बचपन (bachpan)

noun A single-sense noun meaning 'childhood', the period of life from infancy to early adolescence.
Sense 1 : childhood
noun, masculine
Synonyms: बालपन (baalpan, rare), लड़कपन (ladakpan, boyhood/childishness)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: बचपन (bachpan) is a warmly loaded word in Hindi -- phrases like मेरा बचपन (meraa bachpan, 'my childhood') or बचपन में (bachpan men, 'in childhood') come up constantly in conversation, songs, and nostalgia-tinged storytelling, much like 'childhood days' in English but used even more freely in everyday small talk with friends and family.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes try to pluralize it like a countable noun (bachpan does not take a plural in the ordinary sense -- it names a life-stage, not a countable object). 2) Don't confuse with लड़कपन (ladakpan), which can also mean 'childishness' or 'immature behavior' in an adult -- बचपन is neutral and simply names the time of life.
Sample Sentences:
मेरा बचपन दिल्ली में बीता। My childhood passed in Delhi.
(meraa bachpan dillii men biitaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
बचपन में हम रोज़ छत पर पतंग उड़ाते थे। In childhood, we used to fly kites on the roof every day.
(bachpan men ham roz chhat par patang udaate the।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम्हें अपना बचपन याद है? Do you remember your childhood?
(kyaa tumhen apnaa bachpan yaad hai?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर मेरा बचपन गाँव में बीतता, तो मैं ज़्यादा खुश होता। If my childhood had passed in a village, I would have been happier.
(agar meraa bachpan gaanv men biittaa, to main zyaadaa khush hotaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
बचपन की यादें कभी नहीं मिटतीं। Memories of childhood never fade.
(bachpan kii yaaden kabhii nahiin mittiin।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
इस गाने ने मुझे मेरे बचपन में पहुँचा दिया। This song took me right back to my childhood.
(is gaane ne mujhe mere bachpan men pahunchaa diyaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
बचपन में हर कोई बेफ़िक्र होता है। In childhood, everyone is carefree.
(bachpan men har koii befikr hotaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अपना बचपन दोबारा जी लो, इससे पहले कि बड़े हो जाओ। Live your childhood once more, before you grow up.
(apnaa bachpan dobaaraa jii lo, isse pahle ki bade ho jaao।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
उसका बचपन बहुत मुश्किलों में गुज़रा था। His childhood had passed through a lot of hardships.
(uskaa bachpan bahut mushkilon men guzraa thaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
शायद बचपन की मासूमियत फिर कभी न लौटे। Perhaps the innocence of childhood may never return again.
(shaayad bachpan kii maasoomiyat phir kabhii n laute।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
उसका बचपन का घर अब बेचा जा चुका है। His childhood home has already been sold now.
(uskaa bachpan kaa ghar ab bechaa jaa chukaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): बचपन (bachpan)
(sg.m.oblique): बचपन (bachpan)
(pl.m.direct): बचपन (bachpan)
(pl.m.oblique): बचपनों (bachapnon)