संभव (sambhav)
adjective/noun
One core sense: 'possible.' Mostly used as an adjective in fixed frames like संभव है (sambhav hai) and जहाँ तक संभव हो (jahaan tak sambhav ho).
Sense
1
:
possible, feasible
adjective Commonly paired with है (hai) as संभव है (sambhav hai, 'it is possible') to open a sentence, functioning like an impersonal opener similar to 'maybe' or 'it's possible that.'
Synonyms: मुमकिन (mumkin), साध्य (saadhy, literary)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will hear जितना संभव हो सके (jitnaa sambhav ho sake, 'as much as possible') and जहाँ तक संभव हो (jahaan tak sambhav ho, 'as far as possible') constantly in polite requests and official notices in Delhi -- these are the everyday home of this word far more than standalone use.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often try to make संभव (sambhav) agree in gender/number like a normal adjective, but it is invariant -- it stays संभव (sambhav) regardless of the noun it describes. 2) संभव है (sambhav hai) at the start of a sentence means 'it's possible that,' not 'it is possible' describing a specific noun just mentioned -- learners sometimes misplace it expecting it to modify the previous word directly.
Sample Sentences:
यह काम समय पर पूरा करना संभव है।
It is possible to finish this work on time.
(yah kaam samay par pooraa karnaa sambhav hai।)
जितना संभव हो सके, उतनी जल्दी जवाब दीजिए।
Please reply as quickly as possible.
(jitnaa sambhav ho sake, utnii jaldii javaab diijie।)
जहाँ तक संभव हो, कागज़ी काम कम से कम कीजिए।
As far as possible, keep the paperwork to a minimum.
(jahaan tak sambhav ho, kaagzii kaam kam se kam kiijie।)
क्या इतने कम समय में यह संभव होगा?
Will this be possible in such a short time?
(kyaa itne kam samay men yah sambhav hogaa?)
अगर पैसे होते, तो यह यात्रा संभव होती।
If there had been money, this trip would have been possible.
(agar paise hote, to yah yaatraa sambhav hotii।)
मुझे नहीं लगता कि ऐसा करना संभव है।
I don't think doing that is possible.
(mujhe nahiin lagtaa ki aisaa karnaa sambhav hai।)
हो सकता है कि यह संभव न हो।
It's possible that this may not be possible.
(ho saktaa hai ki yah sambhav n ho।)
इंजीनियरों ने साबित कर दिया कि पुल को बिना रुकावट बनाना संभव था।
The engineers proved that building the bridge without interruption was possible.
(injiiniyron ne saabit kar diyaa ki pul ko binaa rukaavat banaanaa sambhav thaa।)
सभी उपायों के बावजूद, समय पर डिलीवरी संभव नहीं हो पाई।
Despite all measures, on-time delivery could not be made possible.
(sabhii upaayon ke baavjood, samay par diliivrii sambhav nahiin ho paaii।)
यदि सभी सहयोग दें, तो हर लक्ष्य संभव है।
If everyone cooperates, every goal is possible.
(yadi sabhii sahyog den, to har lakshy sambhav hai।)
इस ब्रह्मांड में जो कुछ भी है, वह उसी परम शक्ति से संभव हुआ है।
Whatever exists in this universe has become possible through that supreme power alone.
(is brahmaand men jo kuchh bhii hai, vah usii param shakti se sambhav huaa hai।)
Sense
2
:
possibility (rare as standalone noun)
noun, feminine The dedicated noun for 'possibility' is संभावना (sambhaavnaa); संभव (sambhav) itself is rarely used as a standalone noun in everyday speech.
Synonyms: संभावना (sambhaavnaa)
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: If you mean the noun 'possibility,' reach for संभावना (sambhaavnaa) instead -- native speakers keep संभव (sambhav) as the adjective and let its cousin संभावना (sambhaavnaa) carry the noun sense.
Sample Sentences:
इस काम का संभव अभी विचार का विषय है।
The possibility of this work is still a matter of consideration.
(is kaam kaa sambhav abhii vichaar kaa vishay hai।)
विद्वानों ने इस योजना के संभव पर बहस की।
The scholars debated the possibility of this plan.
(vidvaanon ne is yojnaa ke sambhav par bahas kii।)
क्या इस बात का संभव कभी सिद्ध हो सकेगा?
Will the possibility of this ever be proven?
(kyaa is baat kaa sambhav kabhii siddh ho sakegaa?)
उस संभव की चर्चा शास्त्रों में मिलती है।
A discussion of that possibility is found in the scriptures.
(us sambhav kii charchaa shaastron men miltii hai।)
यदि यह संभव सत्य होता, तो जगत का स्वरूप ही भिन्न होता।
If this possibility were true, the nature of the world itself would be different.
(yadi yah sambhav saty hotaa, to jagat kaa svaroop hii bhinn hotaa।)
दार्शनिकों ने संभव और असंभव के भेद पर गहन विचार किया।
The philosophers reflected deeply on the distinction between possibility and impossibility.
(daarshnikon ne sambhav aur asambhav ke bhed par gahan vichaar kiyaa।)
इस संभव को नकारना उचित नहीं होगा।
It would not be right to deny this possibility.
(is sambhav ko nakaarnaa uchit nahiin hogaa।)
ग्रंथ में संभव का उल्लेख अत्यंत संक्षेप में किया गया है।
The possibility is mentioned only very briefly in the text.
(granth men sambhav kaa ullekh atyant sankshep men kiyaa gayaa hai।)
Morphology
Adjective (invariant)
invariant:
संभव
(sambhav)
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
संभव
(sambhav)
(sg.f.oblique):
संभव
(sambhav)
(pl.f.direct):
संभवें
(sambhven)
(pl.f.oblique):
संभवों
(sambhvon)