ज़ाहिर (zaahir)

adjective/verb An Urdu-origin adjective meaning 'apparent, evident, obvious', most often met in the fixed expression ज़ाहिर है (zaahir hai, 'obviously') and in the verb phrase ज़ाहिर करना (zaahir karnaa, 'to reveal/express').
Sense 1 : obvious, apparent, evident
adjective Most commonly seen as the frozen phrase ज़ाहिर है (zaahir hai), used almost like a sentence adverb meaning 'obviously' or 'clearly' at the start of a sentence.
Synonyms: स्पष्ट (spasht), साफ़ (saaf), प्रकट (prakat, literary)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: ज़ाहिर है (zaahir hai) is one of those handy conversational openers, much like English 'obviously' or 'of course' -- you will hear it constantly in Delhi chat when someone is stating something they think is self-evident, often with a little shrug or emphatic tone.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often try to conjugate ज़ाहिर (zaahir) like a regular adjective, but in the fixed phrase ज़ाहिर है (zaahir hai) it stays invariant regardless of the gender/number of what follows -- the है (hai) does not change to हैं (hain) here since the phrase functions as a fixed exclamation, not a normal adjective-noun agreement. 2) Do not confuse with ज़हर (zahar, 'poison') -- similar sound, completely unrelated meaning.
Sample Sentences:
ज़ाहिर है, वो आज नहीं आएगा। Obviously, he won't come today.
(zaahir hai, vo aaj nahiin aaegaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
उसकी बातों से उसका गुस्सा ज़ाहिर था। His anger was evident from his words.
(uskii baaton se uskaa gussaa zaahir thaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
यह बात बिल्कुल ज़ाहिर है कि उसने झूठ बोला है। It is absolutely obvious that he has lied.
(yah baat bilkul zaahir hai ki usne jhooth bolaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
क्या यह ज़ाहिर नहीं है कि वो हमसे कुछ छिपा रही है? Isn't it obvious that she's hiding something from us?
(kyaa yah zaahir nahiin hai ki vo hamse kuchh chhipaa rahii hai?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर तुम ध्यान देते तो तुम्हें भी ज़ाहिर हो जाता कि कुछ गड़बड़ है। If you had paid attention, it would have become obvious to you too that something was wrong.
(agar tum dhyaan dete to tumhen bhii zaahir ho jaataa ki kuchh gadbad hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
समय के साथ सच्चाई ज़ाहिर हो जाती है। With time, the truth becomes evident.
(samay ke saath sachchaaii zaahir ho jaatii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उसके चेहरे पर थकान साफ़ ज़ाहिर हो रही थी। The exhaustion was clearly showing on his face.
(uske chehre par thakaan saaf zaahir ho rahii thii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
यह तो ज़ाहिर सी बात है, इतना क्यों सोच रहे हो? This is such an obvious thing, why are you thinking so much about it?
(yah to zaahir sii baat hai, itnaa kyon soch rahe ho?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
यह निष्कर्ष तमाम सबूतों से पूर्णतः ज़ाहिर होता है। This conclusion is completely evident from all the evidence.
(yah nishkarsh tamaam sabooton se poorntah zaahir hotaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
ज़ाहिर है, हर कोई अपनी गलती नहीं मानता। Obviously, not everyone accepts their own mistake.
(zaahir hai, har koii apnii galtii nahiin maantaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उम्मीद है कि जल्दी ही सच्चाई ज़ाहिर हो जाए। Hopefully the truth becomes evident soon.
(ummiid hai ki jaldii hii sachchaaii zaahir ho jaae।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
Sense 2 : to reveal, make known, express (as part of ज़ाहिर करना)
verb, transitive Functions as the non-verbal component of the compound verb ज़ाहिर करना (zaahir karnaa, 'to express/reveal') and ज़ाहिर होना (zaahir honaa, 'to become apparent') -- करना (karnaa) or होना (honaa) carries the actual verb morphology.
Synonyms: प्रकट करना (prakat karnaa), व्यक्त करना (vyakt karnaa, formal)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: ज़ाहिर करना (zaahir karnaa) is the go-to phrase for 'expressing' feelings, intentions, or opinions in a slightly more formal register than सीधे बताना (siidhe bataanaa, 'to tell directly') -- you will see it often in news reports and formal speech, e.g. politicians 'ज़ाहिर करते हैं' (zaahir karte hain) their concern.
Common Mistakes: 1) ज़ाहिर (zaahir) itself never conjugates in this construction -- all tense/agreement happens on करना (karnaa) or होना (honaa), e.g. उसने अपनी नाराज़गी ज़ाहिर की (usne apnii naaraazgii zaahir kii, 'she expressed her displeasure'), where की (kii) agrees with नाराज़गी (naaraazgii), not with ज़ाहिर (zaahir).
Sample Sentences:
उसने अपनी नाराज़गी ज़ाहिर की। She expressed her displeasure.
(usne apnii naaraazgii zaahir kii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
मंत्री ने इस मुद्दे पर अपनी चिंता ज़ाहिर की। The minister expressed his concern about this issue.
(mantrii ne is mudde par apnii chintaa zaahir kii।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
वह अक्सर अपनी भावनाएँ खुलकर ज़ाहिर नहीं करता। He often doesn't openly express his feelings.
(vah aksar apnii bhaavnaaen khulkar zaahir nahiin kartaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
सरकार जल्द ही अपनी योजना ज़ाहिर करेगी। The government will soon reveal its plan.
(sarkaar jald hii apnii yojnaa zaahir karegii।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
कृपया अपनी राय साफ़ शब्दों में ज़ाहिर करें। Please express your opinion in clear words.
(kripyaa apnii raay saaf shabdon men zaahir karen।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
अधिकारी बार-बार अपनी नाखुशी ज़ाहिर करते रहे। The officials kept expressing their dissatisfaction again and again.
(adhikaarii baar-baar apnii naakhushii zaahir karte rahe।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगर वह अपनी परेशानी पहले ज़ाहिर करता, तो हम मदद कर पाते। If he had expressed his trouble earlier, we would have been able to help.
(agar vah apnii pareshaanii pahle zaahir kartaa, to ham madad kar paate।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
पत्रकारों के सामने अपनी राय ज़ाहिर करना आसान नहीं होता। It isn't easy to express one's opinion in front of journalists.
(patrkaaron ke saamne apnii raay zaahir karnaa aasaan nahiin hotaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
यह ज़रूरी है कि आप अपनी असहमति ज़ाहिर करें। It is necessary that you express your disagreement.
(yah zaroorii hai ki aap apnii asahamti zaahir karen।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
प्रेस कॉन्फ्रेंस में उनकी नाराज़गी साफ़ ज़ाहिर की गई। Their displeasure was clearly expressed at the press conference.
(pres konphrens men unkii naaraazgii saaf zaahir kii gaii।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
Morphology
Adjective (invariant)
invariant: ज़ाहिर (zaahir)
Verb
infinitive: ज़ाहिर (zaahir)
infinitive oblique: ज़ाहिने (zaahine)
habitual/simple (sg.m): ज़ाहिता (zaahitaa)
habitual/simple (pl.m): ज़ाहिते (zaahite)
habitual/simple (sg.f): ज़ाहिती (zaahitii)
habitual/simple (pl.f): ज़ाहितीं (zaahitiin)
continuous (sg.m): ज़ाहि रहा (zaahi rahaa)
continuous (pl.m): ज़ाहि रहे (zaahi rahe)
continuous (sg.f): ज़ाहि रही (zaahi rahii)
continuous (pl.f): ज़ाहि रहीं (zaahi rahiin)
perfective (sg.m): ज़ाहिा ([[ज़ाहिा]])
perfective (pl.m): ज़ाहिे ([[ज़ाहिे]])
perfective (sg.f): ज़ाहिी ([[ज़ाहिी]])
perfective (pl.f): ज़ाहिीं ([[ज़ाहिीं]])
imperative (informal): ज़ाहि (zaahi)
imperative (neutral): ज़ाहिो ([[ज़ाहिो]])
imperative (formal): ज़ाहििए ([[ज़ाहििए]])
future (1sg.m): ज़ाहिूँगा ([[ज़ाहिूँगा]])
future (1sg.f): ज़ाहिूँगी ([[ज़ाहिूँगी]])
future (1pl.m): ज़ाहिेंगे ([[ज़ाहिेंगे]])
future (1pl.f): ज़ाहिेंगी ([[ज़ाहिेंगी]])
future (2sg.m): ज़ाहिेगा ([[ज़ाहिेगा]])
future (2sg.f): ज़ाहिेगी ([[ज़ाहिेगी]])
future (2pl.m): ज़ाहिोगे ([[ज़ाहिोगे]])
future (2pl.f): ज़ाहिोगी ([[ज़ाहिोगी]])
future (3sg.m): ज़ाहिेगा ([[ज़ाहिेगा]])
future (3sg.f): ज़ाहिेगी ([[ज़ाहिेगी]])
future (3pl.m): ज़ाहिेंगे ([[ज़ाहिेंगे]])
future (3pl.f): ज़ाहिेंगी ([[ज़ाहिेंगी]])
subjunctive (1sg): ज़ाहिूँ ([[ज़ाहिूँ]])
subjunctive (1pl): ज़ाहिें ([[ज़ाहिें]])
subjunctive (2sg): ज़ाहिे ([[ज़ाहिे]])
subjunctive (2pl): ज़ाहिो ([[ज़ाहिो]])
subjunctive (3sg): ज़ाहिे ([[ज़ाहिे]])
subjunctive (3pl): ज़ाहिें ([[ज़ाहिें]])