ख़ामोश (khaamosh)
adjective
An adjective meaning 'silent' or 'quiet' -- used for people staying quiet as well as for a hushed atmosphere or scene. Also spelled without the nuqta as खामोश (khaamosh).
Sense
1
:
silent, not speaking
adjective
Synonyms: शांत (shaant), मौन (maun, formal/literary), चुप (chup)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is the word a judge or a stern teacher uses -- ख़ामोश! (khaamosh) as a bare command feels weightier and more theatrical than चुप रहो (chup raho). It also appears in Bollywood dialogue and courtroom drama far more than in casual chit-chat, where चुप (chup) still dominates.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for चुप (chup) by default since it is taught earlier; ख़ामोश (khaamosh) is just as common in speech but carries a slightly more dramatic or formal edge, so it shows up a lot in commands like ख़ामोश हो जाओ (khaamosh ho jaao, 'be quiet!') and courtroom or classroom settings. 2) It describes a state, not an action -- to tell someone to become quiet you need हो जाना (ho jaanaa) or रहना (rahnaa), not ख़ामोश alone as a verb.
Sample Sentences:
ख़ामोश!
Silence!
(khaamosh!)
जज ने चिल्लाकर कहा, "ख़ामोश! अदालत में शोर मत मचाओ।"
The judge shouted, "Silence! Don't make noise in the courtroom."
(jaj ne chillaakar kahaa, "khaamosh! adaalat men shor mat machaao।")
वह पूरी मीटिंग में ख़ामोश बैठा रहा।
He remained silent throughout the whole meeting.
(vah poorii miiting men khaamosh baithaa rahaa।)
जब पुलिस ने सवाल पूछा, तो वह ख़ामोश हो गई।
When the police asked the question, she fell silent.
(jab pulis ne savaal poochhaa, to vah khaamosh ho gaii।)
टीचर ने कहा कि जो भी शोर करेगा उसे ख़ामोश कर दिया जाएगा।
The teacher said that whoever makes noise will be silenced.
(tiichar ne kahaa ki jo bhii shor karegaa use khaamosh kar diyaa jaaegaa।)
काश वह इतना ख़ामोश न रहता, तो हमें उसकी परेशानी पता चल जाती।
If only he hadn't stayed so silent, we would have found out about his trouble.
(kaash vah itnaa khaamosh n rahtaa, to hamen uskii pareshaanii pataa chal jaatii।)
प्लीज़ थोड़ी देर के लिए ख़ामोश रहो, मुझे सोचने दो।
Please stay silent for a bit, let me think.
(pliiz thodii der ke lie khaamosh raho, mujhe sochne do।)
अभियुक्त पूरी सुनवाई के दौरान ख़ामोश रहा, एक शब्द भी नहीं बोला।
The accused remained silent throughout the entire hearing, not uttering a single word.
(abhiyukt poorii sunvaaii ke dauraan khaamosh rahaa, ek shabd bhii nahiin bolaa।)
अगर तुम ख़ामोश रहोगे, तो सब समझ जाएँगे कि तुम्हीं ने गलती की है।
If you stay silent, everyone will understand that you're the one who made the mistake.
(agar tum khaamosh rahoge, to sab samajh jaaenge ki tumhiin ne galtii kii hai।)
फ़िल्म के उस सीन में हीरो सिर्फ़ ख़ामोश निगाहों से सब कुछ कह देता है।
In that scene of the film, the hero says everything with just his silent gaze.
(film ke us siin men hiiro sirf khaamosh nigaahon se sab kuchh kah detaa hai।)
क्या तुम एक मिनट के लिए ख़ामोश हो सकते हो?
Can you be silent for one minute?
(kyaa tum ek minat ke lie khaamosh ho sakte ho?)
Sense
2
:
hushed, still (of a place, night, atmosphere)
adjective
Synonyms: सुनसान (sunsaan, deserted/empty rather than merely quiet), शांत (shaant)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: Used poetically for a ख़ामोश रात (khaamosh raat, 'a silent night') or ख़ामोश गलियाँ (khaamosh galiyaan, 'quiet lanes') -- it paints stillness the way English 'hushed' does, giving a scene an almost held-breath quality rather than just describing low noise levels.
Sample Sentences:
रात ख़ामोश थी।
The night was still.
(raat khaamosh thii।)
ख़ामोश गलियों में सिर्फ़ हमारे क़दमों की आवाज़ सुनाई दे रही थी।
In the hushed lanes, only the sound of our footsteps could be heard.
(khaamosh galiyon men sirf hamaare qadmon kii aavaaz sunaaii de rahii thii।)
इस ख़ामोश शहर में रात के बाद कोई नहीं निकलता।
In this quiet city, no one goes out after nightfall.
(is khaamosh shahar men raat ke baad koii nahiin nikaltaa।)
पूरा जंगल ख़ामोश पड़ा था, जैसे साँस रोक रखी हो।
The whole forest lay hushed, as if it were holding its breath.
(pooraa jangal khaamosh padaa thaa, jaise saans rok rakhii ho।)
काश यह जगह इतनी ख़ामोश न होती, थोड़ा डर लगता है।
I wish this place weren't so still, it feels a bit frightening.
(kaash yah jagah itnii khaamosh n hotii, thodaa dar lagtaa hai।)
अगर रात ख़ामोश न होती, तो सितारों की यह ख़ूबसूरती महसूस ही न होती।
If the night weren't so still, this beauty of the stars wouldn't be felt at all.
(agar raat khaamosh n hotii, to sitaaron kii yah khoobsoortii mahsoos hii n hotii।)
मंदिर का प्रांगण ख़ामोश था, बस दीयों की लपटें हिल रही थीं।
The temple courtyard was hushed, only the flames of the lamps flickered.
(mandir kaa praangan khaamosh thaa, bas diiyon kii lapten hil rahii thiin।)
उम्मीद है सुबह तक यह ख़ामोश रात गुज़र जाएगी।
Hopefully this hushed night will pass by morning.
(ummiid hai subah tak yah khaamosh raat guzar jaaegii।)
जब बिजली चली जाती है तो पूरा मोहल्ला ख़ामोश हो जाता है।
When the power goes out, the whole neighborhood becomes still.
(jab bijlii chalii jaatii hai to pooraa mohallaa khaamosh ho jaataa hai।)
ऐसी ख़ामोश शाम में कविता लिखने का मन करता है।
On such a hushed evening, one feels like writing poetry.
(aisii khaamosh shaam men kavitaa likhne kaa man kartaa hai।)
Morphology
Adjective (invariant)
invariant:
ख़ामोश
(khaamosh)