फ़ीता (fiitaa)

noun A concrete noun for a long, flat strip of material -- covers shoelaces, ribbons, and tape-measures; the senses are tied together by the shared shape rather than being unrelated meanings.
Sense 1 : shoelace
noun, masculine
Synonyms: जूते का तसमा (joote kaa tasmaa, regional/less common)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is the word you will hear a parent use when telling a child फ़ीता बांधो (fiitaa baandho, 'tie your laces') before school -- it is one of the first daily-routine phrases kids in Delhi-NCR grow up hearing.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes say जूते की रस्सी (joote kii rassii) by translating 'shoe rope' literally -- फ़ीता (fiitaa) is the natural word here, रस्सी (rassii) is reserved for thicker cords and ropes.
Sample Sentences:
बेटा, जल्दी से फ़ीता बांधो, स्कूल की बस आने वाली है। Son, quickly tie your shoelace, the school bus is about to come.
(betaa, jaldii se fiitaa baandho, skool kii bas aane vaalii hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
मेरे जूते का फ़ीता खुल गया है। My shoelace has come undone.
(mere joote kaa fiitaa khul gayaa hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
वह हर सुबह अपने बच्चों के फ़ीते बांधती है। She ties her children's shoelaces every morning.
(vah har subah apne bachchon ke fiite baandhtii hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
मैं फ़ीता बांध ही रहा था कि गाड़ी का हॉर्न बज गया। I was just tying my shoelace when the car horn honked.
(main fiitaa baandh hii rahaa thaa ki gaadii kaa horn baj gayaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगर फ़ीता टूट जाए तो नया खरीद लेना। If the shoelace breaks, buy a new one.
(agar fiitaa toot jaae to nayaa khariid lenaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम्हारे पास एक अतिरिक्त फ़ीता है? Do you have an extra shoelace?
(kyaa tumhaare paas ek atirikt fiitaa hai?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
दुकानदार ने कहा कि यह फ़ीता बहुत मजबूत है। The shopkeeper said that this shoelace is very strong.
(dukaandaar ne kahaa ki yah fiitaa bahut majboot hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगर फ़ीता ठीक से बंधा होता तो वह गिरता नहीं। If the shoelace had been tied properly, he wouldn't have fallen.
(agar fiitaa thiik se bandhaa hotaa to vah girtaa nahiin।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Perfective -- Voice: Active
जूतों के फ़ीते समय-समय पर बदलते रहना चाहिए। Shoelaces should be changed from time to time.
(jooton ke fiite samay-samay par badalte rahnaa chaahie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
फ़ीता इतनी कसकर मत बांधो, पैर में दर्द होगा। Don't tie the shoelace so tightly, your foot will hurt.
(fiitaa itnii kaskar mat baandho, pair men dard hogaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
इस मशीन से फ़ीते फैक्ट्री में बनाए जाते हैं। Shoelaces are made in the factory with this machine.
(is mashiin se fiite phaiktrii men banaae jaate hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
Sense 2 : ribbon (decorative strip of cloth)
noun, masculine
Synonyms: रिबन (riban, common English loanword, especially for hair/gifts)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: Used for the ceremonial ribbon cut at an inauguration -- फ़ीता काटना (fiitaa kaatnaa, 'to cut the ribbon') is the standard phrase you will see on the news whenever a minister or dignitary opens a new building, bridge, or shop.
Sample Sentences:
मुख्यमंत्री ने नए पुल का फ़ीता काटा। The chief minister cut the ribbon for the new bridge.
(mukhymantrii ne nae pul kaa fiitaa kaataa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
उद्घाटन के समय फ़ीता काटा जाएगा। The ribbon will be cut at the time of the inauguration.
(udghaatan ke samay fiitaa kaataa jaaegaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Passive
दुकान के आगे लाल फ़ीता बंधा हुआ था। A red ribbon was tied in front of the shop.
(dukaan ke aage laal fiitaa bandhaa huaa thaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
मंत्री जी, कृपया फ़ीता काटकर समारोह शुरू कीजिए। Minister, please cut the ribbon and begin the ceremony.
(mantrii jii, kripyaa fiitaa kaatkar samaaroh shuroo kiijie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
अगर उद्घाटन आज होता, तो हम सुबह ही फ़ीता लगा देते। If the inauguration were today, we would have put up the ribbon this morning itself.
(agar udghaatan aaj hotaa, to ham subah hii fiitaa lagaa dete।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
बच्चों ने गिफ्ट के डिब्बे पर सुनहरा फ़ीता बाँध दिया। The children tied a golden ribbon on the gift box.
(bachchon ne gipht ke dibbe par sunahraa fiitaa baandh diyaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
हर उद्घाटन में मंत्री ही फ़ीता काटते हैं। At every inauguration, it is the minister who cuts the ribbon.
(har udghaatan men mantrii hii fiitaa kaatte hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
शायद इस बार फ़ीता कोई अभिनेता काटे। Perhaps this time some actor will cut the ribbon.
(shaayad is baar fiitaa koii abhinetaa kaate।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
स्टेज को गुब्बारों और फ़ीतों से सजाया गया था। The stage had been decorated with balloons and ribbons.
(stej ko gubbaaron aur fiiton se sajaayaa gayaa thaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
Sense 3 : measuring tape
noun, masculine
Synonyms: नाप का फ़ीता (naap kaa fiitaa, fuller/explicit form)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: A tailor (दर्ज़ी, darzii) draped with a फ़ीता (fiitaa) around his neck is a classic image at any neighborhood tailoring shop -- this sense simply extends the 'flat strip' idea to the tool used for taking measurements.
Sample Sentences:
दर्ज़ी ने गले में फ़ीता लटका रखा था। The tailor had a measuring tape hanging around his neck.
(darzii ne gale men fiitaa latkaa rakhaa thaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
ज़रा फ़ीता लाना, कमीज़ की लंबाई नापनी है। Bring the measuring tape, please, I need to measure the shirt's length.
(zaraa fiitaa laanaa, kamiiz kii lambaaii naapnii hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
दर्ज़ी फ़ीते से कमर की माप लेता है। The tailor takes the waist measurement with a tape measure.
(darzii fiite se kamar kii maap letaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर फ़ीता होता तो हम अलमारी की चौड़ाई नाप लेते। If we had a measuring tape, we would have measured the cupboard's width.
(agar fiitaa hotaa to ham almaarii kii chaudaaii naap lete।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
फ़ीते से दीवार की लंबाई नापी जा रही है। The wall's length is being measured with a tape measure.
(fiite se diivaar kii lambaaii naapii jaa rahii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
मैं कल नया फ़ीता खरीदूँगा, पुराना टूट गया है। I will buy a new measuring tape tomorrow, the old one has broken.
(main kal nayaa fiitaa khariidoongaa, puraanaa toot gayaa hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
शायद उसके पास फ़ीता न हो, दुकान से पूछ लो। He might not have a measuring tape, ask at the shop.
(shaayad uske paas fiitaa n ho, dukaan se poochh lo।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
बढ़ई ने फ़ीते से लकड़ी की चौड़ाई नापी। The carpenter measured the width of the wood with a tape measure.
(badhaii ne fiite se lakdii kii chaudaaii naapii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
क्या आपके पास फ़ीता है? मुझे एक मिनट के लिए चाहिए। Do you have a measuring tape? I need it for a minute.
(kyaa aapke paas fiitaa hai? mujhe ek minat ke lie chaahie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): फ़ीता (fiitaa)
(sg.m.oblique): फ़ीता (fiitaa)
(pl.m.direct): फ़ीता (fiitaa)
(pl.m.oblique): फ़ीताओं (fiitaaon)