ओस (os)

noun A single, concrete sense: 'dew,' the moisture that forms on grass and leaves overnight.
Sense 1 : dew
noun, feminine
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You'll hear ओस (os) most in the context of winter mornings in Delhi-NCR -- घास पर ओस (ghaas par os, 'dew on the grass') is a classic image, and older folks often warn kids ओस में मत जाओ (os men mat jaao, 'don't go out in the dew') believing it brings on colds. The phrase ओस पड़ना (os padnaa) treats dew as something that 'falls' or 'settles,' much like rain or frost, which is a nice example of Hindi's tendency to frame natural phenomena as events that happen to a place rather than things a place 'has.'
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes confuse ओस (os, 'dew') with बर्फ़ (barf, 'ice/snow') or पसीना (pasiinaa, 'sweat') when describing wetness -- ओस (os) is specifically the fine moisture that settles overnight and is gone by mid-morning. 2) The common verb pairing is ओस पड़ना (os padnaa, 'dew to fall/form') -- learners often reach for गिरना (girnaa) instead, which sounds odd here.
Sample Sentences:
आज सुबह घास पर बहुत ओस थी। There was a lot of dew on the grass this morning.
(aaj subah ghaas par bahut os thii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
सर्दियों में रोज़ रात को ओस पड़ती है। In winter, dew falls every night.
(sardiyon men roz raat ko os padtii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
दादी हमेशा कहती थीं, ओस में मत जाओ, वरना ज़ुकाम हो जाएगा। Grandma always used to say, don't go out in the dew, or you'll catch a cold.
(daadii hameshaa kahtii thiin, os men mat jaao, varnaa zukaam ho jaaegaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
ओस में मत जाओ, बाहर बहुत ठंड है। Don't go out in the dew, it's very cold outside.
(os men mat jaao, baahar bahut thand hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
पत्तों पर ओस की बूँदें चमक रही थीं। Drops of dew were glistening on the leaves.
(patton par os kii boonden chamak rahii thiin।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगर ओस न पड़े तो सुबह की हवा इतनी ताज़ा नहीं लगेगी। If dew doesn't fall, the morning air won't feel so fresh.
(agar os n pade to subah kii havaa itnii taazaa nahiin lagegii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
अगर रात को ओस पड़ती तो सुबह घास गीली होती। If dew had fallen at night, the grass would have been wet in the morning.
(agar raat ko os padtii to subah ghaas giilii hotii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
खेतों में ओस से भीगी मिट्टी की खुशबू आ रही थी। The smell of soil, moistened by dew, was rising from the fields.
(kheton men os se bhiigii mittii kii khushboo aa rahii thii।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
सूरज निकलते ही ओस गायब हो जाती है। As soon as the sun rises, the dew disappears.
(sooraj nikalte hii os gaayab ho jaatii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
कवि ने ओस की बूँद को जीवन की क्षणभंगुरता का प्रतीक बताया। The poet described the dewdrop as a symbol of life's transience.
(kavi ne os kii boond ko jiivan kii kshanbhangurtaa kaa pratiik bataayaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): ओस (os)
(sg.f.oblique): ओस (os)
(pl.f.direct): ओसें (osen)
(pl.f.oblique): ओसों (oson)