स्वार्थ (svaarth)
noun
A noun meaning self-interest or selfishness -- the motive of acting for one's own benefit. It commonly appears in the adjective स्वार्थी (svaarthii, 'selfish'), which is a separate lemma.
Sense
1
:
self-interest, selfishness
noun, masculine
Synonyms: खुदगर्जी (khudgarjii), मतलब (matlab, colloquial sense of 'self-interest')
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This word carries a moral weight in everyday Hindi speech -- calling someone's action स्वार्थ (svaarth) is a real judgment, often heard in family arguments or moral scoldings, like a parent saying a child is only thinking of अपना स्वार्थ (apnaa svaarth, 'one's own self-interest'). It sits opposite words like त्याग (tyaag, 'sacrifice') in the common moral vocabulary of Hindi film dialogue and everyday ethics talk.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes confuse स्वार्थ (svaarth) with मतलब (matlab) -- मतलब (matlab) usually means 'meaning' or 'purpose' in neutral contexts, and only takes on a negative 'selfish motive' shade in specific phrases like मतलबी (matalbii); स्वार्थ (svaarth) itself is more consistently about self-serving motive. 2) It is a noun, not an adjective -- to describe a person as selfish, learners need स्वार्थी (svaarthii), not स्वार्थ (svaarth) directly.
Sample Sentences:
वह हमेशा अपना स्वार्थ देखता है।
He always looks out for his own self-interest.
(vah hameshaa apnaa svaarth dekhtaa hai।)
तुम सिर्फ अपने स्वार्थ के लिए यह कर रहे हो।
You're doing this only for your own self-interest.
(tum sirph apne svaarth ke lie yah kar rahe ho।)
उसने स्वार्थ में आकर अपने दोस्त को धोखा दिया।
Blinded by self-interest, he betrayed his friend.
(usne svaarth men aakar apne dost ko dhokhaa diyaa।)
अपना स्वार्थ छोड़कर कभी दूसरों के बारे में भी सोचो।
Set aside your self-interest and think about others sometimes too.
(apnaa svaarth chhodkar kabhii doosron ke baare men bhii socho।)
अगर उसमें स्वार्थ न होता, तो वह पहले ही मदद कर देता।
If he didn't have self-interest in him, he would have helped long ago.
(agar usmen svaarth n hotaa, to vah pahle hii madad kar detaa।)
नेताओं का स्वार्थ अक्सर जनता के हित से बड़ा हो जाता है।
Politicians' self-interest often becomes bigger than the public's welfare.
(netaaon kaa svaarth aksar jantaa ke hit se badaa ho jaataa hai।)
क्या तुम्हें अपने स्वार्थ के अलावा कुछ और नज़र नहीं आता?
Can't you see anything besides your own self-interest?
(kyaa tumhen apne svaarth ke alaavaa kuchh aur nazar nahiin aataa?)
स्वार्थ और त्याग के बीच का फ़ासला इंसान की असली पहचान बताता है।
The distance between self-interest and sacrifice reveals a person's true character.
(svaarth aur tyaag ke biich kaa faaslaa insaan kii aslii pahchaan bataataa hai।)
यह फैसला स्वार्थ से नहीं, बल्कि सबकी भलाई सोचकर लिया जाना चाहिए।
This decision should be made not out of self-interest, but keeping everyone's welfare in mind.
(yah phaislaa svaarth se nahiin, balki sabkii bhalaaii sochkar liyaa jaanaa chaahie।)
माँ ने कहा, तुम बस अपना स्वार्थ देखते हो, घर की परवाह नहीं करते।
Mom said, you only look out for your own self-interest, you don't care about the family.
(maan ne kahaa, tum bas apnaa svaarth dekhte ho, ghar kii parvaah nahiin karte।)
शायद उसका स्वार्थ ही उसे सच बोलने से रोक रहा हो।
Perhaps it is his self-interest alone that might be stopping him from telling the truth.
(shaayad uskaa svaarth hii use sach bolne se rok rahaa ho।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
स्वार्थ
(svaarth)
(sg.m.oblique):
स्वार्थ
(svaarth)
(pl.m.direct):
स्वार्थ
(svaarth)
(pl.m.oblique):
स्वार्थों
(svaarthon)