गवाह (gavaah)

noun A single-sense everyday word for 'witness' -- both the person who witnesses/testifies and, by extension, someone present who can vouch for something.
Sense 1 : witness (a person)
noun, masculine/feminine
Synonyms: साक्षी (saakshii, formal/legal)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will hear गवाह (gavaah) constantly around Indian weddings and legal paperwork -- documents and marriage registrations require named गवाह (gavaah) to sign, and the phrase खुद गवाह हूँ (khud gavaah hoon, 'I myself am a witness') is a common way to vouch for the truth of a story in casual conversation, not just in court.
Common Mistakes: 1) गवाह (gavaah) is used for both a courtroom witness and an everyday sense of someone who 'saw it happen' -- learners sometimes reach for a more formal-sounding word when a simple sentence like मैं गवाह हूँ (main gavaah hoon, 'I am a witness') is perfectly natural. 2) The common phrase गवाह बनना (gavaah bannaa, 'to become a witness') uses बनना (bannaa), not होना (honaa), when talking about being made/appointed a witness to something, e.g. a wedding or a legal document.
Sample Sentences:
अदालत में गवाह ने सच बोलने की कसम खाई। In court, the witness swore to speak the truth.
(adaalat men gavaah ne sach bolne kii kasam khaaii।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
शादी के कागज़ों पर दो गवाहों के दस्तख़त ज़रूरी होते हैं। Two witnesses' signatures are required on wedding documents.
(shaadii ke kaagzon par do gavaahon ke dastkhat zaroorii hote hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
मैं खुद गवाह हूँ, उसने कभी झूठ नहीं बोला। I myself am a witness -- he never lied.
(main khud gavaah hoon, usne kabhii jhooth nahiin bolaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
पुलिस गवाह की तलाश कर रही है। The police are searching for a witness.
(pulis gavaah kii talaash kar rahii hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर कोई गवाह होता, तो मामला अभी सुलझ जाता। If there had been a witness, the matter would have been resolved by now.
(agar koii gavaah hotaa, to maamlaa abhii sulajh jaataa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
गवाह बनो, प्लीज़, वरना कोई मेरी बात नहीं मानेगा। Please be my witness, otherwise no one will believe me.
(gavaah bano, pliiz, varnaa koii merii baat nahiin maanegaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
गवाह द्वारा दिया गया बयान अदालत में पढ़ा गया। The statement given by the witness was read out in court.
(gavaah dvaaraa diyaa gayaa bayaan adaalat men padhaa gayaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
शायद वह इस झगड़े का गवाह हो। Perhaps he is a witness to this quarrel.
(shaayad vah is jhagde kaa gavaah ho।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
वकील ने गवाह से सवाल पूछे थे। The lawyer had asked questions to the witness.
(vakiil ne gavaah se savaal poochhe the।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
बचपन का दोस्त होने के नाते, वह हमारे रिश्ते का सबसे बड़ा गवाह है। Being a childhood friend, he is the biggest witness to our relationship.
(bachpan kaa dost hone ke naate, vah hamaare rishte kaa sabse badaa gavaah hai।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
गवाह को अदालत में हाज़िर होना चाहिए था। The witness should have appeared in court.
(gavaah ko adaalat men haazir honaa chaahie thaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m/f.direct): गवाह (gavaah)
(sg.m/f.oblique): गवाह (gavaah)
(pl.m/f.direct): गवाहें (gavaahen)
(pl.m/f.oblique): गवाहों (gavaahon)