गुलाब (gulaab)

noun A single-sense word: the rose flower, and by extension the color pink/rose-colored things it names in compounds like गुलाबी (gulaabii).
Sense 1 : rose (the flower)
noun, masculine
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Roses show up constantly in Hindi film songs and shayari as the classic symbol of a beloved's beauty, often paired with कांटा (kaantaa, 'thorn') to make the point that love has both. You'll also meet गुलाब जल (gulaab jal, 'rose water') as a real household item, splashed on guests at weddings or used in sweets like गुलाब जामुन (gulaab jaamun) -- so this word is as much kitchen-and-wedding vocabulary as it is romantic imagery.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes guess the gender as feminine by association with flowers in English, but गुलाब (gulaab) is masculine: एक गुलाब (ek gulaab, 'one rose'), मेरा गुलाब (meraa gulaab, 'my rose'), not मेरी। 2) Don't confuse with गुलाबी (gulaabii), the related adjective meaning 'pink' -- गुलाब itself never means the color on its own, it names the flower.
Sample Sentences:
बगीचे में लाल गुलाब खिले हैं। Red roses have blossomed in the garden.
(bagiiche men laal gulaab khile hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उसने मुझे एक सफ़ेद गुलाब दिया। She gave me a white rose.
(usne mujhe ek safed gulaab diyaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
माली हर सुबह गुलाबों को पानी देता है। The gardener waters the roses every morning.
(maalii har subah gulaabon ko paanii detaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
तेरा चेहरा गुलाब जैसा है, पर तेरी बातें कांटों जैसी। Your face is like a rose, but your words are like thorns.
(teraa chehraa gulaab jaisaa hai, par terii baaten kaanton jaisii।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
शादी में मेहमानों पर गुलाब जल छिड़का गया। Rose water was sprinkled on the guests at the wedding.
(shaadii men mehmaanon par gulaab jal chhidkaa gayaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
प्लीज़ मेरे लिए बाज़ार से थोड़े गुलाब ले आओ। Please bring some roses for me from the market.
(pliiz mere lie baazaar se thode gulaab le aao।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
अगर बगीचे में पानी होता, तो गुलाब मुरझाते नहीं। If there had been water in the garden, the roses would not have withered.
(agar bagiiche men paanii hotaa, to gulaab murjhaate nahiin।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
शायद इस बार गुलाब जामुन में असली गुलाब जल मिला हो। Maybe real rose water was mixed into the gulab jamun this time.
(shaayad is baar gulaab jaamun men aslii gulaab jal milaa ho।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
गमले में एक गुलाब का पौधा लगा है। A rose plant is planted in the pot.
(gamle men ek gulaab kaa paudhaa lagaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
कवि ने उसकी सुंदरता की तुलना खिले गुलाब से की। The poet compared her beauty to a blooming rose.
(kavi ne uskii sundartaa kii tulnaa khile gulaab se kii।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगली सर्दियों में मैं छत पर गुलाब लगाऊँगी। Next winter I will plant roses on the terrace.
(aglii sardiyon men main chhat par gulaab lagaaoongii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): गुलाब (gulaab)
(sg.m.oblique): गुलाब (gulaab)
(pl.m.direct): गुलाब (gulaab)
(pl.m.oblique): गुलाबों (gulaabon)