नियम (niyam)
noun
Mainly means 'rule' or 'regulation' (a law or code someone else sets or that governs a system), with a secondary sense of a personal 'principle' or self-imposed discipline/routine.
Sense
1
:
rule, regulation
noun, masculine
Synonyms: कानून (kaanoon, law), क़ायदा (qaaydaa)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will see नियम (niyam) posted on signs everywhere in Delhi -- पार्किंग नियम (paarking niyam, 'parking rules'), ट्रैफ़िक नियम (traifik niyam, 'traffic rules') -- it is the everyday word for posted or institutional rules, more common in daily speech than the heavier कानून (kaanoon).
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for कानून (kaanoon) when they mean a small procedural rule (a game's rules, an office's rules); नियम (niyam) fits everyday rules and regulations, while कानून (kaanoon) leans toward actual law of the land. 2) The common phrase नियमों का पालन करना (niymon kaa paalan karnaa, 'to follow the rules') uses पालन करना (paalan karnaa), not मानना (maannaa), when talking about formally observing rules -- मानना (maannaa) is also fine but sounds slightly more personal/casual.
Sample Sentences:
यहाँ पार्किंग के नियम बहुत सख़्त हैं।
The parking rules here are very strict.
(yahaan paarking ke niyam bahut sakht hain।)
स्कूल में सबको नियमों का पालन करना पड़ता है।
Everyone at school has to follow the rules.
(skool men sabko niymon kaa paalan karnaa padtaa hai।)
कृपया ट्रैफ़िक नियमों का उल्लंघन न करें।
Please do not violate the traffic rules.
(kripyaa traifik niymon kaa ullanghan n karen।)
अगर तुमने नियम तोड़ा तो जुर्माना भरना होगा।
If you break the rule, you will have to pay a fine.
(agar tumne niyam todaa to jurmaanaa bharnaa hogaa।)
कंपनी ने अपने कर्मचारियों के लिए नए नियम बनाए हैं।
The company has made new rules for its employees.
(kampnii ne apne karmchaariyon ke lie nae niyam banaae hain।)
यह नियम पिछले साल संसद द्वारा पारित किया गया था।
This rule was passed by parliament last year.
(yah niyam pichhle saal sansad dvaaraa paarit kiyaa gayaa thaa।)
काश यहाँ कोई नियम होता, तो इतनी अफ़रा-तफ़री न मचती।
If only there were a rule here, there wouldn't be so much chaos.
(kaash yahaan koii niyam hotaa, to itnii afraa-tafrii n machtii।)
हो सकता है कि नए नियम अगले महीने से लागू हों।
It is possible that the new rules will take effect from next month.
(ho saktaa hai ki nae niyam agle mahiine se laagoo hon।)
इस इमारत में आग से बचाव के नियमों का सख़्ती से पालन किया जाता है।
The fire-safety rules in this building are strictly followed.
(is imaarat men aag se bachaav ke niymon kaa sakhtii se paalan kiyaa jaataa hai।)
सर, यह नियमों के ख़िलाफ़ है, माफ़ कीजिए।
Sir, this is against the rules, I'm sorry.
(sar, yah niymon ke khilaaf hai, maaf kiijie।)
राजा ने राज्य के लिए कड़े नियम बनवाए।
The king had strict rules made for the kingdom.
(raajaa ne raajy ke lie kade niyam banvaae।)
Sense
2
:
personal principle, self-discipline, routine practice
noun, masculine Often used with रखना (rakhnaa) or बनाना (banaanaa) -- नियम बनाना (niyam banaanaa, 'to make it a rule for oneself') -- to describe a self-imposed habit or discipline rather than an external law.
Synonyms: सिद्धांत (siddhaant, principle), संकल्प (sankalp, resolve, more formal/spiritual)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This sense overlaps with the yogic/spiritual idea of नियम (niyam) as one of the 'observances' in classical yoga philosophy (alongside यम, yam) -- so when someone says सुबह जल्दी उठना मेरा नियम है (subah jaldii uthnaa meraa niyam hai, 'waking up early is my rule/discipline'), it carries a faint echo of virtuous self-discipline, not just a plain habit.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes translate 'I have a rule that...' too literally; the natural Hindi frame is मेरा नियम है (meraa niyam hai, 'it is my rule/principle') or मैंने नियम बना लिया है (mainne niyam banaa liyaa hai, 'I've made it a rule'), not a direct calque of the English sentence structure.
Sample Sentences:
सुबह जल्दी उठना मेरा नियम है।
Waking up early is my personal discipline.
(subah jaldii uthnaa meraa niyam hai।)
रोज़ योग करना उनका नियम है।
Doing yoga every day is a discipline of theirs.
(roz yog karnaa unkaa niyam hai।)
मैंने यह नियम बना रखा है कि रात को दस बजे सो जाऊँगा।
I have made it a rule for myself that I will go to sleep at ten at night.
(mainne yah niyam banaa rakhaa hai ki raat ko das baje so jaaoongaa।)
अपना नियम मत तोड़ो, वरना आदत बिगड़ जाएगी।
Don't break your own discipline, or your habit will spoil.
(apnaa niyam mat todo, varnaa aadat bigad jaaegii।)
काश मैं भी हर सुबह ध्यान करने का नियम बना पाता।
I wish I too could make it a discipline to meditate every morning.
(kaash main bhii har subah dhyaan karne kaa niyam banaa paataa।)
गुरुजी कहते हैं कि सच बोलना जीवन का सबसे बड़ा नियम होना चाहिए।
The teacher says that speaking the truth should be life's greatest personal discipline.
(gurujii kahte hain ki sach bolnaa jiivan kaa sabse badaa niyam honaa chaahie।)
अगर उसने अपना नियम पक्का रखा होता, तो आज इतना कमज़ोर न होता।
If he had kept his discipline firm, he wouldn't be so weak today.
(agar usne apnaa niyam pakkaa rakhaa hotaa, to aaj itnaa kamzor n hotaa।)
यम और नियम दोनों योग के आठ अंगों में से हैं।
Both yama and niyam are among the eight limbs of yoga.
(yam aur niyam donon yog ke aath angon men se hain।)
उन्होंने वर्षों तक यह नियम निभाया कि बिना स्नान किए अन्न ग्रहण नहीं करेंगे।
For years he upheld the discipline of not eating food without bathing first.
(unhonne varshon tak yah niyam nibhaayaa ki binaa snaan kie ann grahan nahiin karenge।)
क्या तुम्हारा भी कोई ऐसा नियम है जिसे तुम कभी नहीं तोड़ते?
Do you also have some such personal rule that you never break?
(kyaa tumhaaraa bhii koii aisaa niyam hai jise tum kabhii nahiin todte?)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
नियम
(niyam)
(sg.m.oblique):
नियम
(niyam)
(pl.m.direct):
नियम
(niyam)
(pl.m.oblique):
नियमों
(niymon)