स्वप्न (svapn)
noun
A more literary/formal word for 'dream' -- both the sleep-vision and the aspiration sense, paralleling English 'dream'. The everyday word for this is सपना (sapnaa).
Sense
1
:
dream, aspiration (figurative)
noun, masculine
Synonyms: सपना (sapnaa), आकांक्षा (aakaankshaa, formal), ख्वाब (khvaab)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This is the sense behind famous phrases like भारत का स्वप्न (bhaarat kaa svapn, 'India's dream') in political and motivational speech, echoing the same register as English 'the dream of a nation.' It is the word you will meet in essays about great leaders' visions, not in casual chat about last night's sleep.
Common Mistakes: 1) Both स्वप्न (svapn) and सपना (sapnaa) work here, but स्वप्न (svapn) carries a slightly more elevated, inspirational tone -- useful in speeches, essays, or when talking about someone's life ambition, whereas सपना (sapnaa) is what you would use casually among friends.
Sample Sentences:
हर बच्चे का एक स्वप्न होता है जिसे वह पूरा करना चाहता है।
Every child has a dream that they want to fulfill.
(har bachche kaa ek svapn hotaa hai jise vah pooraa karnaa chaahtaa hai।)
एक शिक्षित भारत का स्वप्न महात्मा गांधी ने देखा था।
Mahatma Gandhi saw the dream of an educated India.
(ek shikshit bhaarat kaa svapn mahaatmaa gaandhii ne dekhaa thaa।)
डॉक्टर बनने का उसका स्वप्न आखिरकार साकार हुआ।
His dream of becoming a doctor was finally realized.
(doktar banne kaa uskaa svapn aakhirkaar saakaar huaa।)
काश मेरा स्वप्न कभी टूटता नहीं।
If only my dream had never been shattered.
(kaash meraa svapn kabhii toottaa nahiin।)
अपना स्वप्न कभी मत छोड़ो, चाहे कितनी भी कठिनाई आए।
Never give up your dream, no matter how much difficulty comes.
(apnaa svapn kabhii mat chhodo, chaahe kitnii bhii kathinaaii aae।)
नेता जी ने एक समृद्ध राष्ट्र का स्वप्न देश के सामने रखा।
The leader presented the dream of a prosperous nation before the country.
(netaa jii ne ek samriddh raashtr kaa svapn desh ke saamne rakhaa।)
यदि हम मिलकर प्रयास करें, तो यह स्वप्न अवश्य साकार होगा।
If we make an effort together, this dream will surely be realized.
(yadi ham milkar prayaas karen, to yah svapn avashy saakaar hogaa।)
भारत का स्वप्न एक ऐसा राष्ट्र बनाना है जहाँ हर नागरिक को समान अवसर मिले।
India's dream is to build a nation where every citizen gets equal opportunity.
(bhaarat kaa svapn ek aisaa raashtr banaanaa hai jahaan har naagrik ko samaan avsar mile।)
क्रांतिकारियों का स्वप्न स्वतंत्रता की सुबह देखे बिना ही अधूरा रह गया।
The revolutionaries' dream remained unfulfilled, without them ever seeing the dawn of freedom.
(kraantikaariyon kaa svapn svatantrtaa kii subah dekhe binaa hii adhooraa rah gayaa।)
Sense
2
:
dream (during sleep)
noun, masculine
Synonyms: सपना (sapnaa)
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: This word shares its root with English 'somnolent' and Latin 'somnus' -- both go back to the same ancient Indo-European word for sleep, a nice bridge for English speakers. In speech, Delhi-NCR folks almost always say सपना (sapnaa); स्वप्न (svapn) shows up in poetry, song lyrics, and slightly formal or philosophical writing.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for स्वप्न (svapn) in everyday speech about last night's dream, where सपना (sapnaa) is what people actually say; स्वप्न (svapn) sounds bookish or poetic in that context. 2) The verb used with this noun is देखना (dekhnaa, 'to see') -- you 'see' a dream in Hindi, you do not 'have' one.
Sample Sentences:
रात्रि में मुझे एक विचित्र स्वप्न आया।
A strange dream came to me during the night.
(raatri men mujhe ek vichitr svapn aayaa।)
स्वप्न में वह अपने बचपन के घर लौट आया था।
In the dream, he had returned to his childhood home.
(svapn men vah apne bachpan ke ghar laut aayaa thaa।)
कवि लिखता है कि जीवन एक स्वप्न मात्र है।
The poet writes that life is but a dream.
(kavi likhtaa hai ki jiivan ek svapn maatr hai।)
क्या तुमने कभी सोचा है कि स्वप्न में समय कैसे बीतता है?
Have you ever wondered how time passes in a dream?
(kyaa tumne kabhii sochaa hai ki svapn men samay kaise biittaa hai?)
स्वप्न में देखे गए दृश्य प्रायः बिखरे हुए होते हैं।
The scenes seen in a dream are often scattered.
(svapn men dekhe gae drishy praayah bikhre hue hote hain।)
यदि यह स्वप्न होता, तो मैं इतना भयभीत न होता।
If this had been a dream, I wouldn't have been so frightened.
(yadi yah svapn hotaa, to main itnaa bhaybhiit n hotaa।)
ऋषि को स्वप्न में देवी के दर्शन हुए।
The sage had a vision of the goddess in a dream.
(rishi ko svapn men devii ke darshan hue।)
गीत की पंक्ति है, "जीवन स्वप्न सा बीत गया।"
The song's line goes, "Life passed by like a dream."
(giit kii pankti hai, "jiivan svapn saa biit gayaa।")
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
स्वप्न
(svapn)
(sg.m.oblique):
स्वप्न
(svapn)
(pl.m.direct):
स्वप्न
(svapn)
(pl.m.oblique):
स्वप्नों
(svapnon)