Meaning
Commenting on a plausible or cleverly fabricated reason for something.
Cultural Background
In cities like Delhi, 'bahana' is often part of 'vella-panti' (acting idle). People take pride in making up creative excuses to avoid boring tasks. The 'Traffic' excuse is so common in Bangalore and Mumbai that saying 'यह एक अच्छा बहाना है' is now a standard joke in meetings. Parents often use this phrase to teach children about honesty, though often with a smile. Many songs feature the word 'bahana' to describe a lover's attempt to meet or avoid someone.
Master the Sarcasm
To sound like a native, slightly elongate the word 'achha' (ach-chaaaa) when being sarcastic.
Gender Agreement
Never say 'achhi bahana'. It's a dead giveaway that you're a beginner.
Meaning
Commenting on a plausible or cleverly fabricated reason for something.
Master the Sarcasm
To sound like a native, slightly elongate the word 'achha' (ach-chaaaa) when being sarcastic.
Gender Agreement
Never say 'achhi bahana'. It's a dead giveaway that you're a beginner.
The 'Polite' Lie
In India, a 'bahana' is often seen as more polite than a flat 'no'. Don't be too quick to judge someone for making one.
Test Yourself
Choose the correct adjective to complete the sentence.
यह एक ______ बहाना है।
'Bahana' is a masculine singular noun, so it takes the masculine singular adjective 'achha'.
Complete the dialogue with the most appropriate response.
A: मैं आज काम पर नहीं आ सकता, मेरी कार खराब हो गई है। B: ____________________
The context is someone giving a reason to avoid work, making 'achha bahana' the natural response.
Fill in the blank with the plural form of the phrase.
तुम्हारे पास हमेशा ______ ______ ______ हैं।
Pluralizing 'Yeh ek achha bahana hai' results in 'Ye achhe bahane hain'.
In which situation is this phrase MOST likely to be used sarcastically?
Situation: Someone says...
An exaggerated or unlikely story is the prime target for a sarcastic 'achha bahana'.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Reason vs. Excuse
Practice Bank
4 exercisesयह एक ______ बहाना है।
'Bahana' is a masculine singular noun, so it takes the masculine singular adjective 'achha'.
A: मैं आज काम पर नहीं आ सकता, मेरी कार खराब हो गई है। B: ____________________
The context is someone giving a reason to avoid work, making 'achha bahana' the natural response.
तुम्हारे पास हमेशा ______ ______ ______ हैं।
Pluralizing 'Yeh ek achha bahana hai' results in 'Ye achhe bahane hain'.
Situation: Someone says...
An exaggerated or unlikely story is the prime target for a sarcastic 'achha bahana'.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
12 questionsNot necessarily. It can be a clever way to avoid a social conflict without hurting feelings.
Only if you have a very friendly relationship. Otherwise, it might sound like you are calling them a liar.
The plural is 'bahane' (बहाने).
You say 'बहाने मत बनाओ' (Bahane mat banao).
Yes, 'क्षमा' (kshama) for apology or 'स्पष्टीकरण' (spashtikaran) for explanation.
That's the sarcasm! It means 'good' in terms of creativity, not truthfulness.
Usually 'yeh' is used for something just said, 'voh' for something mentioned earlier.
Yes, very frequently! Check out the song 'Bahana' or 'Koi Bahana'.
A person who is known for making many excuses.
Yes, that means 'It was a good excuse' (past tense).
No, it is too informal and implies dishonesty.
'Kaaran' is a neutral reason; 'bahana' is a reason used to hide the real truth.
Related Phrases
बहाने बनाना
builds onTo make excuses
बहानेबाज़
specialized formAn excuse-maker
झूठ बोलना
similarTo tell a lie
वजह बताना
contrastTo give a reason
टालमटोल करना
similarTo procrastinate/dilly-dally
