लोग (log)

noun A single, high-frequency noun meaning 'people'; used constantly both literally and as a pluralizing suffix-like tag after other nouns/pronouns to mean 'the whole group of'.
Sense 1 : people, persons (plural collective)
noun, masculine Grammatically plural only; there is no singular counterpart in this sense (एक लोग (ek log) is not used -- for one person, say व्यक्ति (vyakti) or आदमी (aadmii)).
Synonyms: जन (jan, literary), व्यक्ति (vyakti, individual person, more formal), जनता (jantaa, the public/masses)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You'll hear लोग (log) tacked onto pronouns everywhere in casual Delhi speech -- हम लोग (ham log), आप लोग (aap log), बच्चे लोग (bachche log) -- almost like a friendly plural marker, even though the base pronoun is often already plural. It softens and personalizes the group being talked about, similar to how 'you guys' works in English.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes try to make लोग (log) singular or treat it as countable with numerals the way English 'a person' works -- it only exists as an inherently plural noun. 2) After pronouns like हम (ham) or तुम (tum), adding लोग (log) (हम लोग (ham log, 'we people/we all'), तुम लोग (tum log, 'you all')) is extremely common in speech to make plurality explicit -- learners often skip this and sound slightly stiffer than natural, though it's not wrong to omit it.
Sample Sentences:
इस शहर में बहुत सारे लोग रहते हैं। A lot of people live in this city.
(is shahar men bahut saare log rahte hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
हम लोग कल पिकनिक पर जा रहे हैं। We guys are going on a picnic tomorrow.
(ham log kal piknik par jaa rahe hain।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
आप लोग यहाँ बैठिए, मैं अभी आता हूँ। You guys sit here, I'll be right back.
(aap log yahaan baithie, main abhii aataa hoon।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
बच्चे लोग बगीचे में खेल रहे थे। The kids were playing in the garden.
(bachche log bagiiche men khel rahe the।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगर लोग नियमों का पालन करें, तो शहर साफ रहेगा। If people follow the rules, the city will stay clean.
(agar log niymon kaa paalan karen, to shahar saaph rahegaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
काश, लोग इतने स्वार्थी न होते। I wish people weren't so selfish.
(kaash, log itne svaarthii n hote।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
उस हादसे में कई लोग घायल हो गए। Many people were injured in that accident.
(us haadse men kaii log ghaayal ho gae।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
इस मामले में दोषी व्यक्ति को लोगों के सामने सज़ा दी जाएगी। In this matter, the guilty person will be punished in front of the people.
(is maamle men doshii vyakti ko logon ke saamne sazaa dii jaaegii।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Passive
लोग क्या कहेंगे, इसकी चिंता मत करो। Don't worry about what people will say.
(log kyaa kahenge, iskii chintaa mat karo।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
गाँव के लोग हर साल मेले में इकट्ठा होते हैं। The villagers gather at the fair every year.
(gaanv ke log har saal mele men ikatthaa hote hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
यार, ये लोग कभी वक्त पर नहीं पहुँचते। Man, these people never arrive on time.
(yaar, ye log kabhii vakt par nahiin pahunchte।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): लोग (log)
(sg.m.oblique): लोग (log)
(pl.m.direct): लोग (log)
(pl.m.oblique): लोगों (logon)