सबक़ (sabaq)
noun
A single-sense word meaning 'lesson' -- both a lesson in a book/class and the figurative life-lesson learned from experience; the two are close enough in feel that Hindi speakers do not separate them into different words the way English sometimes does.
Sense
1
:
lesson (in a book, or learned from experience)
noun, masculine
Synonyms: पाठ (paath), शिक्षा (shikshaa, often the 'moral lesson' sense)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: सबक़ सिखाना (sabaq sikhaanaa) is a very common phrase in everyday speech and in Hindi films, usually said with an edge -- it means teaching someone a lesson in the sense of getting back at them, not just educating them kindly. You will also hear it self-directed, as in ज़िंदगी ने सबक़ सिखाया (zindgii ne sabaq sikhaayaa, 'life taught me a lesson'), a very natural way to talk about hard experience.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for पाठ (paath) for both 'chapter/lesson in a textbook' and 'life lesson,' but सबक़ (sabaq) is the natural choice specifically for the figurative sense -- सबक़ सीखना (sabaq siikhnaa, 'to learn a lesson') and सबक़ सिखाना (sabaq sikhaanaa, 'to teach someone a lesson,' often with a hint of getting even) are the fixed expressions to know. 2) Note the nuqta under the क़ (q) -- it marks the word's Persian/Urdu-derived pronunciation, though dropping it (सबक) is common in casual writing and still understood.
Sample Sentences:
आज हमें हिंदी की किताब से नया सबक़ पढ़ना है।
Today we have to read a new lesson from the Hindi book.
(aaj hamen hindii kii kitaab se nayaa sabaq padhnaa hai।)
मैंने अपनी ग़लती से बहुत बड़ा सबक़ सीखा।
I learned a very big lesson from my mistake.
(mainne apnii ghaltii se bahut badaa sabaq siikhaa।)
इस बार मैं उसे ऐसा सबक़ सिखाऊँगा कि वह ज़िंदगी नहीं भूलेगा।
This time I will teach him such a lesson that he will never forget it in his life.
(is baar main use aisaa sabaq sikhaaoongaa ki vah zindgii nahiin bhoolegaa।)
ज़िंदगी ने मुझे कभी न भूलने वाला सबक़ सिखाया।
Life taught me a lesson I will never forget.
(zindgii ne mujhe kabhii n bhoolne vaalaa sabaq sikhaayaa।)
अगर उसने सुना होता, तो उसे यह सबक़ पहले ही मिल जाता।
If he had listened, he would have gotten this lesson earlier.
(agar usne sunaa hotaa, to use yah sabaq pahle hii mil jaataa।)
यह कहानी बच्चों को ईमानदारी का सबक़ देती है।
This story teaches children a lesson in honesty.
(yah kahaanii bachchon ko iimaandaarii kaa sabaq detii hai।)
उसे उसकी बदतमीज़ी का सबक़ सिखाया जाना चाहिए।
He should be taught a lesson for his rudeness.
(use uskii badatmiizii kaa sabaq sikhaayaa jaanaa chaahie।)
इस हादसे से हमें एक ज़रूरी सबक़ मिला है।
We have gotten an important lesson from this accident.
(is haadse se hamen ek zaroorii sabaq milaa hai।)
काश मैंने पहले ही यह सबक़ सीख लिया होता।
I wish I had learned this lesson earlier.
(kaash mainne pahle hii yah sabaq siikh liyaa hotaa।)
बेटा, कल तुम्हारा सबक़ याद है या नहीं?
Son, do you remember your lesson from yesterday or not?
(betaa, kal tumhaaraa sabaq yaad hai yaa nahiin?)
पहले सबक़ याद कर लो, फिर खेलने जाना।
First memorize your lesson, then go play.
(pahle sabaq yaad kar lo, phir khelne jaanaa।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
सबक़
(sabaq)
(sg.m.oblique):
सबक़
(sabaq)
(pl.m.direct):
सबक़
(sabaq)
(pl.m.oblique):
सबक़ों
(sabqon)