पृष्ठभूमि (prishthbhoomi)
noun
A single-sense noun meaning 'background' -- used both literally (visual background) and figuratively (a person's background or the backdrop/context of events).
Sense
1
:
background (context, backdrop, or a person's background)
noun, feminine
Synonyms: बैकग्राउंड (baikagraaund, colloquial, English loanword), संदर्भ (sandarbh, context/setting)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You will hear this word constantly on Hindi news channels, as in इस फैसले की पृष्ठभूमि में (is phaisle kii prishthbhoomi men, 'against the background of this decision') -- it is a favorite of political and journalistic commentary. It literally breaks down as पृष्ठ (prishth, 'page/back/surface') plus भूमि (bhoomi, 'ground/land'), so the image is quite literally 'the ground behind' -- a nice parallel to the English word 'background' itself.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes reach for बैकग्राउंड (baikagraaund) in casual speech, which is fine informally, but पृष्ठभूमि (prishthbhoomi) is the word expected in writing, news, and formal contexts -- know both registers. 2) When describing a person's background (family, education, social origin), पृष्ठभूमि (prishthbhoomi) is used with की (kii): जैसे किसान परिवार की पृष्ठभूमि (kisaan parivaar kii prishthbhoomi, 'a background from a farming family') -- learners sometimes try to use से (se) here by analogy with English 'from,' which sounds off.
Sample Sentences:
इस फैसले की पृष्ठभूमि में कई राजनीतिक कारण हैं।
There are many political reasons behind the background of this decision.
(is phaisle kii prishthbhoomi men kaii raajniitik kaaran hain।)
उसकी पारिवारिक पृष्ठभूमि बहुत साधारण थी।
His family background was very ordinary.
(uskii paarivaarik prishthbhoomi bahut saadhaaran thii।)
क्या आप मुझे इस घटना की पृष्ठभूमि बता सकते हैं?
Can you tell me the background of this incident?
(kyaa aap mujhe is ghatnaa kii prishthbhoomi bataa sakte hain?)
कृपया इस मुद्दे की पृष्ठभूमि पर एक रिपोर्ट तैयार कीजिए।
Please prepare a report on the background of this issue.
(kripyaa is mudde kii prishthbhoomi par ek riport taiyaar kiijie।)
अगर उसकी पृष्ठभूमि पहले से पता होती, तो हम फैसला अलग तरीके से लेते।
If his background had been known beforehand, we would have made the decision differently.
(agar uskii prishthbhoomi pahle se pataa hotii, to ham phaislaa alag tariike se lete।)
पत्रकार ने इस विवाद की पृष्ठभूमि को विस्तार से समझाया।
The journalist explained the background of this controversy in detail.
(patrkaar ne is vivaad kii prishthbhoomi ko vistaar se samjhaayaa।)
इस समाचार चैनल पर हर बहस की पृष्ठभूमि में राजनीति छिपी होती है।
Behind every debate on this news channel, politics is hidden in the background.
(is samaachaar chainal par har bahas kii prishthbhoomi men raajniiti chhipii hotii hai।)
उसकी शैक्षणिक पृष्ठभूमि को देखते हुए उसे यह नौकरी मिल गई।
Given his educational background, he got this job.
(uskii shaikshnik prishthbhoomi ko dekhte hue use yah naukrii mil gaii।)
शायद इस कहानी की कोई गहरी पृष्ठभूमि हो, जिसे हम अभी नहीं जानते।
Perhaps there is some deeper background to this story that we do not yet know.
(shaayad is kahaanii kii koii gahrii prishthbhoomi ho, jise ham abhii nahiin jaante।)
इस मामले की पृष्ठभूमि पिछले कई सालों में तैयार हुई थी।
The background of this case had developed over the past several years.
(is maamle kii prishthbhoomi pichhle kaii saalon men taiyaar huii thii।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
पृष्ठभूमि
(prishthbhoomi)
(sg.f.oblique):
पृष्ठभूमि
(prishthbhoomi)
(pl.f.direct):
पृष्ठभूमिएँ
(prishthbhoomien)
(pl.f.oblique):
पृष्ठभूमिओं
(prishthbhoomion)