प्रधान (pradhaan)
noun/adjective
प्रधान (pradhaan) works as both a noun for 'head/chief' (of a village, institution, or organization) and an adjective meaning 'main/principal'.
Sense
1
:
head, chief, leader (esp. of a village or panchayat)
noun, masculine
Synonyms: मुखिया (mukhiyaa), सरपंच (sarpanch, village-council head specifically), नेता (netaa, leader in general)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: In rural north India, ग्राम प्रधान (graam pradhaan) is a familiar term for the elected village head, a figure of real local authority in panchayat politics. You will also hear it in compounds like प्रधानमंत्री (pradhaanmantrii, 'prime minister') and प्रधानाचार्य (pradhaanaachaary, 'school principal'), where प्रधान (pradhaan) supplies the sense of 'chief' or 'head'.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes assume प्रधान (pradhaan) always means 'principal' as in a school head -- for that role, प्रिंसिपल (prinsipal) is the common everyday word, while प्रधान (pradhaan) is more associated with village or organizational heads (e.g. ग्राम प्रधान, graam pradhaan, 'village head').
Sample Sentences:
हमारे गाँव का प्रधान बहुत ईमानदार आदमी है।
Our village's head is a very honest man.
(hamaare gaanv kaa pradhaan bahut iimaandaar aadmii hai।)
पिछले चुनाव में मेरी चाची ग्राम प्रधान चुनी गई थीं।
In the last election, my aunt was elected village head.
(pichhle chunaav men merii chaachii graam pradhaan chunii gaii thiin।)
प्रधान जी, हमारी गली में सड़क बनवा दीजिए।
Mister head, please get a road built in our lane.
(pradhaan jii, hamaarii galii men sadak banvaa diijie।)
अगर वह प्रधान होता तो गाँव में बिजली कभी नहीं जाती।
If he were the village head, the power would never go out in the village.
(agar vah pradhaan hotaa to gaanv men bijlii kabhii nahiin jaatii।)
प्रधान हर महीने पंचायत की बैठक बुलाता है।
The head calls a panchayat meeting every month.
(pradhaan har mahiine panchaayat kii baithak bulaataa hai।)
प्रधान ने घोषणा की कि इस साल सड़कें पक्की होंगी।
The head announced that this year the roads would be paved.
(pradhaan ne ghoshnaa kii ki is saal sadken pakkii hongii।)
क्या तुम्हें पता है कि नया प्रधान कौन बनेगा?
Do you know who will become the new head?
(kyaa tumhen pataa hai ki nayaa pradhaan kaun banegaa?)
मैं चाहता हूँ कि प्रधान इस मामले में जल्दी फैसला ले।
I want the head to make a decision on this matter quickly.
(main chaahtaa hoon ki pradhaan is maamle men jaldii phaislaa le।)
प्रधान के आदेश पर पूरे गाँव में सफाई अभियान चलाया जा रहा है।
On the head's orders, a cleanliness drive is being run across the whole village.
(pradhaan ke aadesh par poore gaanv men saphaaii abhiyaan chalaayaa jaa rahaa hai।)
प्रधान अपने दफ्तर में बैठा है, मिल लो।
The head is sitting in his office, go meet him.
(pradhaan apne daphtar men baithaa hai, mil lo।)
Sense
2
:
main, principal, chief (of importance)
adjective
Synonyms: मुख्य (mukhy), मुख्तार (mukhtaar, rare), असल (asal, meaning scope: 'real/main')
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You will meet this adjectival sense often in news and formal writing -- प्रधान कारण (pradhaan kaaran, 'the main reason'), प्रधान उद्देश्य (pradhaan uddeshy, 'the main objective') -- giving text a slightly more formal register than मुख्य (mukhy) would.
Common Mistakes: 1) As an adjective, प्रधान (pradhaan) is used mostly in somewhat formal or written contexts (e.g. प्रधान कारण, pradhaan kaaran, 'main reason'); in casual speech मुख्य (mukhy) is far more common for 'main.'
Sample Sentences:
इस समस्या का प्रधान कारण गरीबी है।
The main reason for this problem is poverty.
(is samasyaa kaa pradhaan kaaran gariibii hai।)
हमारा प्रधान उद्देश्य शिक्षा का प्रसार करना है।
Our main objective is to spread education.
(hamaaraa pradhaan uddeshy shikshaa kaa prasaar karnaa hai।)
इस योजना का प्रधान लक्ष्य रोज़गार बढ़ाना था।
The main goal of this scheme was to increase employment.
(is yojnaa kaa pradhaan lakshy rozgaar badhaanaa thaa।)
देश की प्रधान समस्याओं पर चर्चा की जाएगी।
The country's main problems will be discussed.
(desh kii pradhaan samasyaaon par charchaa kii jaaegii।)
अर्थव्यवस्था के प्रधान स्तंभों को मज़बूत किया जाना चाहिए।
The main pillars of the economy should be strengthened.
(arthavyvasthaa ke pradhaan stambhon ko mazboot kiyaa jaanaa chaahie।)
यदि प्रधान कारण स्पष्ट होता, तो समाधान आसान होता।
If the main reason had been clear, the solution would have been easy.
(yadi pradhaan kaaran spasht hotaa, to samaadhaan aasaan hotaa।)
रिपोर्ट में प्रधान बिंदुओं को रेखांकित किया गया है।
The main points have been underlined in the report.
(riport men pradhaan binduon ko rekhaankit kiyaa gayaa hai।)
समिति प्रधान मुद्दों पर विचार कर रही है।
The committee is considering the main issues.
(samiti pradhaan muddon par vichaar kar rahii hai।)
इतिहास में इस घटना को प्रधान मोड़ माना जाता है।
In history, this event is considered a main turning point.
(itihaas men is ghatnaa ko pradhaan mod maanaa jaataa hai।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
प्रधान
(pradhaan)
(sg.m.oblique):
प्रधान
(pradhaan)
(pl.m.direct):
प्रधान
(pradhaan)
(pl.m.oblique):
प्रधानों
(pradhaanon)
Adjective (invariant)
invariant:
प्रधान
(pradhaan)