तभी (tabhii)

adverb/conjunction A compact combination of तब (tab, 'then') and ही (hii, emphatic 'only/very'), used to pinpoint a moment ('right then', 'only then') or to mark a cause-effect link ('that's why'). It also appears in the तभी...जब (tabhii...jab) correlative frame meaning 'only when.'

Sense 1 : at that very moment

adverb

Synonyms: उसी वक्त (usii vakt), उसी पल (usii pal)

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: Picture telling a story: 'मैं घर पहुँचा, तभी बिजली चली गई' (main ghar pahunchaa, tabhii bijlii chalii gaii, 'I reached home, and right then the power went out') -- तभी (tabhii) gives that dramatic 'just at that instant' punch that तब (tab) alone lacks.

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often use just तब (tab) when they mean to add emphasis on the exact timing; तभी (tabhii) sharpens तब (tab) to mean 'that exact moment,' not just 'then' in a loose sequence.

Sample Sentences:

मैं घर पहुँचा, तभी बिजली चली गई। I reached home, and right then the power went out.

(main ghar pahunchaa, tabhii bijlii chalii gaii।)

वह दरवाज़ा खोल ही रही थी, तभी फ़ोन की घंटी बज उठी। She was just opening the door when right then the phone started ringing.

(vah darvaazaa khol hii rahii thii, tabhii fon kii ghantii baj uthii।)

हम बात कर रहे थे, तभी अचानक लाइट चली गई और कमरा अंधेरा हो गया। We were talking, and right at that moment the lights went out and the room went dark.

(ham baat kar rahe the, tabhii achaanak laait chalii gaii aur kamraa andheraa ho gayaa।)

बस स्टेशन से निकल ही रही थी, तभी मैं दौड़ता हुआ पहुँचा। The bus was just pulling out of the station, and right then I came running up.

(bas steshan se nikal hii rahii thii, tabhii main daudtaa huaa pahunchaa।)

जैसे ही उसने दरवाज़ा बंद किया, तभी अंदर से कोई चीज़ गिरने की आवाज़ आई। The moment he shut the door, right then a sound of something falling came from inside.

(jaise hii usne darvaazaa band kiyaa, tabhii andar se koii chiiz girne kii aavaaz aaii।)

क्या पता, शायद वह अभी निकल ही रहा हो, तभी उसे रास्ते में कोई मिल जाए। Who knows, maybe he's just leaving right now, and just then someone might run into him on the way.

(kyaa pataa, shaayad vah abhii nikal hii rahaa ho, tabhii use raaste men koii mil jaae।)

अगर वह थोड़ी देर और रुकता, तभी शायद उसकी मुलाक़ात उससे हो जाती। If he had stopped a little longer, right at that moment he might have run into her.

(agar vah thodii der aur ruktaa, tabhii shaayad uskii mulaaqaat usse ho jaatii।)

मैंने खाना बनाना शुरू ही किया था, तभी मेहमान आ गए। I had just started cooking, and right then the guests arrived.

(mainne khaanaa banaanaa shuroo hii kiyaa thaa, tabhii mehmaan aa gae।)

गाड़ी मुश्किल से पार्क हुई थी, तभी ट्रैफ़िक पुलिस वहाँ आ पहुँची। The car had barely been parked when right then the traffic police showed up there.

(gaadii mushkil se paark huii thii, tabhii traifik pulis vahaan aa pahunchii।)

प्रधानाध्यापक ने अभी घोषणा शुरू ही की थी, तभी घंटी बज गई और सब उठ खड़े हुए। The principal had just started the announcement when right then the bell rang and everyone stood up.

(pradhaanaadhyaapak ne abhii ghoshnaa shuroo hii kii thii, tabhii ghantii baj gaii aur sab uth khade hue।)

सिपाही ने बंदूक उठाई ही थी, तभी एक ज़ोरदार आवाज़ ने पूरी बस्ती को हिला दिया। The soldier had just raised his gun when right at that instant a thunderous sound shook the whole settlement.

(sipaahii ne bandook uthaaii hii thii, tabhii ek zordaar aavaaz ne poorii bastii ko hilaa diyaa।)

Sense 2 : that explains it / that's why (retrospective realization)

adverb Often stands alone or at the start of a clause as a realization marker, connecting a fact just learned to something observed earlier.

Synonyms: इसीलिए (isiilie), इस वजह से (is vajah se)

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: This is the 'aha' तभी (tabhii): someone says 'उसने कल रात खाना नहीं खाया' (usne kal raat khaanaa nahiin khaayaa, 'he didn't eat dinner last night') and you reply 'तभी तो वो इतना चिड़चिड़ा है' (tabhii to vo itnaa chidchidaa hai, 'that's why he's so irritable'). Adding तो (to) right after, as in तभी तो (tabhii to), is extremely common in this sense and makes the realization land harder.

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners translate this sense too literally as 'then' instead of hearing it as 'ah, that explains it' -- the tone is one of sudden understanding, not simple time sequence.

Sample Sentences:

अच्छा, उसकी तबीयत ठीक नहीं थी। तभी वो पार्टी में नहीं आया। Oh, he wasn't feeling well. That's why he didn't come to the party.

(achchhaa, uskii tabiiyat thiik nahiin thii। tabhii vo paartii men nahiin aayaa।)

उसने रात भर पढ़ाई की थी। तभी तो वो इतना थका हुआ लग रहा है। He'd been studying all night. That's exactly why he looks so tired.

(usne raat bhar padhaaii kii thii। tabhii to vo itnaa thakaa huaa lag rahaa hai।)

उसका फ़ोन बंद था। तभी मैं उससे बात नहीं कर पाया। His phone was off. That's why I couldn't talk to him.

(uskaa fon band thaa। tabhii main usse baat nahiin kar paayaa।)

क्या वो दोनों झगड़ रहे थे? तभी तो कमरे में इतनी चुप्पी थी। Were the two of them fighting? That explains why it was so quiet in the room.

(kyaa vo donon jhagad rahe the? tabhii to kamre men itnii chuppii thii।)

अगर उसे प्रमोशन मिला होता, तो तभी वो इतना खुश होता। If he had gotten the promotion, that would explain why he'd be so happy.

(agar use pramoshan milaa hotaa, to tabhii vo itnaa khush hotaa।)

शायद उसे नौकरी से निकाल दिया गया हो, तभी वो इतना परेशान है। Maybe he was fired, that would explain why he's so upset.

(shaayad use naukrii se nikaal diyaa gayaa ho, tabhii vo itnaa pareshaan hai।)

इतनी तेज़ बारिश हो रही थी। तभी सड़कों पर पानी भर गया। It had been raining so hard. That's why the streets got flooded.

(itnii tez baarish ho rahii thii। tabhii sadkon par paanii bhar gayaa।)

मुझे अभी पता चला कि आज उसका जन्मदिन है। तभी तो सब उसे बधाई दे रहे थे। I just found out it's his birthday today. That's exactly why everyone was wishing him.

(mujhe abhii pataa chalaa ki aaj uskaa janmdin hai। tabhii to sab use badhaaii de rahe the।)

वित्त मंत्री के अनुसार बाज़ार में मंदी थी, तभी शेयरों के दाम गिर गए। According to the finance minister the market was in a slump, that's why share prices fell.

(vitt mantrii ke anusaar baazaar men mandii thii, tabhii sheyron ke daam gir gae।)

अरे, तुमने मिर्च ज़्यादा डाल दी थी! तभी तो खाना इतना तीखा बन गया। Oh, you'd put in too much chili! That's exactly why the food turned out so spicy.

(are, tumne mirch zyaadaa daal dii thii! tabhii to khaanaa itnaa tiikhaa ban gayaa।)

Sense 3 : only then (correlative with जब)

conjunction Forms the correlative pair तभी...जब (tabhii...jab, 'only then...when'), where तभी (tabhii) sits in the main clause and जब (jab) introduces the condition clause, in either order.

Synonyms: उसी समय (usii samay)

Frequency: medium

Cultural Note: This correlative shows up constantly in advice and life-lesson sentences -- parents and teachers love the तभी...जब (tabhii...jab) frame for statements like 'तभी तरक्की करोगे जब समय की कद्र करोगे' (tabhii tarakkii karoge jab samay kii kadr karoge, 'you'll progress only when you value your time').

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes drop जब (jab) and just use तभी (tabhii) alone hoping it carries the 'only when' meaning by itself -- without जब (jab) the conditional force is lost and it reverts to the simple 'right then' sense. 2) Word order is flexible in Hindi ('तभी सफलता मिलेगी जब तुम मेहनत करोगे' (tabhii saphaltaa milegii jab tum mehnat karoge, 'you'll only succeed when you work hard') or the जब (jab) clause first) but learners often force English SVO order onto it.

Sample Sentences:

तभी सफल होगे जब मेहनत करोगे। You'll succeed only when you work hard.

(tabhii saphal hoge jab mehnat karoge।)

तभी तरक्की करोगे जब समय की कद्र करोगे। You'll progress only when you value your time.

(tabhii tarakkii karoge jab samay kii kadr karoge।)

तभी सेहत ठीक रहती है जब आदमी नियम से खाता है। Health stays good only when a person eats on a regular schedule.

(tabhii sehat thiik rahtii hai jab aadmii niyam se khaataa hai।)

तभी इज्जत मिलेगी जब दूसरों को इज्जत दोगे। You'll get respect only when you give respect to others.

(tabhii ijjat milegii jab doosron ko ijjat doge।)

बच्चा तभी सीखता है जब उसे गलती करने दी जाती है। A child learns only when he is allowed to make mistakes.

(bachchaa tabhii siikhtaa hai jab use galtii karne dii jaatii hai।)

अगर तुम मन लगाकर पढ़ो, तभी परीक्षा में अच्छे अंक आएँगे। Only if you study with focus will you get good marks in the exam.

(agar tum man lagaakar padho, tabhii pariikshaa men achchhe ank aaenge।)

उस समय तभी शांति मिलती थी जब वह भजन गाता था। Back then, he found peace only when he sang devotional songs.

(us samay tabhii shaanti miltii thii jab vah bhajan gaataa thaa।)

यह समस्या तभी सुलझेगी जब सब मिलकर काम करेंगे। This problem will be solved only when everyone works together.

(yah samasyaa tabhii suljhegii jab sab milkar kaam karenge।)

गुरुजी कहते थे कि ज्ञान तभी मिलता है जब मन शांत हो। The teacher used to say that wisdom comes only when the mind is calm.

(gurujii kahte the ki gyaan tabhii miltaa hai jab man shaant ho।)

यदि वह तभी पहुँचता जब गाड़ी छूटी नहीं थी, तो सब ठीक होता। If he had arrived exactly when the train hadn't left yet, everything would have been fine.

(yadi vah tabhii pahunchtaa jab gaadii chhootii nahiin thii, to sab thiik hotaa।)