पुस्तक (pustak)

noun A single-sense word meaning 'book,' used in more formal or written registers than its everyday counterpart किताब (kitaab).
Sense 1 : book
noun, feminine
Synonyms: किताब (kitaab)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You will see पुस्तक (pustak) on school textbook covers (पाठ्य-पुस्तक, paathy-pustak, 'textbook') and library boards (पुस्तकालय, pustkaalay, 'library'), while daily speech at home almost always reaches for किताब (kitaab) -- a good example of how Hindi keeps a Sanskritic word for formal/institutional contexts alongside a Persian-origin word for everyday use, without either being wrong.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often use पुस्तक (pustak) and किताब (kitaab) interchangeably without noticing the register gap; in casual conversation, ordering 'get me a book' at home or a shop, किताब (kitaab) is what people actually say -- पुस्तक (pustak) shows up on school syllabi, library signs, and in formal writing.
Sample Sentences:
यह पुस्तक बहुत ज्ञानवर्धक है। This book is very enlightening.
(yah pustak bahut gyaanvardhak hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
विद्यालय की पुस्तकालय में हज़ारों पुस्तकें रखी हैं। Thousands of books are kept in the school library.
(vidyaalay kii pustkaalay men hazaaron pustken rakhii hain।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
छात्र प्रतिदिन पाठ्य-पुस्तक का अध्ययन करते हैं। Students study the textbook every day.
(chhaatr pratidin paathy-pustak kaa adhyyan karte hain।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
लेखक ने एक नई पुस्तक प्रकाशित की है। The author has published a new book.
(lekhak ne ek naii pustak prakaashit kii hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
कृपया वह पुस्तक पुस्तकालय को लौटा दीजिए। Please return that book to the library.
(kripyaa vah pustak pustkaalay ko lautaa diijie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
यदि समय होता तो मैं यह पुस्तक अवश्य पढ़ता। If I had the time, I would definitely read this book.
(yadi samay hotaa to main yah pustak avashy padhtaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
संभव है कि यह पुस्तक अगले वर्ष पाठ्यक्रम में शामिल हो। It's possible that this book will be included in next year's curriculum.
(sambhav hai ki yah pustak agle varsh paathyakram men shaamil ho।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
पुस्तकालय अध्यक्ष ने घोषणा की कि सभी पुस्तकें अगले सप्ताह तक जमा कर दी जाएँगी। The librarian announced that all books will be submitted by next week.
(pustkaalay adhyaksh ne ghoshnaa kii ki sabhii pustken agle saptaah tak jamaa kar dii jaaengii।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Passive
प्राचीन काल में पुस्तकें हाथ से लिखी जाती थीं। In ancient times, books used to be written by hand.
(praachiin kaal men pustken haath se likhii jaatii thiin।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): पुस्तक (pustak)
(sg.f.oblique): पुस्तक (pustak)
(pl.f.direct): पुस्तकें (pustken)
(pl.f.oblique): पुस्तकों (pustkon)