फल (phal)
noun
Primarily 'fruit' in the everyday sense; also carries the extended/figurative sense of 'result, outcome, consequence' (as in the fruit of one's actions).
Sense
1
:
fruit (the food item)
noun, masculine
Synonyms: मेवा (mevaa, usually dried fruit/nuts)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Any Delhi fruit-seller's cart is called a फल की रेहड़ी (phal kii rehdii, a fruit cart), and फल (phal) is the word you will hear shouted out in markets and on trains alike. Offering फल (phal) as प्रसाद (prasaad) at a temple or as a gift when visiting someone is a very common social gesture.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes use फल (phal) for any produce, but vegetables are सब्ज़ी (sabzii) or सब्ज़ियाँ (sabziyaan), a separate category in everyday Hindi shopping talk.
Sample Sentences:
मुझे रोज़ फल खाना पसंद है।
I like to eat fruit every day.
(mujhe roz phal khaanaa pasand hai।)
बाज़ार से थोड़ा फल ले आना।
Bring some fruit from the market.
(baazaar se thodaa phal le aanaa।)
उस आदमी ने फल की रेहड़ी लगा रखी है।
That man has set up a fruit cart.
(us aadmii ne phal kii rehdii lagaa rakhii hai।)
मंदिर में भगवान को फल का प्रसाद चढ़ाया गया।
Fruit was offered as prasad to God in the temple.
(mandir men bhagvaan ko phal kaa prasaad chadhaayaa gayaa।)
अगर तुम बीमार हो तो डॉक्टर ने कहा है ज़्यादा फल खाओ।
If you are unwell, the doctor has said to eat more fruit.
(agar tum biimaar ho to doktar ne kahaa hai zyaadaa phal khaao।)
पिछले हफ्ते मैंने ट्रेन में एक आदमी से आम और सेब खरीदे।
Last week I bought mangoes and apples from a man on the train.
(pichhle haphte mainne tren men ek aadmii se aam aur seb khariide।)
जब हम उनके घर गए थे, हम फल लेकर गए थे।
When we went to their house, we had taken fruit along.
(jab ham unke ghar gae the, ham phal lekar gae the।)
काश मेरे पास बगीचे में लगे ये सारे फल होते।
I wish I had all these fruits that are growing in the garden.
(kaash mere paas bagiiche men lage ye saare phal hote।)
सुबह-सुबह खाली पेट फल खाना सेहत के लिए बहुत अच्छा माना जाता है।
Eating fruit on an empty stomach early in the morning is considered very good for health.
(subah-subah khaalii pet phal khaanaa sehat ke lie bahut achchhaa maanaa jaataa hai।)
फल वाला हर शाम गली में आवाज़ लगाता है।
The fruit-seller calls out in the lane every evening.
(phal vaalaa har shaam galii men aavaaz lagaataa hai।)
क्या तुम मेहमानों के लिए कुछ फल काट रही हो?
Are you cutting some fruit for the guests?
(kyaa tum mehmaanon ke lie kuchh phal kaat rahii ho?)
Sense
2
:
result, outcome, consequence (figurative)
noun, masculine Common in the fixed idea of कर्म का फल (karm kaa phal, 'the fruit of one's actions/karma'), where actions are said to 'bear fruit.'
Synonyms: परिणाम (parinaam), नतीजा (natiijaa)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This sense grows directly out of the literal 'fruit' meaning: just as a tree yields fruit, actions are believed to yield फल (phal) -- this is the whole idea behind the famous concept of कर्मफल (karmphal, the fruit of one's karma), which underlies a lot of everyday moralizing you'll hear from elders.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for परिणाम (parinaam) or नतीजा (natiijaa) by default in this sense, forgetting that फल (phal) is the natural word specifically in moral/karmic or reward-and-consequence contexts, not for something like an exam result.
Sample Sentences:
हर काम का फल देर-सवेर मिलता है।
Every action's result comes sooner or later.
(har kaam kaa phal der-saver miltaa hai।)
उसे अपनी मेहनत का फल मिल गया।
He got the result of his hard work.
(use apnii mehnat kaa phal mil gayaa।)
गीता में कहा गया है कि कर्म का फल जरूर मिलता है।
It is said in the Gita that the fruit of one's actions is definitely received.
(giitaa men kahaa gayaa hai ki karm kaa phal jaroor miltaa hai।)
देखना, तुम्हारे झूठ का फल तुम्हें एक दिन जरूर भुगतना पड़ेगा।
Watch and see, one day you will certainly have to bear the consequence of your lies.
(dekhnaa, tumhaare jhooth kaa phal tumhen ek din jaroor bhugatnaa padegaa।)
अगर वह ज़्यादा मेहनत करता तो उसे बेहतर फल मिलता।
If he had worked harder, he would have gotten a better result.
(agar vah zyaadaa mehnat kartaa to use behtar phal miltaa।)
बच्चों को अच्छे कर्मों के फल के बारे में समझाओ।
Explain to the children about the fruits of good deeds.
(bachchon ko achchhe karmon ke phal ke baare men samjhaao।)
क्या पता, इस फैसले का फल क्या निकले।
Who knows what the outcome of this decision might turn out to be.
(kyaa pataa, is phaisle kaa phal kyaa nikle।)
दादी हमेशा कहती हैं कि जैसा बोओगे वैसा ही फल पाओगे।
Grandmother always says that as you sow, so shall you reap the result.
(daadii hameshaa kahtii hain ki jaisaa booge vaisaa hii phal paaoge।)
परीक्षा का फल कल घोषित किया जाएगा।
The result of the exam will be announced tomorrow.
(pariikshaa kaa phal kal ghoshit kiyaa jaaegaa।)
कर्मफल के सिद्धांत के अनुसार हर आत्मा को अपने कर्मों का हिसाब चुकाना पड़ता है।
According to the doctrine of karmic fruit, every soul must settle the account of its deeds.
(karmphal ke siddhaant ke anusaar har aatmaa ko apne karmon kaa hisaab chukaanaa padtaa hai।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
फल
(phal)
(sg.m.oblique):
फल
(phal)
(pl.m.direct):
फल
(phal)
(pl.m.oblique):
फलों
(phalon)