# Indo-Iranian Languages: yogurt



## Birdcall

dahii is feminine in Hindi? I've only heard it used as masculine.


*Moderator Note:  Split from Hindi/Urdu: charchaa चर्चा*


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## panjabigator

Birdcall said:


> dahii is feminine in Hindi? I've only heard it used as masculine.



Also feminine in Punjabi.


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## Illuminatus

Funny - at home, we always say _dahi jam gayaa, _not _dahi jam gayee_


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## panjabigator

Illuminatus said:


> Funny - at home, we always say _dahi jam gayaa, _not _dahi jam gayee_



How about it Marathi?

Also, does anyone know if <dahii> is masculine in Western Punjabi?  <dahii jaamiyaa jaa jaamaii>?

We started a discussion on gender here too, but it hasn't progressed very far.


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## BP.

I remember having seen this question come up in an older thread. It might be worthwhile to look it up.

In Urdu _dahii _is masculin in the lucknowite dialect and feminine in dehlite and panjaabii ones.

gator, I've heard it as feminine, but my knowledge isn't exhaustive.


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## Faylasoof

BelligerentPacifist said:


> I remember having seen this question come up in an older thread. It might be worthwhile to look it up.
> 
> In Urdu _dahii _is masculin in the lucknowite dialect and feminine in dehlite and panjaabii ones.
> 
> gator, I've heard it as feminine, but my knowledge isn't exhaustive.



BP, I too recall we have discussed this before. In fact, here is one very detailed thread on, buttermilk, yogurt and family! Not sure if this the one you meant. 

This is what I had on yogurt:


Faylasoof said:


> ....
> دهي दही_dahī_, corr. धई_dhaʼī_ [Prk. दहिअं; S. दधि+कं], *s.m*. Thick *sourmilk*, coagulated milk
> ....


   The *s.m *means _singular masculine_.  The above is the same as Platts, here. 

 In Lakhnavi Urdu it is masculine and I feel Platts has gone for that but Dehlavi Urdu definitely has it as feminine.


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## drkpp

panjabigator said:


> How about it Marathi?
> 
> Also, does anyone know if <dahii> is masculine in Western Punjabi?  <dahii jaamiyaa jaa jaamaii>?
> 
> We started a discussion on gender here too, but it hasn't progressed very far.


In Marathi, दही [da-hee] meaning curd is a neuter gender word
spoken as "te dahee" NOT "to dahee" or "tee dahee"


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## greatbear

panjabigator said:


> FLS, perhaps we discussed this word when we discussed the word <dahī> and how it's masculine in Urdu and feminine in Hindi.



"_dahi_" is masculine in Hindi! Never heard in my life _dahi_ being feminine.

*Moderator Note: Moved this post from the above चर्चा discussion.  Please stay on topic 
Panjabigator
*


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## panjabigator

I guess it depends on where you are from.  I've heard both.


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## Faylasoof

greatbear said:


> "_dahi_" is masculine in Hindi! Never heard in my life _dahi_ being feminine.
> *...
> *


 I have to agree with PG:



panjabigator said:


> I guess it depends on where you are from.  I've heard both.


  It really does  depend on which dialect you speak. Recently I was talking to someone from Hyderabad, Sind  (Pakistan) who speaks Dehlavi Urdu (parents were from there and in fact he was born in Panipat!), he kept  treating it as a *feminine*! I found it quite amusing.

... and as I said earlier: 



Faylasoof said:


> .....
> 
> This is what I had on yogurt:
> The *s.m *means _singular masculine_.  The above is the same as Platts, here.
> 
> *In Lakhnavi Urdu it is masculine* and I feel Platts has gone for that but *Dehlavi Urdu definitely has it as feminine*.


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## greatbear

Thanks for the info! I did not know that "dahi" could be feminine too.


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## searcher123

And what is the relationship between "Dahi" & "Yogurt"?!!! داهي in Persian means 'very intelligence'.


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## BP.

It's not the same word. it is spelt دہی.


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## Faylasoof

In Hindi-Urdu دهي दही dahii _is_ yogurt! Unfortunately the Platts link (in my posts #6 & 10) doesn't mention the word yogurt but that is because Platts’ lexicon is dated 1884! It badly needs an update!

Our دهي  दही _dahii_  is the same as your ماست_ maast_ = yogurt!

  Similarly our yogurt based drink, _lassii _लस्सीلسی, a Punjab-based drink but popular all over South Asia and especially the northern parts, is similar though somewhat different (in being uncarbonated) from your _duugh_ دوغ. In our house, we also use the term شیر مسات  _shiir maast_ which is almost the same as _lassii _/ _duugh_.

... and as BP pointed out, دهي and داهي are completely different words! We don't use the latter!


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## searcher123

Thank you very much. Really informative.


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## panjabigator

Update: a Panjabi speaking friend of mine used 'dahi' as a masculine. And the plot thickens...


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## Qureshpor

panjabigator said:


> Update: a Panjabi speaking friend of mine used 'dahi' as a masculine. And the plot thickens...



No, the "dahii" thickens! In my Punjabi, dahii has always been masculine. I am quite surprised to hear people talking about it being feminine in Punjabi! Quote me a "dahii-daar" Punjabi shi'r, PG SaaHib!

ਦਹੀਂ دہیں noun, masculine    curd, curds, yoghurt


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## panjabigator

If only I knew one! All I can say is that, in my own home, my family (and extended family) treat "dahii" as a feminine word. When I move to Punjab next month, I'll be sure to ask for yoghurt and analyze what people say.


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## Qureshpor

panjabigator said:


> If only I knew one! All I can say is that,  in my own home, my family (and extended family) treat "dahii" as a  feminine word. When I move to Punjab next month, I'll be sure to ask for  yoghurt and analyze what people say.



جہی نیت ہئی تہی مراد ملیا گھرو گھری چھائی سر پاوناہیں
پھریں منگدا بھونکدا خوارہوندا لکھ دغے پکھنڈ کماوناہیں
سانوں رب نے ددھ تے دہیں دتا ہچھا کھاونا اتے ہنڈاوناہیں
سوئناں رُپڑا پہن کے اسیں بہیئے وارثؔ شاہ توں جیو بھرماوناہیں

Please note. saanuuN rab ne dudh te dahiiN dittaa! (NOT dittii). This is from Waris Shah.


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