संस्कृति (sanskriti)
noun
A single-sense noun meaning 'culture' -- covering the customs, arts, and shared way of life of a people or civilization.
Sense
1
:
culture
noun, feminine
Synonyms: सभ्यता (sabhytaa, leans toward 'civilization' rather than everyday cultural practice)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will hear this word constantly in Indian civics and school textbooks -- भारतीय संस्कृति (bhaartiiy sanskriti, 'Indian culture') is a phrase drilled into every schoolchild, often paired with rhetoric about unity in diversity. It also shows up in everyday value judgments, as when elders praise or criticize someone's upbringing by invoking संस्कृति (sanskriti) and संस्कार (sanskaar, 'values/upbringing') together -- the two words travel as a pair in moral commentary.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes confuse संस्कृति (sanskriti) with संस्कृत (sanskrit, 'Sanskrit, the language') -- the two words look and sound almost identical but are unrelated in meaning, though both come from the same Sanskrit root related to 'refinement.' 2) It is usually treated as an abstract mass noun (like English 'culture'), so learners should be careful about pluralizing it casually to mean 'cultures' (plural) -- भारतीय संस्कृतियाँ (bhaartiiy sanskritiyaan, 'Indian cultures') is fine when contrasting distinct cultures, but it is not used the way English speakers sometimes pluralize loosely.
Sample Sentences:
भारतीय संस्कृति बहुत पुरानी है।
Indian culture is very ancient.
(bhaartiiy sanskriti bahut puraanii hai।)
हमारी संस्कृति में मेहमानों का सम्मान किया जाता है।
In our culture, guests are shown respect.
(hamaarii sanskriti men mehmaanon kaa sammaan kiyaa jaataa hai।)
स्कूल में हमें भारतीय संस्कृति के बारे में पढ़ाया गया था।
We were taught about Indian culture in school.
(skool men hamen bhaartiiy sanskriti ke baare men padhaayaa gayaa thaa।)
उसमें संस्कृति और संस्कार दोनों की कमी है।
He lacks both culture and good upbringing.
(usmen sanskriti aur sanskaar donon kii kamii hai।)
दादी हमेशा कहती हैं कि बच्चों को संस्कृति और संस्कार दोनों सिखाना चाहिए।
Grandma always says that children should be taught both culture and values.
(daadii hameshaa kahtii hain ki bachchon ko sanskriti aur sanskaar donon sikhaanaa chaahie।)
हमें अपनी संस्कृति पर गर्व होना चाहिए।
We should be proud of our culture.
(hamen apnii sanskriti par garv honaa chaahie।)
अगर वह विदेश में इतने साल न रहता तो अपनी संस्कृति को इतनी जल्दी न भूलता।
If he hadn't lived abroad for so many years, he wouldn't have forgotten his culture so quickly.
(agar vah videsh men itne saal n rahtaa to apnii sanskriti ko itnii jaldii n bhooltaa।)
आने वाली पीढ़ी अपनी संस्कृति को कैसे बचाएगी?
How will the coming generation save its culture?
(aane vaalii piidhii apnii sanskriti ko kaise bachaaegii?)
अपनी संस्कृति को कभी मत भूलो।
Never forget your culture.
(apnii sanskriti ko kabhii mat bhoolo।)
प्राचीन काल से ही भारत की संस्कृति विविधता में एकता का प्रतीक रही है।
Since ancient times, India's culture has been a symbol of unity in diversity.
(praachiin kaal se hii bhaarat kii sanskriti vividhtaa men ektaa kaa pratiik rahii hai।)
क्या तुमने कभी सोचा है कि हमारी संस्कृति में इतने त्योहार क्यों मनाए जाते हैं?
Have you ever thought about why so many festivals are celebrated in our culture?
(kyaa tumne kabhii sochaa hai ki hamaarii sanskriti men itne tyohaar kyon manaae jaate hain?)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
संस्कृति
(sanskriti)
(sg.f.oblique):
संस्कृति
(sanskriti)
(pl.f.direct):
संस्कृतिएँ
(sanskritien)
(pl.f.oblique):
संस्कृतिओं
(sanskrition)