परी (parii)
noun
A noun meaning 'fairy' -- both the literal magical being of folk stories and, very commonly, an affectionate way to call someone (especially a girl) beautiful or angelic.
Sense
1
:
fairy (mythical/folkloric being)
noun, feminine
Synonyms: अप्सरा (apsraa, celestial nymph, mythological)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: परी (parii) is the stock character of Hindi fairy tales -- think of the winged, beautiful being who grants wishes or gets trapped by a jinn in a बच्चों की कहानी (bachchon kii kahaanii, 'children's story'). Grandmothers telling bedtime stories reach for this word constantly.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes equate परी (parii) directly with 'angel' -- an angel in the religious sense is usually फ़रिश्ता (farishtaa), while परी (parii) belongs more to fairy-tale (jinn/fairy-tale) imagery than to religious cosmology.
Sample Sentences:
कहानी में एक परी थी जो जंगल में रहती थी।
In the story there was a fairy who lived in the forest.
(kahaanii men ek parii thii jo jangal men rahtii thii।)
दादी हर रात हमें परियों की कहानियाँ सुनाती हैं।
Grandma tells us fairy stories every night.
(daadii har raat hamen pariyon kii kahaaniyaan sunaatii hain।)
उस कहानी में परी को एक जिन्न ने बोतल में कैद कर लिया था।
In that story, the fairy was imprisoned in a bottle by a jinn.
(us kahaanii men parii ko ek jinn ne botal men kaid kar liyaa thaa।)
परी अपने जादू से राजकुमार की मुराद पूरी कर देती है।
The fairy grants the prince's wish with her magic.
(parii apne jaadoo se raajkumaar kii muraad poorii kar detii hai।)
क्या परियाँ सच में होती हैं?
Do fairies really exist?
(kyaa pariyaan sach men hotii hain?)
बच्ची ने पूछा, "परी के पंख कैसे होते हैं?"
The little girl asked, "What are a fairy's wings like?"
(bachchii ne poochhaa, "parii ke pankh kaise hote hain?")
सो जाओ, नहीं तो परी नहीं आएगी।
Go to sleep, or else the fairy won't come.
(so jaao, nahiin to parii nahiin aaegii।)
अगर परी होती, तो मैं उससे तीन मुरादें माँगता।
If fairies existed, I would ask her for three wishes.
(agar parii hotii, to main usse tiin muraaden maangtaa।)
परी की कहानी में अक्सर एक जादुई छड़ी होती है।
A fairy story often has a magic wand in it.
(parii kii kahaanii men aksar ek jaaduii chhadii hotii hai।)
नाटक में परी का किरदार सबसे छोटी बच्ची ने निभाया।
In the play, the youngest girl played the role of the fairy.
(naatak men parii kaa kirdaar sabse chhotii bachchii ne nibhaayaa।)
परियों की दुनिया में समय बहुत धीरे चलता था, ऐसा दादी कहती थीं।
In the world of fairies, time used to move very slowly, or so Grandma used to say.
(pariyon kii duniyaa men samay bahut dhiire chaltaa thaa, aisaa daadii kahtii thiin।)
Sense
2
:
a beautiful or angelic girl/woman (affectionate term)
noun, feminine Used vocatively or descriptively to praise someone's looks or sweetness, e.g. calling a little girl or a loved one मेरी परी (merii parii, 'my little angel').
Synonyms: हसीना (hasiinaa, beautiful woman), गुड़िया (gudiyaa, term of endearment for a girl, lit. 'doll')
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will hear Delhi parents and grandparents call a little girl मेरी परी (merii parii) all the time -- it carries the same doting warmth as English 'my little angel,' with no religious weight attached.
Common Mistakes: 1) This sense is almost always applied to females; using it for a man sounds odd or joking rather than complimentary. 2) It is warm and affectionate, not flirtatious by default -- fathers call daughters this all the time, so it is not restricted to romantic contexts.
Sample Sentences:
मेरी परी, आज तुम बहुत खूबसूरत लग रही हो।
My little angel, you look so beautiful today.
(merii parii, aaj tum bahut khoobsoorat lag rahii ho।)
दादाजी हमेशा उसे अपनी परी बुलाते थे।
Grandpa always used to call her his little angel.
(daadaajii hameshaa use apnii parii bulaate the।)
अरे मेरी परी, रो मत, सब ठीक हो जाएगा।
Oh my darling, don't cry, everything will be fine.
(are merii parii, ro mat, sab thiik ho jaaegaa।)
उसकी छोटी बेटी बिल्कुल परी जैसी है।
His little daughter is just like an angel.
(uskii chhotii betii bilkul parii jaisii hai।)
मम्मी हमेशा कहती हैं, तू मेरी परी है, कभी उदास मत होना।
Mom always says, you are my angel, never be sad.
(mammii hameshaa kahtii hain, too merii parii hai, kabhii udaas mat honaa।)
काश मेरी परी हमेशा मेरे पास रहती।
I wish my darling would always stay near me.
(kaash merii parii hameshaa mere paas rahtii।)
जब वह स्टेज पर आई, तो सब बोले, ये तो परी लग रही है।
When she came onto the stage, everyone said, she looks like an angel.
(jab vah stej par aaii, to sab bole, ye to parii lag rahii hai।)
नानी उसे प्यार से मेरी परी कहकर बुलाती हैं।
Grandma affectionately calls her my little angel.
(naanii use pyaar se merii parii kahkar bulaatii hain।)
शादी के जोड़े में दुल्हन बिल्कुल परी लग रही थी।
In her wedding outfit, the bride looked absolutely like an angel.
(shaadii ke jode men dulhan bilkul parii lag rahii thii।)
पापा बोले, मेरी परी को कोई तकलीफ नहीं होनी चाहिए।
Dad said, my darling shouldn't face any trouble.
(paapaa bole, merii parii ko koii takliiph nahiin honii chaahie।)
मेरी परी बड़ी होकर डॉक्टर बनेगी।
My little angel will grow up and become a doctor.
(merii parii badii hokar doktar banegii।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
परी
(parii)
(sg.f.oblique):
परी
(parii)
(pl.f.direct):
परियाँ
(pariyaan)
(pl.f.oblique):
परियों
(pariyon)