देश-भक्त (desh-bhakt)

noun/adjective A compound of देश (desh, 'country') and भक्त (bhakt, 'devotee'), meaning 'patriot' -- someone devoted to their nation. One straightforward sense, used as both noun and adjective.
Sense 1 : patriot
noun, masculine/feminine
Synonyms: राष्ट्रभक्त (raashtrbhakt), वतनपरस्त (vatnaprast, literary)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This word shows up constantly around Independence Day (15 agast) and Republic Day (26 janavrii) -- school essays, patriotic songs (देशभक्ति गीत, deshbhakti giit), and political speeches all lean on it. भक्त (bhakt) itself is the same word used for a devotee of a god, so देश-भक्त literally frames love of country as a kind of devotion, the way a भक्त worships a deity.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes write it as one unhyphenated word, देशभक्त (deshbhakt) -- both the hyphenated and unhyphenated spellings are seen in print, so either is acceptable, but the hyphen is more traditional. 2) Don't confuse with देशद्रोही (deshadrohii, 'traitor to the country'), which uses द्रोही (drohii, 'rebel/traitor') instead of भक्त -- an easy mix-up since both start with देश.
Sample Sentences:
भगत सिंह एक सच्चे देश-भक्त थे। Bhagat Singh was a true patriot.
(bhagat sinh ek sachche desh-bhakt the।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
हर देश-भक्त अपने देश की रक्षा के लिए तैयार रहता है। Every patriot stays ready to defend his country.
(har desh-bhakt apne desh kii rakshaa ke lie taiyaar rahtaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
स्कूल में हमें कई देश-भक्तों की कहानियाँ सुनाई गईं। In school, we were told the stories of many patriots.
(skool men hamen kaii desh-bhakton kii kahaaniyaan sunaaii gaiin।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
15 अगस्त को हर टीवी चैनल पर देश-भक्तों को याद किया जाता है। On August 15th, every TV channel remembers patriots.
(15 agast ko har tiivii chainal par desh-bhakton ko yaad kiyaa jaataa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
काश मैं भी उन देश-भक्तों जैसा बहादुर होता। I wish I were as brave as those patriots.
(kaash main bhii un desh-bhakton jaisaa bahaadur hotaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम खुद को सच में देश-भक्त मानते हो? Do you really consider yourself a patriot?
(kyaa tum khud ko sach men desh-bhakt maante ho?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
देश-भक्तों की शहादत कभी नहीं भुलाई जानी चाहिए। The martyrdom of patriots should never be forgotten.
(desh-bhakton kii shahaadat kabhii nahiin bhulaaii jaanii chaahie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Passive
नेता जी ने भाषण में कहा कि हर नागरिक को देश-भक्त बनना चाहिए। In his speech, the leader said that every citizen should become a patriot.
(netaa jii ne bhaashan men kahaa ki har naagrik ko desh-bhakt bannaa chaahie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
इस देशभक्ति गीत को सुनकर हर देश-भक्त का सीना गर्व से भर जाता है। Hearing this patriotic song, every patriot's chest fills with pride.
(is deshbhakti giit ko sunkar har desh-bhakt kaa siinaa garv se bhar jaataa hai।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
सीमा पर लड़ रहे उन देश-भक्तों को सलाम करो। Salute those patriots who are fighting at the border.
(siimaa par lad rahe un desh-bhakton ko salaam karo।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
Sense 2 : patriotic (person)
adjective Used attributively before a noun, e.g. देश-भक्त नेता (desh-bhakt netaa, 'patriotic leader'), describing a person as devoted to the nation.
Synonyms: राष्ट्रभक्त (raashtrbhakt)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: Compare with देशभक्ति (deshbhakti), the abstract noun 'patriotism' -- देश-भक्त is the person, देशभक्ति is the quality or spirit.
Common Mistakes: 1) This adjective describes people, not abstract things like acts or speeches -- for 'a patriotic speech' or 'a patriotic film,' speakers usually reach for the noun देशभक्ति (deshbhakti, 'patriotism') in a compound, e.g. देशभक्ति भाषण (deshbhakti bhaashan, 'patriotic speech'), rather than देश-भक्त भाषण.
Sample Sentences:
वह एक देश-भक्त इंसान है। He is a patriotic person.
(vah ek desh-bhakt insaan hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
हमें अपने बच्चों को देश-भक्त नागरिक बनाना चाहिए। We should make our children into patriotic citizens.
(hamen apne bachchon ko desh-bhakt naagrik banaanaa chaahie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
स्कूल में एक देश-भक्त गीत गाया जा रहा था। A patriotic song was being sung at school.
(skool men ek desh-bhakt giit gaayaa jaa rahaa thaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
अगर तुम सच में देश-भक्त होते, तो नियम तोड़कर टैक्स नहीं बचाते। If you were truly patriotic, you wouldn't save on taxes by breaking rules.
(agar tum sach men desh-bhakt hote, to niyam todkar taiks nahiin bachaate।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
देश-भक्त बनो, पर आँख बंद करके हर बात मत मानो। Be patriotic, but don't blindly accept everything.
(desh-bhakt bano, par aankh band karke har baat mat maano।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
फ़िल्म में एक देश-भक्त सिपाही की कहानी दिखाई गई है। The film shows the story of a patriotic soldier.
(film men ek desh-bhakt sipaahii kii kahaanii dikhaaii gaii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
सच्चे देश-भक्त नेता आज कहाँ मिलते हैं? Where do you find truly patriotic leaders these days?
(sachche desh-bhakt netaa aaj kahaan milte hain?)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
यह संस्था देश-भक्त युवाओं को सेना में भर्ती होने के लिए प्रेरित करती है। This organization inspires patriotic youths to join the army.
(yah sansthaa desh-bhakt yuvaaon ko senaa men bhartii hone ke lie prerit kartii hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
क्या सिर्फ झंडा लहराने से कोई देश-भक्त हो जाता है? Does someone become patriotic just by waving a flag?
(kyaa sirph jhandaa lahraane se koii desh-bhakt ho jaataa hai?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उनका मानना था कि हर नागरिक को देश-भक्त होना चाहिए। He believed that every citizen should be patriotic.
(unkaa maannaa thaa ki har naagrik ko desh-bhakt honaa chaahie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m/f.direct): देश-भक्त ([[देश-भक्त]])
(sg.m/f.oblique): देश-भक्त ([[देश-भक्त]])
(pl.m/f.direct): देश-भक्तें ([[देश-भक्तें]])
(pl.m/f.oblique): देश-भक्तों ([[देश-भक्तों]])
Adjective (invariant)
invariant: देश-भक्त ([[देश-भक्त]])