स्वर (svar)
noun
स्वर (svar) covers two closely related senses: a linguistic 'vowel' (in grammar/phonetics discussions) and a broader 'sound, tone, or voice/pitch' (especially in music and speech).
Sense
1
:
sound, tone, voice, musical note
noun, masculine
Synonyms: आवाज़ (aavaaz), ध्वनि (dhvani, more formal/technical), सुर (sur, music-specific)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You'll often hear this word in the context of classical or devotional music -- a singer's स्वर (svar) is praised for being sweet or steady. It also shows up in the phrase अपना स्वर बदलना (apnaa svar badalnaa, 'to change one's tone,' e.g. when someone shifts from angry to conciliatory), reflecting how Hindi treats 'tone of voice' as tightly linked to attitude or stance.
Common Mistakes: 1) स्वर (svar) leans toward the quality, pitch, or musical character of a sound (a singer's tone, the tenor of someone's speech), whereas आवाज़ (aavaaz) is the more general everyday word for 'sound' or 'voice' -- learners often reach for स्वर (svar) when आवाज़ (aavaaz) would sound more natural in casual speech. 2) In set phrases like स्वर मिलाना (svar milaanaa, 'to join one's voice/agree with') the word means 'agreement in tone/opinion,' not literally 'sound' -- this idiomatic layer surprises learners who only know the literal sense.
Sample Sentences:
उसकी आवाज़ में इतना मीठा स्वर है कि लोग मंत्रमुग्ध हो जाते हैं।
There is such a sweet tone in her voice that people become spellbound.
(uskii aavaaz men itnaa miithaa svar hai ki log mantrmugdh ho jaate hain।)
गायक ने अपना स्वर बदल लिया और गाना धीमी लय में गाने लगा।
The singer changed his tone and started singing the song in a slower rhythm.
(gaayak ne apnaa svar badal liyaa aur gaanaa dhiimii lay men gaane lagaa।)
जब उसे गलती का पता चला, तो उसने फौरन अपना स्वर बदल लिया।
When she realized her mistake, she immediately changed her tone.
(jab use galtii kaa pataa chalaa, to usne phauran apnaa svar badal liyaa।)
बच्चे को धीरे बोलो, इतना ऊँचा स्वर मत निकालो।
Speak softly to the child, don't raise your voice so much.
(bachche ko dhiire bolo, itnaa oonchaa svar mat nikaalo।)
अगर तुम्हारा स्वर इतना कठोर न होता, तो बात इतनी न बिगड़ती।
If your tone hadn't been so harsh, things wouldn't have gone this wrong.
(agar tumhaaraa svar itnaa kathor n hotaa, to baat itnii n bigadtii।)
उस्ताद जी हर स्वर को इतनी सफ़ाई से लगाते हैं कि सुनने वाले दंग रह जाते हैं।
The maestro hits every note with such clarity that listeners are left stunned.
(ustaad jii har svar ko itnii safaaii se lagaate hain ki sunne vaale dang rah jaate hain।)
मंदिर में भजन का स्वर इतना दिव्य लग रहा था कि सारा माहौल भक्तिमय हो गया।
The sound of the devotional hymn in the temple felt so divine that the whole atmosphere turned devotional.
(mandir men bhajan kaa svar itnaa divy lag rahaa thaa ki saaraa maahaul bhaktimay ho gayaa।)
काश उसका स्वर थोड़ा और गहरा होता, तो यह गीत और असरदार बनता।
If only his voice had been a bit deeper, this song would have been more powerful.
(kaash uskaa svar thodaa aur gahraa hotaa, to yah giit aur asardaar bantaa।)
क्या तुम अपना स्वर थोड़ा नरम कर सकते हो, ये बच्चे डर जाएँगे।
Could you soften your tone a bit, these kids will get scared.
(kyaa tum apnaa svar thodaa naram kar sakte ho, ye bachche dar jaaenge।)
उसका स्वर सुनकर ही समझ आ गया कि वह नाराज़ है।
Just hearing his tone made it clear that he was upset.
(uskaa svar sunkar hii samajh aa gayaa ki vah naaraaz hai।)
रात की खामोशी में उसका स्वर किसी दूर के मंदिर की घंटी जैसा गूँज उठा।
In the silence of the night, his voice echoed like the bell of some distant temple.
(raat kii khaamoshii men uskaa svar kisii door ke mandir kii ghantii jaisaa goonj uthaa।)
Sense
2
:
vowel (linguistic term)
noun, masculine
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This is the word you'll hear in a Hindi or Sanskrit classroom when the teacher explains that अ, आ, इ, ई... are स्वर (svar, vowels) and क, ख, ग... are व्यंजन (vyanjan, consonants). It's a foundational term if you ever study Devanagari script formally.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes confuse स्वर (svar, 'vowel') with व्यंजन (vyanjan, 'consonant') -- these are opposite terms in the same grammar lesson, so mixing them up is the most common slip. 2) In this sense स्वर (svar) is a grammar term used when talking *about* Hindi/Sanskrit script, not a word you'd casually drop into daily conversation.
Sample Sentences:
हिंदी में कुल ग्यारह स्वर होते हैं।
There are a total of eleven vowels in Hindi.
(hindii men kul gyaarah svar hote hain।)
अ, आ, इ, ई स्वर हैं और क, ख, ग व्यंजन हैं।
A, aa, i, ii are vowels, and ka, kha, ga are consonants.
(a, aa, i, ii svar hain aur k, kh, g vyanjan hain।)
अध्यापिका ने बच्चों को स्वर और व्यंजन का अंतर समझाया।
The teacher explained to the children the difference between vowels and consonants.
(adhyaapikaa ne bachchon ko svar aur vyanjan kaa antar samjhaayaa।)
क्या तुम सारे स्वर याद कर सकते हो?
Can you memorize all the vowels?
(kyaa tum saare svar yaad kar sakte ho?)
पहले स्वर बोलो, फिर व्यंजन।
First say the vowels, then the consonants.
(pahle svar bolo, phir vyanjan।)
संस्कृत व्याकरण में स्वरों का वर्गीकरण बहुत सूक्ष्म ढंग से किया गया है।
In Sanskrit grammar, the classification of vowels has been done in a very subtle manner.
(sanskrit vyaakran men svaron kaa vargiikran bahut sookshm dhang se kiyaa gayaa hai।)
यदि यह शब्द किसी स्वर से शुरू होता, तो उच्चारण अलग होता।
If this word had started with a vowel, the pronunciation would have been different.
(yadi yah shabd kisii svar se shuroo hotaa, to uchchaaran alag hotaa।)
इस शब्द में दो स्वर और तीन व्यंजन हैं।
There are two vowels and three consonants in this word.
(is shabd men do svar aur tiin vyanjan hain।)
प्राध्यापक ने कहा कि हर स्वर का अपना एक विशेष स्थान होना चाहिए।
The professor said that every vowel should have its own particular place.
(praadhyaapak ne kahaa ki har svar kaa apnaa ek vishesh sthaan honaa chaahie।)
देवनागरी लिपि में स्वरों की मात्राएँ व्यंजनों के साथ जोड़ी जाती हैं।
In the Devanagari script, the vowel signs are attached along with the consonants.
(devnaagrii lipi men svaron kii maatraaen vyanjnon ke saath jodii jaatii hain।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
स्वर
(svar)
(sg.m.oblique):
स्वर
(svar)
(pl.m.direct):
स्वर
(svar)
(pl.m.oblique):
स्वरों
(svaron)