राजधानी (raajdhaanii)
noun
A single-meaning noun: 'capital city.' Also the name of India's premier long-distance express train service, which learners will encounter as a proper noun on train tickets and in travel talk.
Sense
1
:
capital city
noun, feminine
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Every Indian school child learns राजधानी (raajdhaanii) drills early on: भारत की राजधानी दिल्ली है (bhaarat kii raajdhaanii dillii hai, 'India's capital is Delhi') is a classic textbook-style sentence pattern. The word is built from राज (raaj, 'rule/kingdom') plus धानी (dhaanii, from 'dhaanii,' related to holding/bearing), so it literally evokes 'the seat that holds the rule.'
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes confuse राजधानी (raajdhaanii) with मुख्यालय (mukhyaalay, 'headquarters'); राजधानी (raajdhaanii) is specifically a national or state political capital, not a corporate or organizational headquarters. 2) It is used only for the seat of government, not for a 'main' or 'principal' city in a general economic sense -- for that, learners should reach for words like प्रमुख शहर (pramukh shahar, 'major city').
Sample Sentences:
भारत की राजधानी दिल्ली है।
India's capital is Delhi.
(bhaarat kii raajdhaanii dillii hai।)
क्या तुम्हें पता है कि जापान की राजधानी क्या है?
Do you know what Japan's capital is?
(kyaa tumhen pataa hai ki jaapaan kii raajdhaanii kyaa hai?)
अंग्रेज़ों के समय में कोलकाता भारत की राजधानी हुआ करती थी।
During British times, Calcutta used to be the capital of India.
(angrezon ke samay men kolkaataa bhaarat kii raajdhaanii huaa kartii thii।)
सरकार ने राजधानी को दूसरे शहर में स्थानांतरित करने की योजना बनाई।
The government planned to shift the capital to another city.
(sarkaar ne raajdhaanii ko doosre shahar men sthaanaantrit karne kii yojnaa banaaii।)
अगर राजधानी समुद्र के किनारे होती, तो व्यापार और आसान होता।
If the capital were by the sea, trade would be even easier.
(agar raajdhaanii samudr ke kinaare hotii, to vyaapaar aur aasaan hotaa।)
बच्चों को हर देश की राजधानी याद करने के लिए कहा गया।
The children were told to memorize the capital of every country.
(bachchon ko har desh kii raajdhaanii yaad karne ke lie kahaa gayaa।)
यह किताब देश-देश की राजधानियों के बारे में बहुत रोचक जानकारी देती है।
This book gives very interesting information about the capitals of various countries.
(yah kitaab desh-desh kii raajdhaaniyon ke baare men bahut rochak jaankaarii detii hai।)
प्राचीन काल में उज्जैन एक महत्वपूर्ण राजधानी थी।
In ancient times, Ujjain was an important capital city.
(praachiin kaal men ujjain ek mahatvpoorn raajdhaanii thii।)
काश किसी दिन हमें राजधानी घूमने का मौका मिले।
I wish we get a chance to visit the capital someday.
(kaash kisii din hamen raajdhaanii ghoomne kaa maukaa mile।)
परीक्षा में लिखो कि भारत की राजधानी कहाँ स्थित है।
In the exam, write where the capital of India is located.
(pariikshaa men likho ki bhaarat kii raajdhaanii kahaan sthit hai।)
नई राजधानी बनाने में सालों लग जाएंगे।
It will take years to build a new capital.
(naii raajdhaanii banaane men saalon lag jaaenge।)
Sense
2
:
Rajdhani Express (named train service)
noun, feminine Used as part of a compound proper noun, e.g. राजधानी एक्सप्रेस (raajdhaanii eksapres, 'Rajdhani Express'); often just called राजधानी (raajdhaanii) for short in conversation.
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: Ask any Indian train traveler and राजधानी (raajdhaanii) instantly means the fast, premium overnight trains connecting Delhi to state capitals -- they're famous for AC coaches and included meals, a notch above the ordinary मेल (mel, 'mail train'). Booking a राजधानी (raajdhaanii) ticket is often a small point of pride for a long family trip.
Sample Sentences:
हमने दिल्ली से पटना तक राजधानी में टिकट बुक कराया।
We booked a ticket on the Rajdhani from Delhi to Patna.
(hamne dillii se patnaa tak raajdhaanii men tikat buk karaayaa।)
राजधानी में खाना टिकट के साथ ही शामिल होता है।
Meals are included with the ticket on the Rajdhani.
(raajdhaanii men khaanaa tikat ke saath hii shaamil hotaa hai।)
क्या राजधानी अभी भी प्लेटफॉर्म नंबर एक से जा रही है?
Is the Rajdhani still leaving from platform number one?
(kyaa raajdhaanii abhii bhii pletphorm nambar ek se jaa rahii hai?)
अगर हम जल्दी बुकिंग करते तो राजधानी में सीट मिल जाती।
If we had booked early, we would have gotten a seat on the Rajdhani.
(agar ham jaldii buking karte to raajdhaanii men siit mil jaatii।)
अगली बार राजधानी से ही जाना, मेल में बहुत समय लगता है।
Go by Rajdhani next time; the mail train takes way too long.
(aglii baar raajdhaanii se hii jaanaa, mel men bahut samay lagtaa hai।)
पिछले साल हमने पूरे परिवार के साथ राजधानी से मुंबई की यात्रा की थी।
Last year we traveled to Mumbai on the Rajdhani with the whole family.
(pichhle saal hamne poore parivaar ke saath raajdhaanii se mumbaii kii yaatraa kii thii।)
राजधानी की टिकट बुक करना अक्सर एक छोटा सा गर्व का पल होता है।
Booking a Rajdhani ticket is often a small point of pride.
(raajdhaanii kii tikat buk karnaa aksar ek chhotaa saa garv kaa pal hotaa hai।)
राजधानी की टिकटें त्योहारों के मौसम में तुरंत बुक कर ली जाती हैं।
Rajdhani tickets get booked up instantly during festival season.
(raajdhaanii kii tikten tyohaaron ke mausam men turant buk kar lii jaatii hain।)
काश हमारी राजधानी समय पर पहुँच जाती।
I wish our Rajdhani had arrived on time.
(kaash hamaarii raajdhaanii samay par pahunch jaatii।)
राजधानी एक्सप्रेस भारतीय रेलवे की सबसे प्रतिष्ठित सेवाओं में गिनी जाती है।
The Rajdhani Express is counted among Indian Railways' most prestigious services.
(raajdhaanii eksapres bhaartiiy relve kii sabse pratishthit sevaaon men ginii jaatii hai।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
राजधानी
(raajdhaanii)
(sg.f.oblique):
राजधानी
(raajdhaanii)
(pl.f.direct):
राजधानियाँ
(raajdhaaniyaan)
(pl.f.oblique):
राजधानियों
(raajdhaaniyon)