, 'I am thirsty') -- rather than with any verb meaning 'to feel'.
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Thirst and hunger both follow the same dative-subject pattern in Hindi (प्यास लगना (pyaas lagnaa) and भूख लगना (bhookh lagnaa)), reflecting a broader pattern where bodily sensations 'arrive' or are 'felt to' you rather than being things you actively do. Water is offered freely and often in Delhi homes and shops, so प्यास बुझाना (pyaas bujhaanaa, 'to quench thirst') is a phrase you will hear constantly, especially in summer.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often try to say 'I am thirsty' with होना (honaa) as in English 'I am...', but the native frame uses लगना (lagnaa): मुझे प्यास लगी है (mujhe pyaas lagii hai, 'I am thirsty'), literally 'thirst is felt to me.' 2) प्यास (pyaas) itself doesn't take ने (ne) even in past constructions, since the experiencer is marked with को (ko) (often contracted to मुझे (mujhe), उसे (use), etc.), not with ने.
Sample Sentences:
मुझे बहुत प्यास लगी है।
I am very thirsty.
(mujhe bahut pyaas lagii hai।)
गर्मी में चलते-चलते उसे प्यास लगने लगी।
Walking in the heat, he started feeling thirsty.
(garmii men chalte-chalte use pyaas lagne lagii।)
एक गिलास ठंडा पानी पीकर उसने अपनी प्यास बुझाई।
He quenched his thirst by drinking a glass of cold water.
(ek gilaas thandaa paanii piikar usne apnii pyaas bujhaaii।)
इस गर्मी में तुम्हें दिन में कई बार प्यास लगती होगी।
In this heat, you must feel thirsty several times a day.
(is garmii men tumhen din men kaii baar pyaas lagtii hogii।)
प्लीज़ पानी दे दो, प्यास से गला सूख रहा है।
Please give me water, my throat is drying up from thirst.
(pliiz paanii de do, pyaas se galaa sookh rahaa hai।)
अगर रास्ते में पानी की बोतल होती, तो मुझे इतनी प्यास न लगती।
If there had been a water bottle on the way, I wouldn't have felt so thirsty.
(agar raaste men paanii kii botal hotii, to mujhe itnii pyaas n lagtii।)
लू में मजदूरों को बहुत जल्दी प्यास लग जाती है।
In the scorching heat, laborers get thirsty very quickly.
(loo men majdooron ko bahut jaldii pyaas lag jaatii hai।)
डॉक्टर ने कहा कि बुखार में प्यास ज़्यादा लगना सामान्य है।
The doctor said that feeling more thirsty during fever is normal.
(doktar ne kahaa ki bukhaar men pyaas zyaadaa lagnaa saamaany hai।)
रेगिस्तान में यात्री की प्यास पानी के बिना नहीं बुझाई जा सकती।
A traveler's thirst in the desert cannot be quenched without water.
(registaan men yaatrii kii pyaas paanii ke binaa nahiin bujhaaii jaa saktii।)
थोड़ा रुक जा, मेरी प्यास बुझा लूँ फिर चलते हैं।
Wait a bit, let me quench my thirst and then we'll go.
(thodaa ruk jaa, merii pyaas bujhaa loon phir chalte hain।)
Sense
2
:
deep craving, longing, thirst (figurative)
noun, feminine Takes की (kii) to specify the object of longing: ज्ञान की प्यास (gyaan kii pyaas, 'thirst for knowledge').
Synonyms: चाह (chaah), लालसा (laalsaa, stronger, often literary), तड़प (tadap, more anguished, emotional longing)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This figurative sense is everywhere in Hindi film songs, poetry, and motivational speech -- प्यास (pyaas) for love, success, knowledge, or freedom is a very natural extension, much like English 'thirst for adventure.' It pairs nicely with बुझाना (bujhaanaa, 'to quench') even in the figurative sense, e.g. प्यास बुझाना (pyaas bujhaanaa) for satisfying a longing.
Sample Sentences:
उसके दिल में सफलता की प्यास हमेशा से थी।
There was always a thirst for success in his heart.
(uske dil men saphaltaa kii pyaas hameshaa se thii।)
ज्ञान की प्यास कभी नहीं बुझती।
The thirst for knowledge is never quenched.
(gyaan kii pyaas kabhii nahiin bujhtii।)
उसने अपने काम से यह साबित कर दिया कि उसमें कुछ नया करने की प्यास है।
He proved through his work that he has a thirst to do something new.
(usne apne kaam se yah saabit kar diyaa ki usmen kuchh nayaa karne kii pyaas hai।)
आज़ादी की प्यास लिए वे सड़कों पर उतर आए।
Carrying a thirst for freedom, they came out onto the streets.
(aazaadii kii pyaas lie ve sadkon par utar aae।)
काश उसकी प्यास कभी मिट पाती।
If only his longing could ever be erased.
(kaash uskii pyaas kabhii mit paatii।)
अगर उसमें सीखने की प्यास होती, तो वह इतना पीछे न रहता।
If he had a thirst for learning, he wouldn't be so far behind.
(agar usmen siikhne kii pyaas hotii, to vah itnaa piichhe n rahtaa।)
अपने अंदर की प्यास को कभी मत मरने दो।
Never let the longing inside you die.
(apne andar kii pyaas ko kabhii mat marne do।)
प्यार की यह प्यास शायद ही कभी पूरी तरह बुझती है।
This thirst for love is rarely ever completely quenched.
(pyaar kii yah pyaas shaayad hii kabhii poorii tarah bujhtii hai।)
जब तक दिल में मंज़िल की प्यास रहेगी, कदम रुकेंगे नहीं।
As long as there is a thirst for the destination in the heart, the steps won't stop.
(jab tak dil men manzil kii pyaas rahegii, kadam rukenge nahiin।)
उसने पैसे कमाकर अपनी बरसों पुरानी प्यास बुझा ली।
By earning money, he finally quenched his years-old longing.
(usne paise kamaakar apnii barson puraanii pyaas bujhaa lii।)
क्या तुम्हारे भीतर अब भी वही प्यास है जो पहले थी?
Do you still have the same longing inside you that you used to have?
(kyaa tumhaare bhiitar ab bhii vahii pyaas hai jo pahle thii?)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
प्यास
(pyaas)
(sg.f.oblique):
प्यास
(pyaas)
(pl.f.direct):
प्यासें
(pyaasen)
(pl.f.oblique):
प्यासों
(pyaason)