सहेली (sahelii)

noun A close female friend -- used only by/about women, referring to another woman or girl friend. One core sense.
Sense 1 : female friend
noun, feminine
Synonyms: दोस्त (dost, gender-neutral, used by anyone), मित्र (mitr, formal)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This word carries a warm, almost old-fashioned charm -- think of two schoolgirls sharing secrets on a scooty ride home, or a mother asking her daughter सहेलियाँ (saheliyaan, 'friends [f.]') आ रही हैं क्या (aa rahii hain kyaa, 'are your friends coming?'). It is distinctly gendered in a way English 'friend' is not, reflecting how Hindi often marks social relationships by the speaker's and referent's gender.
Common Mistakes: 1) सहेली (sahelii) is used specifically by a girl/woman about another girl/woman -- a man would not call his male friend सहेली (sahelii); use दोस्त (dost) or यार (yaar) instead. 2) In English 'girlfriend' can imply a romantic partner, but सहेली (sahelii) is strictly platonic -- for a romantic partner Hindi uses गर्लफ्रेंड (garlaphrend) or प्रेमिका (premikaa).
Sample Sentences:
मेरी सबसे अच्छी सहेली का नाम प्रिया है। My best friend's name is Priya.
(merii sabse achchhii sahelii kaa naam priyaa hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम्हारी सहेलियाँ आ रही हैं? Are your friends coming?
(kyaa tumhaarii saheliyaan aa rahii hain?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
हम दोनों सहेलियाँ स्कूल के बाद साथ में स्कूटी पर घर जाती थीं। The two of us friends used to ride home together on a scooty after school.
(ham donon saheliyaan skool ke baad saath men skootii par ghar jaatii thiin।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अपनी सहेली को बुला लो, फिर साथ में चलते हैं। Call your friend, then let's go together.
(apnii sahelii ko bulaa lo, phir saath men chalte hain।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
मैंने अपनी सहेली को अपना सारा राज़ बता दिया। I told my friend my whole secret.
(mainne apnii sahelii ko apnaa saaraa raaz bataa diyaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगर वह मेरी सहेली न होती, तो मैं उससे यह बात कभी न कहती। If she weren't my friend, I would never have told her this.
(agar vah merii sahelii n hotii, to main usse yah baat kabhii n kahtii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
काश मेरी भी कोई अच्छी सहेली होती इस शहर में। I wish I had a good friend in this city too.
(kaash merii bhii koii achchhii sahelii hotii is shahar men।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
उसकी सहेली उसे हर मुश्किल में समझती है। Her friend understands her in every difficulty.
(uskii sahelii use har mushkil men samajhtii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
शादी की तैयारियों में उसकी सहेलियाँ भी उसकी मदद कर रही थीं। Her friends were also helping her with the wedding preparations.
(shaadii kii taiyaariyon men uskii saheliyaan bhii uskii madad kar rahii thiin।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम मेरी सहेली बनोगी? Will you be my friend?
(kyaa tum merii sahelii banogii?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
सहेलियों के बीच ऐसी बातें आम हैं। Such things are common among female friends.
(saheliyon ke biich aisii baaten aam hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): सहेली (sahelii)
(sg.f.oblique): सहेली (sahelii)
(pl.f.direct): सहेलियाँ (saheliyaan)
(pl.f.oblique): सहेलियों (saheliyon)