एकवचन (ekavchan)

noun A grammar term meaning 'singular' (number), built from एक (ek, one) plus वचन (vachan, grammatical number/word) -- the opposite of बहुवचन (bahuvchan, plural).
Sense 1 : the grammatical singular number
noun, masculine
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: This word belongs to the vocabulary of the Hindi grammar classroom, right alongside its natural partner बहुवचन (bahuvchan, plural) and terms like लिंग (ling, gender) and कारक (kaarak, case). If you studied Sanskrit grammar or another Indian language in school, this framework will feel very familiar, since Hindi inherited its grammatical terminology largely from Sanskrit.
Common Mistakes: 1) This is a grammar-classroom term, not something used in everyday conversation -- you will meet it in Hindi textbooks and language lessons (like this one!) when discussing whether a noun is singular or plural, but a native speaker chatting casually would never drop this word into conversation. 2) Don't confuse वचन (vachan) here with its other meaning of 'a promise' or 'a word/vow' -- in grammar contexts it specifically means 'number' (singular/plural).
Sample Sentences:
एकवचन में क्रिया का रूप बदल जाता है। In the singular, the form of the verb changes.
(ekavchan men kriyaa kaa roop badal jaataa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
यह शब्द एकवचन है या बहुवचन? Is this word singular or plural?
(yah shabd ekavchan hai yaa bahuvchan?)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अध्यापिका ने बताया कि 'लड़का' एकवचन है और 'लड़के' बहुवचन। The teacher explained that 'ladkaa' is singular and 'ladke' is plural.
(adhyaapikaa ne bataayaa ki 'ladkaa' ekavchan hai aur 'ladke' bahuvchan।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
कृपया इस वाक्य को एकवचन में बदलिए। Please change this sentence into the singular.
(kripyaa is vaaky ko ekavchan men badlie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
संस्कृत में एकवचन, द्विवचन और बहुवचन, तीनों होते हैं। In Sanskrit, there are all three: singular, dual, and plural.
(sanskrit men ekavchan, dvivchan aur bahuvchan, tiinon hote hain।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
यदि कर्ता एकवचन में हो, तो क्रिया भी एकवचन में होनी चाहिए। If the subject is singular, the verb should also be in the singular.
(yadi kartaa ekavchan men ho, to kriyaa bhii ekavchan men honii chaahie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
परीक्षा में एकवचन और बहुवचन की पहचान करने का प्रश्न पूछा गया। In the exam, a question was asked to identify the singular and plural.
(pariikshaa men ekavchan aur bahuvchan kii pahchaan karne kaa prashn poochhaa gayaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
अगर यह शब्द एकवचन होता, तो इसके साथ 'है' आता, 'हैं' नहीं। If this word were singular, 'hai' would go with it, not 'hain'.
(agar yah shabd ekavchan hotaa, to iske saath 'hai' aataa, 'hain' nahiin।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): एकवचन (ekavchan)
(sg.m.oblique): एकवचन (ekavchan)
(pl.m.direct): एकवचन (ekavchan)
(pl.m.oblique): एकवचनों (ekvachnon)