राष्ट्रभाषा (raashtrbhaashaa)
noun
A compound noun meaning 'national language,' built from राष्ट्र (raashtr, nation) plus भाषा (bhaashaa, language). One straightforward sense, but the term carries real political weight in India.
Sense
1
:
national language
noun, feminine
Synonyms: राजभाषा (raajbhaashaa, official language, not exactly the same concept)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This word shows up constantly in Indian civics classes and political debates, and the gap between what people *call* Hindi and what the Constitution actually says is a genuine sore point in states like Tamil Nadu -- calling Hindi 'राष्ट्रभाषा (raashtrbhaashaa)' in front of a non-Hindi speaker can spark an argument, so it is worth knowing the term is popular usage rather than legal fact.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often assume Hindi is constitutionally India's 'राष्ट्रभाषा (raashtrbhaashaa)' -- in fact the Indian Constitution names Hindi (and English) as राजभाषा (raajbhaashaa, official language) of the Union, not as a national language; India has no constitutionally declared राष्ट्रभाषा (raashtrbhaashaa). 2) Do not confuse this with मातृभाषा (maatribhaashaa, mother tongue), which is personal/regional, not national.
Sample Sentences:
हिंदी को अक्सर भारत की राष्ट्रभाषा कहा जाता है।
Hindi is often called India's national language.
(hindii ko aksar bhaarat kii raashtrbhaashaa kahaa jaataa hai।)
असल में संविधान में किसी भाषा को राष्ट्रभाषा घोषित नहीं किया गया है।
Actually, no language has been declared the national language in the Constitution.
(asal men sanvidhaan men kisii bhaashaa ko raashtrbhaashaa ghoshit nahiin kiyaa gayaa hai।)
तमिलनाडु में कोई हिंदी को राष्ट्रभाषा कहे, तो बहस शुरू हो जाती है।
If someone calls Hindi the national language in Tamil Nadu, an argument starts.
(tamilnaadu men koii hindii ko raashtrbhaashaa kahe, to bahas shuroo ho jaatii hai।)
स्कूल में हमें सिखाया गया था कि हिंदी हमारी राष्ट्रभाषा है।
In school we were taught that Hindi is our national language.
(skool men hamen sikhaayaa gayaa thaa ki hindii hamaarii raashtrbhaashaa hai।)
अगर हिंदी सच में राष्ट्रभाषा होती, तो संविधान में यह साफ़ लिखा होता।
If Hindi were truly the national language, this would be clearly written in the Constitution.
(agar hindii sach men raashtrbhaashaa hotii, to sanvidhaan men yah saaf likhaa hotaa।)
नेता अपने भाषणों में हिंदी को राष्ट्रभाषा बताते रहते हैं।
Politicians keep referring to Hindi as the national language in their speeches.
(netaa apne bhaashnon men hindii ko raashtrbhaashaa bataate rahte hain।)
क्या हिंदी को कानूनी तौर पर राष्ट्रभाषा का दर्जा मिलना चाहिए?
Should Hindi legally be given the status of national language?
(kyaa hindii ko kaanoonii taur par raashtrbhaashaa kaa darjaa milnaa chaahie?)
बच्चों को यह बताना ज़रूरी है कि राष्ट्रभाषा और राजभाषा में क्या फ़र्क़ है।
It's important to tell children what the difference is between the 'national language' and the 'official language'.
(bachchon ko yah bataanaa zaroorii hai ki raashtrbhaashaa aur raajbhaashaa men kyaa farq hai।)
इतिहास की किताब में लिखा है कि आज़ादी के बाद हिंदी को राष्ट्रभाषा बनाने की माँग उठी थी।
The history book states that after independence, there was a demand to make Hindi the national language.
(itihaas kii kitaab men likhaa hai ki aazaadii ke baad hindii ko raashtrbhaashaa banaane kii maang uthii thii।)
इस मुद्दे पर बात करते समय राष्ट्रभाषा शब्द को सावधानी से इस्तेमाल करो।
Use the word 'national language' carefully when talking about this issue.
(is mudde par baat karte samay raashtrbhaashaa shabd ko saavdhaanii se istemaal karo।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
राष्ट्रभाषा
(raashtrbhaashaa)
(sg.f.oblique):
राष्ट्रभाषा
(raashtrbhaashaa)
(pl.f.direct):
राष्ट्रभाषाएँ
(raashtrbhaashaaen)
(pl.f.oblique):
राष्ट्रभाषाओं
(raashtrbhaashaaon)