शर्त (shart)
noun
Primarily 'condition/stipulation' (as in an agreement) and 'bet/wager' -- two closely related senses that both come from the idea of an agreed-upon stake or term.
Sense
1
:
condition, stipulation
noun, feminine Often used with पर (par) or की (kii) to attach the condition to a clause, e.g. इस शर्त पर (is shart par, 'on this condition').
Synonyms: शर्त (shart), नियम (niyam, covers 'rule' more broadly)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You'll hear this constantly in negotiations, job offers, and even parenting: माँ ने शर्त रखी कि पहले होमवर्क करो (maan ne shart rakhii ki pahle homvark karo, 'Mom set the condition that you do homework first'). It's the everyday word for 'terms and conditions' in spoken life, well before you get to the legal शर्तें (sharten) printed on a contract.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes reach for नियम (niyam) when they mean a specific negotiated condition rather than a general rule -- शर्त (shart) is the word for a condition attached to a deal, agreement, or permission. 2) The common phrase शर्त रखना (shart rakhnaa, 'to put forward a condition') uses रखना (rakhnaa) as a light verb, not लगाना (lagaanaa) which belongs to the 'bet' sense.
Sample Sentences:
उसने एक शर्त रखी कि मैं पहले माफी माँगूँ।
He put forward a condition that I apologize first.
(usne ek shart rakhii ki main pahle maaphii maangoon।)
कंपनी की एक शर्त है कि आपको दो साल तक यहीं काम करना होगा।
The company has a condition that you must work here for two years.
(kampnii kii ek shart hai ki aapko do saal tak yahiin kaam karnaa hogaa।)
अगर यही शर्त रही तो मैं यह नौकरी नहीं लूँगा।
If this remains the condition, I won't take this job.
(agar yahii shart rahii to main yah naukrii nahiin loongaa।)
पहले अपनी शर्तें बता दो, फिर बात करेंगे।
First tell me your conditions, then we'll talk.
(pahle apnii sharten bataa do, phir baat karenge।)
माँ ने शर्त रखी कि पहले होमवर्क करो।
Mom set the condition that you do homework first.
(maan ne shart rakhii ki pahle homvark karo।)
यह समझौता कुछ शर्तों के साथ स्वीकार किया गया।
This agreement was accepted with certain conditions.
(yah samjhautaa kuchh sharton ke saath sviikaar kiyaa gayaa।)
काश उसने कोई शर्त न रखी होती।
I wish he hadn't set any condition.
(kaash usne koii shart n rakhii hotii।)
अगर वह यह शर्त न रखता तो हम पहले ही समझौता कर लेते।
If he hadn't set this condition, we would have already reached an agreement.
(agar vah yah shart n rakhtaa to ham pahle hii samjhautaa kar lete।)
क्या तुम्हें यह शर्त मंज़ूर है?
Is this condition acceptable to you?
(kyaa tumhen yah shart manzoor hai?)
संविधान में नागरिकता की शर्तें साफ़ लिखी गई हैं।
The conditions for citizenship are clearly written in the constitution.
(sanvidhaan men naagriktaa kii sharten saaf likhii gaii hain।)
शायद वे कोई नई शर्त जोड़ दें।
Perhaps they will add some new condition.
(shaayad ve koii naii shart jod den।)
Sense
2
:
bet, wager
noun, feminine Pairs with the verb लगाना (lagaanaa) to mean 'to place a bet' -- शर्त लगाना (shart lagaanaa).
Synonyms: बाज़ी (baazii)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: मैं शर्त लगाता हूँ (main shart lagaataa hoon, 'I bet') is used casually the way English speakers say 'I bet' or 'I'm sure' to express confidence, even with no money involved -- e.g. among friends arguing about cricket scores.
Common Mistakes: 1) The verb here is लगाना (lagaanaa) (शर्त लगाना, shart lagaanaa, 'to bet'), not रखना (rakhnaa) -- mixing up the two light verbs is a common slip since both senses share the noun शर्त (shart). 2) शर्त जीतना/हारना (shart jiitnaa/shart haarnaa) means 'to win/lose the bet,' distinct from winning or losing the underlying game.
Sample Sentences:
मैं शर्त लगाता हूँ कि इंडिया जीतेगी।
I bet India will win.
(main shart lagaataa hoon ki indiyaa jiitegii।)
हमने सौ रुपये की शर्त लगाई थी।
We had made a bet of a hundred rupees.
(hamne sau rupye kii shart lagaaii thii।)
चलो, शर्त लगाते हैं कि विकेट कौन गिराएगा।
Come on, let's bet on who will take the wicket.
(chalo, shart lagaate hain ki viket kaun giraaegaa।)
अगर तुम इतने कॉन्फिडेंट हो तो शर्त लगा लो।
If you're so confident, then go ahead and place a bet.
(agar tum itne konphident ho to shart lagaa lo।)
वह हर मैच पर अपने दोस्तों के साथ शर्त लगाता है।
He bets with his friends on every match.
(vah har maich par apne doston ke saath shart lagaataa hai।)
मुझे यकीन है, वरना मैं शर्त नहीं लगाता।
I'm sure of it, otherwise I wouldn't be betting.
(mujhe yakiin hai, varnaa main shart nahiin lagaataa।)
उसकी शर्त जीतने की वजह से पूरा पैसा मुझे मिला।
Because his bet was won, I got all the money.
(uskii shart jiitne kii vajah se pooraa paisaa mujhe milaa।)
क्या तुम मुझसे शर्त लगाना चाहते हो?
Do you want to make a bet with me?
(kyaa tum mujhse shart lagaanaa chaahte ho?)
इस बार शर्त बड़ी रकम की लगाई गई थी।
This time a bet was made for a large sum.
(is baar shart badii rakam kii lagaaii gaii thii।)
शर्त लगाओ या न लगाओ, मैच का नतीजा तो वही रहेगा।
Whether you bet or not, the result of the match will remain the same.
(shart lagaao yaa n lagaao, maich kaa natiijaa to vahii rahegaa।)
अगर वह जीत जाता तो हम शर्त की रकम दोगुनी कर देते।
If he had won, we would have doubled the bet amount.
(agar vah jiit jaataa to ham shart kii rakam dogunii kar dete।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
शर्त
(shart)
(sg.f.oblique):
शर्त
(shart)
(pl.f.direct):
शर्तें
(sharten)
(pl.f.oblique):
शर्तों
(sharton)