शख़्स (shakhs)
noun
A single sense: 'person, individual.' A common everyday word borrowed from Persian/Urdu, frequently heard in spoken Hindi and Bollywood dialogue.
Sense
1
:
person, individual
noun, masculine
Synonyms: व्यक्ति (vyakti), इंसान (insaan), आदमी (aadmii, often specifically 'man', but also used generically)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This word has a slightly literary, storytelling feel to it -- you will hear it constantly in Bollywood songs and dialogues ('woh shakhs jo...' vo shakhs jo) where English would just say 'that person' or 'that guy.' In plain daily chat about people around you, इंसान (insaan) or आदमी (aadmii) often feels more natural, while शख़्स (shakhs) adds a touch of narrative distance or intrigue, like referring to 'a certain individual' rather than just 'someone.'
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often assume शख़्स (shakhs) is neutral like 'person' in English, but it usually implies a specific, sometimes mysterious or notable individual -- 'ek shakhs' (ek shakhs, 'a certain person') often carries a slight narrative or dramatic flavor, as in storytelling or song lyrics. 2) The nuqta under 'ख' is often dropped in casual writing/typing (शक्स), but the pronunciation with the throaty 'ख़' sound is still expected in careful speech.
Sample Sentences:
वो शख़्स कौन था जो कल यहाँ आया था?
Who was that person who came here yesterday?
(vo shakhs kaun thaa jo kal yahaan aayaa thaa?)
हर शख़्स की अपनी एक कहानी होती है।
Every person has their own story.
(har shakhs kii apnii ek kahaanii hotii hai।)
वो शख़्स जो कभी हँसता नहीं था, आज खुलकर मुस्कुरा रहा है।
That person who never used to laugh is smiling openly today.
(vo shakhs jo kabhii hanstaa nahiin thaa, aaj khulkar muskuraa rahaa hai।)
इस भीड़ में कोई ऐसा शख़्स ढूँढ़ो जिस पर भरोसा किया जा सके।
Find some person in this crowd who can be trusted.
(is bhiid men koii aisaa shakhs dhoondho jis par bharosaa kiyaa jaa sake।)
काश वो शख़्स आज मेरे साथ होता।
I wish that person were with me today.
(kaash vo shakhs aaj mere saath hotaa।)
अदालत ने उस शख़्स को दोषी करार दिया।
The court declared that individual guilty.
(adaalat ne us shakhs ko doshii karaar diyaa।)
पुलिस अभी भी उस शख़्स की तलाश कर रही है जिसने चोरी की थी।
The police are still searching for the person who committed the theft.
(pulis abhii bhii us shakhs kii talaash kar rahii hai jisne chorii kii thii।)
शायद वो शख़्स तुम्हें रास्ता बता दे।
Maybe that person will show you the way.
(shaayad vo shakhs tumhen raastaa bataa de।)
जब वो शख़्स कमरे में दाख़िल हुआ, तो सब चौंक गए।
When that person entered the room, everyone was startled.
(jab vo shakhs kamre men daakhil huaa, to sab chaunk gae।)
गाने में वो लाइन है ना, 'वो शख़्स जो मेरी ज़िंदगी बदल गया'।
There's that line in the song, isn't there -- 'that person who changed my life.'
(gaane men vo laain hai naa, 'vo shakhs jo merii zindgii badal gayaa'।)
आगे चलकर वह शख़्स एक बड़ा नेता बनेगा, ऐसा सबका मानना था।
Everyone believed that this person would go on to become a great leader.
(aage chalkar vah shakhs ek badaa netaa banegaa, aisaa sabkaa maannaa thaa।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
शख़्स
(shakhs)
(sg.m.oblique):
शख़्स
(shakhs)
(pl.m.direct):
शख़्स
(shakhs)
(pl.m.oblique):
शख़्सों
(shakhson)