बल (bal)
noun
Mainly a noun meaning physical strength or force, common in everyday and formal registers alike; it also survives in a few fixed adverbial/idiomatic phrases built on this same root.
Sense
1
:
physical strength, force, power
noun, masculine
Synonyms: शक्ति (shakti), ताकत (taakat), ज़ोर (zor)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You will meet बल (bal) constantly in compounds rather than alone: मनोबल (manobal, 'morale'), आत्मबल (aatmbal, 'inner strength'), जनबल (janbal, 'manpower') -- Hindi loves stacking this root onto an abstract noun to name the 'force of X'. In plain conversation about physical muscle, ताकत (taakat) is what people actually reach for first.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for ताकत (taakat) in every context, but बल (bal) is the word used in more formal, written, or abstract contexts (मनोबल manobal, 'morale/willpower'; सैन्य बल sainy bal, 'military force') -- it sounds slightly more literary or official than ताकत (taakat) in casual speech.
Sample Sentences:
हाथी में बहुत बल होता है।
An elephant has a lot of strength.
(haathii men bahut bal hotaa hai।)
उसने पूरे बल से दरवाज़ा धकेला।
He pushed the door with all his force.
(usne poore bal se darvaazaa dhakelaa।)
अपने बल पर विश्वास रखो, हार मत मानो।
Trust in your own strength, don't give up.
(apne bal par vishvaas rakho, haar mat maano।)
यदि उसमें इतना बल न होता, तो वह चट्टान न हटा पाता।
If he did not have so much strength, he would not have been able to move the boulder.
(yadi usmen itnaa bal n hotaa, to vah chattaan n hataa paataa।)
बल के प्रयोग से समस्या नहीं सुलझेगी, बातचीत से सुलझेगी।
The problem won't be solved by the use of force, it will be solved through talking.
(bal ke prayog se samasyaa nahiin suljhegii, baatchiit se suljhegii।)
शायद उसमें अब वह बल न बचा हो जो जवानी में था।
Perhaps he no longer has the strength left that he had in his youth.
(shaayad usmen ab vah bal n bachaa ho jo javaanii men thaa।)
बल-पूर्वक ज़मीन पर कब्ज़ा किया गया।
The land was seized forcibly.
(bal-poorvak zamiin par kabzaa kiyaa gayaa।)
बुढ़ापे में शरीर का बल कम हो जाता है, पर अनुभव बढ़ता है।
In old age the body's strength diminishes, but experience grows.
(budhaape men shariir kaa bal kam ho jaataa hai, par anubhav badhtaa hai।)
बल और बुद्धि दोनों का सही संतुलन ज़रूरी है।
A proper balance of both strength and intellect is necessary.
(bal aur buddhi donon kaa sahii santulan zaroorii hai।)
Sense
2
:
military force, troops (as an institutional body)
noun, masculine Common in the compound सुरक्षा बल (surakshaa bal, 'security force') and similar official/news terms.
Synonyms: सेना (senaa), फ़ौज (fauj)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This sense shows up daily in the news: पुलिस बल (pulis bal, 'police force'), सुरक्षा बल (surakshaa bal, 'security forces'). It is really the same root sense as physical strength, just applied to organized manpower -- a natural metonymy rather than an unrelated word.
Sample Sentences:
सीमा पर सुरक्षा बल तैनात किए गए हैं।
Security forces have been deployed on the border.
(siimaa par surakshaa bal tainaat kie gae hain।)
पुलिस बल ने भीड़ को काबू में कर लिया।
The police force brought the crowd under control.
(pulis bal ne bhiid ko kaaboo men kar liyaa।)
सरकार नए अर्धसैनिक बल का गठन कर रही है।
The government is forming a new paramilitary force.
(sarkaar nae ardhsainik bal kaa gathan kar rahii hai।)
अगर हालात बिगड़ते तो अतिरिक्त बल भेजे जाते।
If the situation had worsened, additional forces would have been sent.
(agar haalaat bigadte to atirikt bal bheje jaate।)
वायु सेना और थल सेना दोनों देश के प्रमुख बल हैं।
The air force and the army are both the country's major forces.
(vaayu senaa aur thal senaa donon desh ke pramukh bal hain।)
उम्मीद है कि शांति बल जल्द ही वहाँ पहुँचेगा।
It is hoped that the peacekeeping force will reach there soon.
(ummiid hai ki shaanti bal jald hii vahaan pahunchegaa।)
बाढ़ राहत के लिए बल को तुरंत रवाना करो।
Send the force immediately for flood relief.
(baadh raahat ke lie bal ko turant ravaanaa karo।)
पिछले साल इस इलाके में केंद्रीय बल तैनात था।
Last year, a central force was stationed in this area.
(pichhle saal is ilaake men kendriiy bal tainaat thaa।)
यह निर्णय गृह मंत्रालय और सुरक्षा बलों के बीच बातचीत से हुआ।
This decision came about through talks between the home ministry and the security forces.
(yah nirnay grih mantraalay aur surakshaa balon ke biich baatchiit se huaa।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
बल
(bal)
(sg.m.oblique):
बल
(bal)
(pl.m.direct):
बल
(bal)
(pl.m.oblique):
बलों
(balon)