सितार (sitaar)

noun A single-sense noun: the classical Indian stringed instrument. The Persian origin (from 'seh-taar,' meaning 'three-stringed') is worth knowing, though the modern instrument has far more strings than that.
Sense 1 : the sitar (musical instrument)
noun, masculine
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: The sitar is the instrument most associated abroad with Hindustani classical music, largely thanks to Pandit Ravi Shankar's international fame. In Delhi you will still hear it at classical concerts (mehfil, mahfil) and see it referenced whenever people talk about India's musical heritage, alongside the tabla (tablaa) and the sarod (sarod).
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes confuse सितार (sitaar) with सितारा (sitaaraa, 'star'); they look and sound similar but are unrelated in meaning. 2) The verb typically paired with playing this instrument is बजाना (bajaanaa), as in सितार बजाना (sitaar bajaanaa, 'to play the sitar') -- not खेलना (khelnaa), which is reserved for games and sports.
Sample Sentences:
उसे सितार बजाना बहुत पसंद है। She loves playing the sitar.
(use sitaar bajaanaa bahut pasand hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
पंडित रविशंकर सितार बजाने के लिए दुनिया भर में मशहूर थे। Pandit Ravi Shankar was famous around the world for playing the sitar.
(pandit ravishankar sitaar bajaane ke lie duniyaa bhar men mashahoor the।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
कल शाम महफ़िल में वह सितार बजा रहा था। Yesterday evening he was playing the sitar at the concert.
(kal shaam mahfil men vah sitaar bajaa rahaa thaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
सितार सीखो, यह तुम्हें ज़िंदगी भर काम आएगा। Learn the sitar, it will be useful to you your whole life.
(sitaar siikho, yah tumhen zindgii bhar kaam aaegaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
मंच पर सितार और तबला साथ में बज रहे थे। The sitar and tabla were being played together on stage.
(manch par sitaar aur tablaa saath men baj rahe the।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगर मेरे पास समय होता, तो मैं भी सितार सीखता। If I had time, I would learn the sitar too.
(agar mere paas samay hotaa, to main bhii sitaar siikhtaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
यह सितार चंदन की लकड़ी से बनाया गया है। This sitar has been made from sandalwood.
(yah sitaar chandan kii lakdii se banaayaa gayaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
शायद वह अगले महीने सितार खरीदे। Perhaps he will buy a sitar next month.
(shaayad vah agle mahiine sitaar khariide।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
दीवार पर एक पुराना सितार टँगा है, दादाजी की निशानी। An old sitar hangs on the wall, a keepsake from grandfather.
(diivaar par ek puraanaa sitaar tangaa hai, daadaajii kii nishaanii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उस्ताद ने बरसों की साधना के बाद सितार पर वह राग बजाया। After years of practice, the maestro played that raag on the sitar.
(ustaad ne barson kii saadhnaa ke baad sitaar par vah raag bajaayaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): सितार (sitaar)
(sg.m.oblique): सितार (sitaar)
(pl.m.direct): सितार (sitaar)
(pl.m.oblique): सितारों (sitaaron)