सगा भाई (sagaa bhaaii)
noun
A compound noun phrase meaning 'real/blood brother' -- used to distinguish a biological sibling from cousins or relatives who are also loosely called भाई (bhaaii) in Hindi kinship terms.
Sense
1
:
one's biological brother (same parents)
noun, masculine सगा (sagaa) functions as an adjective meaning 'related by blood' and agrees with the noun it modifies; here it specifies भाई (bhaaii) as a full sibling rather than a cousin-brother or other relative loosely called भाई (bhaaii).
Synonyms: सगा भाई (sagaa bhaaii)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: In Indian families, kinship terms are used generously -- a close friend's brother, or even a father's friend's son, might get called भाई (bhaaii) out of affection and respect. सगा भाई (sagaa bhaaii) is the clarifying phrase Hindi speakers reach for when someone asks 'is he really your brother?' and the answer needs to cut through that social generosity to the biological fact. You will often hear it in family disputes or inheritance conversations, where the distinction between a सगा भाई (sagaa bhaaii) and a चचेरा भाई (chacheraa bhaaii, 'paternal cousin-brother') suddenly matters a great deal.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often assume भाई (bhaaii) alone always means 'biological brother,' but in Hindi it is commonly extended to cousins, close friends, and even strangers of similar age as a polite address; सगा भाई (sagaa bhaaii) is the phrase used specifically when you need to make clear the person is a true sibling, not just a 'भाई (bhaaii)' by courtesy or extended family closeness. 2) सगा (sagaa) itself changes form to agree with gender/number (e.g. सगी बहन (sagii bahan, 'real sister')), so learners should not treat सगा भाई (sagaa bhaaii) as a frozen, unchanging unit.
Sample Sentences:
वह मेरा सगा भाई है, कोई दूर का रिश्तेदार नहीं।
He is my real brother, not some distant relative.
(vah meraa sagaa bhaaii hai, koii door kaa rishtedaar nahiin।)
क्या वह तुम्हारा सगा भाई है या चचेरा?
Is he your real brother or a cousin?
(kyaa vah tumhaaraa sagaa bhaaii hai yaa chacheraa?)
संपत्ति के बँटवारे में सिर्फ सगे भाइयों का हक़ माना गया।
In the division of property, only the real brothers' rights were recognized.
(sampatti ke bantvaare men sirph sage bhaaiyon kaa haq maanaa gayaa।)
अगर वह मेरा सगा भाई होता, तो मैं उसकी इतनी मदद करता।
If he were my real brother, I would have helped him this much.
(agar vah meraa sagaa bhaaii hotaa, to main uskii itnii madad kartaa।)
वकील ने पूछा कि क्या दोनों सगे भाई थे या सिर्फ़ भाई कहलाते थे।
The lawyer asked whether the two were real brothers or were just called brothers.
(vakiil ne poochhaa ki kyaa donon sage bhaaii the yaa sirf bhaaii kahlaate the।)
मुझे यकीन नहीं होता कि वे दोनों सगे भाई हैं, दोनों की शक्लें बिल्कुल अलग हैं।
I can't believe those two are real brothers, they look completely different.
(mujhe yakiin nahiin hotaa ki ve donon sage bhaaii hain, donon kii shaklen bilkul alag hain।)
अपने सगे भाई से झगड़ना उसे बिल्कुल पसंद नहीं था।
He did not like fighting with his real brother at all.
(apne sage bhaaii se jhagadnaa use bilkul pasand nahiin thaa।)
यह ज़मीन का मामला है, इसमें सगे भाई और चचेरे भाई का फ़र्क़ ज़रूर पता कर लो।
This is a land matter, so definitely find out the difference between a real brother and a cousin-brother.
(yah zamiin kaa maamlaa hai, ismen sage bhaaii aur chachere bhaaii kaa farq zaroor pataa kar lo।)
उसने मुझसे कहा कि राजू उसका सगा भाई है, दोस्त नहीं।
He told me that Raju is his real brother, not a friend.
(usne mujhse kahaa ki raajoo uskaa sagaa bhaaii hai, dost nahiin।)
सगे भाई होने के बावजूद उनके बीच सालों से बातचीत बंद थी।
Despite being real brothers, they had not spoken to each other for years.
(sage bhaaii hone ke baavjood unke biich saalon se baatchiit band thii।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
सगा भाई
(sagaa bhaaii)
(sg.m.oblique):
सगा भाई
(sagaa bhaaii)
(pl.m.direct):
सगा भाई
(sagaa bhaaii)
(pl.m.oblique):
सगा भाईों
(sagaa [[भाईों]])