सब्ज़ी (sabzii)

noun A single core sense: 'vegetable' as an ingredient, and by extension the cooked vegetable dish itself, as served at an Indian meal.

Sense 1 : vegetable (raw, as produce)

noun, feminine

Synonyms: तरकारी (tarkaarii, regional/older term)

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: Every neighborhood in Delhi-NCR has its सब्ज़ी वाला (sabzii vaalaa, 'vegetable seller') who comes around with a cart shouting out today's stock -- आलू, प्याज़, टमाटर (aaloo, pyaaz, tamaatar, 'potato, onion, tomato') and so on. Asking सब्ज़ी लेनी है? (sabzii lenii hai?, 'need to buy vegetables?') is a completely ordinary daily-errand question.

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often assume सब्ज़ी (sabzii) is always singular in meaning like English 'a vegetable' -- but it is regularly used as a mass/collective noun, as in सब्ज़ी लाना (sabzii laanaa, 'to bring vegetables'), covering a whole basket of mixed produce, not just one item. 2) The nuqta on ज़ is often dropped in casual writing (सब्जी), which is common and acceptable, not a different word.

Sample Sentences:

आज सब्ज़ी वाला कौन सी सब्ज़ी लाया है? What vegetables has the vegetable seller brought today?

(aaj sabzii vaalaa kaun sii sabzii laayaa hai?)

मुझे बाज़ार से कुछ सब्ज़ी लेनी है। I need to buy some vegetables from the market.

(mujhe baazaar se kuchh sabzii lenii hai।)

सब्ज़ी लेनी है क्या? Do you need to buy vegetables?

(sabzii lenii hai kyaa?)

फ्रिज में सब्ज़ी नहीं है, कल सुबह लानी पड़ेगी। There are no vegetables in the fridge, we'll have to get some tomorrow morning.

(phrij men sabzii nahiin hai, kal subah laanii padegii।)

पहले हर घर में सब्ज़ी वाला साइकिल पर आता था। Earlier, the vegetable seller used to come to every house on a bicycle.

(pahle har ghar men sabzii vaalaa saaikil par aataa thaa।)

अगर बाज़ार में ताज़ी सब्ज़ी मिलती तो मैं वही खरीदता। If fresh vegetables were available in the market, I would have bought those.

(agar baazaar men taazii sabzii miltii to main vahii khariidtaa।)

सब्ज़ी काटते समय ध्यान रखना, चाकू तेज़ है। Be careful while cutting the vegetables, the knife is sharp.

(sabzii kaatte samay dhyaan rakhnaa, chaakoo tez hai।)

मंडी में सब्ज़ी सुबह-सुबह सबसे ताज़ा मिलती है। Vegetables are freshest at the wholesale market early in the morning.

(mandii men sabzii subah-subah sabse taazaa miltii hai।)

आलू, प्याज़, टमाटर -- ये सब सब्ज़ियाँ आज सस्ती मिल रही हैं। Potato, onion, tomato -- all these vegetables are available cheap today.

(aaloo, pyaaz, tamaatar -- ye sab sabziyaan aaj sastii mil rahii hain।)

यह सब्ज़ी बिना धोए मत खाना, कीटनाशक लगा हो सकता है। Don't eat this vegetable without washing it, it might have pesticide on it.

(yah sabzii binaa dhoe mat khaanaa, kiitnaashak lagaa ho saktaa hai।)

बारिश की वजह से इस बार सब्ज़ी के दाम बहुत बढ़ गए। Because of the rain, vegetable prices have gone up a lot this time.

(baarish kii vajah se is baar sabzii ke daam bahut badh gae।)

गाँव में हर परिवार अपने खेत में ही सब्ज़ी उगाता है। In the village, every family grows vegetables right in their own field.

(gaanv men har parivaar apne khet men hii sabzii ugaataa hai।)

Sense 2 : cooked vegetable dish (as part of a meal)

noun, feminine

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: At almost any North Indian meal, रोटी-सब्ज़ी (rotii-sabzii, 'bread and vegetable dish') is the everyday staple pairing -- when someone asks आज क्या सब्ज़ी बनी है? (aaj kyaa sabzii banii hai?, 'what vegetable dish was made today?'), they mean the cooked preparation, not the raw ingredient.

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes translate सब्ज़ी (sabzii) too literally as 'vegetable' even when it clearly refers to the cooked side dish on the plate -- e.g. रोटी और सब्ज़ी (rotii aur sabzii, 'bread and [cooked] vegetable dish') means the finished curry, not raw produce.

Sample Sentences:

आज सब्ज़ी में आलू-मटर बना है। Today the vegetable dish is potato-peas.

(aaj sabzii men aaloo-matar banaa hai।)

माँ रोज़ शाम को सब्ज़ी बनाती है। Mom cooks a vegetable dish every evening.

(maan roz shaam ko sabzii banaatii hai।)

आज क्या सब्ज़ी बनी है? What vegetable dish was made today?

(aaj kyaa sabzii banii hai?)

रोटी-सब्ज़ी खा लो, बाहर का खाना मत खाओ। Eat some bread and vegetable curry, don't eat outside food.

(rotii-sabzii khaa lo, baahar kaa khaanaa mat khaao।)

अगर तुम पहले बता देते तो मैं तुम्हारी पसंद की सब्ज़ी बनाती। If you had told me earlier, I would have made your favorite vegetable dish.

(agar tum pahle bataa dete to main tumhaarii pasand kii sabzii banaatii।)

पार्टी में कई तरह की सब्ज़ियाँ परोसी जाएँगी। Several kinds of vegetable dishes will be served at the party.

(paartii men kaii tarah kii sabziyaan parosii jaaengii।)

कल रात की सब्ज़ी अभी भी फ्रिज में रखी है। Last night's vegetable dish is still kept in the fridge.

(kal raat kii sabzii abhii bhii phrij men rakhii hai।)

काश आज कोई तीखी सब्ज़ी बनी होती। I wish some spicy vegetable dish had been made today.

(kaash aaj koii tiikhii sabzii banii hotii।)

शादी के खाने में सब्ज़ी थोड़ी कम मसालेदार होनी चाहिए। The vegetable dish at the wedding meal should be a little less spicy.

(shaadii ke khaane men sabzii thodii kam masaaledaar honii chaahie।)

सब्ज़ी में नमक थोड़ा तेज़ है, शायद ज़्यादा डल गया हो। The salt in the vegetable dish is a bit strong, maybe too much got added.

(sabzii men namak thodaa tez hai, shaayad zyaadaa dal gayaa ho।)

पंडितजी ने भोग के लिए सादी सब्ज़ी तैयार करने को कहा। The priest asked for a simple vegetable dish to be prepared for the offering.

(panditjii ne bhog ke lie saadii sabzii taiyaar karne ko kahaa।)

Morphology

Noun

(sg.f.direct): सब्ज़ी (sabzii)

(sg.f.oblique): सब्ज़ी (sabzii)

(pl.f.direct): सब्ज़ियाँ (sabziyaan)

(pl.f.oblique): सब्ज़ियों (sabziyon)