धर्म (dharm)
noun
A rich word covering religion/faith, but also duty, righteousness, and the moral/cosmic order underlying Hindu and broader Indian thought -- the senses below map its everyday-religious use versus its deeper duty/ethics use.
Sense
1
:
religion, faith
noun, masculine
Synonyms: मज़हब (mazahab, often used in Muslim contexts), पंथ (panth, sect/faith path)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: In daily conversation, धर्म (dharm) is the word people reach for when asking about someone's faith -- आपका धर्म क्या है (aapkaa dharm kyaa hai, 'what is your religion') is a genuinely common form question on official documents. It carries more weight than the English 'religion' often does, since it's tied to identity, family tradition, and social expectation.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often treat धर्म (dharm) as a perfect one-to-one match for 'religion,' but it also covers duty and moral order (see the other sense) -- context decides which shade is meant. 2) मज़हब (mazahab) is common in everyday speech too, especially when discussing communal identity (हिंदू (hindoo) vs मुस्लिम (muslim)), so don't assume धर्म (dharm) is the only word you'll hear.
Sample Sentences:
आपका धर्म क्या है?
What is your religion?
(aapkaa dharm kyaa hai?)
इस फॉर्म में नाम, उम्र और धर्म भरना ज़रूरी है।
In this form, filling in name, age, and religion is required.
(is phorm men naam, umr aur dharm bharnaa zaroorii hai।)
भारत में कई धर्मों के लोग मिलजुल कर रहते हैं।
In India, people of many religions live together.
(bhaarat men kaii dharmon ke log miljul kar rahte hain।)
उसने शादी के बाद अपना धर्म नहीं बदला।
She did not change her religion after marriage.
(usne shaadii ke baad apnaa dharm nahiin badlaa।)
हर धर्म शांति और प्रेम की बात करता है।
Every religion talks about peace and love.
(har dharm shaanti aur prem kii baat kartaa hai।)
काश लोग धर्म के नाम पर लड़ना बंद कर देते।
If only people would stop fighting in the name of religion.
(kaash log dharm ke naam par ladnaa band kar dete।)
स्कूल के फॉर्म में धर्म वाला कॉलम मत छोड़ना।
Don't leave the religion column blank on the school form.
(skool ke phorm men dharm vaalaa kolam mat chhodnaa।)
अगर धर्म पूछा जाए तो मैं हिंदू लिखता हूँ।
If religion is asked, I write Hindu.
(agar dharm poochhaa jaae to main hindoo likhtaa hoon।)
उस ज़माने में धर्म के आधार पर लोगों को बांटा जाता था।
In those days, people used to be divided on the basis of religion.
(us zamaane men dharm ke aadhaar par logon ko baantaa jaataa thaa।)
संविधान हर नागरिक को अपना धर्म चुनने की आज़ादी देता है।
The constitution gives every citizen the freedom to choose their own religion.
(sanvidhaan har naagrik ko apnaa dharm chunne kii aazaadii detaa hai।)
वह किसी धर्म को नहीं मानता, फिर भी बहुत अच्छा इंसान है।
He doesn't believe in any religion, yet he is a very good person.
(vah kisii dharm ko nahiin maantaa, phir bhii bahut achchhaa insaan hai।)
Sense
2
:
duty, moral/righteous conduct
noun, masculine Frequently appears in fixed phrases like अपना धर्म निभाना (apnaa dharm nibhaanaa, 'to fulfill one's duty') and इंसानियत का धर्म (insaaniyat kaa dharm, 'the duty of humanity').
Synonyms: कर्तव्य (kartavy), फ़र्ज़ (farz)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is the धर्म (dharm) of the Bhagavad Gita and everyday moral speech -- the idea that every person, role, and relationship (a mother, a soldier, a teacher) carries its own righteous duty, its own 'dharma.' You'll hear elders invoke it when telling someone to simply do the right thing: अपना धर्म निभाओ (apnaa dharm nibhaao, 'do your duty'), with no temple or scripture in sight.
Common Mistakes: 1) This sense is not about religion at all -- a sentence like यह मेरा धर्म है (yah meraa dharm hai, 'this is my duty') can be said by an atheist and makes complete sense. Learners coming from English sometimes force a religious reading where none is intended.
Sample Sentences:
अपना धर्म निभाओ, बाकी सब भगवान पर छोड़ दो।
Do your duty, and leave the rest to God.
(apnaa dharm nibhaao, baakii sab bhagvaan par chhod do।)
एक माँ का धर्म है कि वह अपने बच्चों की परवाह करे।
It is a mother's duty to take care of her children.
(ek maan kaa dharm hai ki vah apne bachchon kii parvaah kare।)
सैनिक ने अपने धर्म को सबसे ऊपर रखा और सीमा पर लड़ते हुए जान दे दी।
The soldier placed his duty above everything and gave his life fighting at the border.
(sainik ne apne dharm ko sabse oopar rakhaa aur siimaa par ladte hue jaan de dii।)
अगर हर कोई अपना धर्म निभाता, तो देश की हालत ऐसी न होती।
If everyone did their duty, the country's condition would not be like this.
(agar har koii apnaa dharm nibhaataa, to desh kii haalat aisii n hotii।)
एक अच्छे शिक्षक का धर्म है कि वह हर बच्चे को बराबर समझे।
It is a good teacher's duty to understand every child equally.
(ek achchhe shikshak kaa dharm hai ki vah har bachche ko baraabar samjhe।)
गीता में कृष्ण अर्जुन को अपने धर्म का पालन करने की सलाह देते हैं।
In the Gita, Krishna advises Arjuna to follow his duty.
(giitaa men krishn arjun ko apne dharm kaa paalan karne kii salaah dete hain।)
क्या यह मेरा धर्म नहीं है कि मैं अपने बूढ़े माँ-बाप की सेवा करूँ?
Isn't it my duty to look after my old parents?
(kyaa yah meraa dharm nahiin hai ki main apne boodhe maan-baap kii sevaa karoon?)
मुश्किल वक्त में भी उसने अपने धर्म से मुँह नहीं मोड़ा।
Even in hard times, he did not turn away from his duty.
(mushkil vakt men bhii usne apne dharm se munh nahiin modaa।)
डॉक्टर का धर्म मरीज़ की जान बचाना होता है, चाहे वह कोई भी हो।
A doctor's duty is to save the patient's life, no matter who it is.
(doktar kaa dharm mariiz kii jaan bachaanaa hotaa hai, chaahe vah koii bhii ho।)
उस पल उसे अपने धर्म और अपनी इच्छा के बीच फ़ैसला करना था।
In that moment, he had to choose between his duty and his desire.
(us pal use apne dharm aur apnii ichchhaa ke biich faislaa karnaa thaa।)
नागरिकों का धर्म है कि वे नियमों का पालन करें और देश के प्रति ज़िम्मेदार रहें।
It is the duty of citizens to follow the rules and remain responsible toward the country.
(naagrikon kaa dharm hai ki ve niymon kaa paalan karen aur desh ke prati zimmedaar rahen।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
धर्म
(dharm)
(sg.m.oblique):
धर्म
(dharm)
(pl.m.direct):
धर्म
(dharm)
(pl.m.oblique):
धर्मों
(dharmon)