देवता (devtaa)
noun
Primarily means 'god/deity' in the Hindu pantheon sense; also used figuratively for a person of exceptional kindness or goodness.
Sense
1
:
a god, deity
noun, masculine
Synonyms: भगवान (bhagvaan), ईश्वर (iishvar), सुर (sur, literary)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Hindi households often speak of देवता (devtaa) in the plural, casually, since Hinduism recognizes many gods (तैंतीस करोड़ देवता, taintiis karod devtaa, 'thirty-three crore gods' is a common saying about their sheer number). You will hear it in everyday phrases like घर के देवता (ghar ke devtaa, 'the household deities') referring to the gods a family worships at home.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes use देवता (devtaa) interchangeably with भगवान (bhagvaan), but देवता (devtaa) usually refers to one of many gods in the pantheon (Indra, Agni, etc.), while भगवान (bhagvaan) is used for God in a more singular, supreme sense, especially in monotheistic-style speech. 2) The feminine counterpart is देवी (devii, goddess) -- देवता (devtaa) itself is grammatically masculine even when discussing deities in a general or plural sense.
Sample Sentences:
हिंदू धर्म में तैंतीस करोड़ देवता माने जाते हैं।
In Hinduism, thirty-three crore gods are believed to exist.
(hindoo dharm men taintiis karod devtaa maane jaate hain।)
हमारे घर के देवता गणेश जी और लक्ष्मी जी हैं।
The household deities in our home are Ganesh ji and Lakshmi ji.
(hamaare ghar ke devtaa ganesh jii aur lakshmii jii hain।)
मंदिर में हर देवता की एक अलग मूर्ति रखी है।
In the temple, a separate statue is kept for each god.
(mandir men har devtaa kii ek alag moorti rakhii hai।)
दादी हर सुबह देवताओं को दीया जलाती हैं।
Grandmother lights a lamp for the gods every morning.
(daadii har subah devtaaon ko diiyaa jalaatii hain।)
क्या तुमने कभी सुना है कि कौन सा देवता बारिश का देवता कहलाता है?
Have you ever heard which god is called the god of rain?
(kyaa tumne kabhii sunaa hai ki kaun saa devtaa baarish kaa devtaa kahlaataa hai?)
पुराने समय में लोग हर पेड़ और नदी में देवता का वास मानते थे।
In olden times, people believed that a god resided in every tree and river.
(puraane samay men log har ped aur nadii men devtaa kaa vaas maante the।)
अगर तुम सच में देवता होते, तो सबकी मुश्किलें दूर कर देते।
If you were really a god, you would remove everyone's troubles.
(agar tum sach men devtaa hote, to sabkii mushkilen door kar dete।)
देवताओं की पूजा करने से पहले हाथ-पैर धो लो।
Wash your hands and feet before worshipping the gods.
(devtaaon kii poojaa karne se pahle haath-pair dho lo।)
शायद यह देवताओं की ही इच्छा हो कि हम यहाँ मिलें।
Perhaps it is the will of the gods that we should meet here.
(shaayad yah devtaaon kii hii ichchhaa ho ki ham yahaan milen।)
प्राचीन काल में राजा स्वयं को देवताओं का प्रतिनिधि मानते थे।
In ancient times, kings considered themselves representatives of the gods.
(praachiin kaal men raajaa svayan ko devtaaon kaa pratinidhi maante the।)
इस उत्सव में गाँव के सभी देवताओं को याद किया जाएगा।
In this festival, all the gods of the village will be remembered.
(is utsav men gaanv ke sabhii devtaaon ko yaad kiyaa jaaegaa।)
Sense
2
:
a saintly, exceptionally kind person (figurative)
noun, masculine Used as a warm compliment about a real person's character, not about an actual deity.
Synonyms: फ़रिश्ता (farishtaa, used similarly for a kind person), भला मानस (bhalaa maanas)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You'll often hear elders say of someone unusually patient or generous, वो तो देवता है (vo to devtaa hai, 'he's a saint'), the same warm exaggeration English speakers make with 'he's an angel' or 'a saint.'
Common Mistakes: 1) This figurative use is almost always about someone's kindness or patience, e.g. calling a helpful stranger or a patient teacher देवता आदमी हैं (devtaa aadmii hain, 'he's an angel of a man') -- it does not imply any religious reverence toward that person.
Sample Sentences:
वो तो देवता है, कभी किसी को गुस्सा नहीं करता।
He's a saint, he never gets angry at anyone.
(vo to devtaa hai, kabhii kisii ko gussaa nahiin kartaa।)
मेरी दादी कहती थीं कि पड़ोस वाले शर्मा जी सच में देवता आदमी हैं।
My grandmother used to say that the neighbor, Sharma ji, is truly a saintly man.
(merii daadii kahtii thiin ki pados vaale sharmaa jii sach men devtaa aadmii hain।)
इतनी मुसीबतों के बाद भी उसने माफ कर दिया, यार, वो देवता है।
Even after so much trouble, he forgave everyone -- man, he's an angel.
(itnii musiibton ke baad bhii usne maaph kar diyaa, yaar, vo devtaa hai।)
अगर वो सच में देवता होता, तो इतनी बार धोखा खाने के बाद भी सबकी मदद करता।
If he were really a saint, he would still help everyone even after being betrayed so many times.
(agar vo sach men devtaa hotaa, to itnii baar dhokhaa khaane ke baad bhii sabkii madad kartaa।)
काश मेरे मालिक भी उनके मालिक जैसे देवता होते।
I wish my boss were also as saintly as their boss.
(kaash mere maalik bhii unke maalik jaise devtaa hote।)
उस डॉक्टर को गरीब मरीज़ों का देवता कहा जाता है, क्योंकि वो कभी फीस नहीं लेता।
That doctor is called an angel of the poor patients, because he never takes a fee.
(us doktar ko gariib mariizon kaa devtaa kahaa jaataa hai, kyonki vo kabhii phiis nahiin letaa।)
इतना धैर्य रखने के लिए तो आपको देवता होना चाहिए।
To have this much patience, you'd have to be a saint.
(itnaa dhairy rakhne ke lie to aapko devtaa honaa chaahie।)
उसने जिस तरह अपने भाई की गलतियाँ माफ कीं, उसे देखकर लोग उसे देवता समझने लगे।
Seeing the way he forgave his brother's mistakes, people started thinking of him as a saint.
(usne jis tarah apne bhaaii kii galtiyaan maaph kiin, use dekhkar log use devtaa samajhne lage।)
अरे वो देवता आदमी है, उससे झगड़ा मत कर।
Hey, he's a saintly man, don't fight with him.
(are vo devtaa aadmii hai, usse jhagdaa mat kar।)
समाज में ऐसे देवता स्वभाव के लोग बहुत कम मिलते हैं।
In society, people with such a saintly nature are found very rarely.
(samaaj men aise devtaa svabhaav ke log bahut kam milte hain।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
देवता
(devtaa)
(sg.m.oblique):
देवता
(devtaa)
(pl.m.direct):
देवता
(devtaa)
(pl.m.oblique):
देवताओं
(devtaaon)