शायर (shaayar)

noun A borrowed noun meaning 'poet', specifically one who composes shayari (shaayrii) -- Urdu-style verse, typically in ghazal (ghazal) form.
Sense 1 : poet (especially of Urdu-style verse/ghazals)
noun, masculine
Synonyms: कवि (kavi, covers Hindi-tradition poets more broadly)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: In Delhi-NCR, शायर (shaayar) carries a specific cultural flavor: think mushaira (mushaayraa) gatherings, Ghalib (ghaalib), and the whole Urdu-Hindi shared poetic heritage of the city. Calling someone a शायर (shaayar) (even jokingly, to a friend who just said something poetic or dramatic) is a common, affectionate bit of banter.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often use शायर (shaayar) and कवि (kavi) interchangeably, but शायर (shaayar) specifically evokes the Urdu ghazal tradition -- Persian-influenced imagery, love and loss themes -- while कवि (kavi) is the general, register-neutral word for 'poet' in any tradition. 2) The feminine form शायरा (shaayraa) exists for a female poet, but in casual speech शायर (shaayar) is sometimes used regardless of gender.
Sample Sentences:
वो एक मशहूर शायर है। He is a famous poet.
(vo ek mashahoor shaayar hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
मुशायरे में आज बहुत बड़े-बड़े शायर आए थे। Many great poets had come to the mushaira today.
(mushaayre men aaj bahut bade-bade shaayar aae the।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अरे वाह, क्या शेर कहा है, तू तो शायर निकला! Wow, what a couplet you just said, turns out you're a poet!
(are vaah, kyaa sher kahaa hai, too to shaayar niklaa!)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
ग़ालिब को उर्दू का सबसे बड़ा शायर माना जाता है। Ghalib is considered the greatest poet of Urdu.
(ghaalib ko urdoo kaa sabse badaa shaayar maanaa jaataa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
मैं बचपन से शायर बनना चाहता था। I had wanted to become a poet since childhood.
(main bachpan se shaayar bannaa chaahtaa thaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
काश मैं भी उतना अच्छा शायर होता जितना वो है। I wish I were as good a poet as he is.
(kaash main bhii utnaa achchhaa shaayar hotaa jitnaa vo hai।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
अगर तुम अपनी ग़ज़लें ऐसे ही सुनाते रहे, तो लोग तुम्हें शायर मान लेंगे। If you keep reciting your ghazals like this, people will start considering you a poet.
(agar tum apnii ghazlen aise hii sunaate rahe, to log tumhen shaayar maan lenge।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
एक सच्चे शायर को अपने दिल की बात कहनी चाहिए, बस दिखावे की नहीं। A true poet should speak from the heart, not just for show.
(ek sachche shaayar ko apne dil kii baat kahnii chaahie, bas dikhaave kii nahiin।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
यार, इतनी गहरी बात कह दी, तू तो पूरा शायर बन गया आजकल। Dude, you said something so deep, you've completely turned into a poet these days.
(yaar, itnii gahrii baat kah dii, too to pooraa shaayar ban gayaa aajkal।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
शायर बनो या मत बनो, पर अपनी बात ईमानदारी से कहना सीखो। Become a poet or don't, but learn to speak your mind honestly.
(shaayar bano yaa mat bano, par apnii baat iimaandaarii se kahnaa siikho।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): शायर (shaayar)
(sg.m.oblique): शायर (shaayar)
(pl.m.direct): शायर (shaayar)
(pl.m.oblique): शायरों (shaayron)