बधाई (badhaaii)
noun/interjection
A feminine noun meaning 'congratulations,' used both as the thing you offer (बधाई देना (badhaaii denaa)) and as a standalone exclamation of good wishes.
Sense
1
:
congratulations, felicitation
noun, feminine Most common in the frame X को बधाई देना (X ko badhaaii denaa, 'to give congratulations to X'), with the person congratulated marked by को (ko).
Synonyms: शुभकामना (shubhkaamnaa, usually for wishes going forward rather than for an event already happened)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: बधाई (badhaaii) is what you say or text the moment you hear good news -- a new job, a wedding, an exam result, a baby. It is common to hear it doubled for emphasis, बधाई हो, बधाई हो (badhaaii ho, badhaaii ho, 'congratulations, congratulations'), especially among older relatives at family gatherings.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often say बधाई के लिए (badhaaii ke lie) when they mean 'congratulations for' something, but the natural frame names the occasion directly: शादी की बधाई (shaadii kii badhaaii, 'congratulations on the wedding'), using की (kii) rather than के लिए (ke lie). 2) बधाई is only for happy occasions and achievements; it is not used for condolences or sympathy, where अफ़सोस (afsos) or संवेदना (sanvednaa) is used instead.
Sample Sentences:
बधाई हो!
Congratulations!
(badhaaii ho!)
बधाई हो, बधाई हो! बेटा हुआ है!
Congratulations, congratulations! It's a boy!
(badhaaii ho, badhaaii ho! betaa huaa hai!)
मैंने उसे उसकी नई नौकरी की बधाई दी।
I gave him congratulations for his new job.
(mainne use uskii naii naukrii kii badhaaii dii।)
शादी की बधाई स्वीकार करें।
Please accept my congratulations on your wedding.
(shaadii kii badhaaii sviikaar karen।)
रिश्तेदार उसे बधाई देने के लिए घर आ रहे हैं।
Relatives are coming home to give him congratulations.
(rishtedaar use badhaaii dene ke lie ghar aa rahe hain।)
क्या तुमने उसे उसके इम्तिहान के नतीजे की बधाई भेजी?
Did you send him congratulations for his exam result?
(kyaa tumne use uske imtihaan ke natiije kii badhaaii bhejii?)
अगर मुझे पता होता तो मैं उसे बधाई भेज देता।
If I had known, I would have sent him congratulations.
(agar mujhe pataa hotaa to main use badhaaii bhej detaa।)
मैं चाहता हूँ कि सब मिलकर उसे बधाई दें।
I want everyone to come together and give him congratulations.
(main chaahtaa hoon ki sab milkar use badhaaii den।)
प्रधानमंत्री की ओर से टीम को बधाई भेजी गई।
Congratulations were sent to the team on behalf of the prime minister.
(pradhaanmantrii kii or se tiim ko badhaaii bhejii gaii।)
हर साल नए साल पर लोग एक-दूसरे को बधाई देते हैं।
Every year on New Year's, people give each other congratulations.
(har saal nae saal par log ek-doosre ko badhaaii dete hain।)
आपकी सफलता पर हमारी हार्दिक बधाई स्वीकार हो।
Please accept our heartfelt congratulations on your success.
(aapkii saphaltaa par hamaarii haardik badhaaii sviikaar ho।)
Sense
2
:
congratulations! (exclamation)
interjection Used alone or with हो (ho) as a fixed exclamatory phrase, without needing a verb like देना (denaa).
Synonyms: बधाई हो (badhaaii ho, fuller exclamatory form)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Said on its own -- बधाई! (badhaaii) -- it works exactly like the English exclamation 'congratulations!', often followed by the person's name or the good news itself.
Sample Sentences:
बधाई! तुमने कमाल कर दिया!
Congratulations! You did something amazing!
(badhaaii! tumne kamaal kar diyaa!)
बधाई हो, राहुल! नई नौकरी मुबारक हो।
Congratulations, Rahul! Best wishes on the new job.
(badhaaii ho, raahul! naii naukrii mubaarak ho।)
बधाई! आपकी बेटी की शादी की खबर सुनकर बहुत खुशी हुई।
Congratulations! I was so happy to hear the news of your daughter's wedding.
(badhaaii! aapkii betii kii shaadii kii khabar sunkar bahut khushii huii।)
अरे वाह, बधाई! कब से प्लानिंग चल रही थी?
Oh wow, congratulations! Since when was this being planned?
(are vaah, badhaaii! kab se plaaning chal rahii thii?)
बधाई! उम्मीद है तुम्हारी यह खुशी हमेशा बनी रहे।
Congratulations! I hope this happiness of yours always stays.
(badhaaii! ummiid hai tumhaarii yah khushii hameshaa banii rahe।)
बधाई! अगर तुम मुझे पहले बताते तो मैं भी वहीं आ जाता।
Congratulations! If you had told me earlier, I would have come there too.
(badhaaii! agar tum mujhe pahle bataate to main bhii vahiin aa jaataa।)
सर, आपकी पदोन्नति के लिए हार्दिक बधाई!
Sir, heartfelt congratulations on your promotion!
(sar, aapkii padonnti ke lie haardik badhaaii!)
बधाई! तुम्हारा रिज़ल्ट देखकर सबको गर्व हो रहा है।
Congratulations! Everyone feels proud seeing your result.
(badhaaii! tumhaaraa rizalt dekhkar sabko garv ho rahaa hai।)
बधाई! सुना है तुम्हारा प्रमोशन होने वाला है।
Congratulations! I hear your promotion is about to happen.
(badhaaii! sunaa hai tumhaaraa pramoshan hone vaalaa hai।)
बधाई, दोनों परिवारों को इस शुभ अवसर पर।
Congratulations to both families on this auspicious occasion.
(badhaaii, donon parivaaron ko is shubh avsar par।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
बधाई
(badhaaii)
(sg.f.oblique):
बधाई
(badhaaii)
(pl.f.direct):
बधाईएँ
(badhaaiien)
(pl.f.oblique):
बधाईओं
(badhaaiion)