बाई तरफ़ (baaii taraf)
adverb
A fixed directional phrase meaning 'on/to the left side' (baaii taraf); used constantly for giving directions in everyday speech.
Sense
1
:
on the left side, to the left
adverb बाई (baaii) is the oblique feminine form of बायाँ (baayaan, 'left') agreeing with तरफ़ (taraf, 'side/direction'), which is feminine; the phrase as a whole functions as a fixed adverbial of direction.
Synonyms: बाईं ओर (baaiin or, slightly more formal), बाएँ (baaen, one-word variant)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You'll hear this everywhere from auto-rickshaw drivers and shopkeepers giving directions: बाई तरफ़ मुड़ जाना (baaii taraf mud jaanaa, 'turn to the left'). Its mirror partner is दाई तरफ़ (daaii taraf, 'to the right') -- learning them as a pair makes both stick faster.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes say बाया तरफ़ (baayaa taraf) using the masculine form of बायाँ (baayaan) instead of the required feminine oblique बाई (baaii), since तरफ़ (taraf) is feminine. 2) The phrase is used with मुड़ना (mudnaa, 'to turn') or है (hai) but not usually with a verb like जाना (jaanaa) alone -- you'd say बाई तरफ़ जाओ (baaii taraf jaao, 'go to the left') rather than treating it as a destination noun phrase with को (ko).
Sample Sentences:
बाई तरफ़ मुड़ जाना।
Turn to the left.
(baaii taraf mud jaanaa।)
आगे चौराहे से बाई तरफ़ मुड़ जाना।
Turn left from the intersection ahead.
(aage chauraahe se baaii taraf mud jaanaa।)
मेरा घर बाई तरफ़ है।
My house is on the left.
(meraa ghar baaii taraf hai।)
वह हमेशा बाई तरफ़ चलता है।
He always walks on the left side.
(vah hameshaa baaii taraf chaltaa hai।)
गाड़ी बाई तरफ़ मुड़ रही थी जब अचानक ब्रेक लगे।
The car was turning to the left when the brakes suddenly engaged.
(gaadii baaii taraf mud rahii thii jab achaanak brek lage।)
दुकान वाले ने बाई तरफ़ इशारा किया।
The shopkeeper pointed to the left.
(dukaan vaale ne baaii taraf ishaaraa kiyaa।)
क्या आप कृपया बाई तरफ़ रुक सकते हैं?
Could you please stop on the left?
(kyaa aap kripyaa baaii taraf ruk sakte hain?)
अगर वह बाई तरफ़ मुड़ता, तो सीधा स्टेशन पहुँच जाता।
If he had turned to the left, he would have reached the station directly.
(agar vah baaii taraf mudtaa, to siidhaa steshan pahunch jaataa।)
बोर्ड पर लिखा था कि बाई तरफ़ से जाएँ।
The board said to go from the left side.
(bord par likhaa thaa ki baaii taraf se jaaen।)
यहाँ से बाई तरफ़ ही मेट्रो स्टेशन पड़ता है, दाई तरफ़ नहीं।
The metro station is on the left from here, not on the right.
(yahaan se baaii taraf hii metro steshan padtaa hai, daaii taraf nahiin।)
ऑटो वाले भाई, बाई तरफ़ लगा दो।
Bro (auto driver), pull over to the left.
(oto vaale bhaaii, baaii taraf lagaa do।)