Meaning
A vehicle that has been owned for a long time or is not new.
Cultural Background
Buying a 'purani kar' is often seen as a rite of passage for young professionals in India. It's a practical step before buying a luxury vehicle. Even for a 'purani kar', many Indians perform 'Vahan Puja' at a temple to ward off the 'evil eye' (nazar) and ensure the car doesn't break down. Due to pollution laws, diesel cars older than 10 years are banned. This has made the term 'purani kar' a hot topic in legal and environmental news. Old cars are often used in films to depict a character's humble beginnings or as a source of comedy when they break down at the wrong time.
Gender is Key
Always remember 'Kar' is feminine. This is the #1 mistake for learners.
Avoid 'Prachin'
Never use 'Prachin' for cars unless they are literally from an ancient civilization.
Meaning
A vehicle that has been owned for a long time or is not new.
Gender is Key
Always remember 'Kar' is feminine. This is the #1 mistake for learners.
Avoid 'Prachin'
Never use 'Prachin' for cars unless they are literally from an ancient civilization.
Use 'Gadi' for Native Feel
If you want to sound more like a local, use 'Purani Gadi' instead of 'Purani Kar'.
Test Yourself
Choose the correct form of the adjective for 'car'.
मेरे पास एक _______ कार है।
'कार' is feminine, so 'पुरानी' is the correct adjective form.
Fill in the blank with the correct plural form.
दिल्ली में बहुत सारी _______ (old cars) हैं।
The plural of 'कार' is 'कारें'. The adjective 'पुरानी' stays the same.
Complete the dialogue.
A: क्या आप नई कार खरीद रहे हैं? B: नहीं, मेरा बजट कम है, इसलिए मैं एक _______ खरीदूँगा।
If the budget is low, a 'purani kar' (used car) is the logical choice.
Match the phrase to the situation.
Which phrase would you use to describe a car that is 20 years old and barely runs?
'Khatara' is the slang for a junk car in bad condition.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Gender Agreement
Practice Bank
4 exercisesमेरे पास एक _______ कार है।
'कार' is feminine, so 'पुरानी' is the correct adjective form.
दिल्ली में बहुत सारी _______ (old cars) हैं।
The plural of 'कार' is 'कारें'. The adjective 'पुरानी' stays the same.
A: क्या आप नई कार खरीद रहे हैं? B: नहीं, मेरा बजट कम है, इसलिए मैं एक _______ खरीदूँगा।
If the budget is low, a 'purani kar' (used car) is the logical choice.
Which phrase would you use to describe a car that is 20 years old and barely runs?
'Khatara' is the slang for a junk car in bad condition.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsIt is feminine. Always use 'Purani' and 'Meri'.
Yes, 'सेकंड हैंड कार' is very common in urban India.
'Purani Kar' is neutral; 'Khatara' means it's a piece of junk.
Say: 'मैं अपनी पुरानी कार बेच रहा हूँ' (masculine speaker) or 'बेच रही हूँ' (feminine speaker).
Yes, 'Vahan Puja' is a common cultural practice for any car purchase.
No, for people use 'Budha' (old man) or 'Budhiya' (old woman).
The plural is 'पुरानी कारें' (Purani Karein).
It is neutral. For very formal documents, use 'प्रयुक्त वाहन'.
'Gadi' is a more traditional Hindi word for any vehicle.
Usually no, you would say 'Thodi purani' or 'Used'.
Related Phrases
पुरानी गाड़ी
similarOld vehicle
खटारा
specialized formJunk car
विंटेज कार
specialized formVintage car
सेकंड हैंड
synonymSecond hand
नई कार
contrastNew car
