शंका (shankaa)
noun
A somewhat formal/literary word for doubt or suspicion; in everyday speech, संदेह (sandeh) or शक (shak) are more common, but शंका (shankaa) shows up often enough in careful speech and writing that it's worth knowing well.
Sense
1
:
doubt, suspicion
noun, feminine
Synonyms: संदेह (sandeh), शक (shak), संशय (sanshay, literary)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You'll often hear this word in classrooms and offices when someone politely raises a doubt: कोई शंका हो तो पूछिए (koii shankaa ho to poochhie, 'if you have any doubt, please ask') is a very natural teacher's line in India. It carries a slightly more formal, thoughtful flavor than शक (shak), which leans more toward suspicion of a person's motives or actions.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for शक (shak) by default since it is more common in casual speech; शंका (shankaa) tends to appear in more careful or written registers, so using it constantly in casual chatter can sound a bit stiff. 2) शंका (shankaa) is used with होना (honaa) in a dative-subject frame -- मुझे शंका है (mujhe shankaa hai, 'I have a doubt') -- not with a verb like करना (karnaa) as the main predicate for 'having' the doubt.
Sample Sentences:
कोई शंका हो तो पूछिए।
If you have any doubt, please ask.
(koii shankaa ho to poochhie।)
मुझे उसकी बात पर शंका है।
I have a doubt about what he said.
(mujhe uskii baat par shankaa hai।)
शिक्षक ने कहा कि परीक्षा से पहले सारी शंकाएँ दूर कर लो।
The teacher said to clear all your doubts before the exam.
(shikshak ne kahaa ki pariikshaa se pahle saarii shankaaen door kar lo।)
अगर तुम्हें कोई शंका हो तो हिचकिचाओ मत।
If you have any doubt, don't hesitate to say.
(agar tumhen koii shankaa ho to hichkichaao mat।)
उसके मन में अपने फैसले को लेकर शंका बनी रहती थी।
Doubt about his decision kept lingering in his mind.
(uske man men apne phaisle ko lekar shankaa banii rahtii thii।)
यदि मुझे थोड़ी भी शंका होती, तो मैं यह अनुबंध पर हस्ताक्षर नहीं करता।
If I had had even a little doubt, I would not have signed this contract.
(yadi mujhe thodii bhii shankaa hotii, to main yah anubandh par hastaakshar nahiin kartaa।)
प्रबंधक द्वारा उठाई गई शंका पर सबने गंभीरता से विचार किया।
Everyone seriously considered the doubt raised by the manager.
(prabandhak dvaaraa uthaaii gaii shankaa par sabne gambhiirtaa se vichaar kiyaa।)
क्या तुम्हें अब भी इस बात पर शंका है?
Do you still have doubt about this matter?
(kyaa tumhen ab bhii is baat par shankaa hai?)
वह हर छोटी बात पर शंका जताता रहता है।
He keeps expressing doubt over every little thing.
(vah har chhotii baat par shankaa jataataa rahtaa hai।)
समिति की रिपोर्ट ने योजना की सफलता पर शंका पैदा कर दी।
The committee's report created doubt about the plan's success.
(samiti kii riport ne yojnaa kii saphaltaa par shankaa paidaa kar dii।)
Sense
2
:
religious/philosophical doubt, skepticism
noun, feminine
Synonyms: संशय (sanshay, literary)
Frequency: literary
Cultural Note: In religious or philosophical contexts -- discussions of faith, scripture, or spiritual teaching -- शंका (shankaa) takes on the flavor of an intellectual or existential doubt rather than everyday suspicion, as in शंका-समाधान (shankaa-samaadhaan, 'resolution of doubts'), a phrase you'll see at satsangs and religious discourses where a teacher answers questions from the audience.
Sample Sentences:
गुरु जी ने शंका-समाधान के लिए समय रखा है।
Guru ji has set aside time for resolving doubts.
(guru jii ne shankaa-samaadhaan ke lie samay rakhaa hai।)
शिष्य के मन में ईश्वर के अस्तित्व को लेकर शंका उठी।
A doubt arose in the disciple's mind regarding the existence of God.
(shishy ke man men iishvar ke astitv ko lekar shankaa uthii।)
सच्चा जिज्ञासु शंका करता है ताकि सत्य तक पहुँच सके।
The true seeker doubts so that he may arrive at the truth.
(sachchaa jigyaasu shankaa kartaa hai taaki saty tak pahunch sake।)
यदि शास्त्रों पर शंका होती, तो साधना का मार्ग कठिन हो जाता।
If there were doubt about the scriptures, the path of spiritual practice would become difficult.
(yadi shaastron par shankaa hotii, to saadhnaa kaa maarg kathin ho jaataa।)
आत्मा की अमरता के विषय में उसे कोई शंका नहीं थी।
He had no doubt whatsoever about the immortality of the soul.
(aatmaa kii amartaa ke vishay men use koii shankaa nahiin thii।)
उपनिषदों में शंका और समाधान की परंपरा बहुत पुरानी है।
The tradition of doubt and resolution in the Upanishads is very old.
(upnishdon men shankaa aur samaadhaan kii parampraa bahut puraanii hai।)
क्या आपके मन में इस उपदेश को लेकर कोई शंका है?
Do you have any doubt in your mind regarding this teaching?
(kyaa aapke man men is updesh ko lekar koii shankaa hai?)
शंका का समाधान किए बिना श्रद्धा दृढ़ नहीं होती।
Without the resolution of doubt, faith does not become firm.
(shankaa kaa samaadhaan kie binaa shraddhaa dridh nahiin hotii।)
अर्जुन की शंका का उत्तर स्वयं भगवान कृष्ण ने दिया।
Lord Krishna himself answered Arjuna's doubt.
(arjun kii shankaa kaa uttar svayan bhagvaan krishn ne diyaa।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
शंका
(shankaa)
(sg.f.oblique):
शंका
(shankaa)
(pl.f.direct):
शंकाएँ
(shankaaen)
(pl.f.oblique):
शंकाओं
(shankaaon)