ससुर (sasur)
noun/interjection
Primarily means 'father-in-law,' a key member of the in-law family vocabulary; also has a common, rougher colloquial use as a mild abusive/exasperated term for a man.
Sense
1
:
father-in-law
noun, masculine
Synonyms: श्वसुर (shvasur, literary)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: In a typical North Indian household, ससुर (sasur) is spoken of with a mix of respect and formality -- a daughter-in-law traditionally would not call him by name, and many people avoid saying the word directly in his presence, using respectful alternatives like पिताजी (pitaajii, 'father,' used for the father-in-law too) instead.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes mix up ससुर (sasur, father-in-law) with सास (saas, mother-in-law) -- remember ससुर (sasur) is male, sास is female. 2) Do not confuse with ससुराल (sasuraal), which means 'in-laws' home/family' as a whole, not the father-in-law himself.
Sample Sentences:
मेरे ससुर बहुत अच्छे इंसान हैं।
My father-in-law is a very good man.
(mere sasur bahut achchhe insaan hain।)
शादी के बाद वह अपने ससुर के साथ रहने लगी।
After marriage, she started living with her father-in-law.
(shaadii ke baad vah apne sasur ke saath rahne lagii।)
वह अपने ससुर को कभी नाम से नहीं बुलाती।
She never calls her father-in-law by his name.
(vah apne sasur ko kabhii naam se nahiin bulaatii।)
ससुर जी, क्या आप चाय लेंगे?
Father-in-law, will you have some tea?
(sasur jii, kyaa aap chaay lenge?)
अपने ससुर का सम्मान करो।
Respect your father-in-law.
(apne sasur kaa sammaan karo।)
ससुर घर के आँगन में बैठा है।
Father-in-law is sitting in the courtyard of the house.
(sasur ghar ke aangan men baithaa hai।)
काश मेरे ससुर मेरी बात समझते।
If only my father-in-law understood my point of view.
(kaash mere sasur merii baat samajhte।)
अगर ससुर घर पर होते, तो सब कुछ आसान हो जाता।
If father-in-law had been home, everything would have become easy.
(agar sasur ghar par hote, to sab kuchh aasaan ho jaataa।)
ससुर द्वारा दी गई सलाह बहुत काम आई।
The advice given by my father-in-law proved very useful.
(sasur dvaaraa dii gaii salaah bahut kaam aaii।)
शायद ससुर जी को यह बात पसंद न आए।
Perhaps father-in-law might not like this.
(shaayad sasur jii ko yah baat pasand n aae।)
ससुर बरसों से इस मकान में रह रहे हैं।
Father-in-law has been living in this house for years.
(sasur barson se is makaan men rah rahe hain।)
Sense
2
:
mild abusive/exasperated exclamation about a man
interjection Used standalone or attached to a noun/pronoun to express annoyance, contempt, or rough familiarity toward a man, e.g. ससुर कहीं मिलता नहीं (sasur kahiin miltaa nahiin, 'the wretch is nowhere to be found').
Synonyms: साला (saalaa, colloquial, similar rough usage)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: Like साला (saalaa), this is one of several in-law kinship terms in Hindi that get repurposed as casual, blokey exclamations -- you will hear it in markets, among friends, or in Bollywood dialogue exchanges where men are ribbing each other, but it carries a rough, informal edge.
Common Mistakes: 1) This use is mildly coarse and male-register -- learners should avoid using it in polite or mixed-formality company, even though it is common in casual banter among men. 2) It is not literally accusing someone of being a father-in-law; the kinship meaning is completely bleached out here.
Sample Sentences:
ससुर, फिर लेट हो गया!
Damn guy, he's late again!
(sasur, phir let ho gayaa!)
ससुर ने मेरी बाइक बिना पूछे ले ली।
The bastard took my bike without asking.
(sasur ne merii baaik binaa poochhe le lii।)
अरे ससुर, तू यहाँ कब से खड़ा है?
Hey, damn guy, since when are you standing here?
(are sasur, too yahaan kab se khadaa hai?)
ससुर हर बार पैसे उधार माँगता है और लौटाता कभी नहीं।
The bastard borrows money every time and never returns it.
(sasur har baar paise udhaar maangtaa hai aur lautaataa kabhii nahiin।)
ससुर, तू जीत गया, मान लिया!
Damn guy, you won, fine, I admit it!
(sasur, too jiit gayaa, maan liyaa!)
वो ससुर मुझसे झूठ बोल रहा था।
That bastard was lying to me.
(vo sasur mujhse jhooth bol rahaa thaa।)
अगर वो ससुर टाइम पर आ जाता तो मैच नहीं छूटता।
If that damn guy had come on time, we wouldn't have missed the match.
(agar vo sasur taaim par aa jaataa to maich nahiin chhoottaa।)
ससुर कहीं का, फोन उठाता ही नहीं।
Damn guy, doesn't even pick up the phone.
(sasur kahiin kaa, phon uthaataa hii nahiin।)
क्या ससुर निकला यार, सबको बेवकूफ बना गया।
What a bastard he turned out to be, man, fooled everyone.
(kyaa sasur niklaa yaar, sabko bevkooph banaa gayaa।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
ससुर
(sasur)
(sg.m.oblique):
ससुर
(sasur)
(pl.m.direct):
ससुर
(sasur)
(pl.m.oblique):
ससुरों
(sasuron)