नानी (naanii)

noun Means 'maternal grandmother' (mother's mother); also lives inside the very common idiom नानी याद आना (naanii yaad aanaa, 'to remember one's grandmother' -- i.e. to be scared out of one's wits).

Sense 1 : maternal grandmother

noun, feminine

Synonyms: मातामह (maataamah, literary/rare)

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: In most Indian families, a child's nानी (naanii) is a huge presence, especially during summer holidays when kids are packed off to nानी के घर (naanii ke ghar, 'grandmother's house') for weeks. This side of the family (mother's side, or nानी-side) tends to feel a bit more relaxed and indulgent compared to the father's side.

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often use नानी (naanii) and दादी (daadii) interchangeably as 'grandmother,' but Hindi always distinguishes the side: नानी (naanii) is specifically the mother's mother, दादी (daadii) the father's mother -- there is no single unmarked word for 'grandmother.'

Sample Sentences:

मेरी नानी दिल्ली में रहती हैं। My grandmother (mother's side) lives in Delhi.

(merii naanii dillii men rahtii hain।)

गर्मियों की छुट्टियों में हम नानी के घर जाते थे। During summer holidays, we used to go to grandmother's house.

(garmiyon kii chhuttiyon men ham naanii ke ghar jaate the।)

नानी इस बार हमारे साथ रह रही हैं। Grandmother is staying with us this time.

(naanii is baar hamaare saath rah rahii hain।)

नानी ने मुझे एक पुरानी कहानी सुनाई। Grandmother told me an old story.

(naanii ne mujhe ek puraanii kahaanii sunaaii।)

अगली छुट्टियों में नानी हमें अपने गाँव ले जाएँगी। Grandmother will take us to her village next holidays.

(aglii chhuttiyon men naanii hamen apne gaanv le jaaengii।)

नानी, आज मुझे वो अचार वाली कहानी सुनाओ ना। Grandma, tell me that pickle story today, please.

(naanii, aaj mujhe vo achaar vaalii kahaanii sunaao naa।)

काश नानी और थोड़े दिन रुक पातीं। I wish grandmother could have stayed a few more days.

(kaash naanii aur thode din ruk paatiin।)

शायद नानी को यह बात पसंद न आए। Grandmother might not like this.

(shaayad naanii ko yah baat pasand n aae।)

नानी के घर की छत पर बैठकर हम पतंग उड़ाते हैं। Sitting on the roof of grandmother's house, we fly kites.

(naanii ke ghar kii chhat par baithkar ham patang udaate hain।)

बचपन में सारी नटखट बातें नानी ही माफ करती थीं। In childhood, it was only grandmother who forgave all the mischief.

(bachpan men saarii natkhat baaten naanii hii maaph kartii thiin।)

नानी द्वारा बताई गई सारी बातें आज भी याद हैं। Everything told by grandmother is still remembered even today.

(naanii dvaaraa bataaii gaii saarii baaten aaj bhii yaad hain।)

Sense 2 : used only inside the idiom 'to be terrified'

noun, feminine Almost always appears as नानी याद आना (naanii yaad aanaa, 'to have one's grandmother come to mind' -- i.e. to be scared witless), with an experiencer marked by को: उसे नानी याद आ गई (use naanii yaad aa gaii, 'he got the fright of his life').

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: The logic is almost comic: when someone is truly terrified, they supposedly 'remember their grandmother' -- the person who represents ultimate safety and comfort -- because that is who you'd cry out for in real danger. You will hear this idiom constantly in casual boasting or teasing, like ऐसा डराऊंगा कि नानी याद आ जाएगी (aisaa daraaoongaa ki naanii yaad aa jaaegii, 'I'll scare you so bad you'll remember your grandmother').

Common Mistakes: 1) This sense only exists inside the fixed idiom नानी याद आना (naanii yaad aanaa) -- you cannot use नानी (naanii) alone to mean 'fright,' and swapping in दादी (daadii) instead sounds wrong to native ears; the idiom is fixed to नानी (naanii).

Sample Sentences:

इस फिल्म का हॉरर सीन इतना डरावना है कि नानी याद आ जाएगी। This movie's horror scene is so scary that you'll remember your grandmother (be scared out of your wits).

(is philm kaa horar siin itnaa daraavnaa hai ki naanii yaad aa jaaegii।)

ऐसा डराऊंगा कि नानी याद आ जाएगी। I'll scare you so bad you'll remember your grandmother.

(aisaa daraaoongaa ki naanii yaad aa jaaegii।)

जब बॉस ने कमरे में बुलाया तो उसे नानी याद आ गई। When the boss called him into the room, he was scared out of his wits.

(jab bos ne kamre men bulaayaa to use naanii yaad aa gaii।)

रोलर कोस्टर पर पहली बार चढ़ते ही मुझे नानी याद आ गई। The moment I got on the roller coaster for the first time, I was terrified out of my mind.

(rolar kostar par pahlii baar chadhte hii mujhe naanii yaad aa gaii।)

अगर वो शेर सामने आ जाए तो किसी की भी नानी याद आ जाए। If that lion showed up in front of you, anyone would be scared witless.

(agar vo sher saamne aa jaae to kisii kii bhii naanii yaad aa jaae।)

अगर वो सच में भूत होता, तो सबकी नानी याद आ जाती। If that had really been a ghost, everyone would have been scared to death.

(agar vo sach men bhoot hotaa, to sabkii naanii yaad aa jaatii।)

पुलिस की गाड़ी देखकर चोर की नानी याद आ गई। Seeing the police van, the thief was scared out of his wits.

(pulis kii gaadii dekhkar chor kii naanii yaad aa gaii।)

इतनी तेज़ आंधी में तो बड़े-बड़ों की नानी याद आ जाती है। In such a fierce storm, even the toughest people get scared witless.

(itnii tez aandhii men to bade-badon kii naanii yaad aa jaatii hai।)

बॉक्सिंग रिंग में उसका सामना करते ही हर किसी की नानी याद आ जाती है। The moment anyone faces him in the boxing ring, they get scared out of their wits.

(boksing ring men uskaa saamnaa karte hii har kisii kii naanii yaad aa jaatii hai।)

उस भूतिया हवेली में अकेले जाकर देख, नानी याद आ जाएगी। Go into that haunted mansion alone and see -- you'll be scared witless.

(us bhootiyaa havelii men akele jaakar dekh, naanii yaad aa jaaegii।)

Morphology

Noun

(sg.f.direct): नानी (naanii)

(sg.f.oblique): नानी (naanii)

(pl.f.direct): नानियाँ (naaniyaan)

(pl.f.oblique): नानियों (naaniyon)