भाजी (bhaajii)
noun
A general word for cooked vegetables/greens, used both for the everyday dish sense and, in the compound पाव भाजी (paav bhaajii), as half of a beloved Mumbai-origin street food name.
Sense
1
:
the mashed-vegetable dish served with bread in पाव भाजी
noun, feminine Almost always appears as part of the fixed compound पाव भाजी (paav bhaajii, 'bread rolls with spiced mashed vegetables'), rather than standing alone with this specific dish meaning.
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: पाव भाजी (paav bhaajii) started as Mumbai mill-worker street food and is now a pan-India favorite; order it at any Delhi food stall or dhaba and you will get a buttery mash of vegetables with soft pav (paav) rolls on the side.
Sample Sentences:
आज रात पाव भाजी खाने चलें?
Shall we go eat pav bhaji tonight?
(aaj raat paav bhaajii khaane chalen?)
भइया, एक प्लेट भाजी और दो पाव देना।
Bhaiya, give me one plate of bhaji and two pav.
(bhaiyaa, ek plet bhaajii aur do paav denaa।)
वो ठेले वाला भाजी में बहुत सारा मक्खन डालता है।
That cart vendor puts a lot of butter in the bhaji.
(vo thele vaalaa bhaajii men bahut saaraa makkhan daaltaa hai।)
भाजी को कढ़ाई में अच्छी तरह मैश किया जा रहा है।
The bhaji is being mashed well in the pan.
(bhaajii ko kadhaaii men achchhii tarah maish kiyaa jaa rahaa hai।)
मैंने कल स्टॉल पर पाव भाजी खाई थी, बहुत मसालेदार थी।
I ate pav bhaji at the stall yesterday, it was very spicy.
(mainne kal stol par paav bhaajii khaaii thii, bahut masaaledaar thii।)
अगर घर पर टमाटर होते तो मैं भाजी खुद बना लेता।
If there had been tomatoes at home, I would have made the bhaji myself.
(agar ghar par tamaatar hote to main bhaajii khud banaa letaa।)
काश भाजी में थोड़ा और मक्खन डाला होता।
I wish a bit more butter had been added to the bhaji.
(kaash bhaajii men thodaa aur makkhan daalaa hotaa।)
दिल्ली के इस ठेले की भाजी शहर भर में मशहूर है।
This cart's bhaji in Delhi is famous all over the city.
(dillii ke is thele kii bhaajii shahar bhar men mashahoor hai।)
पार्टी में शायद पाव भाजी परोसी जाए।
Pav bhaji might be served at the party.
(paartii men shaayad paav bhaajii parosii jaae।)
पहले भाजी को तेज़ आँच पर पकाइए, फिर मक्खन डालिए।
First cook the bhaji on high flame, then add the butter.
(pahle bhaajii ko tez aanch par pakaaie, phir makkhan daalie।)
इस रेस्टोरेंट में भाजी चीज़ डालकर बनाई जाती है।
In this restaurant, the bhaji is made with cheese added.
(is restorent men bhaajii chiiz daalkar banaaii jaatii hai।)
Sense
2
:
cooked vegetable dish, especially leafy greens
noun, feminine
Synonyms: सब्ज़ी (sabzii), साग (saag, leafy greens specifically)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: In Delhi-NCR kitchens you will hear सब्ज़ी (sabzii) far more often for 'the vegetable dish for dinner'; भाजी (bhaajii) has a more western-Indian ring to a north Indian ear, though everyone recognizes it, especially through the dish below.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes treat भाजी (bhaajii) and सब्ज़ी (sabzii) as regionally interchangeable everywhere, but भाजी (bhaajii) is heard far more in Maharashtra/western India, while Delhi-NCR speakers default to सब्ज़ी (sabzii) for the same everyday meaning.
Sample Sentences:
माँ ने आज पालक की भाजी बनाई है।
Mom has made spinach curry today.
(maan ne aaj paalak kii bhaajii banaaii hai।)
गाँव में लोग सरसों की भाजी बड़े चाव से खाते हैं।
In villages, people eat mustard greens curry with great relish.
(gaanv men log sarson kii bhaajii bade chaav se khaate hain।)
क्या तुम मेथी की भाजी बनाना जानती हो?
Do you know how to make fenugreek greens curry?
(kyaa tum methii kii bhaajii banaanaa jaantii ho?)
भाजी बनाते समय उसमें थोड़ा लहसुन डाल देना।
While making the greens curry, add a little garlic to it.
(bhaajii banaate samay usmen thodaa lahsun daal denaa।)
अगर बाज़ार में ताज़ी भाजी मिल जाती, तो मैं आज वही बनाती।
If fresh greens had been available at the market, I would have made that curry today.
(agar baazaar men taazii bhaajii mil jaatii, to main aaj vahii banaatii।)
इस ढाबे की चने की भाजी सचमुच लाजवाब है।
This roadside eatery's chickpea-greens curry is truly wonderful.
(is dhaabe kii chane kii bhaajii sachmuch laajvaab hai।)
भाजी को धीमी आँच पर पकने दिया जाता है ताकि उसका स्वाद बना रहे।
The vegetable curry is left to cook on a low flame so that its flavor remains intact.
(bhaajii ko dhiimii aanch par pakne diyaa jaataa hai taaki uskaa svaad banaa rahe।)
महाराष्ट्र में हर घर की भाजी का अपना अलग स्वाद होता है।
In Maharashtra, every household's greens curry has its own distinct taste.
(mahaaraashtr men har ghar kii bhaajii kaa apnaa alag svaad hotaa hai।)
काश आज घर पर वही चटपटी भाजी बनी होती जो नानी बनाया करती थीं।
I wish that same spicy greens curry that grandma used to make had been made at home today.
(kaash aaj ghar par vahii chataptii bhaajii banii hotii jo naanii banaayaa kartii thiin।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
भाजी
(bhaajii)
(sg.f.oblique):
भाजी
(bhaajii)
(pl.f.direct):
भाजियाँ
(bhaajiyaan)
(pl.f.oblique):
भाजियों
(bhaajiyon)