पंखा (pankhaa)

noun Mainly a concrete noun for a device that moves air -- a fan (ceiling, table, or hand fan). One straightforward everyday sense.
Sense 1 : fan (device for moving air)
noun, masculine
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: In most North Indian homes पंखा (pankhaa) usually means the ceiling fan whirring overhead through the hot months, long before or alongside AC -- you'll hear पंखा चलाओ (pankhaa chalaao, 'turn on the fan') and पंखा बंद करो (pankhaa band karo, 'turn off the fan') constantly in summer. The word is related to पंख (pankh, 'wing/feather'), since hand fans were traditionally made of woven leaves or feathers.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes say पंखा (pankhaa) चलाना (chalaanaa) for 'turn on the fan' but forget पंखा (pankhaa) is masculine, leading to agreement errors like पंखा चली (pankhaa chalii) instead of पंखा चला (pankhaa chalaa). 2) For hand fans specifically, some speakers prefer the diminutive पंखी (pankhii) or हाथ का पंखा (haath kaa pankhaa) -- calling any small hand fan just पंखा (pankhaa) is fine but less precise.
Sample Sentences:
गर्मी में पंखा चलाओ। Turn on the fan, it's hot.
(garmii men pankhaa chalaao।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
सोने से पहले पंखा बंद कर दो। Turn off the fan before you sleep.
(sone se pahle pankhaa band kar do।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
यह पंखा बहुत तेज़ चलता है। This fan runs very fast.
(yah pankhaa bahut tez chaltaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
कल रात पंखा पूरी रात चलता रहा। Last night the fan kept running the whole night.
(kal raat pankhaa poorii raat chaltaa rahaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
बिजली जाते ही पंखा रुक गया। The fan stopped as soon as the power went.
(bijlii jaate hii pankhaa ruk gayaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगर पंखा तेज़ चलता तो कमरा जल्दी ठंडा हो जाता। If the fan ran faster, the room would cool down quickly.
(agar pankhaa tez chaltaa to kamraa jaldii thandaa ho jaataa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम पंखे की स्पीड बढ़ा सकते हो? Can you increase the fan's speed?
(kyaa tum pankhe kii spiid badhaa sakte ho?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
इलेक्ट्रीशियन ने नया पंखा लगाया है। The electrician has installed a new fan.
(ilektriishiyan ne nayaa pankhaa lagaayaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
छत का पंखा मिस्त्री द्वारा ठीक किया गया। The ceiling fan was repaired by the mechanic.
(chhat kaa pankhaa mistrii dvaaraa thiik kiyaa gayaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
अगर पंखा हो तो कमरा जल्दी ठंडा हो जाएगा। If there is a fan, the room will cool down quickly.
(agar pankhaa ho to kamraa jaldii thandaa ho jaaegaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
गर्मियों में हर कमरे में पंखा ज़रूरी है। In summer, a fan is necessary in every room.
(garmiyon men har kamre men pankhaa zaroorii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): पंखा (pankhaa)
(sg.m.oblique): पंखे (pankhe)
(pl.m.direct): पंखे (pankhe)
(pl.m.oblique): पंखों (pankhon)