तितली (titlii)

noun A simple, single-sense word: 'butterfly.' Common in nature talk, children's rhymes, and as an affectionate nickname.
Sense 1 : butterfly
noun, feminine
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: तितली (titlii) shows up constantly in children's poems and songs (nursery rhymes about तितली उड़ी (titlii udii, 'the butterfly flew')), and Delhi parents often call a little girl who flits about happily उड़ने वाली तितली (udne vaalii titlii, 'the flitting butterfly') as a playful nickname.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes assume all insect names are masculine by default; तितली (titlii) is feminine, so adjectives and verbs agreeing with it must take feminine forms, e.g. तितली उड़ रही है (titlii ud rahii hai, 'the butterfly is flying').
Sample Sentences:
बगीचे में एक रंग-बिरंगी तितली उड़ रही है। A colorful butterfly is flying in the garden.
(bagiiche men ek rang-birangii titlii ud rahii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
तितली उड़ी, तितली उड़ी, फूलों पर जा बैठी। The butterfly flew, the butterfly flew, and settled on the flowers.
(titlii udii, titlii udii, phoolon par jaa baithii।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
बचपन में मैं तितलियों को पकड़ने के लिए पीछे भागता था। As a child, I used to run after butterflies to catch them.
(bachpan men main titliyon ko pakadne ke lie piichhe bhaagtaa thaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
देखो, वो उड़ने वाली तितली फिर से नाच रही है! Look, that flitting butterfly is dancing around again!
(dekho, vo udne vaalii titlii phir se naach rahii hai!)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर मौसम अच्छा होता, तो बगीचे में ढेर सारी तितलियाँ दिखतीं। If the weather were good, lots of butterflies would be seen in the garden.
(agar mausam achchhaa hotaa, to bagiiche men dher saarii titliyaan dikhtiin।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
तितली को मत छुओ, उसके पंख टूट जाएँगे। Don't touch the butterfly, its wings will break.
(titlii ko mat chhuo, uske pankh toot jaaenge।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
मुझे उम्मीद है कि इस साल तितलियाँ ज़्यादा दिखेंगी। I hope more butterflies will be seen this year.
(mujhe ummiid hai ki is saal titliyaan zyaadaa dikhengii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
एक तितली पत्ते पर बैठी है, बिल्कुल स्थिर। A butterfly is sitting on the leaf, completely still.
(ek titlii patte par baithii hai, bilkul sthir।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
इस किताब में तितली को उड़ते हुए बहुत खूबसूरती से दिखाया गया है। In this book, the butterfly has been shown flying very beautifully.
(is kitaab men titlii ko udte hue bahut khoobsoortii se dikhaayaa gayaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
काश मैं भी तितली की तरह हल्के-फुल्के मन से उड़ पाता। I wish I too could fly with a light heart, like a butterfly.
(kaash main bhii titlii kii tarah halke-phulke man se ud paataa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
मेरी बेटी को सब लोग उसकी चंचलता के लिए तितली बुलाते हैं। Everyone calls my daughter 'butterfly' because of how playfully she flits about.
(merii betii ko sab log uskii chanchaltaa ke lie titlii bulaate hain।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): तितली (titlii)
(sg.f.oblique): तितली (titlii)
(pl.f.direct): तितलियाँ (titliyaan)
(pl.f.oblique): तितलियों (titliyon)