लालच (laalach)

noun A single core sense: 'greed' or 'temptation', usually as a noun; it also appears in the common adjective-like compound लालची (laalchii, 'greedy person'), which is treated separately.
Sense 1 : greed, avarice, temptation
noun, masculine
Synonyms: लोभ (lobh), तमा (tamaa, rare)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Hindi frames greed as something that arrives and grips you -- मन में लालच आना (man men laalach aanaa, 'greed to come into the mind') -- rather than something you simply feel, which fits the broader pattern of emotions and states being treated as visitors to the mind or heart. You will hear this word constantly in moral advice from elders, in stories with a lesson, and in the classic warning लालच बुरी बला है (laalach burii balaa hai, 'greed is a terrible curse'), a proverb almost every Hindi speaker grows up hearing.
Common Mistakes: 1) लालच (laalach) is usually paired with the verb आना (aanaa) or होना (honaa) in a dative-subject frame -- लालच आना (laalach aanaa, 'to feel greed/temptation') -- rather than being treated as something one actively 'does' with करना (karnaa), though लालच करना (laalach karnaa) also exists and means 'to act greedily.' 2) Learners sometimes confuse लालच (laalach) with लालसा (laalsaa); लालसा leans toward a strong yearning or craving (often for something intangible, like recognition or love), while लालच carries a distinctly negative, moralizing tone about material or selfish desire.
Sample Sentences:
लालच बुरी बला है। Greed is a terrible curse.
(laalach burii balaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उसके मन में उस बड़े घर का लालच आ गया। Greed for that big house crept into his mind.
(uske man men us bade ghar kaa laalach aa gayaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
पैसों का लालच मत करो, ईमानदारी से काम करो। Don't be greedy for money, work honestly.
(paison kaa laalach mat karo, iimaandaarii se kaam karo।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
अगर उसे थोड़ा भी लालच होता, तो वह यह मौका कभी नहीं छोड़ता। If he had even a bit of greed, he would never have let go of this opportunity.
(agar use thodaa bhii laalach hotaa, to vah yah maukaa kabhii nahiin chhodtaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
दादी हमेशा कहती थीं कि लालच इंसान को अंधा बना देता है। Grandma always used to say that greed makes a person blind.
(daadii hameshaa kahtii thiin ki laalach insaan ko andhaa banaa detaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
इतना लालच मत करो, जो है उसी में खुश रहो। Don't be so greedy, be happy with what you have.
(itnaa laalach mat karo, jo hai usii men khush raho।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
शायद उसके मन में तरक्की का लालच आ गया हो, इसलिए वह इतनी मेहनत कर रहा है। Maybe greed for promotion has crept into his mind, that's why he's working so hard.
(shaayad uske man men tarakkii kaa laalach aa gayaa ho, islie vah itnii mehnat kar rahaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
इस कहानी में एक लालची कुत्ते के लालच की सज़ा दिखाई गई है। This story shows the punishment for a greedy dog's greed.
(is kahaanii men ek laalchii kutte ke laalach kii sazaa dikhaaii gaii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
व्यापारी का लालच बढ़ता ही गया, जब तक उसने सब कुछ नहीं खो दिया। The merchant's greed kept growing, until he lost everything.
(vyaapaarii kaa laalach badhtaa hii gayaa, jab tak usne sab kuchh nahiin kho diyaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
मैंने उसे समझाया कि लालच में पड़कर सारी जमा-पूँजी मत लगा दो। I explained to him that he shouldn't fall into greed and invest all his savings.
(mainne use samjhaayaa ki laalach men padkar saarii jamaa-poonjii mat lagaa do।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
सच्चे रिश्तों में पैसे का लालच नहीं होना चाहिए। There shouldn't be greed for money in true relationships.
(sachche rishton men paise kaa laalach nahiin honaa chaahie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): लालच (laalach)
(sg.m.oblique): लालच (laalach)
(pl.m.direct): लालच (laalach)
(pl.m.oblique): लालचों (laalchon)