संबंध (sambandh)
noun
A formal-leaning word for 'relationship' or 'connection' -- covers personal/family ties, abstract logical connections, and (in its plural-ish use) romantic or physical relations. Related to the more colloquial रिश्ता (rishtaa).
Sense
1
:
relationship (personal/social)
noun, masculine
Synonyms: रिश्ता (rishtaa), नाता (naataa)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will hear this word constantly in news broadcasts and official speech -- 'भारत-पाकिस्तान संबंध' (bhaarat-paakistaan sambandh, 'India-Pakistan relations') is a stock phrase. In daily family chat, though, people lean on रिश्ता (rishtaa) instead, which feels warmer and more personal.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for रिश्ता (rishtaa) in speech and संबंध (sambandh) in writing or formal contexts; both are correct, but संबंध (sambandh) sounds noticeably more formal in casual conversation. 2) The relationship between two people is usually phrased as X से संबंध (X se sambandh) -- 'a relationship with X' -- using से (se), not को (ko) or का (kaa) alone.
Sample Sentences:
हमारे दोनों परिवारों के बीच बहुत पुराने संबंध हैं।
There are very old relations between both our families.
(hamaare donon parivaaron ke biich bahut puraane sambandh hain।)
भारत-पाकिस्तान संबंध पिछले कुछ वर्षों में और तनावपूर्ण हो गए हैं।
India-Pakistan relations have become even more tense in the last few years.
(bhaarat-paakistaan sambandh pichhle kuchh varshon men aur tanaavpoorn ho gae hain।)
दोनों देशों ने अपने राजनयिक संबंध फिर से स्थापित किए।
Both countries re-established their diplomatic relations.
(donon deshon ne apne raajanyik sambandh phir se sthaapit kie।)
अगर तुम ऐसा व्यवहार करते रहे, तो हमारे संबंध बिगड़ जाएंगे।
If you keep behaving like this, our relationship will get spoiled.
(agar tum aisaa vyavahaar karte rahe, to hamaare sambandh bigad jaaenge।)
काश हमारे संबंध इतने खराब न होते।
I wish our relations were not this bad.
(kaash hamaare sambandh itne kharaab n hote।)
व्यापारिक संबंधों को मजबूत बनाने के लिए दोनों पक्षों ने समझौता किया।
Both sides made an agreement to strengthen trade relations.
(vyaapaarik sambandhon ko majboot banaane ke lie donon pakshon ne samjhautaa kiyaa।)
सरकार चाहती है कि दोनों देशों के बीच संबंध सामान्य हो जाएं।
The government wants relations between the two countries to become normal.
(sarkaar chaahtii hai ki donon deshon ke biich sambandh saamaany ho jaaen।)
अपने पड़ोसियों के साथ अच्छे संबंध बनाए रखो।
Maintain good relations with your neighbors.
(apne padosiyon ke saath achchhe sambandh banaae rakho।)
उन दोनों कंपनियों के बीच सालों से व्यावसायिक संबंध रहे हैं।
There have been business relations between those two companies for years.
(un donon kampniyon ke biich saalon se vyaavsaayik sambandh rahe hain।)
इस समझौते से दोनों राष्ट्रों के बीच संबंधों को नई दिशा दी जाएगी।
This agreement will give a new direction to relations between the two nations.
(is samjhaute se donon raashtron ke biich sambandhon ko naii dishaa dii jaaegii।)
उसने अपने बॉस के साथ संबंध सुधारने की पूरी कोशिश की।
He tried his best to improve his relationship with his boss.
(usne apne bos ke saath sambandh sudhaarne kii poorii koshish kii।)
Sense
2
:
connection, correlation (abstract/logical)
noun, masculine Used for abstract links between ideas, events, or facts, often in constructions like इस बात का उस बात से संबंध है (is baat kaa us baat se sambandh hai, 'this matter is connected to that matter').
Synonyms: जुड़ाव (judaav), लगाव (lagaav, emotional connection, not identical)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This is the word you will meet in academic or analytical writing -- a teacher explaining that two historical events have a संबंध (sambandh), or that cause and effect are संबंधित (sambandhit, 'related/connected') to each other.
Sample Sentences:
इन दोनों घटनाओं के बीच गहरा संबंध है।
There is a deep connection between these two events.
(in donon ghatnaaon ke biich gahraa sambandh hai।)
शिक्षक ने कारण और परिणाम के संबंध को समझाया।
The teacher explained the connection between cause and effect.
(shikshak ne kaaran aur parinaam ke sambandh ko samjhaayaa।)
क्या मुद्रास्फीति और बेरोज़गारी के बीच कोई संबंध है?
Is there any correlation between inflation and unemployment?
(kyaa mudraasphiiti aur berozgaarii ke biich koii sambandh hai?)
इस शोध-पत्र में दोनों सिद्धांतों के संबंध पर चर्चा की गई है।
This research paper discusses the connection between the two theories.
(is shodh-patr men donon siddhaanton ke sambandh par charchaa kii gaii hai।)
अगर आँकड़ों का सही विश्लेषण किया जाता, तो संबंध स्पष्ट हो जाता।
If the data had been analyzed correctly, the connection would have become clear.
(agar aankdon kaa sahii vishleshan kiyaa jaataa, to sambandh spasht ho jaataa।)
वैज्ञानिक इस बात पर बहस कर रहे हैं कि इन दोनों तत्वों में संबंध है या नहीं।
Scientists are debating whether there is a connection between these two elements or not.
(vaigyaanik is baat par bahas kar rahe hain ki in donon tatvon men sambandh hai yaa nahiin।)
यह ज़रूरी है कि हम इस संबंध को ठीक से समझें।
It is necessary that we understand this connection properly.
(yah zaroorii hai ki ham is sambandh ko thiik se samjhen।)
इतिहास और भूगोल के बीच का संबंध अक्सर नज़रअंदाज़ कर दिया जाता है।
The connection between history and geography is often ignored.
(itihaas aur bhoogol ke biich kaa sambandh aksar nazraandaaz kar diyaa jaataa hai।)
आगे चलकर हमें इन आँकड़ों में एक स्पष्ट संबंध मिलेगा।
Going forward, we will find a clear connection in this data.
(aage chalkar hamen in aankdon men ek spasht sambandh milegaa।)
Sense
3
:
romantic or physical relations
noun, masculine Frequently appears as शारीरिक संबंध (shaariirik sambandh, 'physical relations') or संबंध बनाना (sambandh banaanaa, 'to have relations') -- a euphemistic register for sex or an affair, common in news reports and legal language.
Synonyms: रिश्ता (rishtaa), नाजायज़ संबंध (naajaayaz sambandh, illicit relationship, specific phrase)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: Indian newspapers reporting on scandals or court cases will almost always say 'अवैध संबंध' (avaidh sambandh, 'illicit relationship') rather than anything more explicit -- this euphemistic register is exactly why the word is so common in that context.
Common Mistakes: 1) This sense is often used euphemistically -- native speakers reach for संबंध (sambandh) precisely because it is less blunt than more direct words, so it shows up a lot in news and courtroom contexts rather than casual talk.
Sample Sentences:
उसके अवैध संबंध की खबर अखबार में छपी थी।
The news of his illicit affair was published in the newspaper.
(uske avaidh sambandh kii khabar akhbaar men chhapii thii।)
पुलिस को शक है कि दोनों के बीच शारीरिक संबंध थे।
The police suspect that there was a physical relationship between the two.
(pulis ko shak hai ki donon ke biich shaariirik sambandh the।)
उसने अदालत में कबूल किया कि उसके अपनी सहकर्मी के साथ संबंध हैं।
He admitted in court that he is having an affair with his colleague.
(usne adaalat men kabool kiyaa ki uske apnii sahkarmii ke saath sambandh hain।)
गाँव में सबको उनके संबंध के बारे में पता चल गया था।
Everyone in the village had found out about their affair.
(gaanv men sabko unke sambandh ke baare men pataa chal gayaa thaa।)
यार, सच बता, तेरे और उसके बीच कुछ है क्या?
Dude, tell me honestly, is there something going on between you and her?
(yaar, sach bataa, tere aur uske biich kuchh hai kyaa?)
अगर उसके पति को उसके संबंध के बारे में पता चलता, तो तलाक हो जाता।
If her husband had found out about her affair, there would have been a divorce.
(agar uske pati ko uske sambandh ke baare men pataa chaltaa, to talaak ho jaataa।)
अभिनेता और अभिनेत्री के अवैध संबंध की खबर सुर्खियों में है।
The news of the actor and actress's illicit affair is making headlines.
(abhinetaa aur abhinetrii ke avaidh sambandh kii khabar surkhiyon men hai।)
मुझे नहीं लगता कि उन दोनों के बीच ऐसा कोई संबंध हो।
I don't think there could be any such relationship between the two of them.
(mujhe nahiin lagtaa ki un donon ke biich aisaa koii sambandh ho।)
वह अपने संबंध को छिपाते-छिपाते थक गई थी।
She had grown tired of constantly hiding her affair.
(vah apne sambandh ko chhipaate-chhipaate thak gaii thii।)
उनका संबंध बरसों से चल रहा था, पर किसी को शक नहीं हुआ।
Their affair had been going on for years, but no one suspected a thing.
(unkaa sambandh barson se chal rahaa thaa, par kisii ko shak nahiin huaa।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
संबंध
(sambandh)
(sg.m.oblique):
संबंध
(sambandh)
(pl.m.direct):
संबंध
(sambandh)
(pl.m.oblique):
संबंधों
(sambandhon)