बहन (bahan)

noun A single-sense kinship noun meaning 'sister,' used both literally and as a warm/respectful form of address for women who are not blood relatives.
Sense 1 : sister (sibling)
noun, feminine
Synonyms: भगिनी (bhaginii, literary)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: In everyday Delhi speech, बहन (bahan) is a go-to term of respectful address for women of roughly your own age or a bit older, much like दीदी (diidii) but slightly less intimate. Note also the festival राखी (raakhii) or रक्षा बंधन (rakshaa bandhan), where brothers and sisters formally reaffirm this bond -- the word carries real emotional weight beyond a dry dictionary gloss of 'sister.'
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often forget that बहन (bahan) is also used to address or refer politely to unrelated women (a shopkeeper, a stranger on the street, a colleague), similar to how भाई साहब (bhaaii saahab) works for men -- it is not always literal kinship. 2) The respectful plural/oblique form बहनों (bahnon) shows up often in public address ("भाइयों और बहनों" bhaaiyon aur bahnon, 'brothers and sisters') -- learners sometimes default to a plain plural instead.
Sample Sentences:
मेरी एक बहन है। I have one sister.
(merii ek bahan hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
मेरी बहन दिल्ली में रहती है। My sister lives in Delhi.
(merii bahan dillii men rahtii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
पिछले साल मेरी बहन ने शादी कर ली। Last year my sister got married.
(pichhle saal merii bahan ne shaadii kar lii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगले महीने मेरी बहन अमेरिका से आएगी। My sister will come from America next month.
(agle mahiine merii bahan amerikaa se aaegii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
रक्षा बंधन पर बहन भाई की कलाई पर राखी बांधती है। On Raksha Bandhan, the sister ties a rakhi on her brother's wrist.
(rakshaa bandhan par bahan bhaaii kii kalaaii par raakhii baandhtii hai।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर मेरी कोई बहन होती, तो मैं इतना अकेला महसूस न करता। If I had a sister, I wouldn't feel so lonely.
(agar merii koii bahan hotii, to main itnaa akelaa mahsoos n kartaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
बहन जी, क्या आपको कुछ मदद चाहिए? Sister, do you need any help?
(bahan jii, kyaa aapko kuchh madad chaahie?)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
बहन, ज़रा वो थैला उठा दो न। Sister, please pick up that bag for me, will you.
(bahan, zaraa vo thailaa uthaa do n।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
काश मेरी बहन यहाँ होती। I wish my sister were here.
(kaash merii bahan yahaan hotii।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
बहन के बिना यह घर सूना लगता है। Without my sister, this house feels empty.
(bahan ke binaa yah ghar soonaa lagtaa hai।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
बचपन में बहन और मैं रोज़ लड़ते थे। As children, my sister and I used to fight every day.
(bachpan men bahan aur main roz ladte the।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): बहन (bahan)
(sg.f.oblique): बहन (bahan)
(pl.f.direct): बहनें (bahnen)
(pl.f.oblique): बहनों (bahnon)