शाबाश (shaabaash)
interjection
An interjection of praise or encouragement, used to say 'well done' or 'bravo' to someone -- often to children, students, or anyone who has just done something good.
Sense
1
:
well done, bravo (praise/encouragement)
interjection
Synonyms: वाह (vaah, expresses admiration more than praise for an act), बहुत खूब (bahut khoob)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is the word every Indian parent, teacher, or coach reaches for the instant a child does something right -- a good exam score, a completed chore, a goal scored in gully cricket. It carries a slightly senior-to-junior warmth, so it feels a bit odd said to a boss or elder, where वाह (vaah) or बहुत बढ़िया (bahut badhiyaa) fits better.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes treat शाबाश (shaabaash) as an adjective that needs to agree in gender or number, but it is invariant -- it never changes form regardless of who is being praised. 2) It is used to praise an action just completed or in progress, not as a general compliment on someone's character or looks -- for that, learners should reach for अच्छा (achchhaa) or सुंदर (sundar) instead.
Sample Sentences:
शाबाश! तुमने बहुत अच्छा किया।
Well done! You did very well.
(shaabaash! tumne bahut achchhaa kiyaa।)
शाबाश बेटा, ऐसे ही मेहनत करते रहो।
Well done, son, keep working hard like this.
(shaabaash betaa, aise hii mehnat karte raho।)
मास्टर जी ने उसकी पीठ थपथपाई और कहा, शाबाश!
The teacher patted his back and said, well done!
(maastar jii ne uskii piith thapathpaaii aur kahaa, shaabaash!)
गोल करने पर सारी टीम चिल्लाई, शाबाश!
When he scored the goal, the whole team shouted, well done!
(gol karne par saarii tiim chillaaii, shaabaash!)
अगर तुम पहले नंबर पर आते, तो मैं शाबाश कहता।
If you had come first, I would have said well done.
(agar tum pahle nambar par aate, to main shaabaash kahtaa।)
कोच हर अच्छी चाल पर शाबाश कहता है।
The coach says well done at every good move.
(koch har achchhii chaal par shaabaash kahtaa hai।)
बच्चे ने पूरा कमरा साफ कर दिया, इसलिए मैं शाबाश कहूँगी।
The child cleaned the whole room, so I will say well done.
(bachche ne pooraa kamraa saaph kar diyaa, islie main shaabaash kahoongii।)
शाबाश, इतनी मुश्किल पहेली तुमने कैसे सुलझा ली!
Well done, how did you solve such a difficult puzzle!
(shaabaash, itnii mushkil pahelii tumne kaise suljhaa lii!)
उसे शाबाश मिलनी चाहिए, उसने सबसे ज़्यादा मेहनत की है।
He should get a 'well done', he worked the hardest.
(use shaabaash milnii chaahie, usne sabse zyaadaa mehnat kii hai।)
जब भी वह अच्छे नंबर लाता, दादी शाबाश कहकर गले लगा लेती थीं।
Whenever he brought good marks, grandmother would say well done and hug him.
(jab bhii vah achchhe nambar laataa, daadii shaabaash kahkar gale lagaa letii thiin।)