आधार (aadhaar)
noun
A noun with a literal sense of 'base/foundation' and a common extended sense of 'basis, grounds' for an argument, claim, or decision; also the name of India's biometric ID system.
Sense
1
:
basis, grounds, foundation (abstract)
noun, masculine Very common in the phrase इस आधार पर (is aadhaar par, 'on this basis') and के आधार पर (ke aadhaar par, 'on the basis of'), which functions almost like a compound postposition.
Synonyms: बुनियाद (buniyaad), नींव (niinv, more physical/literal), आश्रय (aashray, support, less common)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will hear के आधार पर (ke aadhaar par) constantly in news reports and official language -- 'रिपोर्ट के आधार पर' (riport ke aadhaar par, 'on the basis of the report') is classic bureaucratic/journalistic Hindi. It has a slightly more formal, written-register feel than बुनियाद (buniyaad), though both are widely understood.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often forget the postposition पर (par) after आधार (aadhaar) when meaning 'on the basis of' -- you need के आधार पर (ke aadhaar par), not just आधार से (aadhaar se) or आधार में (aadhaar men). 2) Confusing आधार (aadhaar) with कारण (kaaran, 'reason/cause') -- आधार (aadhaar) is the grounds or foundation for a claim or decision, while कारण (kaaran) is the cause of an event.
Sample Sentences:
पुलिस ने चश्मदीदों के बयान के आधार पर आरोपी को गिरफ्तार किया।
The police arrested the accused on the basis of the eyewitnesses' statements.
(pulis ne chashmdiidon ke bayaan ke aadhaar par aaropii ko giraphtaar kiyaa।)
इस रिपोर्ट के आधार पर सरकार नई नीति बनाएगी।
The government will formulate a new policy on the basis of this report.
(is riport ke aadhaar par sarkaar naii niiti banaaegii।)
तुम्हारे इस आरोप का कोई ठोस आधार नहीं है।
There is no solid basis for this accusation of yours.
(tumhaare is aarop kaa koii thos aadhaar nahiin hai।)
अगर कोई ठोस आधार होता, तो मैं भी तुम्हारी बात मान लेता।
If there had been some solid basis, I would have accepted your point too.
(agar koii thos aadhaar hotaa, to main bhii tumhaarii baat maan letaa।)
यह फैसला किन आधारों पर लिया गया?
On what grounds was this decision taken?
(yah phaislaa kin aadhaaron par liyaa gayaa?)
कृपया अपने तर्क का कोई आधार दीजिए।
Please provide some basis for your argument.
(kripyaa apne tark kaa koii aadhaar diijie।)
हो सकता है कि उसके शक का कोई आधार हो।
It's possible that his suspicion has some basis.
(ho saktaa hai ki uske shak kaa koii aadhaar ho।)
डॉक्टरों ने मरीज़ के लक्षणों के आधार पर बीमारी का पता लगाया।
The doctors diagnosed the illness on the basis of the patient's symptoms.
(doktron ne mariiz ke lakshnon ke aadhaar par biimaarii kaa pataa lagaayaa।)
उसकी पूरी दलील बिना किसी आधार के खड़ी है।
His entire argument stands without any basis.
(uskii poorii daliil binaa kisii aadhaar ke khadii hai।)
अदालत ने सबूतों के आधार पर फैसला सुनाया।
The court delivered its verdict on the basis of the evidence.
(adaalat ne sabooton ke aadhaar par phaislaa sunaayaa।)
जब तक कोई आधार नहीं मिलता, तब तक हम कुछ नहीं कह सकते।
Until some basis is found, we cannot say anything.
(jab tak koii aadhaar nahiin miltaa, tab tak ham kuchh nahiin kah sakte।)
Sense
2
:
physical base, foundation, support
noun, masculine
Synonyms: नींव (niinv), बुनियाद (buniyaad), पाया (paayaa, base/pedestal of a structure, narrower)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This is the literal, physical sense -- the आधार (aadhaar) of a pillar or statue, for instance. In everyday speech, this concrete sense is used less often than the abstract 'basis' sense above, but it is the root image the abstract sense grows from.
Sample Sentences:
मूर्ति का आधार पत्थर का बना है।
The statue's base is made of stone.
(moorti kaa aadhaar patthar kaa banaa hai।)
स्तंभ का आधार बहुत मजबूत होना चाहिए।
The pillar's foundation needs to be very strong.
(stambh kaa aadhaar bahut majboot honaa chaahie।)
पुराने घर का आधार समय के साथ कमज़ोर हो गया था।
The old house's foundation had weakened over time.
(puraane ghar kaa aadhaar samay ke saath kamzor ho gayaa thaa।)
मज़दूर पुल का आधार खोद रहे हैं।
The laborers are digging the base of the bridge.
(mazdoor pul kaa aadhaar khod rahe hain।)
अगर आधार ही कमज़ोर हो, तो पूरी इमारत गिर जाएगी।
If the base itself is weak, the whole building will collapse.
(agar aadhaar hii kamzor ho, to poorii imaarat gir jaaegii।)
पहले आधार मज़बूत करो, फिर दीवारें खड़ी करो।
First make the base strong, then raise the walls.
(pahle aadhaar mazboot karo, phir diivaaren khadii karo।)
मीनार का आधार गोल आकार में बनाया गया था।
The tower's base was built in a round shape.
(miinaar kaa aadhaar gol aakaar men banaayaa gayaa thaa।)
अगर आधार सही से डाला होता, तो दीवार में दरार न पड़ती।
If the foundation had been laid properly, the wall wouldn't have cracked.
(agar aadhaar sahii se daalaa hotaa, to diivaar men daraar n padtii।)
इंजीनियर आधार की गहराई नाप रहा था जब भूकंप आया।
The engineer was measuring the depth of the foundation when the earthquake hit.
(injiiniyar aadhaar kii gahraaii naap rahaa thaa jab bhookamp aayaa।)
दीये का आधार मिट्टी से बना होता है।
A lamp's base is usually made of clay.
(diiye kaa aadhaar mittii se banaa hotaa hai।)
Sense
3
:
Aadhaar (India's biometric identity card/number)
noun, masculine Used as a proper noun in this sense; often heard as आधार कार्ड (aadhaar kaard) or just आधार (aadhaar) in casual speech about paperwork and identity verification.
Synonyms: आधार कार्ड (aadhaar kaard, full form, very common)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is now one of the most-heard uses of the word in daily life across India -- banks, SIM cards, school admissions, everything asks for your आधार (aadhaar). The name was chosen precisely because it plays on the 'foundation/basis' sense: it is meant to be the base document of your identity.
Sample Sentences:
क्या आपके पास आधार कार्ड है?
Do you have an Aadhaar card?
(kyaa aapke paas aadhaar kaard hai?)
सिम कार्ड लेने के लिए आधार जरूरी है।
Aadhaar is necessary to get a SIM card.
(sim kaard lene ke lie aadhaar jaroorii hai।)
मैंने अपना आधार अपडेट करवाया।
I got my Aadhaar updated.
(mainne apnaa aadhaar apdet karvaayaa।)
स्कूल में दाखिले के लिए बच्चे का आधार माँगा जाता है।
For school admission, the child's Aadhaar is asked for.
(skool men daakhile ke lie bachche kaa aadhaar maangaa jaataa hai।)
अपना आधार नंबर किसी को मत बताओ।
Don't tell anyone your Aadhaar number.
(apnaa aadhaar nambar kisii ko mat bataao।)
बैंक खाता खोलने के लिए आधार और पैन कार्ड दोनों लगेंगे।
To open a bank account, you'll need both Aadhaar and PAN card.
(baink khaataa kholne ke lie aadhaar aur pain kaard donon lagenge।)
अगर मेरा आधार खो जाता तो कितनी परेशानी होती।
If I had lost my Aadhaar, what a hassle it would have been.
(agar meraa aadhaar kho jaataa to kitnii pareshaanii hotii।)
सरकार चाहती है कि हर नागरिक का आधार बना हो।
The government wants every citizen to have an Aadhaar made.
(sarkaar chaahtii hai ki har naagrik kaa aadhaar banaa ho।)
आधार में पता बदलने की प्रक्रिया अब ऑनलाइन हो गई है।
The process of changing the address in Aadhaar has now become online.
(aadhaar men pataa badalne kii prakriyaa ab onlaain ho gaii hai।)
मेरा आधार अभी तक लिंक नहीं हुआ है।
My Aadhaar hasn't been linked yet.
(meraa aadhaar abhii tak link nahiin huaa hai।)
वह अपना आधार भूल आया, इसलिए फॉर्म जमा नहीं हो पाया।
He forgot his Aadhaar at home, so the form couldn't be submitted.
(vah apnaa aadhaar bhool aayaa, islie phorm jamaa nahiin ho paayaa।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
आधार
(aadhaar)
(sg.m.oblique):
आधार
(aadhaar)
(pl.m.direct):
आधार
(aadhaar)
(pl.m.oblique):
आधारों
(aadhaaron)