भाग्य (bhaagy)
noun
A single core idea, fate/fortune, expressed as a noun; the everyday word for 'luck' or 'destiny' in both casual talk and reflective/philosophical speech.
Sense
1
:
fate, destiny, fortune (as an abstract force controlling one's life)
noun, masculine
Synonyms: किस्मत (kismat), नसीब (nasiib), तक़दीर (taqdiir)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: भाग्य (bhaagy) carries a slightly more classical, almost philosophical weight than किस्मत (kismat) -- you'll hear it in phrases about life's larger design, in astrology talk, or when someone shrugs and says यह तो भाग्य की बात है (yah to bhaagy kii baat hai, 'this is a matter of fate'). It shares its root with भगवान (bhagvaan) and भाग (bhaag, 'share/portion'), reflecting the idea that fate is the 'portion' allotted to you.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach only for किस्मत (kismat) since it's more common in spoken Hindi; भाग्य (bhaagy) is just as usable but leans slightly more reflective/written, so don't hesitate to use it in speech too. 2) भाग्य (bhaagy) is grammatically masculine and singular even when talking about someone's whole life's fortune -- it doesn't pluralize the way English 'fortunes' might.
Sample Sentences:
यह तो भाग्य की बात है।
This is simply a matter of fate.
(yah to bhaagy kii baat hai।)
मुझे भाग्य में विश्वास है।
I believe in fate.
(mujhe bhaagy men vishvaas hai।)
उसका भाग्य पहले से ही लिखा जा चुका है।
His destiny has already been written.
(uskaa bhaagy pahle se hii likhaa jaa chukaa hai।)
अगर भाग्य ने साथ दिया तो हम जीत जाएंगे।
If fate favors us, we will win.
(agar bhaagy ne saath diyaa to ham jiit jaaenge।)
पंडित जी हाथ देखकर भाग्य बताते हैं।
The pandit reads palms and tells fortunes about one's destiny.
(pandit jii haath dekhkar bhaagy bataate hain।)
काश मैं अपना भाग्य खुद लिख पाता।
If only I could write my own destiny.
(kaash main apnaa bhaagy khud likh paataa।)
इंसान को अपने भाग्य से लड़ना सीखना चाहिए।
A person should learn to fight against their own fate.
(insaan ko apne bhaagy se ladnaa siikhnaa chaahie।)
भाग्य के आगे किसी की नहीं चलती।
No one's will prevails against fate.
(bhaagy ke aage kisii kii nahiin chaltii।)
क्या तुम सच में मानते हो कि हमारा भाग्य पहले से तय होता है?
Do you really believe that our fate is predetermined?
(kyaa tum sach men maante ho ki hamaaraa bhaagy pahle se tay hotaa hai?)
उसने अपने भाग्य को स्वीकार कर लिया था।
He had accepted his fate.
(usne apne bhaagy ko sviikaar kar liyaa thaa।)
हे ईश्वर, मेरे भाग्य में सुख लिख दो।
O God, write happiness into my destiny.
(he iishvar, mere bhaagy men sukh likh do।)
Sense
2
:
good luck, good fortune (a stroke of luck, often in exclamatory use)
noun, masculine Often appears in set phrases praising someone's luck, e.g. मेरा भाग्य अच्छा है (meraa bhaagy achchhaa hai, 'my luck is good'), rather than as a standalone word for 'good luck' the way सौभाग्य (saubhaagy) can be used alone.
Synonyms: सौभाग्य (saubhaagy), खुशकिस्मती (khushkismtii)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This sense overlaps closely with the main 'fate' sense above -- it's really the same word narrowed by context (usually with अच्छा (achchhaa) or बुरा (buraa)) rather than a separate word, so think of it as fate's 'positive' shading rather than a distinct vocabulary item.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes say भाग्य (bhaagy) alone expecting it to mean 'good luck' the way सौभाग्य (saubhaagy) does; भाग्य (bhaagy) is neutral and needs अच्छा (achchhaa, 'good') or similar to specify it's good fortune, since on its own it just means 'fate' (which could be good or bad).
Sample Sentences:
यह मेरा भाग्य है कि मुझे ऐसे अच्छे दोस्त मिले।
It's my good fortune that I got such good friends.
(yah meraa bhaagy hai ki mujhe aise achchhe dost mile।)
अच्छा भाग्य था कि आखिरी समय पर टिकट मिल गया।
It was good fortune that we got the ticket at the last minute.
(achchhaa bhaagy thaa ki aakhirii samay par tikat mil gayaa।)
वाह, क्या भाग्य है तुम्हारा, पहली ही बार में नौकरी मिल गई!
Wow, what good fortune you have -- you got the job on the very first try!
(vaah, kyaa bhaagy hai tumhaaraa, pahlii hii baar men naukrii mil gaii!)
अगर मेरा भाग्य अच्छा होता तो मुझे भी वह इनाम मिलता।
If I had had good fortune, I too would have gotten that prize.
(agar meraa bhaagy achchhaa hotaa to mujhe bhii vah inaam miltaa।)
उसका भाग्य हमेशा साथ देता है, चाहे परीक्षा हो या नौकरी।
Her good fortune always favors her, whether it's an exam or a job.
(uskaa bhaagy hameshaa saath detaa hai, chaahe pariikshaa ho yaa naukrii।)
अपने भाग्य पर विश्वास करो, आज तुम्हारा दिन अच्छा रहेगा।
Trust your good fortune, today will be a good day for you.
(apne bhaagy par vishvaas karo, aaj tumhaaraa din achchhaa rahegaa।)
शायद यह भाग्य ही हो कि हम दोनों की मुलाकात हुई।
Maybe it's just good fortune that the two of us met.
(shaayad yah bhaagy hii ho ki ham donon kii mulaakaat huii।)
उस गरीब परिवार का भाग्य अचानक बदल गया जब उन्हें लॉटरी लगी।
That poor family's good fortune suddenly turned when they won the lottery.
(us gariib parivaar kaa bhaagy achaanak badal gayaa jab unhen lotrii lagii।)
कहा जाता है कि यह घर बड़े भाग्य वालों को ही मिलता है।
It's said that this house comes only to those of great good fortune.
(kahaa jaataa hai ki yah ghar bade bhaagy vaalon ko hii miltaa hai।)
यह तेरा सौभाग्य है, वरना ऐसा मौका बार-बार नहीं मिलता।
This is your good fortune, otherwise such a chance doesn't come around again and again.
(yah teraa saubhaagy hai, varnaa aisaa maukaa baar-baar nahiin miltaa।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
भाग्य
(bhaagy)
(sg.m.oblique):
भाग्य
(bhaagy)
(pl.m.direct):
भाग्य
(bhaagy)
(pl.m.oblique):
भाग्यों
(bhaagyon)