अनाथ (anaath)

noun/adjective A single core meaning: 'orphan' -- used both as a noun (a person, especially a child, without parents) and as an adjective (parentless, helpless/forsaken).

Sense 1 : orphan (a person without parents)

noun, masculine/feminine

Frequency: medium

Cultural Note: अनाथ (anaath) literally breaks down as अ- (a, 'without') + नाथ (naath, 'protector/lord'), so the word's root sense is 'one without a protector' rather than just 'parentless' -- this is why it can extend to a broader sense of being helpless or unsupported (see the adjective sense below). अनाथालय (anaathaalay) 'orphanage' is a very common derived word built from this root.

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes treat अनाथ (anaath) as inflecting like a regular आ-ending adjective/noun, but it stays invariant in all forms -- अनाथ बच्चे (anaath bachche, 'orphan children'), not a changed ending. 2) The common compound अनाथालय (anaathaalay, 'orphanage') is often the more natural word to reach for when talking about the institution, rather than describing a 'home for अनाथ (anaath)' with a longer phrase.

Sample Sentences:

वह बचपन से ही अनाथ है। He has been an orphan since childhood.

(vah bachpan se hii anaath hai।)

उस हादसे में उसके माँ-बाप गुज़र गए और वह अनाथ हो गई। Her parents died in that accident and she became an orphan.

(us haadse men uske maan-baap guzar gae aur vah anaath ho gaii।)

शहर के अनाथालय में करीब पचास अनाथ रहते हैं। Around fifty orphans live in the city's orphanage.

(shahar ke anaathaalay men kariib pachaas anaath rahte hain।)

क्या तुम एक अनाथ को अपने घर में जगह नहीं दे सकते? Can't you give an orphan a place in your home?

(kyaa tum ek anaath ko apne ghar men jagah nahiin de sakte?)

उस अनाथ को गोद लेने का फैसला पूरे परिवार ने मिलकर किया। The whole family together decided to adopt that orphan.

(us anaath ko god lene kaa phaislaa poore parivaar ne milkar kiyaa।)

काश उस अनाथ को भी कोई अपना परिवार मिल पाता। If only that orphan too could find a family of their own.

(kaash us anaath ko bhii koii apnaa parivaar mil paataa।)

अगर उसके रिश्तेदारों ने उसे अपनाया होता, तो वह अनाथ न कहलाता। If his relatives had accepted him, he would not have been called an orphan.

(agar uske rishtedaaron ne use apnaayaa hotaa, to vah anaath n kahlaataa।)

सरकार ने अनाथों की शिक्षा के लिए विशेष योजना शुरू की है। The government has launched a special scheme for the education of orphans.

(sarkaar ne anaathon kii shikshaa ke lie vishesh yojnaa shuroo kii hai।)

इस अनाथ बच्चे की देखभाल कौन करेगा? Who will take care of this orphan child?

(is anaath bachche kii dekhbhaal kaun karegaa?)

अनाथों को हमेशा सम्मान और प्यार दिया जाना चाहिए। Orphans should always be given respect and love.

(anaathon ko hameshaa sammaan aur pyaar diyaa jaanaa chaahie।)

Sense 2 : orphaned, parentless; by extension, helpless or forsaken

adjective

Synonyms: बेसहारा (besahaaraa, helpless/without support), निराश्रित (niraashrit, formal)

Frequency: medium

Cultural Note: Beyond the literal 'parentless,' अनाथ (anaath) can be used figuratively for anyone or anything left without support or protection -- a cause, a nation, or a person in a difficult situation can be described as feeling अनाथ (anaath), echoing its root meaning 'without a protector.'

Common Mistakes: 1) Because अनाथ (anaath) is grammatically invariant, learners familiar with the standard -आ/-ई adjective pattern may wrongly try to change its ending for gender or number agreement -- it stays the same in every context: अनाथ लड़का (anaath ladkaa, 'orphan boy'), अनाथ लड़की (anaath ladkii, 'orphan girl').

Sample Sentences:

उस हादसे में उसके माँ-बाप चल बसे और वह अनाथ हो गया। In that accident his parents passed away and he became orphaned.

(us haadse men uske maan-baap chal base aur vah anaath ho gayaa।)

पिता की मृत्यु के बाद घर एक तरह से अनाथ-सा महसूस होता है। After the father's death, the house sort of feels orphaned, in a way.

(pitaa kii mrityu ke baad ghar ek tarah se anaath-saa mahsoos hotaa hai।)

नेता के जाने के बाद पूरी पार्टी अनाथ जैसी लगने लगी। After the leader left, the whole party started seeming as if it had lost its protector.

(netaa ke jaane ke baad poorii paartii anaath jaisii lagne lagii।)

अगर कोई सरपरस्त न होता, तो यह आंदोलन कब का अनाथ हो चुका होता। If there had been no patron, this movement would have long since been left without support.

(agar koii saraprast n hotaa, to yah aandolan kab kaa anaath ho chukaa hotaa।)

बेचारे को यूँ अकेला मत छोड़ो, अनाथ जैसा हाल हो जाएगा उसका। Don't leave the poor guy alone like this, he'll end up feeling utterly helpless.

(bechaare ko yoon akelaa mat chhodo, anaath jaisaa haal ho jaaegaa uskaa।)

जब से कंपनी का मालिक चला गया है, कर्मचारी खुद को अनाथ समझने लगे हैं। Ever since the company's owner left, the employees have started considering themselves left without protection.

(jab se kampnii kaa maalik chalaa gayaa hai, karmchaarii khud ko anaath samajhne lage hain।)

काश कोई ऐसा हो जो इस बेसहारा और अनाथ से देश की मदद करे। If only there were someone who would help this helpless, forsaken country.

(kaash koii aisaa ho jo is besahaaraa aur anaath se desh kii madad kare।)

संरक्षक के बिना यह संस्था पूरी तरह अनाथ मानी जाएगी। Without a patron, this institution will be considered completely without protection.

(sanrakshak ke binaa yah sansthaa poorii tarah anaath maanii jaaegii।)

गुरु के निधन से उनका शिष्य समुदाय मानो अनाथ हो गया। With the guru's passing, his community of disciples became, as it were, orphaned of guidance.

(guru ke nidhan se unkaa shishy samudaay maano anaath ho gayaa।)

यह मुद्दा सरकार की उपेक्षा से अनाथ पड़ा है, कोई इसकी सुध नहीं लेता। This issue lies abandoned by the government's neglect; no one looks after it.

(yah muddaa sarkaar kii upekshaa se anaath padaa hai, koii iskii sudh nahiin letaa।)

Morphology

Noun

(sg.m/f.direct): अनाथ (anaath)

(sg.m/f.oblique): अनाथ (anaath)

(pl.m/f.direct): अनाथें (anaathen)

(pl.m/f.oblique): अनाथों (anaathon)

Adjective (invariant)

invariant: अनाथ (anaath)