भगवान (bhagvaan)
noun/interjection
The everyday Hindi word for God, mainly in the general/monotheistic sense used across faiths in casual speech; also lives inside common exclamations and set phrases.
Sense
1
:
God, the Divine
noun, masculine
Synonyms: ईश्वर (iishvar), प्रभु (prabhu, slightly more devotional/formal), खुदा (khudaa, used especially by Urdu/Muslim speakers), परमात्मा (parmaatmaa, literary)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will hear भगवान (bhagvaan) constantly in daily Delhi life, not just in temples: भगवान का शुक्र है (bhagvaan kaa shukr hai, 'thank God') when relief arrives, भगवान जाने (bhagvaan jaane, 'God knows') when someone shrugs off an unanswerable question, and भगवान करे (bhagvaan kare, 'may God grant it') as a blessing before an exam or journey. It sits alongside ईश्वर (iishvar) and खुदा (khudaa) as everyday synonyms people reach for depending on habit rather than strict religious identity.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes assume भगवान (bhagvaan) refers only to a specific Hindu deity, but in everyday speech it functions as a generic word for God, much like the English word, and is used regardless of the speaker's specific religious practice. 2) It is grammatically masculine and singular even when used to address the divine in the abstract, so verb agreement stays masculine singular.
Sample Sentences:
भगवान ने यह दुनिया बनाई है।
God created this world.
(bhagvaan ne yah duniyaa banaaii hai।)
भगवान का शुक्र है कि सब ठीक हो गया।
Thank God everything turned out fine.
(bhagvaan kaa shukr hai ki sab thiik ho gayaa।)
पता नहीं वो कहाँ गया, भगवान जाने।
I don't know where he went, God knows.
(pataa nahiin vo kahaan gayaa, bhagvaan jaane।)
भगवान करे तुम्हारा इम्तिहान अच्छा जाए।
May God grant that your exam goes well.
(bhagvaan kare tumhaaraa imtihaan achchhaa jaae।)
बहुत से लोग मानते हैं कि भगवान हर जगह मौजूद है।
Many people believe that God is present everywhere.
(bahut se log maante hain ki bhagvaan har jagah maujood hai।)
अगर भगवान होता, तो इतना अन्याय क्यों होता?
If God existed, why would there be so much injustice?
(agar bhagvaan hotaa, to itnaa anyaay kyon hotaa?)
भगवान की पूजा हर सुबह इस मंदिर में की जाती है।
God is worshipped in this temple every morning.
(bhagvaan kii poojaa har subah is mandir men kii jaatii hai।)
भगवान से डरो और सच बोलो।
Fear God and speak the truth.
(bhagvaan se daro aur sach bolo।)
हे भगवान, मुझे इस मुश्किल से निकाल दो।
Oh God, get me out of this difficulty.
(he bhagvaan, mujhe is mushkil se nikaal do।)
भगवान सबकी रक्षा करेगा, ऐसा दादी हमेशा कहती थीं।
God will protect everyone, grandmother always used to say.
(bhagvaan sabkii rakshaa karegaa, aisaa daadii hameshaa kahtii thiin।)
भगवान की कृपा से यह परिवार हमेशा सुखी रहा है।
By the grace of God, this family has always been happy.
(bhagvaan kii kripaa se yah parivaar hameshaa sukhii rahaa hai।)
भगवान ही जानता है कि आगे क्या होगा।
Only God knows what will happen next.
(bhagvaan hii jaantaa hai ki aage kyaa hogaa।)
Sense
2
:
exclamation of shock, appeal, or exasperation
interjection Used as a standalone exclamation, often as हे भगवान (he bhagvaan) or भगवान! (bhagvaan), reacting to surprise, distress, or frustration -- functionally parallel to English 'Oh my God.'
Synonyms: हे भगवान (he bhagvaan, full exclamatory form), अरे बाबा (are baabaa, colloquial alternative)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Drop a sudden भगवान! (bhagvaan) or हे भगवान! (he bhagvaan) when the milk boils over or an auto driver cuts you off, and you will sound completely natural -- it is the reflexive exclamation of Delhi households and streets alike, cutting across religious lines the same way its noun sense does.
Sample Sentences:
हे भगवान! दूध उबल गया!
Oh God! The milk boiled over!
(he bhagvaan! doodh ubal gayaa!)
भगवान! ये ऑटो वाला कैसे चला रहा है!
God! How is this auto guy driving!
(bhagvaan! ye oto vaalaa kaise chalaa rahaa hai!)
हे भगवान, अब क्या होगा?
Oh God, what will happen now?
(he bhagvaan, ab kyaa hogaa?)
भगवान! मुझे तो पता ही नहीं था कि इतनी देर हो गई है।
God! I had no idea it had gotten so late.
(bhagvaan! mujhe to pataa hii nahiin thaa ki itnii der ho gaii hai।)
हे भगवान, ये लड़का कभी समय पर नहीं आता!
Oh God, this boy never comes on time!
(he bhagvaan, ye ladkaa kabhii samay par nahiin aataa!)
भगवान, अगर वो गिर जाता तो क्या होता!
God, if he had fallen, what would have happened!
(bhagvaan, agar vo gir jaataa to kyaa hotaa!)
हे भगवान, बचा लो!
Oh God, save us!
(he bhagvaan, bachaa lo!)
भगवान, कहीं ये गाड़ी टूट न जाए।
God, I hope this car doesn't break down.
(bhagvaan, kahiin ye gaadii toot n jaae।)
अरे भगवान! ये तो बहुत बड़ी गलती हो गई।
Oh God! This turned out to be a huge mistake.
(are bhagvaan! ye to bahut badii galtii ho gaii।)
भगवान जाने वो क्या सोच रहा होगा।
God knows what he must be thinking.
(bhagvaan jaane vo kyaa soch rahaa hogaa।)
हे भगवान, मुझसे यह कैसे भुला दिया गया!
Oh God, how could I have forgotten this!
(he bhagvaan, mujhse yah kaise bhulaa diyaa gayaa!)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
भगवान
(bhagvaan)
(sg.m.oblique):
भगवान
(bhagvaan)
(pl.m.direct):
भगवान
(bhagvaan)
(pl.m.oblique):
भगवानों
(bhagvaanon)