विभाग (vibhaag)
noun
A single-sense administrative/organizational word meaning 'department' or 'division' -- the unit a large office, government, or company is broken into.
Sense
1
:
department, division (of an organization)
noun, masculine
Synonyms: शाखा (shaakhaa, branch/section), डिपार्टमेंट (dipaartment, colloquial English loan)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will see this word everywhere in Indian government and university life -- गृह विभाग (grih vibhaag, 'Home Department'), शिक्षा विभाग (shikshaa vibhaag, 'Education Department'), हिंदी विभाग (hindii vibhaag, 'Hindi Department' at a college). It has that solid, official ring to it, the kind of word you read on a signboard outside a सरकारी दफ्तर (sarkaarii daphtar, government office) rather than one you'd use for, say, dividing up a fridge.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes reach for शाखा (shaakhaa) as a direct swap in every context, but शाखा leans toward a bank/office 'branch' (a physical location), while विभाग (vibhaag) is the organizational unit itself -- a company can have a विभाग (vibhaag) without it being a separate शाखा (shaakhaa). 2) In spoken Hindi, especially in offices, people often just say डिपार्टमेंट (dipaartment) -- don't be surprised to hear the English loanword used more than विभाग (vibhaag) itself in casual office chat.
Sample Sentences:
यह फ़ाइल किस विभाग में भेजनी है?
Which department does this file need to be sent to?
(yah faail kis vibhaag men bhejnii hai?)
मेरे पिता गृह विभाग में काम करते हैं।
My father works in the Home Department.
(mere pitaa grih vibhaag men kaam karte hain।)
हिंदी विभाग की सेमिनार आज दोपहर तीन बजे होगी।
The Hindi Department's seminar will be at three in the afternoon today.
(hindii vibhaag kii seminaar aaj dopahar tiin baje hogii।)
शिक्षा विभाग ने नई किताबों की सूची जारी की है।
The Education Department has released a list of new books.
(shikshaa vibhaag ne naii kitaabon kii soochii jaarii kii hai।)
अगर कोई शिकायत हो तो संबंधित विभाग से संपर्क करें।
If you have a complaint, please contact the concerned department.
(agar koii shikaayat ho to sambandhit vibhaag se sampark karen।)
उस समय हर विभाग का अपना अलग दफ्तर होता था।
Back then, every department used to have its own separate office.
(us samay har vibhaag kaa apnaa alag daphtar hotaa thaa।)
यह फैसला वित्त विभाग द्वारा लिया गया।
This decision was taken by the Finance Department.
(yah phaislaa vitt vibhaag dvaaraa liyaa gayaa।)
अगर हमारे पास ज़्यादा स्टाफ होता, तो विभाग का काम इतना धीमा न होता।
If we had more staff, the department's work would not be so slow.
(agar hamaare paas zyaadaa staaph hotaa, to vibhaag kaa kaam itnaa dhiimaa n hotaa।)
कृपया अपने विभाग का नाम फॉर्म में साफ़-साफ़ लिखें।
Please write your department's name clearly on the form.
(kripyaa apne vibhaag kaa naam phorm men saaf-saaf likhen।)
सरकारी दफ्तर की दीवार पर 'गृह विभाग' का बोर्ड लगा था।
A signboard reading 'Home Department' was put up on the wall of the government office.
(sarkaarii daphtar kii diivaar par 'grih vibhaag' kaa bord lagaa thaa।)
उम्मीद है कि नया विभाग जल्दी ही बन जाए।
It is hoped that the new department will be formed soon.
(ummiid hai ki nayaa vibhaag jaldii hii ban jaae।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
विभाग
(vibhaag)
(sg.m.oblique):
विभाग
(vibhaag)
(pl.m.direct):
विभाग
(vibhaag)
(pl.m.oblique):
विभागों
(vibhaagon)