साक्षात्कार (saakshaatkaar)
noun
A formal word covering two related meanings: a job/media 'interview' and, in a more literary sense, a direct personal 'encounter' or 'realization' (as in a face-to-face meeting or spiritual insight).
Sense
1
:
interview (job, media, etc.)
noun, masculine
Synonyms: इंटरव्यू (intravyoo, common in casual speech)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You'll see this word plastered on college notice boards and government job advertisements -- साक्षात्कार की तारीख़ (saakshaatkaar kii taariikh, 'interview date') is a very common official phrase. In everyday chatter among friends, though, most people just say इंटरव्यू (intravyoo).
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often default to the English loanword इंटरव्यू (intravyoo) in speech, which is perfectly natural, but साक्षात्कार (saakshaatkaar) is the word you'll see in newspapers, official notices, and formal writing -- knowing both lets you read as well as speak. 2) The verb usually paired with this noun is लेना (lenaa) for the interviewer ('to take an interview') and देना (denaa) for the candidate ('to give an interview'), not करना (karnaa).
Sample Sentences:
कल मेरा साक्षात्कार है।
I have an interview tomorrow.
(kal meraa saakshaatkaar hai।)
साक्षात्कार की तारीख़ अगले सोमवार तय हुई है।
The interview date has been fixed for next Monday.
(saakshaatkaar kii taariikh agle somvaar tay huii hai।)
उम्मीदवारों को साक्षात्कार के लिए तैयार रहना चाहिए।
Candidates should stay prepared for the interview.
(ummiidvaaron ko saakshaatkaar ke lie taiyaar rahnaa chaahie।)
पिछले हफ़्ते मेरा साक्षात्कार हुआ था।
My interview took place last week.
(pichhle hafte meraa saakshaatkaar huaa thaa।)
विभाग हर साल सैकड़ों उम्मीदवारों का साक्षात्कार लेता है।
The department interviews hundreds of candidates every year.
(vibhaag har saal saikdon ummiidvaaron kaa saakshaatkaar letaa hai।)
कृपया साक्षात्कार के लिए समय पर पहुँचें।
Please arrive on time for the interview.
(kripyaa saakshaatkaar ke lie samay par pahunchen।)
अगर मुझे वह साक्षात्कार मिल जाता, तो मेरी ज़िंदगी बदल जाती।
If I had gotten that interview, my life would have changed.
(agar mujhe vah saakshaatkaar mil jaataa, to merii zindgii badal jaatii।)
नोटिस बोर्ड पर साक्षात्कार की सूचना लगी हुई है।
The interview notice is put up on the notice board.
(notis bord par saakshaatkaar kii soochnaa lagii huii hai।)
साक्षात्कार लेने वाले पैनल में तीन प्रोफ़ेसर शामिल थे।
The interview panel included three professors.
(saakshaatkaar lene vaale painal men tiin profesar shaamil the।)
मंत्री जी का साक्षात्कार समाचार चैनल पर प्रसारित किया जाएगा।
The minister's interview will be broadcast on the news channel.
(mantrii jii kaa saakshaatkaar samaachaar chainal par prasaarit kiyaa jaaegaa।)
साक्षात्कार के दौरान वह बहुत घबरा गया था।
He got very nervous during the interview.
(saakshaatkaar ke dauraan vah bahut ghabraa gayaa thaa।)
Sense
2
:
direct encounter, face-to-face realization
noun, masculine Often appears with करना (karnaa) in the sense 'to come face to face with' or 'to directly perceive/realize' something -- ईश्वर का साक्षात्कार (iishvar kaa saakshaatkaar, 'direct realization of God') is a set phrase in spiritual/philosophical writing.
Synonyms: अनुभव (anubhav, broader meaning, everyday experience), दर्शन (darshan, literary, especially spiritual)
Frequency: literary
Cultural Note: This sense grows from the same root idea as the interview meaning -- सा-क्षात् (saakshaat) means 'in person, right before one's eyes' -- so both senses share the core notion of a direct, face-to-face confrontation with something, whether it's a hiring panel or a deep truth. You'll meet this usage mostly in spiritual discourses, philosophy texts, or serious essays rather than daily conversation.
Sample Sentences:
सत्य का साक्षात्कार शब्दों से नहीं, अनुभव से होता है।
The direct realization of truth comes not through words but through experience.
(saty kaa saakshaatkaar shabdon se nahiin, anubhav se hotaa hai।)
उस रात जंगल में अकेले बैठे हुए उसे मृत्यु का साक्षात्कार हुआ।
That night, sitting alone in the forest, he had a direct encounter with death.
(us raat jangal men akele baithe hue use mrityu kaa saakshaatkaar huaa।)
क्या मनुष्य को कभी अपने वास्तविक स्वरूप का साक्षात्कार हो सकता है?
Can a human being ever have a direct realization of their true nature?
(kyaa manushy ko kabhii apne vaastvik svaroop kaa saakshaatkaar ho saktaa hai?)
यदि तुम मौन में स्थिर रहो, तो शायद तुम्हें आत्मा का साक्षात्कार हो जाए।
If you remain still in silence, perhaps you might attain a direct realization of the soul.
(yadi tum maun men sthir raho, to shaayad tumhen aatmaa kaa saakshaatkaar ho jaae।)
यह ग्रंथ ब्रह्म के साक्षात्कार की विधि बताता है।
This scripture describes the method for direct realization of the Absolute.
(yah granth brahm ke saakshaatkaar kii vidhi bataataa hai।)
यदि उस समय गुरु न मिलते, तो मुझे इस सत्य का साक्षात्कार कभी न होता।
If I had not met my teacher then, I would never have had this direct realization of truth.
(yadi us samay guru n milte, to mujhe is saty kaa saakshaatkaar kabhii n hotaa।)
साधक वर्षों तपस्या करता रहा, फिर भी उसे साक्षात्कार नहीं हुआ।
The seeker kept practicing austerity for years, yet he never had the direct realization.
(saadhak varshon tapasyaa kartaa rahaa, phir bhii use saakshaatkaar nahiin huaa।)
दुख के इस क्षण में उसे जीवन की नश्वरता का साक्षात्कार हुआ।
In this moment of sorrow, he came face-to-face with the impermanence of life.
(dukh ke is kshan men use jiivan kii nashvartaa kaa saakshaatkaar huaa।)
ईश्वर का साक्षात्कार भक्त को शब्दों से परे एक अनुभूति में मिलता है।
The direct vision of God comes to the devotee as an experience beyond words.
(iishvar kaa saakshaatkaar bhakt ko shabdon se pare ek anubhooti men miltaa hai।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
साक्षात्कार
(saakshaatkaar)
(sg.m.oblique):
साक्षात्कार
(saakshaatkaar)
(pl.m.direct):
साक्षात्कार
(saakshaatkaar)
(pl.m.oblique):
साक्षात्कारों
(saakshaatkaaron)