प्रथम (pratham)
adjective
A formal, literary word for 'first', used mainly in ordinal numbering, titles, and set phrases rather than everyday counting.
Sense
1
:
first (ordinal)
adjective
Synonyms: पहला (pahlaa)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You'll see प्रथम (pratham) on report cards, medal podiums, and government notices -- प्रथम स्थान (pratham sthaan, 'first place') is the standard phrase for a winner's rank. In casual conversation about daily life, though, a Delhi household will almost always say पहला (pahlaa) instead -- 'first' in the sense of first cup of tea or first day of the week.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for प्रथम (pratham) in everyday speech where पहला (pahlaa) is the natural choice -- प्रथम (pratham) belongs to formal writing, exam results, rankings, and official titles like प्रथम श्रेणी (pratham shrenii, 'first class'). 2) Unlike पहला (pahlaa), which inflects for gender and number (पहला/पहली/पहले, pahlaa/pahlii/pahle), प्रथम (pratham) stays the same form regardless of the noun it describes.
Sample Sentences:
उसने परीक्षा में प्रथम स्थान प्राप्त किया।
He got first place in the exam.
(usne pariikshaa men pratham sthaan praapt kiyaa।)
प्रथम पुरस्कार विजेता को मंच पर बुलाया गया।
The first-prize winner was called to the stage.
(pratham puraskaar vijetaa ko manch par bulaayaa gayaa।)
प्रथम श्रेणी में उत्तीर्ण होने के लिए कड़ी मेहनत करनी होगी।
One will have to work hard to pass in the first division.
(pratham shrenii men uttiirn hone ke lie kadii mehnat karnii hogii।)
यह भारत का प्रथम प्रधानमंत्री कौन था?
Who was India's first prime minister?
(yah bhaarat kaa pratham pradhaanmantrii kaun thaa?)
प्रत्येक वर्ष विश्वविद्यालय प्रथम स्थान पाने वाले छात्र को स्वर्ण पदक देता है।
Every year the university gives a gold medal to the student who gets first place.
(pratyek varsh vishvvidyaalay pratham sthaan paane vaale chhaatr ko svarn padak detaa hai।)
यदि वह प्रथम स्थान प्राप्त करता तो उसे छात्रवृत्ति मिलती।
If he had gotten first place, he would have received a scholarship.
(yadi vah pratham sthaan praapt kartaa to use chhaatrvritti miltii।)
कृपया प्रथम पंक्ति में बैठे अतिथियों का स्वागत करें।
Please welcome the guests seated in the first row.
(kripyaa pratham pankti men baithe atithiyon kaa svaagat karen।)
प्रथम विश्व युद्ध के बाद अनेक देशों की सीमाएँ बदल गईं।
After the First World War, the borders of many countries changed.
(pratham vishv yuddh ke baad anek deshon kii siimaaen badal gaiin।)
संभव है कि इस बार भी वही प्रथम स्थान पर आए।
It's possible that he might come in first place this time too.
(sambhav hai ki is baar bhii vahii vahii pratham sthaan par aae।)
प्रथम दृष्टि में यह प्रस्ताव उचित प्रतीत होता है।
At first glance, this proposal seems reasonable.
(pratham drishti men yah prastaav uchit pratiit hotaa hai।)
Morphology
Adjective (invariant)
invariant:
प्रथम
(pratham)