देहांत (dehaant)
noun
A polite, formal noun meaning 'death, demise' -- used to speak of a person's passing with respect.
Sense
1
:
death, demise (of a person)
noun, masculine Used almost always with हो जाना (ho jaanaa) -- देहांत हो गया (dehaant ho gayaa, '[he/she] passed away') -- rather than with करना (karnaa) or a plain existential verb.
Synonyms: मृत्यु (mrityu), मौत (maut), निधन (nidhan, formal), स्वर्गवास (svargvaas, literary)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This is the word you will hear at a condolence visit or read in a newspaper obituary -- ऐसा सुनकर बहुत दुख हुआ, उनका देहांत हो गया (aisaa sunkar bahut dukh huaa, unkaa dehaant ho gayaa, 'I am so sorry to hear this, he/she passed away') is the kind of gentle, formal register this word belongs to. Hindi treats death itself as an event that 'happens' to the deceased (हो जाना) rather than something a person 'does,' which reflects a broader pattern of framing loss and misfortune as befalling someone rather than being enacted.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for मौत (maut) in every context, but देहांत (dehaant) is the respectful word you use when speaking of someone's death directly to family or in formal announcements -- मौत (maut) can sound blunt or even callous in the same situation. 2) The subject takes का (kaa), not को (ko): उनका देहांत हो गया (unkaa dehaant ho gayaa, 'he passed away'), not उन्हें देहांत हो गया. 3) It is only used for people, never for animals, plants, or abstract things -- मृत्यु (mrityu) is more flexible in that sense.
Sample Sentences:
कल रात उनका देहांत हो गया।
He passed away last night.
(kal raat unkaa dehaant ho gayaa।)
यह सुनकर बहुत दुख हुआ कि उनके पिताजी का देहांत हो गया।
I am very sorry to hear that his father passed away.
(yah sunkar bahut dukh huaa ki unke pitaajii kaa dehaant ho gayaa।)
समाचार पत्र में लिखा था कि प्रसिद्ध लेखक का देहांत हो गया है।
It was written in the newspaper that the famous writer had passed away.
(samaachaar patr men likhaa thaa ki prasiddh lekhak kaa dehaant ho gayaa hai।)
अगर समय पर इलाज मिल जाता, तो शायद उनका देहांत न होता।
If he had gotten treatment in time, perhaps he wouldn't have died.
(agar samay par ilaaj mil jaataa, to shaayad unkaa dehaant n hotaa।)
डॉक्टरों को डर है कि अगर हालत नहीं सुधरी तो मरीज़ का देहांत हो सकता है।
The doctors fear that if the condition doesn't improve, the patient may pass away.
(doktron ko dar hai ki agar haalat nahiin sudhrii to mariiz kaa dehaant ho saktaa hai।)
गाँव में बुजुर्गों का देहांत अक्सर सर्दियों में हो जाता है।
In the village, the elderly often pass away during the winter.
(gaanv men bujurgon kaa dehaant aksar sardiyon men ho jaataa hai।)
उनके देहांत के बाद पूरा परिवार गहरे सदमे में है।
After his death, the whole family is in deep shock.
(unke dehaant ke baad pooraa parivaar gahre sadme men hai।)
क्या आपने सुना, उनके पड़ोसी का देहांत हो चुका है।
Did you hear, their neighbor has already passed away?
(kyaa aapne sunaa, unke padosii kaa dehaant ho chukaa hai।)
ईश्वर से प्रार्थना है कि उनकी आत्मा को शांति मिले, उनका देहांत बहुत दुखद था।
I pray to God that his soul finds peace; his death was very sorrowful.
(iishvar se praarthnaa hai ki unkii aatmaa ko shaanti mile, unkaa dehaant bahut dukhad thaa।)
इस दुर्घटना में कई लोगों का देहांत हो गया।
Many people died in this accident.
(is durghatnaa men kaii logon kaa dehaant ho gayaa।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
देहांत
(dehaant)
(sg.m.oblique):
देहांत
(dehaant)
(pl.m.direct):
देहांत
(dehaant)
(pl.m.oblique):
देहांतों
(dehaanton)