# Hindi: gift



## amiramir

Hi,

Specifically in urban(ish) Delhi(ish) Hindi, what do people use for gift? I'm particularly confused by whether it's more normal to say भेंट or तोहफा (sorry, can't figure out how to put the dot under the f).


Also, what is the plural or oblique of _तोहफा _in Hindi? Does one say: Mujhe aaj teen तोहफे mil gaye? And is the oblique singular also तोहफे?

Thanks.


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## germanictamoon

> Specifically in urban(ish) Delhi(ish) Hindi, what do people use for gift? I'm particularly confused by whether it's more normal to say भेंट or तोहफा


In everyday speech most suitable word will itself be: gift.
Though, it may change according to context, gift will most appropriately be used for the occasions of birthday, marriage and gifts given on festive occasions.
But in writing it will be either uphaar, bhent(nasalized n) (In literary Hindi) or tohfa  depending on what type of language you are using.



> what is the plural or oblique of _तोहफा in Hindi? Does one say: Mujhe aaj teen तोहफे mil gaye? And is the oblique singular also तोहफे?
> _


Singular+ no kaarak(ne, ko se, me, pe/par, ka/ki/ke) sign= tohfa. 'Ye tohfa tumhe kisne diya?'
Singular+ kaarak sign= tohfe. 'Is tohfe ko almari me rakh do'
Plural+ no kaarak sign= tohfe. 'Ye tohfe tumhe kisne diye?'
Plural+ kaarak sign= tohfon(nasalized). 'In tohfon ko almari me rakh do'


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## amiramir

Ok, thanks. I didn't realize people would just say 'gift.' That's rather anti-climactic. I would have expected that for a more complicated concept, but nothing so prosaic as a present. 

Thanks again for the clarification.


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## amiramir

Also, would the word 'gift' in Hindi be used as a feminine noun (cf. bhent) or masculine (cf. tohfa)? Thanks again


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## germanictamoon

Gift is used as a masculine noun.
Woh gift jo mere medical entrance me kaamyaab hone par papa ne mujhe *diya tha*, meri zindagi ka sabse anmol tohfa hai.
Compare
Woh ghadi jo mere medical entrance me kaamyaab hone par papa ne mujhe *dii thii*, meri zindagi ka sabse anmol tohfa hai.


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## greatbear

I agree with all that germanictamoon has said, except that "gift" is feminine for me ("kitnii sundar gift hai!", "woh gift jo ... paapaa ne mujhe dii thii", etc.).


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## tonyspeed

amiramir said:


> Ok, thanks. I didn't realize people would just say 'gift.' That's rather anti-climactic. I would have expected that for a more complicated concept, but nothing so prosaic as a present.
> 
> Thanks again for the clarification.



If you're looking for a Hindi word, tofah should be understood. Just because Indian languages are increasingly poisoned by English speech (especially amongst the middle class), doesn't mean yours has to be.


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## Alfaaz

Probably not as relevant to Hindi as Urdu, but just a bit of extra information (in case anyone would be interested): تحفہ (_toHfah_) singular → تحائف (_taHaaif_) plural. (It would remain the same in both of germanictamoon's examples above: _yeh taHaaif kisne diye_ and _in taHaaif ko almaari meiN rakh do._)


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## hindiurdu

tonyspeed said:


> If you're looking for a Hindi word, tofah should be understood. Just because Indian languages are increasingly poisoned by English speech (especially amongst the middle class), doesn't mean yours has to be.



Interesting, this thread illustrates the discussion topics of two previous threads in action -

Nuqta-skipping and ph > f. तोहफे should technically be pronounced 'tohphe' but virtually everyone will pronounce it as 'तोहफ़े'. The 'ph' sounds is indeed being lost in Hindi and replaced with 'f'. So much so that even its symbol has been taken over by 'f'. This is nuts and should stop, but won't.
Gender for English words. 'Gift' is masculine for me too. But I see that GB thinks it's feminine.

Also, there is the the phenomenon of killing the final 'h' preceded by a vowel in colloquial Punjabi or Punjabi-influenced speech. So, 'tohfe' > 'to'fe'. BTW 'tohfa' is just fine to say in Delhi, I think. Don't say 'bhenT' or 'uphaar'. Afaik those words aren't actually ever used in normal speech.

English is irresistible. I now hear 'GifToN ko andar rakh do' and 'RoDoN par TrakeN' instead of 'SaRkoN par Trak'. It may be because of extensive interaction of Indo-Aryan and non-Indo-Aryan speakers in the large cities of India. In addition to the previous South Indian communities, Delhi is also now full of people from the NorthEast speaking Tibeto-Burman languages like Mizo and Manipuri (plus the Tibetans who were already there). Interesting mix. I wonder what it will do to the language over decades. Why does no one research all this and get PhDs?


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## fdb

I trust that everyone on here realises that _tuḥfa_ is Arabic.


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## marrish

Alfaaz said:


> Probably not as relevant to Hindi as Urdu, but just a bit of extra information (in case anyone would be interested): تحفہ (_toHfah_) singular → تحائف (_taHaaif_) plural. (It would remain the same in both of germanictamoon's examples above: _yeh taHaaif kisne diye_ and _in taHaaif ko almaari meiN rakh do._)


Also worth mentioning in this context that taHaa'if is not the only possibility of plural; the most utilizable is (are) the humble _tuHfe_ (_tohfe_), in Hindi as well as in Urdu, as well as there are two other methods of putting this word in plural, but I'll leave it at this point for they apply to Urdu only.


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## tonyspeed

hindiurdu said:


> Interesting mix. I wonder what it will do to the language over decades. Why does no one research all this and get PhDs?



The same reason no one is documenting the reasons for the ph->f change we have seen in our lifetime. And the same reason
why we are saying "gifT" and "weT (wait) karnaa". All the money is in English.

When English has done its work, we will look back in nostalgia and try to return to the days of glorious Hindustani...


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## Alfaaz

marrish said:
			
		

> Also worth mentioning in this context that taHaa'if is not the only possibility of plural; the most utilizable is (are) the humble _tuHfe_ (_tohfe_), in Hindi as well as in Urdu, as well as there are two other methods of putting this word in plural, but I'll leave it at this point for they apply to Urdu only.


Agree, tuHfe was already mentioned above so didn't include it.


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## marrish

Alfaaz said:


> Agree, tuHfe was already mentioned above so didn't include it.


Sorry, I didn't pay attention, I thought it was only the oblique form . You're right!


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## marrish

amiramir said:


> Hi,
> 
> Specifically in urban(ish) Delhi(ish) Hindi, what do people use for gift? I'm particularly confused by whether it's more normal to say भेंट or तोहफा (sorry, can't figure out how to put the dot under the f).
> 
> 
> Also, what is the plural or oblique of _तोहफा _in Hindi? Does one say: Mujhe aaj teen तोहफे mil gaye? And is the oblique singular also तोहफे?
> 
> Thanks.



Very interesting, thanks to your post I´ve learned a new meaning to this word in Hindi. I´ve been familiar with the meaning of _bheNT_ as ´sacrifice´.


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## Qureshpor

marrish said:


> Very interesting, thanks to your post I´ve learned a new meaning to this word in Hindi. I´ve been familiar with the meaning of _bheNT_ as ´sacrifice´.


I too have heard of "bheNT chaRhaanaa".

Would I be right in thinking that the word "gift" is a noun formed from the verb "to give"?Similarly, I believe the word "daan" from "denaa" also means "gift". Is "daan" used as such these days or is this just a literary word reserved for books, e.g "kanyadaan"?


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## marrish

QURESHPOR said:


> I too have heard of "bheNT chaRhaanaa".
> 
> Would I be right in thinking that the word "gift" is a noun formed from the verb "to give"?Similarly, I believe the word "daan" from "denaa" also means "gift". Is "daan" used as such these days or is this just a literary word reserved for books, e.g "kanyadaan"?


It is to be hoped that the competent ones shall explain the case of _bheNT_ and _daan_. 
As far as _daan_ is concerned, I believe it is a bit of higher register which has got some religious connotations so I would express it in English as ''an offering'' I think.


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## Qureshpor

marrish said:


> It is to be hoped that the competent ones shall explain the case of _bheNT_ and _daan_.
> As far as _daan_ is concerned, I believe it is a bit of higher register which has got some religious connotations so I would express it in English as ''an offering'' I think.


And I think you make a valid point!


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## marrish

^Thank you; let's await what others have to say.


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## JaiHind

amiramir said:


> Hi,
> 
> Specifically in urban(ish) Delhi(ish) Hindi, what do people use for gift? I'm particularly confused by whether it's more normal to say भेंट or तोहफा (sorry, can't figure out how to put the dot under the f).



Right; भेंट is normal and is usually preferred.


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## greatbear

"bheNT" is a very common word for "gift": if someone had asked me to give the Hindi word for "gift", the first word from the top of my mind would be "bheNT". I understand "tohfaa", but it is certainly not a common word in my circle; personally, I have never used the word "tohfaa". "Daan" is not at all "gift": it's sometimes offering, but mostly what one gives in one's largesse of heart, generosity. There's a world of difference between "bheNT" and "daan": one does "daan" to poor people on, say, the day of Makarasankranti, not "bheNT".

Meanwhile, there is a secondary meaning of "bheNT", which is "balii" (sacrifice). However, that is only a secondary, derived meaning from the primary meaning of "gift". Both "bheNT chaRhaanaa" and "balii chaRhaanaa" are used in the context of sacrifice.

If English gets along fine with usage of words like "avatar", I don't see why should Hindi have a problem with using and incorporating words like "gift". It only enriches the language: it is not that "bheNT" and "tohfaa" are dying because of "gift".


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## rosieg

If "daan" is a charitable gift to the poor on certain occasions, then the English word alms may translate the idea.


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## littlepond

^ "alms" translates to "bhikshaa", not "daan". "daan" is pretty much untranslatable in English, as the concept doesn't seem to exist in the Western world. ("daanii", the one who often does "daan", is even more difficult to translate.) However, depending on context, it can of course be translated variously: offering, donation, alms, giving away, etc. "daan" is first and foremost the act of donating or giving away - it could be to the poor, to the God, etc. Of course, by extension, "daan" is also the specific object that you gave away. The compound "daan-dharm" has a world of meanings associated with it.


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