बादल (baadal)
noun
Means 'cloud' -- a simple, high-frequency noun with one main everyday sense, plus a mild figurative extension used for gloom or a spreading darkness.
Sense
1
:
cloud
noun, masculine
Synonyms: मेघ (megh, literary), घन (ghan, literary)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: बादल (baadal) shows up constantly in monsoon small talk in Delhi -- आज बादल छाए हैं (aaj baadal chhaae hain, 'clouds have gathered today') is the classic way to comment on a heavy, humid sky before rain. The verb छाना (chhaanaa, 'to spread/cover') pairs naturally with it, since clouds are pictured as spreading over the sky rather than just appearing.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes treat बादल (baadal) as feminine by analogy with other -अल words, but it is masculine: काला बादल (kaalaa baadal, 'black cloud'), not काली बादल (kaalii baadal).
Sample Sentences:
आज आसमान में बादल छाए हैं।
Clouds have gathered in the sky today.
(aaj aasmaan men baadal chhaae hain।)
शाम को काले बादल घिर आए और तेज़ बारिश शुरू हो गई।
In the evening, dark clouds gathered and it started raining heavily.
(shaam ko kaale baadal ghir aae aur tez baarish shuroo ho gaii।)
बादल देखो, लगता है अभी बारिश होगी।
Look at the clouds, it seems it's about to rain.
(baadal dekho, lagtaa hai abhii baarish hogii।)
मानसून में दिल्ली के आसमान पर घने बादल छाए रहते हैं।
During the monsoon, thick clouds keep covering the Delhi sky.
(maansoon men dillii ke aasmaan par ghane baadal chhaae rahte hain।)
अगर बादल छाए रहें तो शायद गर्मी से थोड़ी राहत मिलेगी।
If the clouds stay spread over the sky, maybe we'll get some relief from the heat.
(agar baadal chhaae rahen to shaayad garmii se thodii raahat milegii।)
अगर बादल न होते तो चाँद इतना साफ़ नज़र न आता।
If there had been no clouds, the moon wouldn't have looked so clear.
(agar baadal n hote to chaand itnaa saaf nazar n aataa।)
पहाड़ों की चोटियाँ बादलों से ढकी हुई थीं।
The mountain peaks were covered with clouds.
(pahaadon kii chotiyaan baadlon se dhakii huii thiin।)
कल शाम तक ये बादल छँट जाएँगे और धूप निकल आएगी।
By tomorrow evening these clouds will have cleared and the sun will come out.
(kal shaam tak ye baadal chhant jaaenge aur dhoop nikal aaegii।)
बादलों के बीच से सूरज की एक किरण झलक रही थी।
A ray of sunlight was peeping through the clouds.
(baadlon ke biich se sooraj kii ek kiran jhalak rahii thii।)
हे मेघदूत, तुम बादलों के रथ पर सवार होकर संदेश ले जाना।
O cloud-messenger, ride upon your chariot of clouds and carry the message.
(he meghdoot, tum baadlon ke rath par savaar hokar sandesh le jaanaa।)
वैज्ञानिकों के अनुसार बादल जल की छोटी-छोटी बूँदों से बनते हैं।
According to scientists, clouds are formed from tiny droplets of water.
(vaigyaanikon ke anusaar baadal jal kii chhotii-chhotii boondon se bante hain।)
Sense
2
:
figurative: a gloom, shadow, or spreading darkness (of sorrow, danger, etc.)
noun, masculine Used mainly in set phrases like गम के बादल (gam ke baadal, 'clouds of sorrow') or खतरे के बादल (khatre ke baadal, 'clouds of danger'), where बादल (baadal) stands for something ominous or sorrowful gathering over a person or situation.
Synonyms: छाया (chhaayaa, shadow/gloom sense), साया (saayaa, shadow/gloom sense)
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: This is the same 'gathering over the sky' image extended to emotion -- Hindi film dialogue and poetry love lines like ग़म के बादल छा गए (gham ke baadal chhaa gae, 'clouds of sorrow have gathered') to describe sudden sadness settling over someone, much like English 'a cloud hangs over him' but rooted in the visual of an actual monsoon sky darkening.
Sample Sentences:
उसकी मौत की खबर सुनकर घर में गम के बादल छा गए।
On hearing news of her death, clouds of sorrow gathered over the house.
(uskii maut kii khabar sunkar ghar men gam ke baadal chhaa gae।)
उसके चेहरे पर उदासी के बादल छाए हुए हैं।
Clouds of sadness hang over his face.
(uske chehre par udaasii ke baadal chhaae hue hain।)
जब से नौकरी गई है, उसके घर पर चिंता के बादल मंडरा रहे हैं।
Ever since he lost his job, clouds of worry have been hovering over his house.
(jab se naukrii gaii hai, uske ghar par chintaa ke baadal mandraa rahe hain।)
काश उसके जीवन से दुख के बादल कभी न छाते।
If only the clouds of grief had never gathered over his life.
(kaash uske jiivan se dukh ke baadal kabhii n chhaate।)
युद्ध की खबर से पूरे देश पर खतरे के बादल छा गए।
News of the war brought clouds of danger over the whole country.
(yuddh kii khabar se poore desh par khatre ke baadal chhaa gae।)
अगर हालात ऐसे ही रहे तो कंपनी पर मंदी के बादल छा जाएंगे।
If things stay this way, clouds of recession will gather over the company.
(agar haalaat aise hii rahe to kampnii par mandii ke baadal chhaa jaaenge।)
भगवान करे उसकी ज़िंदगी से निराशा के बादल छँट जाएं।
May God grant that the clouds of despair clear from his life.
(bhagvaan kare uskii zindgii se niraashaa ke baadal chhant jaaen।)
कवि ने लिखा कि विरह के बादल उसके मन पर छाए रहते हैं।
The poet wrote that clouds of separation constantly hang over her heart.
(kavi ne likhaa ki virah ke baadal uske man par chhaae rahte hain।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
बादल
(baadal)
(sg.m.oblique):
बादल
(baadal)
(pl.m.direct):
बादल
(baadal)
(pl.m.oblique):
बादलों
(baadlon)