सुर (sur)
noun
Primarily a musical term meaning 'note/pitch/tune', with an extended figurative sense about being 'in tune' with someone or something (mood, agreement, alignment).
Sense
1
:
figurative: tune, mood, tone, alignment (being in sync)
noun, masculine Very commonly used in the fixed idiom सुर मिलाना (sur milaanaa, 'to fall in line/agree with') and सुर बदलना (sur badalnaa, 'to change one's tone/attitude').
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is where सुर (sur) leaves the music room and enters everyday Delhi conversation and political commentary: 'नेता ने सुर बदल लिया' (netaa ne sur badal liyaa, 'the leader changed his tune') is a staple of news anchors and dinner-table political chat. It reflects how Hindi often borrows musical metaphors to talk about attitude and consensus, much like English 'change one's tune' or 'sing the same song'.
Common Mistakes: 1) सुर मिलाना (sur milaanaa) does not literally mean 'to match musical notes' in most everyday contexts -- it means to agree with or go along with someone, often with a slightly critical edge implying flattery or opportunism. 2) सुर बदलना (sur badalnaa) means someone has changed their attitude or tone (often after a shift in circumstances), not literally changed a song.
Sample Sentences:
नेता ने अचानक अपना सुर बदल लिया।
The leader suddenly changed his tune.
(netaa ne achaanak apnaa sur badal liyaa।)
दोनों पार्टियों का सुर अब एक जैसा लगता है।
The tone of both parties now seems to be the same.
(donon paartiyon kaa sur ab ek jaisaa lagtaa hai।)
जब से चुनाव नज़दीक आए हैं, मंत्री जी का सुर नरम पड़ गया है।
Ever since the elections came close, the minister's tone has softened.
(jab se chunaav nazdiik aae hain, mantrii jii kaa sur naram pad gayaa hai।)
अगर वह अपना सुर न बदलता तो पार्टी उसे निकाल देती।
If he hadn't changed his tune, the party would have expelled him.
(agar vah apnaa sur n badaltaa to paartii use nikaal detii।)
भई, अपना सुर मत बदलना, जो कहा था वही करना।
Hey, don't change your tune, do what you said you would.
(bhaii, apnaa sur mat badalnaa, jo kahaa thaa vahii karnaa।)
टीवी पर सारे एंकरों का सुर एक ही खबर पर मिल गया है।
All the anchors on TV are now singing the same tune on this one story.
(tiivii par saare enkron kaa sur ek hii khabar par mil gayaa hai।)
मुझे शक है कि वह फिर अपना सुर बदलेगा।
I suspect he'll change his tune again.
(mujhe shak hai ki vah phir apnaa sur badlegaa।)
कंपनी का सुर तब बदला जब मुनाफ़ा घटने लगा।
The company's tone changed when profits started falling.
(kampnii kaa sur tab badlaa jab munaafaa ghatne lagaa।)
शायद बातचीत में उसका सुर थोड़ा तीखा रहा हो, पर इरादा बुरा नहीं था।
Perhaps his tone in the conversation was a bit sharp, but the intent wasn't bad.
(shaayad baatchiit men uskaa sur thodaa tiikhaa rahaa ho, par iraadaa buraa nahiin thaa।)
जनता के दबाव में सरकार का सुर बदला गया, ऐसा विश्लेषकों का मानना है।
Under public pressure, the government's tone was changed -- or so analysts believe.
(jantaa ke dabaav men sarkaar kaa sur badlaa gayaa, aisaa vishleshkon kaa maannaa hai।)
विपक्ष का सुर देखकर लगता है कि अगला सत्र हंगामेदार रहेगा।
Seeing the opposition's tone, it seems the next session will be turbulent.
(vipaksh kaa sur dekhkar lagtaa hai ki aglaa satr hangaamedaar rahegaa।)
Sense
2
:
musical note, pitch, tone
noun, masculine
Synonyms: स्वर (svar)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: Ask any harmonium or tabla player in Delhi and they will tell you 'सुर में गाओ' (sur men gaao, 'sing in tune') is the first correction every music teacher gives. सुर (sur) is at the heart of Hindustani classical music vocabulary, sitting alongside ताल (taal, rhythm) and लय (lay, tempo/flow) as one of the three pillars students learn to name early on.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes confuse सुर (sur) with सुर के पीछे ताल (taal, 'rhythm/beat') -- सुर (sur) is about pitch/melody, ताल (taal) is about the rhythmic cycle; they are not interchangeable even though both come up constantly in discussions of Indian classical music.
Sample Sentences:
इस गाने का सुर बहुत ऊँचा है।
The pitch of this song is very high.
(is gaane kaa sur bahut oonchaa hai।)
सुर में गाओ, बेसुरा मत गाओ।
Sing in tune, don't sing off-key.
(sur men gaao, besuraa mat gaao।)
उस्ताद जी हर शिष्य से पहले सुर साधने को कहते हैं।
The maestro tells every student to first practice the notes.
(ustaad jii har shishy se pahle sur saadhne ko kahte hain।)
तानपूरे से सुर मिलाकर ही गायक ने आलाप शुरू किया।
Only after tuning his note to the tanpura did the singer begin the alaap.
(taanpoore se sur milaakar hii gaayak ne aalaap shuroo kiyaa।)
अगर हारमोनियम के सुर सही होते, तो रियाज़ आसान होता।
If the harmonium's notes were correct, the practice would have been easier.
(agar haarmoniyam ke sur sahii hote, to riyaaz aasaan hotaa।)
क्या तुम बता सकते हो कि यह कौन सा सुर है?
Can you tell which note this is?
(kyaa tum bataa sakte ho ki yah kaun saa sur hai?)
संगीत शिक्षिका ने कहा कि सुर, ताल और लय तीनों साथ सधने चाहिए।
The music teacher said that note, rhythm, and tempo should all be mastered together.
(sangiit shikshikaa ne kahaa ki sur, taal aur lay tiinon saath sadhne chaahie।)
जब तबला बज रहा था, तब गायक अपने सुर ठीक कर रहा था।
While the tabla was playing, the singer was correcting his notes.
(jab tablaa baj rahaa thaa, tab gaayak apne sur thiik kar rahaa thaa।)
सुर ऐसे लगाए जाते हैं कि हर श्रोता मंत्रमुग्ध हो जाए।
The notes are rendered in such a way that every listener becomes spellbound.
(sur aise lagaae jaate hain ki har shrotaa mantrmugdh ho jaae।)
क्या तुम अपना सुर थोड़ा नीचे कर सकते हो?
Could you lower your pitch a little?
(kyaa tum apnaa sur thodaa niiche kar sakte ho?)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
सुर
(sur)
(sg.m.oblique):
सुर
(sur)
(pl.m.direct):
सुर
(sur)
(pl.m.oblique):
सुरों
(suron)