रिश्वत (rishvat)

noun A single-sense everyday noun meaning 'bribe.' Common in talk about corruption, bureaucracy, and police -- a word every learner in India will hear sooner or later.
Sense 1 : bribe
noun, feminine
Synonyms: घूस (ghoos)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Ask any Delhi auto-rickshaw driver or shopkeeper about a traffic cop or a licensing office and this word will surface fast -- रिश्वत (rishvat) and its cousin घूस (ghoos) are part of daily grumbling about bureaucracy. You will also hear the phrase रिश्वतखोरी (rishvatkhorii, 'bribe-taking, corruption') used to describe the practice or culture of it more broadly.
Common Mistakes: 1) The standard verb pairing is रिश्वत देना (rishvat denaa, 'to give a bribe') or रिश्वत लेना (rishvat lenaa, 'to take a bribe') -- learners sometimes reach for करना (karnaa) by default, but that does not collocate here. 2) घूस (ghoos) is the blunter, more colloquial word for the same thing; रिश्वत (rishvat) is the one you will see in newspapers and official complaints, but both are heard constantly in speech.
Sample Sentences:
पुलिसवाले ने चालान काटने की बजाय रिश्वत माँगी। Instead of writing a ticket, the policeman asked for a bribe.
(pulisvaale ne chaalaan kaatne kii bajaay rishvat maangii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
यहाँ बिना रिश्वत दिए कोई काम नहीं होता। Nothing gets done here without paying a bribe.
(yahaan binaa rishvat die koii kaam nahiin hotaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर वह रिश्वत नहीं लेता तो आज इतनी मुसीबत में नहीं होता। If he hadn't taken bribes, he wouldn't be in so much trouble today.
(agar vah rishvat nahiin letaa to aaj itnii musiibat men nahiin hotaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
रिश्वत मत दो, चाहे कितना भी समय लगे। Don't give a bribe, no matter how long it takes.
(rishvat mat do, chaahe kitnaa bhii samay lage।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
अधिकारी को रिश्वत लेते हुए रंगे हाथों पकड़ा गया। The officer was caught red-handed taking a bribe.
(adhikaarii ko rishvat lete hue range haathon pakdaa gayaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
क्लर्क फाइल आगे बढ़ाने के लिए रिश्वत माँग रहा था। The clerk was demanding a bribe to move the file forward.
(klark phaail aage badhaane ke lie rishvat maang rahaa thaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
शायद उसने भी रिश्वत ली हो, पक्का पता नहीं। Maybe he too took a bribe, it's not certain.
(shaayad usne bhii rishvat lii ho, pakkaa pataa nahiin।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
सरकार ने अफसरों से अपील की है कि वे रिश्वत न लें। The government has appealed to officers not to take bribes.
(sarkaar ne aphasron se apiil kii hai ki ve rishvat n len।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
इस विभाग में रिश्वतखोरी इतनी आम हो गई है कि लोग शिकायत करना ही छोड़ चुके हैं। Bribery has become so common in this department that people have stopped even complaining.
(is vibhaag men rishvatkhorii itnii aam ho gaii hai ki log shikaayat karnaa hii chhod chuke hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
लाइसेंस बनवाने में उसे पाँच हज़ार रुपये रिश्वत में देने पड़े। He had to pay five thousand rupees as a bribe to get the license made.
(laaisens banvaane men use paanch hazaar rupye rishvat men dene pade।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम सच में सोचते हो कि रिश्वत देने से सारी समस्याएँ हल हो जाएँगी? Do you really think that giving a bribe will solve all the problems?
(kyaa tum sach men sochte ho ki rishvat dene se saarii samasyaaen hal ho jaaengii?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
भ्रष्टाचार निरोधक ब्यूरो ने रिश्वत लेने के आरोप में तीन अधिकारियों को गिरफ्तार किया। The Anti-Corruption Bureau arrested three officials on charges of taking bribes.
(bhrashtaachaar nirodhak byooro ne rishvat lene ke aarop men tiin adhikaariyon ko giraphtaar kiyaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): रिश्वत (rishvat)
(sg.f.oblique): रिश्वत (rishvat)
(pl.f.direct): रिश्वतें (rishvten)
(pl.f.oblique): रिश्वतों (rishvton)