भिंडी (bhindii)

noun A common kitchen vegetable word -- okra/lady's finger; this entry has just the one everyday sense.
Sense 1 : okra, lady's finger (the vegetable)
noun, feminine
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: भिंडी (bhindii) is a staple of North Indian home cooking, most often made as a dry sabzi -- भिंडी की सब्ज़ी (bhindii kii sabzii, 'okra curry') or the popular भिंडी फ्राई (bhindii phraaii, 'fried okra'). Any Delhi household cook will tell you the trick is keeping it dry while cutting and cooking so it doesn't turn slimy -- a very common kitchen complaint about this vegetable.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes translate this literally as "lady finger" in the singular in a way that sounds odd in English -- "okra" or "lady's finger" (with the possessive and plural) are the natural English equivalents. 2) भिंडी (bhindii) is a mass/collective noun in everyday cooking talk -- you say भिंडी बनाई (bhindii banaaii, 'made okra') rather than counting individual pieces the way you might with, say, आलू (aaloo).
Sample Sentences:
मुझे भिंडी की सब्ज़ी बहुत पसंद है। I really like okra curry.
(mujhe bhindii kii sabzii bahut pasand hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
आज मैंने बाज़ार से एक किलो भिंडी खरीदी। Today I bought a kilo of okra from the market.
(aaj mainne baazaar se ek kilo bhindii khariidii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
भिंडी काटते समय हाथ बिल्कुल सूखा रखना, नहीं तो लसलसी हो जाएगी। Keep your hands completely dry while cutting the okra, otherwise it'll turn slimy.
(bhindii kaatte samay haath bilkul sookhaa rakhnaa, nahiin to lasalsii ho jaaegii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
मेरी दादी हर मंगलवार भिंडी फ्राई बनाती हैं। My grandmother makes fried okra every Tuesday.
(merii daadii har mangalvaar bhindii phraaii banaatii hain।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
रसोई में भिंडी पक रही है, खुशबू पूरे घर में फैल गई है। The okra is cooking in the kitchen; the smell has spread through the whole house.
(rasoii men bhindii pak rahii hai, khushboo poore ghar men phail gaii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
यदि भिंडी को गीले चाकू से काटा जाए तो वह चिपचिपी हो जाती है। If okra is cut with a wet knife, it becomes sticky.
(yadi bhindii ko giile chaakoo se kaataa jaae to vah chipchipii ho jaatii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
काश मैंने भिंडी ठीक से सुखाई होती, तो सब्ज़ी इतनी लसलसी नहीं बनती। I wish I had dried the okra properly, then the curry wouldn't have turned out so slimy.
(kaash mainne bhindii thiik se sukhaaii hotii, to sabzii itnii lasalsii nahiin bantii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Perfective -- Voice: Active
क्या आपको भिंडी की सब्ज़ी और थोड़ी रोटी मिल सकती है? Could you get some okra curry and a bit more roti, please?
(kyaa aapko bhindii kii sabzii aur thodii rotii mil saktii hai?)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
इस मौसम में बाज़ार में ताज़ी भिंडी आने लगी है। Fresh okra has started arriving in the market this season.
(is mausam men baazaar men taazii bhindii aane lagii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
पंजाबी खाने में भिंडी को अक्सर प्याज़ और मसालों के साथ सुखाकर बनाया जाता है। In Punjabi cooking, okra is often prepared dry with onions and spices.
(panjaabii khaane men bhindii ko aksar pyaaz aur masaalon ke saath sukhaakar banaayaa jaataa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
भिंडी मत काटो अभी, पहले पानी से धो लो और सुखा लो। Don't cut the okra yet -- wash it first and dry it well.
(bhindii mat kaato abhii, pahle paanii se dho lo aur sukhaa lo।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): भिंडी (bhindii)
(sg.f.oblique): भिंडी (bhindii)
(pl.f.direct): भिंडियाँ (bhindiyaan)
(pl.f.oblique): भिंडियों (bhindiyon)