क़ानून (qaanoon)

noun A single core sense: 'law', in the sense of legal rules and legislation. Also commonly seen spelled without the nuqta as कानून (kaanoon) -- both are used freely in everyday Hindi.
Sense 1 : law (legal rule/system)
noun, masculine
Synonyms: नियम (niyam, rule), विधि (vidhi, formal), आइन (aain, rare)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You'll hear this word constantly in news broadcasts and political speech -- क़ानून व्यवस्था (qaanoon vyavasthaa, 'law and order') is a phrase that comes up in every election season. It's a Persian-origin word thoroughly naturalized into everyday Hindi, so much so that most speakers don't perceive it as a loanword at all.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes drop the nuqta and write कानून (kaanoon) -- this is a widely accepted variant spelling, not an error, so both forms are fine to use. 2) क़ानून (qaanoon) refers to law as a system or specific statute (e.g. traffic law); for 'a court case' or 'legal matter' in general, अदालत (adaalat) or मुकदमा (mukadmaa) is more appropriate, not क़ानून (qaanoon).
Sample Sentences:
भारत में हर नागरिक को क़ानून का पालन करना चाहिए। Every citizen in India should follow the law.
(bhaarat men har naagrik ko qaanoon kaa paalan karnaa chaahie।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
यह काम क़ानून के खिलाफ़ है। This act is against the law.
(yah kaam qaanoon ke khilaaf hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
सरकार ने इस मुद्दे पर नया क़ानून बनाया। The government made a new law on this issue.
(sarkaar ne is mudde par nayaa qaanoon banaayaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
देश में क़ानून व्यवस्था बिगड़ रही है। Law and order is deteriorating in the country.
(desh men qaanoon vyavasthaa bigad rahii hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर तुम क़ानून तोड़ोगे, तो तुम्हें सज़ा मिलेगी। If you break the law, you will be punished.
(agar tum qaanoon todoge, to tumhen sazaa milegii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
कोई भी क़ानून से ऊपर नहीं है। No one is above the law.
(koii bhii qaanoon se oopar nahiin hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर क़ानून सख़्त होता, तो अपराध कम होते। If the law were strict, crimes would be fewer.
(agar qaanoon sakht hotaa, to apraadh kam hote।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
नया श्रम क़ानून संसद में पास किया गया। The new labor law was passed in parliament.
(nayaa shram qaanoon sansad men paas kiyaa gayaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
कृपया क़ानून का सम्मान करें और नियमों का उल्लंघन न करें। Please respect the law and do not violate the rules.
(kripyaa qaanoon kaa sammaan karen aur niymon kaa ullanghan n karen।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
अदालत ने कहा कि क़ानून की नज़र में सब बराबर हैं। The court said that everyone is equal in the eyes of the law.
(adaalat ne kahaa ki qaanoon kii nazar men sab baraabar hain।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
पुलिस चाहती है कि क़ानून व्यवस्था बनी रहे। The police want law and order to be maintained.
(pulis chaahtii hai ki qaanoon vyavasthaa banii rahe।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): क़ानून (qaanoon)
(sg.m.oblique): क़ानून (qaanoon)
(pl.m.direct): क़ानून (qaanoon)
(pl.m.oblique): क़ानूनों (qaanoonon)