सलवार (salvaar)

noun A loose, pajama-like trousers, almost always mentioned alongside its matching tunic in the compound सलवार-कमीज़ (salvaar-kamiiz).
Sense 1 : loose traditional trousers, wide at the top and tapering at the ankle
noun, feminine
Synonyms: शलवार (shalvaar, variant spelling)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: सलवार-कमीज़ (salvaar-kamiiz) is everyday wear for women across North India, from college campuses to offices, often paired with a dupatta (dupattaa) for a complete look. You will hear shopkeepers in Delhi markets like Sarojini Nagar or Lajpat Nagar call out 'सलवार सूट (salvaar soot, salwar suit)' to sell the whole three-piece set, not just the trousers.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often treat सलवार (salvaar) as a standalone outfit name, but in everyday speech it almost always appears paired with कमीज़ (kamiiz) as सलवार-कमीज़ (salvaar-kamiiz), the actual name of the outfit. 2) The spelling with स (salvaar) and श (shalvaar) are both heard; don't assume one is wrong.
Sample Sentences:
मुझे यह सलवार बहुत पसंद है। I really like this salwar.
(mujhe yah salvaar bahut pasand hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
वह हर रोज़ सलवार-कमीज़ पहनती है। She wears a salwar-kameez every day.
(vah har roz salvaar-kamiiz pahantii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
दुकानदार चिल्ला रहा था, "सलवार सूट लीजिए, सलवार सूट!" The shopkeeper was shouting, "Take a salwar suit, salwar suit!"
(dukaandaar chillaa rahaa thaa, "salvaar soot liijie, salvaar soot!")
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
यह सलवार थोड़ी ढीली है, क्या इसे छोटा किया जा सकता है? This salwar is a bit loose, can it be made smaller?
(yah salvaar thodii dhiilii hai, kyaa ise chhotaa kiyaa jaa saktaa hai?)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
अगर तुम बाज़ार जाओ तो मेरे लिए एक सलवार ले आना। If you go to the market, bring me a salwar.
(agar tum baazaar jaao to mere lie ek salvaar le aanaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
कल मैंने सरोजिनी नगर से दो सलवार खरीदीं। Yesterday I bought two salwars from Sarojini Nagar.
(kal mainne sarojinii nagar se do salvaar khariidiin।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
कृपया मेरी सलवार की लंबाई नाप लीजिए। Please take the measurement of my salwar's length.
(kripyaa merii salvaar kii lambaaii naap liijie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
अगर उसकी सलवार सही नाप की होती तो वह इतनी असहज न होती। If her salwar had been the right size, she wouldn't have been so uncomfortable.
(agar uskii salvaar sahii naap kii hotii to vah itnii asahaj n hotii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
शादी के लिए उसने लाल रंग की सलवार सिलवाई है। She has had a red-colored salwar stitched for the wedding.
(shaadii ke lie usne laal rang kii salvaar silvaaii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
दुपट्टे के साथ यह सलवार-कमीज़ बहुत जच रही है। This salwar-kameez looks great with the dupatta.
(dupatte ke saath yah salvaar-kamiiz bahut jach rahii hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगली बार मैं ऑफिस के लिए एक नई सलवार सूट लूँगी। Next time I will get a new salwar suit for office.
(aglii baar main ophis ke lie ek naii salvaar soot loongii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): सलवार (salvaar)
(sg.f.oblique): सलवार (salvaar)
(pl.f.direct): सलवारें (salvaaren)
(pl.f.oblique): सलवारों (salvaaron)