ईंधन (iindhan)

noun A single-sense noun meaning 'fuel', used both literally (petrol, coal, wood) and, less often, figuratively for something that feeds or intensifies a process.
Sense 1 : fuel (wood, coal, petrol, etc., used to generate energy)
noun, masculine
Synonyms: जलावन (jalaavan, specifically firewood/kindling for a stove or hearth)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You will meet ईंधन (iindhan) constantly in the news -- ईंधन की कीमतें (iindhan kii kiimten, 'fuel prices') is a staple headline phrase in India given how often petrol and diesel rates make the news. In a village or older household context it can also evoke लकड़ी और गोबर के ईंधन (lakdii aur gobar ke iindhan, 'wood and dung fuel') used for the chulha, so the word stretches easily from a rural stove to a modern power plant.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes reach for पेट्रोल (petrol) or डीज़ल (diizal) as the general word for 'fuel', but these name specific fuels; ईंधन (iindhan) is the umbrella term used in news, science, and formal contexts for any fuel type. 2) In casual kitchen or village speech, गैस (gais) or लकड़ी (lakdii) is used for the specific fuel at hand; ईंधन (iindhan) itself sounds a notch more formal or technical, closer to English 'fuel' in a report than to everyday chatter about 'gas' or 'wood'.
Sample Sentences:
इस गाड़ी में कौन सा ईंधन इस्तेमाल होता है? Which fuel is used in this car?
(is gaadii men kaun saa iindhan istemaal hotaa hai?)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
पिछले महीने ईंधन की कीमतें फिर बढ़ गईं। Fuel prices went up again last month.
(pichhle mahiine iindhan kii kiimten phir badh gaiin।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
गाँव में लोग अब भी लकड़ी और गोबर के ईंधन से खाना पकाते हैं। In the village, people still cook food using wood and dung fuel.
(gaanv men log ab bhii lakdii aur gobar ke iindhan se khaanaa pakaate hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर ईंधन खत्म हो जाए, तो हम फंस जाएँगे। If the fuel runs out, we'll be stranded.
(agar iindhan khatm ho jaae, to ham phans jaaenge।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
गाड़ी में ईंधन भर लो, रास्ते में पंप नहीं मिलेगा। Fill up the fuel in the car, there won't be a pump on the way.
(gaadii men iindhan bhar lo, raaste men pamp nahiin milegaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
यह प्लांट कोयले को ईंधन के रूप में इस्तेमाल करता था। This plant used to use coal as fuel.
(yah plaant koyle ko iindhan ke roop men istemaal kartaa thaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
सरकार ने ईंधन की कीमतों में कटौती की घोषणा की है। The government has announced a cut in fuel prices.
(sarkaar ne iindhan kii kiimton men katautii kii ghoshnaa kii hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर ईंधन इतना सस्ता होता, तो हर कोई गाड़ी चला रहा होता। If fuel were this cheap, everyone would be driving a car.
(agar iindhan itnaa sastaa hotaa, to har koii gaadii chalaa rahaa hotaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Continuous -- Voice: Active
रॉकेट को अंतरिक्ष में भेजने के लिए भारी मात्रा में ईंधन चाहिए। A huge quantity of fuel is needed to send a rocket into space.
(roket ko antriksh men bhejne ke lie bhaarii maatraa men iindhan chaahie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
पेट्रोल पंप पर ईंधन खत्म हो चुका था। The fuel had already run out at the petrol pump.
(petrol pamp par iindhan khatm ho chukaa thaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): ईंधन (iindhan)
(sg.m.oblique): ईंधन (iindhan)
(pl.m.direct): ईंधन (iindhan)
(pl.m.oblique): ईंधनों (iindhnon)