अहम (aham)
adjective/noun
Two related but distinct uses: an adjective meaning 'important', and a noun meaning 'ego, self' (borrowed from Sanskrit 'aham', I).
Sense
1
:
important, significant
adjective
Synonyms: महत्वपूर्ण (mahatvpoorn), ज़रूरी (zaroorii)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will hear अहम भूमिका (aham bhoomikaa, 'important role') constantly in news broadcasts and formal speeches -- it is the go-to word for 'important' in a slightly elevated, official register, sitting a notch above the everyday ज़रूरी (zaroorii).
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes confuse अहम (aham, 'important') with अहंकार (ahankaar, 'ego/arrogance') or with the noun sense of अहम (aham, 'ego') itself -- context (adjective before a noun vs. standalone noun) usually disambiguates. 2) अहम (aham) is invariant and does not change form for gender or number, unlike many adjectives ending in a vowel sound.
Sample Sentences:
इस मामले में सबूत बहुत अहम हैं।
In this case, the evidence is very important.
(is maamle men saboot bahut aham hain।)
उन्होंने इस परियोजना में अहम भूमिका निभाई।
He played an important role in this project.
(unhonne is pariyojnaa men aham bhoomikaa nibhaaii।)
सरकार जल्द ही एक अहम फैसला लेगी।
The government will soon make an important decision.
(sarkaar jald hii ek aham phaislaa legii।)
बैठक में कई अहम मुद्दों पर चर्चा हो रही थी।
Several important issues were being discussed in the meeting.
(baithak men kaii aham muddon par charchaa ho rahii thii।)
क्या तुम्हें लगता है कि यह मुलाकात अहम है?
Do you think this meeting is important?
(kyaa tumhen lagtaa hai ki yah mulaakaat aham hai?)
अगर वह समय पर अहम कदम उठाता, तो नुकसान न होता।
If he had taken an important step on time, the loss would not have happened.
(agar vah samay par aham kadam uthaataa, to nuksaan n hotaa।)
इस रिपोर्ट में सबसे अहम बात यह है कि बजट बढ़ाया जाए।
The most important point in this report is that the budget should be increased.
(is riport men sabse aham baat yah hai ki bajat badhaayaa jaae।)
अहम भूमिका निभाने वाले सभी अधिकारियों को सम्मानित किया गया।
All the officials who played an important role were honored.
(aham bhoomikaa nibhaane vaale sabhii adhikaariyon ko sammaanit kiyaa gayaa।)
देश की सुरक्षा के लिए यह जानकारी बेहद अहम मानी जाती है।
This information is considered extremely important for the country's security.
(desh kii surakshaa ke lie yah jaankaarii behad aham maanii jaatii hai।)
उस अहम मोड़ पर हमें सही रास्ता चुनना चाहिए।
At that important turning point, we should choose the right path.
(us aham mod par hamen sahii raastaa chunnaa chaahie।)
इतिहास के इस अहम दौर को कभी मत भूलना।
Never forget this important era of history.
(itihaas ke is aham daur ko kabhii mat bhoolnaa।)
Sense
2
:
ego, self
noun, masculine
Synonyms: अहंकार (ahankaar, often stronger: 'arrogance/pride'), अहं (ahan, variant form, more literary/psychological)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This sense comes straight from Sanskrit अहम् (aham, 'I'), the same root that gives us the philosophical idea of the self as the seat of pride. You will hear it in phrases like उसका अहम आड़े आ गया (uskaa aham aade aa gayaa, 'his ego got in the way'), often in family or workplace conflict stories.
Common Mistakes: 1) अहम (aham) as 'ego' is more commonly seen as अहं (ahan) in psychological or philosophical discussion (e.g. Freud's 'ego'); the two are the same word but अहं (ahan) is the more usual spelling in that specific noun sense.
Sample Sentences:
उसका अहम आड़े आ गया।
His ego got in the way.
(uskaa aham aade aa gayaa।)
उसे अपने अहम को थोड़ा कम करना चाहिए।
He should tone down his ego a little.
(use apne aham ko thodaa kam karnaa chaahie।)
अगर उसका अहम इतना बड़ा न होता तो रिश्ता टूटता ही नहीं।
If his ego weren't so big, the relationship would never have broken.
(agar uskaa aham itnaa badaa n hotaa to rishtaa toottaa hii nahiin।)
भाई-भाई के बीच का यह झगड़ा सिर्फ अहम की लड़ाई है।
This fight between the brothers is nothing but a clash of egos.
(bhaaii-bhaaii ke biich kaa yah jhagdaa sirph aham kii ladaaii hai।)
दफ्तर में हर कोई अपना अहम बचाने में लगा रहता है।
In the office, everyone stays busy protecting their own ego.
(daphtar men har koii apnaa aham bachaane men lagaa rahtaa hai।)
मैंने अपने अहम को दरकिनार करके माफी माँग ली।
I set my ego aside and apologized.
(mainne apne aham ko darkinaar karke maaphii maang lii।)
अपना अहम त्यागो, तभी रिश्ता बचेगा।
Give up your ego, only then will the relationship survive.
(apnaa aham tyaago, tabhii rishtaa bachegaa।)
पिता और पुत्र के अहम का टकराव पूरे घर में तनाव फैला रहा था।
The clash between the father's and son's egos was spreading tension through the whole house.
(pitaa aur putr ke aham kaa takraav poore ghar men tanaav phailaa rahaa thaa।)
क्या यह सब अहम की वजह से नहीं हो रहा?
Isn't all this happening because of ego?
(kyaa yah sab aham kii vajah se nahiin ho rahaa?)
अध्यात्म में कहा जाता है कि अहम ही सबसे बड़ी बाधा है।
In spirituality it is said that ego is the greatest obstacle of all.
(adhyaatm men kahaa jaataa hai ki aham hii sabse badii baadhaa hai।)
Morphology
Adjective (invariant)
invariant:
अहम
(aham)
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
अहम
(aham)
(sg.m.oblique):
अहम
(aham)
(pl.m.direct):
अहम
(aham)
(pl.m.oblique):
अहमों
(ahmon)