दवा (davaa)

noun Means medicine or medication -- a single, straightforward sense covering both the general concept and specific doses/pills/syrups etc.
Sense 1 : medicine, medication
noun, feminine
Synonyms: दवाई (davaaii, everyday variant), औषधि (aushdhi, formal), दवा-दारू (davaa-daaroo, colloquial, 'medicine and treatment in general')
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: दवाई (davaaii) is the word you will actually hear most often in casual conversation -- at home, at the chemist's (mediwaalaa, medikal or davaaii kii dukaan), and in most households' daily speech -- while दवा (davaa) is the slightly more standard/neutral form used in both speech and writing; the two are used interchangeably in practice. Note the fixed expression दवा खाने का वक्त (davaa khaane kaa vakt, 'time to take medicine') that Indian parents say constantly to kids and elders alike.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often say मुझे दवा चाहिए (mujhe davaa chaahie, 'I need medicine') but forget that taking medicine uses खाना (khaanaa) or लेना (lenaa), not पीना (piinaa), even for liquid syrups -- दवा खाना (davaa khaanaa) is the standard phrase regardless of form (pill, syrup, powder). 2) दवा देना (davaa denaa, 'to give medicine, i.e. to a patient') and दवा लेना (davaa lenaa, 'to take medicine') are the two common verb pairings; learners sometimes reach for करना (karnaa) by analogy with other nouns, which is wrong here.
Sample Sentences:
डॉक्टर ने मुझे यह दवा दी है। The doctor has given me this medicine.
(doktar ne mujhe yah davaa dii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
रोज़ रात को खाना खाने के बाद दवा खा लेना। Take your medicine every night after dinner.
(roz raat ko khaanaa khaane ke baad davaa khaa lenaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
अगर वह वक्त पर दवा खाता तो इतना बीमार नहीं पड़ता। If he had taken his medicine on time, he wouldn't have gotten so sick.
(agar vah vakt par davaa khaataa to itnaa biimaar nahiin padtaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
यह दवा दिन में तीन बार ली जाती है। This medicine is taken three times a day.
(yah davaa din men tiin baar lii jaatii hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
बच्चों को यह दवा खाने में बहुत परेशानी होती है। Children have a lot of trouble taking this medicine.
(bachchon ko yah davaa khaane men bahut pareshaanii hotii hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
दादी अभी अपनी दवा खा रही हैं। Grandmother is taking her medicine right now.
(daadii abhii apnii davaa khaa rahii hain।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
चलो, अब दवा खाने का वक्त हो गया है। Come on, it's time to take your medicine now.
(chalo, ab davaa khaane kaa vakt ho gayaa hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
शायद यह दवा उसके बुखार में काम आए। Maybe this medicine will help with his fever.
(shaayad yah davaa uske bukhaar men kaam aae।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
मरीज़ को समय पर दवा दी जानी चाहिए। The patient should be given medicine on time.
(mariiz ko samay par davaa dii jaanii chaahie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
मैंने कल रात दवा खाई और सुबह तक ठीक महसूस करने लगा। I took the medicine last night and started feeling fine by morning.
(mainne kal raat davaa khaaii aur subah tak thiik mahsoos karne lagaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
इस दवा से आपको कल तक काफी आराम मिल जाएगा। You will get quite a bit of relief from this medicine by tomorrow.
(is davaa se aapko kal tak kaaphii aaraam mil jaaegaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): दवा (davaa)
(sg.f.oblique): दवा (davaa)
(pl.f.direct): दवाएँ (davaaen)
(pl.f.oblique): दवाओं (davaaon)