भूमिका (bhoomikaa)
noun
Two senses in everyday use: an actor's or a person's 'role' in a situation, and a written 'preface/introduction' to a book. Both come from the same root idea of 'ground/foundation' being laid before the main action.
Sense
1
:
role, part played (in a situation, drama, or plan)
noun, feminine
Synonyms: रोल (rol, English loanword, common in casual speech), किरदार (kirdaar, more about the character itself than the function)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You'll hear this constantly in news and office contexts: सरकार की भूमिका (sarkaar kii bhoomikaa, 'the government's role'), अहम भूमिका (aham bhoomikaa, 'important role'). It's the go-to word when talking about someone's contribution or function within a larger event, not just an actor's part.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for रोल (rol) exclusively; भूमिका (bhoomikaa) is the word you'll see in writing, news, and slightly more formal speech, so it's worth knowing both. 2) The common construction is भूमिका निभाना (bhoomikaa nibhaanaa, 'to play a role') -- निभाना (nibhaanaa) here means 'to carry out/fulfill,' not 'to play' in the game sense, so learners sometimes wrongly reach for खेलना (khelnaa).
Sample Sentences:
इस योजना में उसकी भूमिका बहुत अहम थी।
His role in this plan was very important.
(is yojnaa men uskii bhoomikaa bahut aham thii।)
सरकार की भूमिका पर सवाल उठाए जा रहे हैं।
Questions are being raised about the government's role.
(sarkaar kii bhoomikaa par savaal uthaae jaa rahe hain।)
टीम की जीत में कोच की भूमिका को नज़रअंदाज़ नहीं किया जा सकता।
The coach's role in the team's victory cannot be ignored.
(tiim kii jiit men koch kii bhoomikaa ko nazraandaaz nahiin kiyaa jaa saktaa।)
हर कोई इस प्रोजेक्ट में अपनी भूमिका निभा रहा है।
Everyone is playing their role in this project.
(har koii is projekt men apnii bhoomikaa nibhaa rahaa hai।)
अगर तुम अपनी भूमिका ठीक से निभाते तो नतीजा कुछ और होता।
If you had played your role properly, the result would have been different.
(agar tum apnii bhoomikaa thiik se nibhaate to natiijaa kuchh aur hotaa।)
इस मामले में पुलिस की भूमिका संदिग्ध लग रही है।
The police's role in this matter looks suspicious.
(is maamle men pulis kii bhoomikaa sandigdh lag rahii hai।)
कृपया अपनी भूमिका स्पष्ट रूप से बताएं।
Please clearly state your role.
(kripyaa apnii bhoomikaa spasht roop se bataaen।)
समाज को बेहतर बनाने में हर नागरिक की भूमिका होनी चाहिए।
Every citizen should have a role in making society better.
(samaaj ko behtar banaane men har naagrik kii bhoomikaa honii chaahie।)
उसने इस घोटाले में अपनी भूमिका से इनकार किया।
He denied his role in this scam.
(usne is ghotaale men apnii bhoomikaa se inkaar kiyaa।)
आने वाले चुनावों में युवाओं की भूमिका और बढ़ेगी।
The role of the youth will increase further in the upcoming elections.
(aane vaale chunaavon men yuvaaon kii bhoomikaa aur badhegii।)
काश मुझे भी इस मुहिम में कोई भूमिका मिलती।
I wish I too had gotten some role in this campaign.
(kaash mujhe bhii is muhim men koii bhoomikaa miltii।)
मीडिया की भूमिका लोकतंत्र में बहुत महत्वपूर्ण मानी जाती है।
The media's role is considered very important in a democracy.
(miidiyaa kii bhoomikaa loktantr men bahut mahatvpoorn maanii jaatii hai।)
Sense
2
:
preface, introduction (to a book or speech)
noun, feminine
Synonyms: प्रस्तावना (prastaavnaa), प्राक्कथन (praakkthan, literary, formal)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This is the word printed at the start of a serious book, often written by someone other than the author to introduce the work. It's less used in casual conversation and shows up mainly in written or literary contexts.
Sample Sentences:
इस किताब की भूमिका बहुत रोचक है।
The preface of this book is very interesting.
(is kitaab kii bhoomikaa bahut rochak hai।)
लेखक ने अपनी किताब की भूमिका खुद लिखी।
The author wrote the preface of his own book himself.
(lekhak ne apnii kitaab kii bhoomikaa khud likhii।)
इस उपन्यास की भूमिका एक प्रसिद्ध आलोचक द्वारा लिखी गई है।
The preface of this novel was written by a famous critic.
(is upanyaas kii bhoomikaa ek prasiddh aalochak dvaaraa likhii gaii hai।)
कृपया भूमिका पढ़ने के बाद ही पहला अध्याय शुरू करें।
Please start the first chapter only after reading the preface.
(kripyaa bhoomikaa padhne ke baad hii pahlaa adhyaay shuroo karen।)
भूमिका में लेखक ने अपने विचारों का सार प्रस्तुत किया है।
In the preface, the author has presented a summary of his thoughts.
(bhoomikaa men lekhak ne apne vichaaron kaa saar prastut kiyaa hai।)
अगर भूमिका इतनी लंबी न होती, तो पाठक इसे भी पढ़ लेते।
If the preface were not so long, readers would have read it too.
(agar bhoomikaa itnii lambii n hotii, to paathak ise bhii padh lete।)
काश कोई इस किताब की भूमिका थोड़ी छोटी लिखता।
I wish someone had written the preface of this book a little shorter.
(kaash koii is kitaab kii bhoomikaa thodii chhotii likhtaa।)
प्रकाशक ने सुझाव दिया कि भूमिका किसी विद्वान से लिखवाई जाए।
The publisher suggested that the preface be gotten written by some scholar.
(prakaashak ne sujhaav diyaa ki bhoomikaa kisii vidvaan se likhvaaii jaae।)
नई भूमिका अगले संस्करण में जोड़ी जाएगी।
A new preface will be added in the next edition.
(naii bhoomikaa agle sanskran men jodii jaaegii।)
भूमिका पढ़ते समय मुझे लेखक की सोच का अंदाज़ा हो गया।
While reading the preface, I got an idea of the author's thinking.
(bhoomikaa padhte samay mujhe lekhak kii soch kaa andaazaa ho gayaa।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
भूमिका
(bhoomikaa)
(sg.f.oblique):
भूमिका
(bhoomikaa)
(pl.f.direct):
भूमिकाएँ
(bhoomikaaen)
(pl.f.oblique):
भूमिकाओं
(bhoomikaaon)