शुद्ध (shuddh)

adjective A learned/formal adjective covering 'pure' in several linked senses -- physically/ritually pure, linguistically/grammatically correct, and morally pure -- plus a set-phrase use meaning 'net' in financial contexts.
Sense 1 : pure, uncontaminated (physical/ritual)
adjective
Synonyms: पवित्र (pavitr), निर्मल (nirmal, literary), खरा (kharaa, everyday, esp. metals/character)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will see this word constantly on food packaging and water bottles in Delhi -- शुद्ध शाकाहारी (shuddh shaakaahaarii, 'pure vegetarian') is a common sign outside restaurants and roadside dhabas, signaling that no meat or eggs are used in the kitchen at all.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for पवित्र (pavitr) for everything 'pure,' but शुद्ध (shuddh) is the more common everyday choice for physical purity, like शुद्ध पानी (shuddh paanii, 'pure water') or शुद्ध घी (shuddh ghii, 'pure ghee') -- पवित्र (pavitr) leans more sacred/ritual.
Sample Sentences:
यह होटल शुद्ध शाकाहारी है। This hotel is pure vegetarian.
(yah hotal shuddh shaakaahaarii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
गंगाजल को शुद्ध माना जाता है। Ganges water is considered pure.
(gangaajal ko shuddh maanaa jaataa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
क्या यह पानी पीने के लिए शुद्ध है? Is this water pure enough to drink?
(kyaa yah paanii piine ke lie shuddh hai?)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
पहले दूध बिल्कुल शुद्ध होता था, अब मिलावट होती है। Earlier the milk used to be completely pure, now there's adulteration.
(pahle doodh bilkul shuddh hotaa thaa, ab milaavat hotii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
इस तेल को शुद्ध करने के लिए फिर से छानो। Strain this oil again to purify it.
(is tel ko shuddh karne ke lie phir se chhaano।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
अगर हवा शुद्ध होती, तो दिल्ली में सांस लेना इतना मुश्किल न होता। If the air were pure, breathing in Delhi wouldn't be this hard.
(agar havaa shuddh hotii, to dillii men saans lenaa itnaa mushkil n hotaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
पूजा के लिए शुद्ध घी ही इस्तेमाल करना चाहिए। For worship, only pure ghee should be used.
(poojaa ke lie shuddh ghii hii istemaal karnaa chaahie।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
यह मंदिर शुद्ध सोने से बना है। This temple is made of pure gold.
(yah mandir shuddh sone se banaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
दुकानदार ने कहा कि यह शहद बिल्कुल शुद्ध है, कोई मिलावट नहीं। The shopkeeper said this honey is completely pure, no adulteration.
(dukaandaar ne kahaa ki yah shahad bilkul shuddh hai, koii milaavat nahiin।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
यज्ञ में हमेशा शुद्ध जल और शुद्ध सामग्री का इस्तेमाल होता है। In a yajna, only pure water and pure materials are always used.
(yagy men hameshaa shuddh jal aur shuddh saamagrii kaa istemaal hotaa hai।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
बोतल पर लिखा है कि यह सौ प्रतिशत शुद्ध जैतून का तेल है। It's written on the bottle that this is one hundred percent pure olive oil.
(botal par likhaa hai ki yah sau pratishat shuddh jaitoon kaa tel hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
Sense 2 : correct, standard (of language, pronunciation, grammar)
adjective
Synonyms: सही (sahii, more everyday), सटीक (satiik, precise/accurate)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: Teachers and grammar sticklers use शुद्ध (shuddh) to mean 'proper' Hindi as opposed to the Hindi-English mix heard on the street; calling someone's Hindi अशुद्ध (ashuddh, 'impure/incorrect') is a common, slightly pointed correction.
Common Mistakes: 1) In a language-teaching context, शुद्ध हिंदी (shuddh hindii, 'correct/proper Hindi') refers to standard, grammatically correct usage rather than an informal or mixed-register version, so it carries a slight tone of formality or even purism when used to critique someone's speech.
Sample Sentences:
आपको शुद्ध हिंदी बोलनी चाहिए। You should speak correct Hindi.
(aapko shuddh hindii bolnii chaahie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
मास्टर जी हमेशा शुद्ध उच्चारण पर ज़ोर देते हैं। The teacher always insists on correct pronunciation.
(maastar jii hameshaa shuddh uchchaaran par zor dete hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
तुमने वाक्य में एक गलती की, यह शुद्ध नहीं है। You made a mistake in the sentence, this isn't correct.
(tumne vaaky men ek galtii kii, yah shuddh nahiin hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उसकी हिंदी बहुत शुद्ध है, बिल्कुल किताबी लगती है। Her Hindi is very correct, it sounds completely bookish.
(uskii hindii bahut shuddh hai, bilkul kitaabii lagtii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर तुम शुद्ध हिंदी बोलते तो सब समझ जाते। If you spoke correct Hindi, everyone would understand.
(agar tum shuddh hindii bolte to sab samajh jaate।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
कृपया शब्दों का शुद्ध उच्चारण करें। Please pronounce the words correctly.
(kripyaa shabdon kaa shuddh uchchaaran karen।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
उसने जो हिंदी लिखी, वह पूरी तरह शुद्ध थी। The Hindi he wrote was completely correct.
(usne jo hindii likhii, vah poorii tarah shuddh thii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम्हें यकीन है कि यह व्याकरण शुद्ध है? Are you sure this grammar is correct?
(kyaa tumhen yakiin hai ki yah vyaakran shuddh hai?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
गली में बोली जाने वाली हिंदी अशुद्ध मानी जाती है, जबकि दूरदर्शन की भाषा शुद्ध कही जाती है। The Hindi spoken in the street is considered impure, whereas the language of Doordarshan is called correct.
(galii men bolii jaane vaalii hindii ashuddh maanii jaatii hai, jabki doordarshan kii bhaashaa shuddh kahii jaatii hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
बच्चों को स्कूल में शुद्ध हिंदी सिखाई जाती है। Children are taught correct Hindi in school.
(bachchon ko skool men shuddh hindii sikhaaii jaatii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
Sense 3 : pure, uncorrupted (of character, intention, heart)
adjective
Synonyms: निष्कपट (nishkpat, literary, 'guileless'), साफ (saaph, everyday, esp. 'clean/clear' intention)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You'll hear this in phrases like शुद्ध मन से (shuddh man se, 'with a pure heart/intention'), often in devotional or moral contexts -- praying, apologizing, or describing someone's motives as sincere rather than self-serving.
Sample Sentences:
उसने शुद्ध मन से माफी माँगी। He apologized with a pure heart.
(usne shuddh man se maaphii maangii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
मैं शुद्ध मन से तुमसे यह बात कह रहा हूँ। I am telling you this with a pure and honest intention.
(main shuddh man se tumse yah baat kah rahaa hoon।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
भगवान से शुद्ध हृदय से प्रार्थना करो। Pray to God with a pure heart.
(bhagvaan se shuddh hriday se praarthnaa karo।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
अगर उसकी नीयत शुद्ध होती, तो वह ऐसा धोखा कभी न देता। If his intentions were pure, he would never have cheated like that.
(agar uskii niiyat shuddh hotii, to vah aisaa dhokhaa kabhii n detaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
संत सदा शुद्ध हृदय से जीवन जीते हैं। Saints always live their lives with a pure heart.
(sant sadaa shuddh hriday se jiivan jiite hain।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम्हारा इरादा सचमुच शुद्ध है? Is your intention really pure?
(kyaa tumhaaraa iraadaa sachmuch shuddh hai?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
शायद उसका मन शुद्ध हो, इसलिए सबको माफ कर देता है। Maybe his heart is pure, that's why he forgives everyone.
(shaayad uskaa man shuddh ho, islie sabko maaph kar detaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
गुरुजी ने कहा कि शुद्ध मन से किया गया कर्म ही सच्चा पुण्य है। The guru said that only an act done with a pure heart is true virtue.
(gurujii ne kahaa ki shuddh man se kiyaa gayaa karm hii sachchaa puny hai।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
उसकी शुद्ध भावना को सबने सराहा। Everyone appreciated his pure and sincere feeling.
(uskii shuddh bhaavnaa ko sabne saraahaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Sense 4 : net (of weight, profit, income -- after deductions)
adjective This financial/quantitative sense pairs typically with nouns like वज़न (vazan, 'weight'), लाभ (laabh, 'profit'), or आय (aay, 'income'), contrasting with सकल (sakal, 'gross').
Synonyms: नेट (net, English loanword, informal/business use)
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: This shows up on business and tax paperwork -- शुद्ध लाभ (shuddh laabh, 'net profit') is the standard term you'd see in a shopkeeper's accounts or a company balance sheet, paired against सकल आय (sakal aay, 'gross income').
Sample Sentences:
इस महीने हमारा शुद्ध लाभ पिछले महीने से ज़्यादा है। This month our net profit is higher than last month's.
(is mahiine hamaaraa shuddh laabh pichhle mahiine se zyaadaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
सारे खर्चे काटने के बाद शुद्ध आय बहुत कम रह जाती है। After deducting all the expenses, the net income turns out to be very little.
(saare kharche kaatne ke baad shuddh aay bahut kam rah jaatii hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
बैलेंस शीट में शुद्ध लाभ अलग से दिखाया गया है। The net profit has been shown separately in the balance sheet.
(bailens shiit men shuddh laabh alag se dikhaayaa gayaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
टैक्स भरने से पहले अपनी शुद्ध आय की गणना कर लें। Calculate your net income before filing taxes.
(taiks bharne se pahle apnii shuddh aay kii gannaa kar len।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
अगर सारे टैक्स न हों तो शुद्ध लाभ दोगुना होता। If there were no taxes at all, the net profit would be double.
(agar saare taiks n hon to shuddh laabh dogunaa hotaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
दुकानदार ने बताया कि इस साल शुद्ध लाभ सकल आय के मुकाबले काफी कम रहा। The shopkeeper mentioned that this year the net profit was quite low compared to the gross income.
(dukaandaar ne bataayaa ki is saal shuddh laabh sakal aay ke mukaable kaaphii kam rahaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
कंपनी के शुद्ध लाभ में हर साल थोड़ी बढ़ोतरी होती रहती है। The company's net profit keeps increasing a little every year.
(kampnii ke shuddh laabh men har saal thodii badhotrii hotii rahtii hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अकाउंटेंट से पूछो कि शुद्ध आय कितनी बनती है। Ask the accountant how much the net income comes out to be.
(akaauntent se poochho ki shuddh aay kitnii bantii hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Adjective (variable)
(sg.m): शुद्ध (shuddh)
(pl.m): शुद्धे (shuddhe)
(sg.f): शुद्धी (shuddhii)
(pl.f): शुद्धी (shuddhii)