भेंट (bhent)
noun
Covers two related everyday ideas: (1) a meeting or formal encounter with someone, and (2) a gift or offering presented on such an occasion.
Sense
1
:
meeting, encounter (often formal)
noun, feminine Commonly used with होना (honaa) as in किसी से भेंट होना (kisii se bhent honaa, 'to have a meeting with someone') -- the person met is marked with से (se), not को (ko).
Synonyms: मुलाक़ात (mulaaqaat), मुलाकात (mulaakaat, variant spelling)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You will see this word constantly in news headlines -- प्रधानमंत्री की राष्ट्रपति से भेंट (pradhaanmantrii kii raashtrapti se bhent, 'the Prime Minister's meeting with the President') -- because it carries a formal, dignified weight that plain मुलाक़ात (mulaaqaat) or मिलना (milnaa) lacks in casual speech.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for मिलना (milnaa) in every context, but भेंट (bhent) is the noun used for the meeting itself, especially in slightly formal or written contexts like news reports or official visits -- casual chats among friends are rarely called भेंट (bhent). 2) The person encountered takes से (se): उनसे भेंट हुई (unse bhent huii, 'a meeting with them took place'), not उनको (unko).
Sample Sentences:
प्रधानमंत्री की राष्ट्रपति से भेंट आज सुबह हुई।
The Prime Minister's meeting with the President took place this morning.
(pradhaanmantrii kii raashtrapti se bhent aaj subah huii।)
दोनों नेताओं की भेंट शिखर सम्मेलन के दौरान हुई थी।
The two leaders' meeting took place during the summit.
(donon netaaon kii bhent shikhar sammelan ke dauraan huii thii।)
राज्यपाल से भेंट के लिए समय लेना ज़रूरी है।
It is necessary to take an appointment for a meeting with the Governor.
(raajypaal se bhent ke lie samay lenaa zaroorii hai।)
मंत्री जी उद्योगपतियों से भेंट कर रहे हैं।
The minister is holding a meeting with the industrialists.
(mantrii jii udyogaptiyon se bhent kar rahe hain।)
विदेश मंत्री कल अपने समकक्ष से भेंट करेंगे।
The foreign minister will meet with his counterpart tomorrow.
(videsh mantrii kal apne samkaksh se bhent karenge।)
यह भेंट दोनों देशों के संबंधों में एक नया अध्याय जोड़ेगी।
This meeting will add a new chapter to the relations between the two countries.
(yah bhent donon deshon ke sambandhon men ek nayaa adhyaay jodegii।)
कृपया राष्ट्रपति भवन से भेंट का समय निश्चित कर लें।
Please fix a time for the meeting with the President's office.
(kripyaa raashtrapti bhavan se bhent kaa samay nishchit kar len।)
अगर सुरक्षा कारणों से अनुमति मिलती, तो यह भेंट पहले ही हो जाती।
If permission had come through due to security reasons, this meeting would have already happened.
(agar surakshaa kaarnon se anumti miltii, to yah bhent pahle hii ho jaatii।)
संभव है कि यह भेंट किसी गोपनीय स्थान पर हुई हो।
It is possible that this meeting took place at some secret location.
(sambhav hai ki yah bhent kisii gopniiy sthaan par huii ho।)
उस भेंट का विवरण अगले दिन सभी समाचार पत्रों में प्रकाशित किया गया।
The details of that meeting were published in all the newspapers the next day.
(us bhent kaa vivran agle din sabhii samaachaar patron men prakaashit kiyaa gayaa।)
Sense
2
:
gift, offering (presented formally)
noun, feminine Used with चढ़ाना (chadhaanaa) in religious contexts (an offering to a deity) or देना (denaa)/भेंट करना (bhent karnaa) for a formal presentation to a person.
Synonyms: उपहार (upahaar), तोहफ़ा (tohfaa)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This sense shows up at temples (भगवान को भेंट चढ़ाना (bhagvaan ko bhent chadhaanaa, 'to offer something to God')) and at formal functions, where a chief guest is given a भेंट (bhent) -- often a shawl or memento -- on stage; it carries a ceremonial dignity that a casual gift wouldn't.
Common Mistakes: 1) This sense feels more formal or ceremonial than तोहफ़ा (tohfaa) or उपहार (upahaar) -- learners sometimes use it for an everyday birthday present among friends, where तोहफ़ा (tohfaa) sounds more natural. 2) भेंट करना (bhent karnaa) ('to present as a gift') should not be confused with the intransitive meeting sense भेंट होना (bhent honaa) -- the verb pairing changes the meaning entirely.
Sample Sentences:
मुख्य अतिथि को मंच पर भेंट दी गई।
The chief guest was given a gift on stage.
(mukhy atithi ko manch par bhent dii gaii।)
भक्त लोग भगवान को फल और मिठाई की भेंट चढ़ाते हैं।
Devotees offer fruits and sweets to God as an offering.
(bhakt log bhagvaan ko phal aur mithaaii kii bhent chadhaate hain।)
समारोह में हर वक्ता को एक स्मृति भेंट भेंट की जाएगी।
At the ceremony, every speaker will be presented with a memento as a gift.
(samaaroh men har vaktaa ko ek smriti bhent bhent kii jaaegii।)
कृपया यह भेंट स्वीकार करें।
Please accept this gift.
(kripyaa yah bhent sviikaar karen।)
मंदिर के पुजारी ने देवी को रेशमी चादर की भेंट चढ़ाई।
The temple priest offered a silk shawl to the goddess as an offering.
(mandir ke pujaarii ne devii ko reshmii chaadar kii bhent chadhaaii।)
काश हम भी उन्हें कोई सार्थक भेंट दे पाते।
If only we too could have given them some meaningful gift.
(kaash ham bhii unhen koii saarthak bhent de paate।)
अगर वे विशेष अतिथि होते, तो उन्हें भी भेंट मिलती।
If he were a special guest, he would have received a gift too.
(agar ve vishesh atithi hote, to unhen bhii bhent miltii।)
संस्था की ओर से रिटायर होने वाले शिक्षक को एक भेंट दी गई।
On behalf of the institution, the retiring teacher was given a gift.
(sansthaa kii or se ritaayar hone vaale shikshak ko ek bhent dii gaii।)
शायद उन्हें कोई कीमती भेंट भेजी जाए।
Perhaps some valuable gift will be sent to him.
(shaayad unhen koii kiimtii bhent bhejii jaae।)
प्राचीन काल में राजा देवताओं को स्वर्ण भेंट अर्पित करते थे।
In ancient times, kings used to offer golden gifts to the gods.
(praachiin kaal men raajaa devtaaon ko svarn bhent arpit karte the।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
भेंट
(bhent)
(sg.f.oblique):
भेंट
(bhent)
(pl.f.direct):
भेंटें
(bhenten)
(pl.f.oblique):
भेंटों
(bhenton)