आँसू (aansoo)

noun A single-sense noun meaning 'tear(s)' (the drops from crying), almost always met in the plural or in set phrases about crying.
Sense 1 : tear (from the eye, as in crying)
noun, masculine
Synonyms: अश्रु (ashru, literary)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Tears show up constantly in Hindi film dialogue and daily speech through the phrase आँसू बहाना (aansoo bahaanaa, 'to shed tears') or आँसू बहना (aansoo bahnaa, 'tears to flow'), treating tears as a substance that flows rather than something you actively 'cry out' -- this fits the broader Hindi pattern of the body doing things to you (like नींद आना (niind aanaa) for sleep) rather than you doing them.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often use the singular आँसू (aansoo) when talking about crying, but native speakers almost always default to the plural आँसू (aansoo) (the singular and plural forms look identical; the plurality shows on the verb and adjectives, not the noun itself) -- 'a tear rolled down' is normally phrased with plural agreement, as if several tears were meant. 2) The verb that pairs with आँसू (aansoo) for 'to cry' is बहना (bahnaa, 'to flow') or बहाना (bahaanaa, 'to shed'), not रोना (ronaa) directly -- रोना (ronaa) means 'to cry' on its own and does not take आँसू (aansoo) as its object in the most natural phrasing (आँसू बहाना (aansoo bahaanaa, 'to shed tears') is the idiomatic pairing).
Sample Sentences:
उसकी आँखों से आँसू बह रहे थे। Tears were flowing from her eyes.
(uskii aankhon se aansoo bah rahe the।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
यह सुनकर मेरी आँखों में आँसू आ गए। Hearing this, tears came to my eyes.
(yah sunkar merii aankhon men aansoo aa gae।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
वह फिल्म का आखिरी सीन देखकर आँसू बहाने लगी। Watching the last scene of the movie, she started shedding tears.
(vah philm kaa aakhirii siin dekhkar aansoo bahaane lagii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
माँ अपने बेटे की शादी में खुशी के आँसू बहाती है। The mother sheds tears of joy at her son's wedding.
(maan apne bete kii shaadii men khushii ke aansoo bahaatii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
प्लीज़ रो मत, अपने आँसू पोंछ लो। Please don't cry, wipe your tears.
(pliiz ro mat, apne aansoo ponchh lo।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
अगर वह सच जानती तो उसकी आँखों से आँसू न रुकते। If she had known the truth, the tears in her eyes wouldn't have stopped.
(agar vah sach jaantii to uskii aankhon se aansoo n rukte।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
उसके आँसू पोंछे जा रहे थे जब वह बेहोश हो गई। Her tears were being wiped when she fainted.
(uske aansoo ponchhe jaa rahe the jab vah behosh ho gaii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
काश उसके आँसू कभी न बहते। I wish her tears would never flow.
(kaash uske aansoo kabhii n bahte।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
विदाई के वक्त हर किसी की आँखों में आँसू थे। At the time of farewell, there were tears in everyone's eyes.
(vidaaii ke vakt har kisii kii aankhon men aansoo the।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
उसके गालों पर आँसू सूख चुके थे, फिर भी दर्द ताज़ा था। The tears on her cheeks had already dried up, yet the pain was fresh.
(uske gaalon par aansoo sookh chuke the, phir bhii dard taazaa thaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम्हारे आँसू इस बात का सुबूत हैं कि तुम्हें सच में अफ़सोस है? Are your tears proof that you're really sorry?
(kyaa tumhaare aansoo is baat kaa suboot hain ki tumhen sach men afsos hai?)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): आँसू (aansoo)
(sg.m.oblique): आँसू (aansoo)
(pl.m.direct): आँसू (aansoo)
(pl.m.oblique): आँसूों ([[आँसूों]])