एक साथ (ek saath)

adverb A common adverbial phrase built from एक (ek, 'one') plus साथ (saath, 'company/togetherness'), meaning 'together' or 'at the same time.' Both senses -- physical/social togetherness and simultaneity -- are heard constantly in daily speech.

Sense 1 : together (in one place, as a group)

adverb

Synonyms: मिलकर (milkar, 'jointly/by coming together'), साथ साथ (saath saath)

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: Picture a Delhi household calling everyone to eat: सब लोग एक साथ खाना खाएंगे (sab log ek saath khaanaa khaaenge, 'everyone will eat together') -- the phrase carries a real cultural weight around family meals, festivals, and group outings, where doing things 'as one' is valued over doing them individually.

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes say केवल साथ (keval saath) when they mean 'together,' but साथ (saath) alone usually needs एक (ek) or a possessive/oblique pronoun before it (मेरे साथ (mere saath, 'with me')) to make sense -- एक साथ (ek saath) is the fixed way to say 'all together, as one group' without naming who is with whom. 2) Confusing एक साथ (ek saath) with साथ साथ (saath saath) -- the latter leans towards 'side by side / in parallel' over a stretch of time or space, while एक साथ (ek saath) leans towards 'all at once, as a single unit.'

Sample Sentences:

हम सब एक साथ खाना खाते हैं। We all eat together.

(ham sab ek saath khaanaa khaate hain।)

दिवाली पर पूरा परिवार एक साथ रहता है। The whole family stays together on Diwali.

(divaalii par pooraa parivaar ek saath rahtaa hai।)

चलो, आज सब एक साथ बैठकर खाना खाएँगे। Come on, today everyone will sit and eat together.

(chalo, aaj sab ek saath baithkar khaanaa khaaenge।)

कल हम सब एक साथ फिल्म देखने गए थे। Yesterday we all went to watch a movie together.

(kal ham sab ek saath philm dekhne gae the।)

बच्चों को एक साथ रखो, कोई अलग न भटके। Keep the kids together, don't let anyone wander off alone.

(bachchon ko ek saath rakho, koii alag n bhatke।)

अगर सब एक साथ रहते तो घर में इतनी शांति होती। If everyone lived together, there would be so much peace in the house.

(agar sab ek saath rahte to ghar men itnii shaanti hotii।)

सभी कर्मचारियों को एक साथ बुलाया गया है। All the employees have been called together.

(sabhii karmchaariyon ko ek saath bulaayaa gayaa hai।)

शायद हम सब एक साथ छुट्टी पर चल सकें। Maybe we can all go on vacation together.

(shaayad ham sab ek saath chhuttii par chal saken।)

पूरा मोहल्ला एक साथ खड़ा है इस मुद्दे पर। The whole neighborhood is standing together on this issue.

(pooraa mohallaa ek saath khadaa hai is mudde par।)

टीम को एक साथ लाया जाए, तभी मैच जीता जा सकता है। The team should be brought together, only then can the match be won.

(tiim ko ek saath laayaa jaae, tabhii maich jiitaa jaa saktaa hai।)

सुख हो या दुख, हम हमेशा एक साथ रहेंगे। Whether in joy or sorrow, we will always stay together.

(sukh ho yaa dukh, ham hameshaa ek saath rahenge।)

Sense 2 : at the same time, simultaneously

adverb

Synonyms: एक ही समय में (ek hii samay men), साथ साथ (saath saath)

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: Very handy for describing multitasking or coincidence: वह पढ़ते हुए एक साथ गाना भी सुनता है (vah padhte hue ek saath gaanaa bhii suntaa hai, 'he listens to music while studying, at the same time') -- a phrase you will hear often when someone describes juggling two things at once.

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for एक ही समय पर (ek hii samay par) for 'at the same time,' which is correct but more formal/explicit -- एक साथ (ek saath) is the everyday, more natural choice for the same idea in casual speech.

Sample Sentences:

सब लोग एक साथ मत बोलो। Don't everyone speak at the same time.

(sab log ek saath mat bolo।)

वह पढ़ते हुए एक साथ गाना भी सुनता है। He listens to music at the same time while studying.

(vah padhte hue ek saath gaanaa bhii suntaa hai।)

मुझे एक साथ तीन फोन आ गए। I got three phone calls at once.

(mujhe ek saath tiin phon aa gae।)

दोनों टीमें एक साथ फिनिश लाइन पर पहुँचीं। Both teams reached the finish line at the same time.

(donon tiimen ek saath phinish laain par pahunchiin।)

अगर सारे बिल एक साथ आ जाएँ, तो बजट बिगड़ जाएगा। If all the bills arrive at once, the budget will be ruined.

(agar saare bil ek saath aa jaaen, to bajat bigad jaaegaa।)

काश मैं एक साथ दो जगह मौजूद रह पाता। I wish I could be present in two places at once.

(kaash main ek saath do jagah maujood rah paataa।)

कर्मचारियों को सूचना और चेतावनी दोनों एक साथ भेजी गई। Both the notice and the warning were sent to the employees at the same time.

(karmchaariyon ko soochnaa aur chetaavnii donon ek saath bhejii gaii।)

कंपनी सारे प्रस्तावों पर एक साथ विचार करेगी। The company will consider all the proposals simultaneously.

(kampnii saare prastaavon par ek saath vichaar karegii।)

जब बिजली गई, तो सारे कमरे एक साथ अंधेरे में डूब गए। When the power went out, all the rooms plunged into darkness at once.

(jab bijlii gaii, to saare kamre ek saath andhere men doob gae।)

वह एक साथ रो रही थी और मुस्कुरा रही थी। She was crying and smiling at the same time.

(vah ek saath ro rahii thii aur muskuraa rahii thii।)

इतने सारे काम एक साथ मत करो, एक-एक करके निपटाओ। Don't do so many tasks at once, finish them one by one.

(itne saare kaam ek saath mat karo, ek-ek karke niptaao।)