पतंगा (patangaa)
noun
A moth or large flying insect drawn to light; closely related to पतंग (patang), which means 'kite' (the flying toy) but can in some regions also refer to this same insect -- the two words overlap and are easily confused.
Sense
1
:
moth (insect attracted to flame/light)
noun, masculine
Synonyms: कीट (kiit, general term for insect)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: The image of a पतंगा (patangaa) circling a diya or candle flame until it burns itself is a stock image in Hindi poetry and film lyrics, symbolizing reckless, self-destructive love or devotion -- shama and parvana (the candle and the moth) is a whole poetic motif borrowed from Urdu tradition. This gives rise to the extended sense below.
Common Mistakes: 1) Don't confuse with पतंग (patang), which most commonly means 'kite' (the flying toy) in the Delhi-NCR region -- पतंगा (patangaa) with the extra आ is the safer, unambiguous word for the insect. 2) The moth-to-flame image is used figuratively in Hindi much like in English, so learners sometimes miss the figurative sense entirely and only learn the literal insect meaning.
Sample Sentences:
रात में बत्ती जलाओ तो पतंगे भी आ जाते हैं।
If you turn on the light at night, moths come too.
(raat men battii jalaao to patange bhii aa jaate hain।)
एक पतंगा दीये की लपट के चारों ओर मंडरा रहा था।
A moth was hovering around the flame of the diya.
(ek patangaa diiye kii lapat ke chaaron or mandraa rahaa thaa।)
पतंगा आख़िर आग में जा गिरा।
The moth finally fell into the flame.
(patangaa aakhir aag men jaa giraa।)
खिड़की बंद कर दो, वरना पतंगे कमरे में भर जाएँगे।
Close the window, or the moths will fill up the room.
(khidkii band kar do, varnaa patange kamre men bhar jaaenge।)
अगर बत्ती न जलती तो पतंगे यहाँ न मरते।
If the light hadn't been on, the moths wouldn't have died here.
(agar battii n jaltii to patange yahaan n marte।)
बरामदे की बत्ती के पास मरे हुए पतंगे पड़े थे।
Dead moths were lying near the porch light.
(baraamde kii battii ke paas mare hue patange pade the।)
पतंगे को मोमबत्ती से दूर रखो, वह जल जाएगा।
Keep the moth away from the candle, it will get burned.
(patange ko mombattii se door rakho, vah jal jaaegaa।)
शायद बारिश के बाद ज़्यादा पतंगे निकल आएँ।
Perhaps more moths will emerge after the rain.
(shaayad baarish ke baad zyaadaa patange nikal aaen।)
उस पुरानी लाइब्रेरी में जाले और मरे पतंगों के अलावा कुछ न मिला।
In that old library, nothing was found except cobwebs and dead moths.
(us puraanii laaibrerii men jaale aur mare patangon ke alaavaa kuchh n milaa।)
Sense
2
:
figurative: one who is helplessly drawn to something/someone, often to their own ruin
noun, masculine Almost always appears inside the fixed comparison शमा का पतंगा (shamaa kaa patangaa, 'moth of the candle flame') or a similar phrase pairing पतंगा (patangaa) with शमा (shamaa, flame/candle) or आग (aag, fire) -- it is rarely used as a free-standing metaphor without that pairing.
Frequency: literary
Cultural Note: You'll meet this mostly in older Hindi film songs and ghazal-influenced lyrics, where a lover is called a पतंगा (patangaa) helplessly circling the beloved's flame -- a direct borrowing of the Urdu shama-parvana (candle-moth) motif into Hindi film poetry.
Sample Sentences:
इश्क़ में इंसान पतंगा बन जाता है।
In love, a person becomes a moth [helplessly drawn to the flame].
(ishq men insaan patangaa ban jaataa hai।)
वह उसकी मोहब्बत की शमा पर पतंगे की तरह जल गया।
He burned like a moth on the candle-flame of her love.
(vah uskii mohabbat kii shamaa par patange kii tarah jal gayaa।)
मैं तो तेरी महफ़िल का पतंगा हूँ, साहिबा।
I am just a moth to your gathering's flame, my lady.
(main to terii mahfil kaa patangaa hoon, saahibaa।)
काश मैं पतंगा न होता, इस तरह जलकर न मरता।
If only I were not a moth, I would not die burning like this.
(kaash main patangaa n hotaa, is tarah jalkar n martaa।)
शायर ने अपने आशिक़ को शमा का पतंगा कहकर पुकारा।
The poet called his lover a moth to the candle-flame.
(shaayar ne apne aashiq ko shamaa kaa patangaa kahkar pukaaraa।)
पतंगे की तरह वह हर बार उसी आग की तरफ़ खिंचा चला जाता है।
Like a moth, he is drawn again and again toward that very same fire.
(patange kii tarah vah har baar usii aag kii taraf khinchaa chalaa jaataa hai।)
इस ग़ज़ल में शमा और पतंगे का ज़िक्र बार-बार आता है।
In this ghazal, the mention of the candle and the moth comes up again and again.
(is ghazal men shamaa aur patange kaa zikr baar-baar aataa hai।)
ऐ पतंगे, तू क्यों उसी शमा पर जान देता है?
O moth, why do you keep giving up your life to that same flame?
(ai patange, too kyon usii shamaa par jaan detaa hai?)
पुराने गीतों में आशिक़ को अक्सर पतंगा और महबूब को शमा बताया गया है।
In old songs, the lover is often described as the moth and the beloved as the flame.
(puraane giiton men aashiq ko aksar patangaa aur mahboob ko shamaa bataayaa gayaa hai।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
पतंगा
(patangaa)
(sg.m.oblique):
पतंगे
(patange)
(pl.m.direct):
पतंगे
(patange)
(pl.m.oblique):
पतंगों
(patangon)