बढ़ई (badhaii)

noun A single-sense word: the tradesman who works with wood -- a carpenter.
Sense 1 : carpenter
noun, masculine
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: In most Indian neighborhoods, the बढ़ई (badhaii) is a familiar local craftsman, often summoned by name for fixing doors, windows, and furniture rather than found in a shop -- work is usually done on-site, at your home. The word is one of a family of traditional occupational titles (like लोहार, lohaar, 'blacksmith', and सुनार, sunaar, 'goldsmith') formed with the agentive suffix -कार or similar, each naming a hereditary craft-caste occupation.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes confuse बढ़ई (badhaii) with मिस्त्री (mistrii), which is a broader term covering various skilled tradesmen (mason, mechanic, etc.); बढ़ई (badhaii) refers specifically to woodwork. 2) The nukta under ढ़ is often dropped in casual typing, but it changes pronunciation (a soft flap sound) -- worth noticing when reading aloud.
Sample Sentences:
मेरे घर का दरवाजा टूट गया है, मुझे बढ़ई को बुलाना है। My house's door is broken, I need to call the carpenter.
(mere ghar kaa darvaajaa toot gayaa hai, mujhe badhaii ko bulaanaa hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
बढ़ई हर हफ्ते इस गली में आता है, किसी न किसी का काम रहता ही है। The carpenter comes to this lane every week, there's always someone's work to be done.
(badhaii har haphte is galii men aataa hai, kisii n kisii kaa kaam rahtaa hii hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
बढ़ई अभी खिड़की की चौखट बना रहा है। The carpenter is making the window frame right now.
(badhaii abhii khidkii kii chaukhat banaa rahaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
बढ़ई कल शाम तक अलमारी ठीक कर देगा। The carpenter will fix the cupboard by tomorrow evening.
(badhaii kal shaam tak almaarii thiik kar degaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
अगर बढ़ई समय पर आ जाता, तो पलंग आज ही तैयार हो जाता। If the carpenter had come on time, the bed would have been ready today itself.
(agar badhaii samay par aa jaataa, to palang aaj hii taiyaar ho jaataa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
बढ़ई को बुलाओ और उससे इस मेज़ की टूटी टांग ठीक करवाओ। Call the carpenter and get this table's broken leg fixed by him.
(badhaii ko bulaao aur usse is mez kii tootii taang thiik karvaao।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
शायद बढ़ई इस लकड़ी से एक अच्छी कुर्सी बना सके। Perhaps the carpenter can make a good chair from this wood.
(shaayad badhaii is lakdii se ek achchhii kursii banaa sake।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
पुराने ज़माने में हर मोहल्ले का अपना एक बढ़ई होता था। In olden times, every neighborhood used to have its own carpenter.
(puraane zamaane men har mohalle kaa apnaa ek badhaii hotaa thaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
यह मेज़ बढ़ई द्वारा हाथ से बनाई गई थी। This table was made by hand by a carpenter.
(yah mez badhaii dvaaraa haath se banaaii gaii thii।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
बढ़ई अपने औज़ारों का थैला कंधे पर लटकाए हुए आ पहुंचा। The carpenter arrived with his bag of tools slung over his shoulder.
(badhaii apne auzaaron kaa thailaa kandhe par latkaae hue aa pahunchaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): बढ़ई (badhaii)
(sg.m.oblique): बढ़ई (badhaii)
(pl.m.direct): बढ़ई (badhaii)
(pl.m.oblique): बढ़ईों ([[बढ़ईों]])