गवाही (gavaahii)

noun A single-sense noun meaning 'testimony' or 'witness statement' -- the evidence a witness (gavaah) gives, most often in a legal or formal-accusatory context.
Sense 1 : testimony, witness statement
noun, feminine Commonly used with देना (denaa, 'to give') and भरना (bharnaa, 'to bear/fill') as light verbs: गवाही देना (gavaahii denaa, 'to give testimony'), गवाही भरना (gavaahii bharnaa, 'to vouch/testify to something').
Synonyms: साक्ष्य (saakshy, formal/legal), बयान (bayaan, statement given to police or court)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This word shows up constantly in Bollywood courtroom drama and everyday gossip alike -- अदालत में गवाही देना (adaalat men gavaahii denaa, 'to testify in court') is the classic legal use, but Delhi-wallahs also stretch it metaphorically, saying something like उसका चेहरा उसकी गवाही दे रहा था (uskaa chehraa uskii gavaahii de rahaa thaa, 'his face was testifying to it/giving him away'). It shares its root with गवाह (gavaah, 'witness'), so learning the two together helps.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for साक्ष्य (saakshy) or सबूत (saboot) when they mean गवाही (gavaahii); सबूत (saboot) is physical/circumstantial 'evidence' or 'proof,' while गवाही (gavaahii) is specifically a person's spoken or written testimony. 2) The verb pairing matters: गवाही देना (gavaahii denaa) means 'to testify,' but गवाही भरना (gavaahii bharnaa) is used more idiomatically to mean 'to vouch for' or 'to be proof of' something, even outside courtrooms -- e.g., a scar 'bearing witness' to an old injury.
Sample Sentences:
उसने अदालत में गवाही दी। He gave testimony in court.
(usne adaalat men gavaahii dii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
क्या आप कल गवाही देने आ सकते हैं? Can you come to give testimony tomorrow?
(kyaa aap kal gavaahii dene aa sakte hain?)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
गवाही दो, सच बोलो! Give your testimony, speak the truth!
(gavaahii do, sach bolo!)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
अगर वह गवाही नहीं देता, तो केस कमज़ोर पड़ जाता। If he hadn't given testimony, the case would have weakened.
(agar vah gavaahii nahiin detaa, to kes kamzor pad jaataa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
उसका चेहरा उसकी गवाही दे रहा था। His face was testifying to it, giving him away.
(uskaa chehraa uskii gavaahii de rahaa thaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
गवाही झूठी पाई गई थी। The testimony was found to be false.
(gavaahii jhoothii paaii gaii thii।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
मुझे उम्मीद है कि वह अदालत में सही गवाही देगा। I hope that he will give truthful testimony in court.
(mujhe ummiid hai ki vah adaalat men sahii gavaahii degaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
पुलिस ने उसकी गवाही दर्ज कर ली है। The police have recorded his testimony.
(pulis ne uskii gavaahii darj kar lii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
शायद उसकी गवाही से पूरा मामला पलट जाए। Perhaps his testimony might turn the whole case around.
(shaayad uskii gavaahii se pooraa maamlaa palat jaae।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
अदालत में गवाही देना कोई आसान काम नहीं है। Testifying in court is no easy task.
(adaalat men gavaahii denaa koii aasaan kaam nahiin hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उसकी खामोशी ही उसकी गवाही बन गई। His silence itself became his testimony.
(uskii khaamoshii hii uskii gavaahii ban gaii।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): गवाही (gavaahii)
(sg.f.oblique): गवाही (gavaahii)
(pl.f.direct): गवाहियाँ (gavaahiyaan)
(pl.f.oblique): गवाहियों (gavaahiyon)