गद्य (gady)

noun A literary/academic term meaning 'prose,' most often encountered contrasted with कविता (kavitaa) or पद्य (pady, 'verse').
Sense 1 : prose (writing that is not verse)
noun, masculine
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: You will meet this word mainly in the context of Hindi literature classes, where students learn to distinguish गद्य (gady) -- essays, stories, novels -- from पद्य (pady) or कविता (kavitaa), poetry. It is a fairly formal, literary-register word; in daily conversation people just talk about likhnaa (to write) or a kahaanii (kahaanii, 'story') rather than naming the category गद्य (gady) itself.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes confuse गद्य (gady) with पद्य (pady) because the words look and sound similar despite meaning opposite things ('prose' vs 'verse'). 2) This word is used in academic and literary contexts (school essays, literature classes) rather than everyday conversation, so overusing it in casual speech will sound bookish.
Sample Sentences:
गद्य और पद्य हिंदी साहित्य की दो मुख्य विधाएँ हैं। Prose and poetry are the two main forms of Hindi literature.
(gady aur pady hindii saahity kii do mukhy vidhaaen hain।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
इस पाठ्यक्रम में गद्य के अंतर्गत कुछ कहानियाँ और निबंध शामिल हैं। This syllabus includes some stories and essays under the category of prose.
(is paathyakram men gady ke antargat kuchh kahaaniyaan aur nibandh shaamil hain।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
शिक्षक ने छात्रों को समझाया कि गद्य और पद्य में क्या अंतर होता है। The teacher explained to the students what the difference between prose and poetry is.
(shikshak ne chhaatron ko samjhaayaa ki gady aur pady men kyaa antar hotaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम मुझे इस अध्याय का कोई गद्य अंश पढ़कर सुना सकते हो? Can you read out some prose passage from this chapter to me?
(kyaa tum mujhe is adhyaay kaa koii gady ansh padhkar sunaa sakte ho?)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
परीक्षा में गद्य के अंश पर आधारित प्रश्न पूछे जाते हैं। In the exam, questions based on a prose passage are asked.
(pariikshaa men gady ke ansh par aadhaarit prashn poochhe jaate hain।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
अगर वह कविता के बजाय गद्य में लिखता, तो शायद उसकी बात ज़्यादा स्पष्ट होती। If he had written in prose instead of poetry, his point might have been clearer.
(agar vah kavitaa ke bajaay gady men likhtaa, to shaayad uskii baat zyaadaa spasht hotii।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
आधुनिक हिंदी गद्य का विकास उन्नीसवीं सदी में तेज़ी से हुआ। The development of modern Hindi prose happened rapidly in the nineteenth century.
(aadhunik hindii gady kaa vikaas unniisviin sadii men tezii se huaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
कृपया अगले सप्ताह तक गद्य खंड से एक निबंध याद कर लीजिए। Please memorize one essay from the prose section by next week.
(kripyaa agle saptaah tak gady khand se ek nibandh yaad kar liijie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): गद्य (gady)
(sg.m.oblique): गद्य (gady)
(pl.m.direct): गद्य (gady)
(pl.m.oblique): गद्यों (gadyon)