स्नेह (sneh)

noun A warm, literary/tender word for affectionate love (as between family members, elders and children, or close friends) -- softer and more intimate in feel than the everyday प्यार (pyaar).
Sense 1 : affection, tender love
noun, masculine
Synonyms: प्यार (pyaar), लगाव (lagaav), ममता (mamtaa, mainly maternal affection), प्रेम (prem, slightly more formal/literary)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This is the word you will hear in a grandmother's blessing or a teacher's kind word to a student -- it carries a gentle, almost protective warmth rather than romantic heat. It shows up often in greeting-card Hindi and in phrases like स्नेह का आशीर्वाद (sneh kaa aashiirvaad, 'blessing of affection'), giving it a slightly tender, old-fashioned charm even in casual use.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for प्यार (pyaar) in every context, but स्नेह (sneh) is the natural choice for affection from an elder to a younger person (parent to child, teacher to student) -- using it between romantic partners can sound oddly formal or old-fashioned. 2) The verb pairing is usually स्नेह करना (sneh karnaa) or स्नेह होना (sneh honaa), not स्नेह लगना (sneh lagnaa).
Sample Sentences:
दादी का स्नेह हमेशा हम पर बना रहता है। Grandmother's affection always remains upon us.
(daadii kaa sneh hameshaa ham par banaa rahtaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
गुरुजी ने अपने शिष्य को स्नेह से समझाया। The teacher explained to his student with affection.
(gurujii ne apne shishy ko sneh se samjhaayaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
बच्चे को अपने माता-पिता से बहुत स्नेह मिलता है। The child receives a lot of affection from his parents.
(bachche ko apne maataa-pitaa se bahut sneh miltaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
आप सब पर स्नेह का आशीर्वाद बना रहे। May the blessing of affection remain upon you all.
(aap sab par sneh kaa aashiirvaad banaa rahe।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
यदि उसे थोड़ा स्नेह मिलता तो वह इतना अकेला न होता। If he had received a little affection, he would not have been so lonely.
(yadi use thodaa sneh miltaa to vah itnaa akelaa n hotaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
उसके स्नेह भरे शब्दों ने मेरा दिल छू लिया। Her affection-filled words touched my heart.
(uske sneh bhare shabdon ne meraa dil chhoo liyaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
बड़ों का स्नेह हमेशा बनाए रखना। Always keep the affection of your elders intact.
(badon kaa sneh hameshaa banaae rakhnaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
इस पत्र में उसने अपने पुराने दोस्त के लिए स्नेह व्यक्त किया। In this letter, he expressed affection for his old friend.
(is patr men usne apne puraane dost ke lie sneh vyakt kiyaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
मुझे लगता है कि उसका स्नेह सच्चा है, दिखावा नहीं। I think that her affection is genuine, not a show.
(mujhe lagtaa hai ki uskaa sneh sachchaa hai, dikhaavaa nahiin।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उसका स्नेह पाकर मन को बड़ी शांति मिली। Having received her affection, the heart found great peace.
(uskaa sneh paakar man ko badii shaanti milii।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): स्नेह (sneh)
(sg.m.oblique): स्नेह (sneh)
(pl.m.direct): स्नेह (sneh)
(pl.m.oblique): स्नेहों (snehon)