Bedeutung
Being greedy leads to bad outcomes.
Kultureller Hintergrund
You will often see this proverb painted on the back of colorful trucks and rickshaws. It serves as a public moral reminder to drivers and passersby. In Bollywood movies, this proverb is frequently used by the 'Dadi' (grandmother) or 'Ma' (mother) character to provide moral guidance to the protagonist. The proverb aligns with the Islamic concept of 'Tama' (greed) being a disease of the heart. It is often used in Friday sermons (Khutbahs) to encourage charity. It is one of the first proverbs taught in Urdu primary schools, usually accompanied by the story of the 'Greedy Dog' or the 'Goose that laid the Golden Eggs.'
The 'Bala' Rule
Always keep 'Buri' feminine. Even if you forget everything else, this grammatical agreement makes you sound like a pro.
Don't Overuse
It's a powerful proverb. If you say it every time someone buys something, it loses its impact. Save it for real greed!
Bedeutung
Being greedy leads to bad outcomes.
The 'Bala' Rule
Always keep 'Buri' feminine. Even if you forget everything else, this grammatical agreement makes you sound like a pro.
Don't Overuse
It's a powerful proverb. If you say it every time someone buys something, it loses its impact. Save it for real greed!
Storytelling
If you are telling a story in Urdu, ending with this phrase is the perfect 'mic drop' moment for a moral lesson.
Teste dich selbst
Fill in the missing word to complete the proverb.
لالچ بری ___ ہے۔
The standard proverb uses 'Bala' (calamity).
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
Select the correct version:
'Buri' must be feminine to match 'Bala'.
In which situation would you most likely say 'Lalach buri bala hai'?
Match the situation:
The proverb is used when greed leads to a negative outcome.
Complete the dialogue.
احمد: میں نے زیادہ منافع کے لیے غلط کمپنی میں پیسے لگائے اور اب وہ ڈوب گئے۔ سارہ: میں نے تمہیں منع کیا تھا، ______۔
The context of losing money due to greed fits this proverb.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Aufgabensammlung
4 Aufgabenلالچ بری ___ ہے۔
The standard proverb uses 'Bala' (calamity).
Select the correct version:
'Buri' must be feminine to match 'Bala'.
Match the situation:
The proverb is used when greed leads to a negative outcome.
احمد: میں نے زیادہ منافع کے لیے غلط کمپنی میں پیسے لگائے اور اب وہ ڈوب گئے۔ سارہ: میں نے تمہیں منع کیا تھا، ______۔
The context of losing money due to greed fits this proverb.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenLalach is a masculine noun, but in this proverb, the adjective 'buri' is feminine because it modifies 'Bala', which is feminine.
Yes, but be careful. It's better used when discussing a third party's failure rather than accusing someone in the room of being greedy.
It means a calamity, a disaster, or an evil spirit/monster. It implies something that brings great trouble.
Not really. The full phrase 'Lalach buri bala hai' is the standard form. You might just say 'Lalach!' as an exclamation, though.
Yes, exactly the same way. Hindi and Urdu share this proverb entirely.
Because like a monster, greed consumes the person who has it and eventually destroys them.
You can, and it's grammatically correct (Greed is bad), but it's not the proverb. It sounds plain and lacks the cultural weight.
Yes, it's often used jokingly when a friend wants too much of something, like the last slice of pizza.
While it aligns with religious teachings, it is considered a secular folk proverb used by people of all faiths in South Asia.
It's 'buh-LAA'. Make sure the 'L' sound is clear and the second 'A' is long.
Verwandte Redewendungen
لالچی کتا
similarGreedy dog
قناعت میں برکت ہے
contrastThere is blessing in contentment.
جیسی کرنی ویسی بھرنی
builds onAs you sow, so shall you reap.
حرص و ہوس
specialized formGreed and lust
