दरिया (dariyaa)
noun
A poetic/everyday word for a large river; also used figuratively for a vast flowing abundance of something, as in दरिया-ए-दिल (dariyaa-e-dil).
Sense
1
:
river
noun, masculine
Synonyms: नदी (nadii), नद (nad, literary)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: In Delhi you will hear यमुना (yamunaa) called a नदी (nadii) in a geography class but a दरिया (dariyaa) in a Ghalib-flavored couplet or a filmy dialogue -- the word carries a slightly grander, more literary weight than its plain cousin नदी (nadii).
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often assume दरिया (dariyaa) and नदी (nadii) are perfectly interchangeable in all contexts, but दरिया (dariyaa) tends to be reserved for genuinely big rivers or used in a more poetic register, while नदी (nadii) is the everyday, neutral word for any river.
Sample Sentences:
यमुना दिल्ली का सबसे मशहूर दरिया है।
The Yamuna is Delhi's most famous river.
(yamunaa dillii kaa sabse mashahoor dariyaa hai।)
दरिया के किनारे बैठकर वह घंटों शायरी सोचता रहा।
Sitting on the riverbank, he kept thinking about poetry for hours.
(dariyaa ke kinaare baithkar vah ghanton shaayrii sochtaa rahaa।)
दरिया में इतना तेज़ बहाव था कि नाव पलट गई।
The current in the river was so strong that the boat overturned.
(dariyaa men itnaa tez bahaav thaa ki naav palat gaii।)
अगर बारिश और होती तो दरिया अपने किनारों से बाहर निकल जाता।
If it had rained more, the river would have overflowed its banks.
(agar baarish aur hotii to dariyaa apne kinaaron se baahar nikal jaataa।)
कवि ने दरिया को ज़िंदगी की रवानी से जोड़ा।
The poet compared the river to the flow of life.
(kavi ne dariyaa ko zindgii kii ravaanii se jodaa।)
डूबते हुए को दरिया भी सहारा नहीं देता, ऐसा ग़ालिब का एक शेर कहता है।
Even the river gives no support to a drowning man, so says a couplet of Ghalib.
(doobte hue ko dariyaa bhii sahaaraa nahiin detaa, aisaa ghaalib kaa ek sher kahtaa hai।)
बच्चों, दरिया के पास मत जाओ, पानी बहुत गहरा है।
Children, don't go near the river, the water is very deep.
(bachchon, dariyaa ke paas mat jaao, paanii bahut gahraa hai।)
फ़िल्म के आख़िरी सीन में हीरो दरिया में कूद जाता है।
In the film's final scene, the hero jumps into the river.
(film ke aakhirii siin men hiiro dariyaa men kood jaataa hai।)
शायद बरसात में दरिया का पानी और बढ़ जाए।
Perhaps the river's water will rise even more during the monsoon.
(shaayad barsaat men dariyaa kaa paanii aur badh jaae।)
पुराने ज़माने में यह शहर दरिया के रास्ते ही बसाया गया था।
In olden times, this city was settled precisely along the route of the river.
(puraane zamaane men yah shahar dariyaa ke raaste hii basaayaa gayaa thaa।)
Sense
2
:
figurative: a flood/abundance of something
noun, masculine Used in phrases like खुशियों का दरिया (khushiyon kaa dariyaa, 'a river of joys') to describe an overflowing abundance of an emotion or quality.
Synonyms: सागर (saagar, figurative use), समुद्र (samudr, figurative use)
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: This is the same word as the river sense extended outward -- Hindi loves to describe an overwhelming feeling as something you could drown in, so दरिया-ए-दिल (dariyaa-e-dil, 'a river/sea of heart', meaning generous-hearted) is a common poetic compliment for someone big-hearted.
Common Mistakes: 1) This figurative sense is almost always used with a genitive/possessive construction (X का दरिया (kaa dariyaa)) rather than standing alone, so dropping the 'of X' part sounds incomplete to a native ear.
Sample Sentences:
उसने तो खुशियों का दरिया बहा दिया।
He unleashed a whole flood of happiness.
(usne to khushiyon kaa dariyaa bahaa diyaa।)
आँसुओं का दरिया बह निकला।
A flood of tears came pouring out.
(aansuon kaa dariyaa bah niklaa।)
वह दरिया-ए-दिल इंसान है, कभी किसी को खाली हाथ नहीं लौटाता।
He is a big-hearted man (a sea of a heart), he never turns anyone away empty-handed.
(vah dariyaa-e-dil insaan hai, kabhii kisii ko khaalii haath nahiin lautaataa।)
उसकी शायरी में दर्द का पूरा दरिया समाया हुआ है।
His poetry holds within it a whole sea of pain.
(uskii shaayrii men dard kaa pooraa dariyaa samaayaa huaa hai।)
अगर वह मौका देता, तो मोहब्बत का दरिया उमड़ पड़ता।
If he had given the chance, a flood of love would have surged forth.
(agar vah maukaa detaa, to mohabbat kaa dariyaa umad padtaa।)
काश उसके दिल में मोहब्बत का ऐसा दरिया बहता कि सबको सुकून मिल जाता।
If only such a sea of love flowed in his heart that everyone could find peace.
(kaash uske dil men mohabbat kaa aisaa dariyaa bahtaa ki sabko sukoon mil jaataa।)
उसके भाषण से जोश का दरिया उमड़ आया।
A flood of enthusiasm surged from his speech.
(uske bhaashan se josh kaa dariyaa umad aayaa।)
उस मुशायरे में जज़्बात का दरिया बहाया गया।
A flood of emotion was unleashed at that poetry gathering.
(us mushaayre men jazbaat kaa dariyaa bahaayaa gayaa।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
दरिया
(dariyaa)
(sg.m.oblique):
दरिये
(dariye)
(pl.m.direct):
दरिये
(dariye)
(pl.m.oblique):
दरियों
(dariyon)