व्यंजन (vyanjan)
noun
Two main senses: a savory dish/culinary preparation (the everyday food sense), and a consonant in grammar/phonetics (the technical linguistic sense).
Sense
1
:
a cooked dish, a food preparation
noun, masculine
Synonyms: पकवान (pakvaan), खाना (khaanaa, everyday, broader), भोजन (bhojan, formal, broader)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You'll see this word on restaurant menus and in phrases like स्वादिष्ट व्यंजन (svaadisht vyanjan, 'tasty dish') or क्षेत्रीय व्यंजन (kshetriiy vyanjan, 'regional dishes'), especially in food TV shows and articles about regional cuisines -- it has a slightly formal, descriptive flavor compared to the everyday खाना (khaanaa).
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often use खाना (khaanaa) for 'food' in general and reach for व्यंजन (vyanjan) too broadly; व्यंजन (vyanjan) is better reserved for a specific named dish or preparation (like 'a South Indian dish' or 'a festive dish'), not food in general. 2) It sounds slightly more formal/menu-like than खाना (khaanaa), so using it in casual chat about 'what's for dinner' can feel a bit stiff.
Sample Sentences:
यह रेस्तराँ अपने क्षेत्रीय व्यंजनों के लिए मशहूर है।
This restaurant is famous for its regional dishes.
(yah restraan apne kshetriiy vyanjnon ke lie mashahoor hai।)
शेफ ने मेज़ पर कई स्वादिष्ट व्यंजन सजा दिए।
The chef arranged several tasty dishes on the table.
(sheph ne mez par kaii svaadisht vyanjan sajaa die।)
इस कार्यक्रम में हर हफ्ते एक नया व्यंजन बनाया जाता है।
In this show, a new dish is made every week.
(is kaaryakram men har haphte ek nayaa vyanjan banaayaa jaataa hai।)
कृपया आज का विशेष व्यंजन सुझाएँ।
Please suggest today's special dish.
(kripyaa aaj kaa vishesh vyanjan sujhaaen।)
अगर मेरे पास समय होता तो मैं दस व्यंजन बनाता।
If I had time, I would make ten dishes.
(agar mere paas samay hotaa to main das vyanjan banaataa।)
यह कार्यक्रम भारत के विभिन्न क्षेत्रीय व्यंजनों पर आधारित है।
This program is based on India's various regional dishes.
(yah kaaryakram bhaarat ke vibhinn kshetriiy vyanjnon par aadhaarit hai।)
शादी में इतने व्यंजन थे कि हम सब कुछ चख भी नहीं पाए।
There were so many dishes at the wedding that we couldn't even taste everything.
(shaadii men itne vyanjan the ki ham sab kuchh chakh bhii nahiin paae।)
शायद यह व्यंजन दक्षिण भारत से आया हो।
This dish may have come from South India.
(shaayad yah vyanjan dakshin bhaarat se aayaa ho।)
माँ हर त्योहार पर कोई खास व्यंजन ज़रूर बनाती हैं।
Mother always makes some special dish on every festival.
(maan har tyohaar par koii khaas vyanjan zaroor banaatii hain।)
फूड ब्लॉगर उस व्यंजन की तस्वीर खींच रही थी।
The food blogger was taking a photo of that dish.
(phood blogar us vyanjan kii tasviir khiinch rahii thii।)
Sense
2
:
a consonant (in grammar/phonetics)
noun, masculine Used in contrast with स्वर (svar, 'vowel') when discussing the Devanagari alphabet or Hindi phonetics.
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: Every Hindi student meets this word early on, in the pairing स्वर और व्यंजन (svar aur vyanjan, 'vowels and consonants') when learning the Devanagari script -- it's the standard grammar-class term, showing up in schoolbooks rather than everyday talk.
Common Mistakes: 1) This is a classroom/grammar term, not something you'd use in casual conversation -- don't confuse it with the food sense, which is far more common day-to-day.
Sample Sentences:
हिंदी वर्णमाला में स्वर और व्यंजन होते हैं।
In the Hindi alphabet there are vowels and consonants.
(hindii varnmaalaa men svar aur vyanjan hote hain।)
क, ख, ग, घ -- ये सब व्यंजन हैं।
Ka, kha, ga, gha -- these are all consonants.
(k, kh, g, gh -- ye sab vyanjan hain।)
टीचर ने बच्चों को व्यंजन पहचानना सिखाया।
The teacher taught the children to recognize consonants.
(tiichar ne bachchon ko vyanjan pahchaannaa sikhaayaa।)
कृपया बोर्ड पर सारे व्यंजन लिखिए।
Please write all the consonants on the board.
(kripyaa bord par saare vyanjan likhie।)
इस पाठ में व्यंजनों की गिनती बताई जाएगी।
In this lesson, the count of consonants will be told.
(is paath men vyanjnon kii gintii bataaii jaaegii।)
अगर तुम व्यंजन और स्वर में फ़र्क़ समझते, तो पढ़ना आसान होता।
If you understood the difference between consonants and vowels, reading would be easier.
(agar tum vyanjan aur svar men farq samajhte, to padhnaa aasaan hotaa।)
परीक्षा में व्यंजनों की सूची पूछी गई थी।
In the exam, a list of consonants was asked for.
(pariikshaa men vyanjnon kii soochii poochhii gaii thii।)
शायद परीक्षा में व्यंजनों के बारे में सवाल आए।
Perhaps a question about consonants will come up in the exam.
(shaayad pariikshaa men vyanjnon ke baare men savaal aae।)
व्याकरण की किताब में हर व्यंजन का उच्चारण समझाया गया है।
In the grammar book, the pronunciation of every consonant has been explained.
(vyaakran kii kitaab men har vyanjan kaa uchchaaran samjhaayaa gayaa hai।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
व्यंजन
(vyanjan)
(sg.m.oblique):
व्यंजन
(vyanjan)
(pl.m.direct):
व्यंजन
(vyanjan)
(pl.m.oblique):
व्यंजनों
(vyanjnon)