विदेश (videsh)

noun A single-sense noun meaning 'foreign country/abroad'; built from वि (vi, 'apart, away') + देश (desh, 'country'), so it literally reads as 'away-country'.
Sense 1 : foreign country / abroad
noun, masculine Very commonly used as an oblique-marked location: विदेश में (videsh men, 'abroad'), विदेश से (videsh se, 'from abroad'), विदेश जाना (videsh jaanaa, 'to go abroad') -- learners should get comfortable with these fixed combinations.
Synonyms: परदेस (pardes, informal/older-sounding), दूसरा देश (doosraa desh, 'another country')
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: For most Indian families, विदेश (videsh) carries a strong cultural charge beyond its literal meaning -- it evokes the whole theme of children studying or settling abroad (विदेश में बच्चे (videsh men bachche, 'kids abroad')), a topic of endless conversation at family gatherings. Contrast it with स्वदेश (svadesh, 'one's own country'), which is its natural opposite pole in patriotic and nostalgic speech.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often add a redundant 'country' word, saying something like विदेश देश (videsh desh) -- विदेश (videsh) already means 'foreign country,' so it never needs देश (desh) attached. 2) For 'abroad' as a location, native speakers say विदेश में (videsh men) rather than treating विदेश (videsh) like a place name that stands alone without में (men).
Sample Sentences:
मेरा बेटा विदेश में पढ़ता है। My son studies abroad.
(meraa betaa videsh men padhtaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
वह पिछले साल विदेश चली गई थी। She had gone abroad last year.
(vah pichhle saal videsh chalii gaii thii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगले महीने हम विदेश जाएंगे। We will go abroad next month.
(agle mahiine ham videsh jaaenge।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
अगर मौका मिलता तो मैं भी विदेश चला जाता। If I got the chance, I too would move abroad.
(agar maukaa miltaa to main bhii videsh chalaa jaataa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
आजकल हर किसी की बातचीत में विदेश में बच्चों का ज़िक्र आ ही जाता है। These days everyone's conversation ends up mentioning their kids abroad.
(aajkal har kisii kii baatchiit men videsh men bachchon kaa zikr aa hii jaataa hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उसकी नौकरी विदेश में लगी है। He has landed a job abroad.
(uskii naukrii videsh men lagii hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम विदेश जाने की सोच रहे हो? Are you thinking of going abroad?
(kyaa tum videsh jaane kii soch rahe ho?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
विदेश जाकर भी अपनी संस्कृति मत भूलना। Even after going abroad, don't forget your culture.
(videsh jaakar bhii apnii sanskriti mat bhoolnaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
सरकार विदेश में रहने वाले भारतीयों के लिए नई योजना ला रही है। The government is bringing a new scheme for Indians living abroad.
(sarkaar videsh men rahne vaale bhaartiiyon ke lie naii yojnaa laa rahii hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
विदेश में बच्चे बस गए हैं, पर माँ-बाप का दिल स्वदेश में ही अटका रहता है। The kids have settled abroad, but the parents' hearts remain stuck in the homeland.
(videsh men bachche bas gae hain, par maan-baap kaa dil svadesh men hii atkaa rahtaa hai।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
यह मामला विदेश मंत्रालय द्वारा देखा जाता है। This matter is handled by the Ministry of External Affairs.
(yah maamlaa videsh mantraalay dvaaraa dekhaa jaataa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): विदेश (videsh)
(sg.m.oblique): विदेश (videsh)
(pl.m.direct): विदेश (videsh)
(pl.m.oblique): विदेशों (videshon)