रोशनी (roshnii)
noun
Means 'light' -- both the physical light from a lamp, sun, or fire, and the figurative sense of illumination, brightness, or radiance in a face or mood.
Sense
1
:
light (physical illumination)
noun, feminine
Synonyms: प्रकाश (prakaash, formal), उजाला (ujaalaa)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Think of Diwali: the festival is described as रोशनी का त्योहार (roshnii kaa tyohaar, 'festival of lights'), and you'll hear रोशनी (roshnii) constantly around that season for diyas, candles, and fairy lights strung on balconies. It's the everyday word your electrician or mother would use, while प्रकाश (prakaash) shows up more in formal or written contexts, like a school essay on Diwali.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes reach for प्रकाश (prakaash) in casual speech; it is correct but sounds bookish -- रोशनी (roshnii) is what people actually say about a lamp, a room, or the sun's light. 2) रोशनी (roshnii) is feminine, so adjectives and verbs agreeing with it take feminine forms -- e.g. रोशनी तेज़ है (roshnii tez hai, 'the light is bright'), not तेज़ा।
Sample Sentences:
कमरे में रोशनी बहुत कम है।
There is very little light in the room.
(kamre men roshnii bahut kam hai।)
दिवाली पर हर घर की छत पर रोशनी जगमगाती है।
On Diwali, light sparkles on the roof of every house.
(divaalii par har ghar kii chhat par roshnii jagamgaatii hai।)
प्लीज़ रोशनी बंद कर दो, मुझे नींद आ रही है।
Please turn off the light, I'm feeling sleepy.
(pliiz roshnii band kar do, mujhe niind aa rahii hai।)
पूरा बाज़ार रोशनी से सजाया गया था।
The whole market was decorated with lights.
(pooraa baazaar roshnii se sajaayaa gayaa thaa।)
अगर बिजली न जाती तो घर में रोशनी होती।
If the power hadn't gone out, there would have been light in the house.
(agar bijlii n jaatii to ghar men roshnii hotii।)
इलेक्ट्रीशियन ने कहा कि तार ठीक करने से रोशनी वापस आ जाएगी।
The electrician said that fixing the wire will bring the light back.
(ilektriishiyan ne kahaa ki taar thiik karne se roshnii vaapas aa jaaegii।)
खिड़की खोलो ताकि कमरे में थोड़ी रोशनी आ सके।
Open the window so that some light can come into the room.
(khidkii kholo taaki kamre men thodii roshnii aa sake।)
दिवाली को रोशनी का त्योहार कहा जाता है।
Diwali is called the festival of lights.
(divaalii ko roshnii kaa tyohaar kahaa jaataa hai।)
दीये की रोशनी धीरे-धीरे बुझ रही थी।
The light of the diya was slowly dying out.
(diiye kii roshnii dhiire-dhiire bujh rahii thii।)
सुबह की रोशनी सीधे मेरी आँखों पर पड़ी।
The morning light fell straight on my eyes.
(subah kii roshnii siidhe merii aankhon par padii।)
बाज़ार की सारी दुकानें रोशनी से जगमगा उठीं।
All the shops in the market suddenly lit up with light.
(baazaar kii saarii dukaanen roshnii se jagamgaa uthiin।)
Sense
2
:
light (figurative: hope, insight, radiance)
noun, feminine
Synonyms: चमक (chamak, glow/shine), उजाला (ujaalaa)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You'll hear someone say उसके चेहरे पर रोशनी आ गई (uske chehre par roshnii aa gaii, 'her face lit up') when good news arrives -- the same word for a lightbulb also captures that inner glow of happiness or hope, much like English 'light' in 'her eyes lit up.'
Common Mistakes: 1) In phrases like चेहरे पर रोशनी आना (chehre par roshnii aanaa, 'a glow to come over the face'), रोशनी (roshnii) describes an inner brightness, not literal illumination -- learners sometimes miss this figurative shift and expect a literal light source.
Sample Sentences:
जब उसे नौकरी की खबर मिली, तो उसके चेहरे पर रोशनी आ गई।
When she got the news about the job, her face lit up.
(jab use naukrii kii khabar milii, to uske chehre par roshnii aa gaii।)
उसकी बातों में एक अलग तरह की रोशनी थी, जैसे उम्मीद बोल रही हो।
There was a different kind of light in her words, as if hope itself were speaking.
(uskii baaton men ek alag tarah kii roshnii thii, jaise ummiid bol rahii ho।)
गुरु का ज्ञान शिष्य के मन में रोशनी भर देता है।
A guru's knowledge fills the disciple's mind with light.
(guru kaa gyaan shishy ke man men roshnii bhar detaa hai।)
काश किसी दिन मेरी ज़िंदगी में भी थोड़ी रोशनी आती।
I wish some light would come into my life someday too.
(kaash kisii din merii zindgii men bhii thodii roshnii aatii।)
अगर वह हमेशा साथ होता, तो मेरी ज़िंदगी में यह रोशनी बनी रहती।
If he had always been with me, this light would have stayed in my life.
(agar vah hameshaa saath hotaa, to merii zindgii men yah roshnii banii rahtii।)
उम्मीद है कि यह किताब पाठकों के मन में कुछ रोशनी ला सके।
I hope this book can bring some light into readers' minds.
(ummiid hai ki yah kitaab paathkon ke man men kuchh roshnii laa sake।)
अपने अंदर की रोशनी को कभी बुझने मत दो।
Never let the light inside you go out.
(apne andar kii roshnii ko kabhii bujhne mat do।)
माँ की मुस्कान से पूरे घर में एक अजीब सी रोशनी फैल जाती है।
With mother's smile, a strange kind of light spreads through the whole house.
(maan kii muskaan se poore ghar men ek ajiib sii roshnii phail jaatii hai।)
अंधेरे दौर में भी उसने अपने भीतर की रोशनी बुझने नहीं दी।
Even in dark times, she didn't let the light within her go out.
(andhere daur men bhii usne apne bhiitar kii roshnii bujhne nahiin dii।)
उसकी आँखों में जो रोशनी दिखी, उसने मुझे भी हौसला दे दिया।
The light I saw in her eyes gave me courage too.
(uskii aankhon men jo roshnii dikhii, usne mujhe bhii hauslaa de diyaa।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
रोशनी
(roshnii)
(sg.f.oblique):
रोशनी
(roshnii)
(pl.f.direct):
रोशनियाँ
(roshniyaan)
(pl.f.oblique):
रोशनियों
(roshniyon)