प्रवृत्ति (pravritti)
noun
A somewhat formal/literary noun covering two related ideas: an inborn tendency or inclination (psychological/behavioral), and, in a more abstract or philosophical register, a general trend or drift (of thought, of a movement, of the times).
Sense
1
:
an inclination or tendency (in behavior/character)
noun, feminine Commonly takes a following oblique-infinitive or की + verb construction to specify the tendency, e.g. भागने की प्रवृत्ति (bhaagne kii pravritti, 'a tendency to run away').
Synonyms: झुकाव (jhukaav), रुझान (rujhaan), स्वभाव (svabhaav, overlaps with 'nature/temperament')
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You'll hear this word a lot in the context of parenting and moral advice -- teachers and elders talk about a child's प्रवृत्ति (pravritti) toward laziness or kindness as something to be guided, reflecting a broader Hindi habit of treating inner tendencies almost like separate forces within a person that can be shaped.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for स्वभाव (svabhaav) when they mean a specific recurring behavior pattern -- स्वभाव is more about overall character/nature, while प्रवृत्ति (pravritti) points to a particular leaning or drift within that nature. 2) This word is used in formal or reflective speech (psychology, self-help talk, essays) rather than casual chat -- in everyday conversation about someone's habits, आदत (aadat) is far more natural.
Sample Sentences:
बच्चों में नकल करने की प्रवृत्ति स्वाभाविक होती है।
In children, the tendency to imitate is natural.
(bachchon men nakal karne kii pravritti svaabhaavik hotii hai।)
उसकी प्रवृत्ति हमेशा दूसरों की मदद करने की रही है।
His tendency has always been to help others.
(uskii pravritti hameshaa doosron kii madad karne kii rahii hai।)
माँ-बाप को बच्चे की आलसी प्रवृत्ति पर ध्यान देना चाहिए।
Parents should pay attention to their child's lazy tendency.
(maan-baap ko bachche kii aalsii pravritti par dhyaan denaa chaahie।)
अगर उसकी हिंसक प्रवृत्ति को समय पर रोका जाता तो आज ऐसा न होता।
If his violent tendency had been checked in time, this would not have happened today.
(agar uskii hinsak pravritti ko samay par rokaa jaataa to aaj aisaa n hotaa।)
अपनी बुरी प्रवृत्तियों पर काबू रखो।
Keep control over your bad tendencies.
(apnii burii pravrittiyon par kaaboo rakho।)
गुरुजी कहते थे कि हर बच्चे में कोई न कोई प्रवृत्ति छिपी होती है, जिसे सही दिशा देना ज़रूरी है।
The teacher used to say that some tendency or another is hidden in every child, and it's necessary to give it the right direction.
(gurujii kahte the ki har bachche men koii n koii pravritti chhipii hotii hai, jise sahii dishaa denaa zaroorii hai।)
क्या तुम्हें नहीं लगता कि उसकी प्रवृत्ति में कुछ बदलाव आया है?
Don't you feel that there's been some change in his tendency?
(kyaa tumhen nahiin lagtaa ki uskii pravritti men kuchh badlaav aayaa hai?)
शायद यह उसकी स्वाभाविक प्रवृत्ति हो, जन्मजात कोई दोष नहीं।
Perhaps this is his natural tendency, not some inborn flaw.
(shaayad yah uskii svaabhaavik pravritti ho, janmjaat koii dosh nahiin।)
मानव मन की एक प्रवृत्ति यह भी है कि वह कठिनाइयों से भागना चाहता है।
One tendency of the human mind is also this, that it wants to run from difficulties.
(maanav man kii ek pravritti yah bhii hai ki vah kathinaaiyon se bhaagnaa chaahtaa hai।)
इस स्कूल में बच्चों की रचनात्मक प्रवृत्तियों को बढ़ावा दिया जाता है।
In this school, children's creative tendencies are encouraged.
(is skool men bachchon kii rachnaatmak pravrittiyon ko badhaavaa diyaa jaataa hai।)
Sense
2
:
a general trend, drift, or movement (of thought, era, or field)
noun, feminine
Synonyms: धारा (dhaaraa, 'current/stream', figurative), रुझान (rujhaan)
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: This sense shows up in discussions of literature, art, or society -- for instance, आधुनिक प्रवृत्तियाँ (aadhunik pravrittiyaan, 'modern trends') is a phrase you'd meet in a college essay or a newspaper editorial about changing values, not in casual talk about fashion.
Sample Sentences:
आधुनिक साहित्य में यह एक नई प्रवृत्ति है।
This is a new trend in modern literature.
(aadhunik saahity men yah ek naii pravritti hai।)
समाज में उपभोक्तावाद की प्रवृत्ति बढ़ रही है।
The trend of consumerism is growing in society.
(samaaj men upbhoktaavaad kii pravritti badh rahii hai।)
इस दशक की प्रमुख प्रवृत्तियों का अध्ययन करना ज़रूरी है।
It is necessary to study the major trends of this decade.
(is dashak kii pramukh pravrittiyon kaa adhyyan karnaa zaroorii hai।)
आलोचक ने निबंध में आधुनिक प्रवृत्तियों की विस्तार से चर्चा की।
The critic discussed modern trends at length in the essay.
(aalochak ne nibandh men aadhunik pravrittiyon kii vistaar se charchaa kii।)
यदि यह प्रवृत्ति जारी रहती, तो पारंपरिक कलाएँ लुप्त हो जातीं।
If this trend had continued, traditional arts would have disappeared.
(yadi yah pravritti jaarii rahtii, to paaramprik kalaaen lupt ho jaatiin।)
संपादकीय में लिखा गया कि यह प्रवृत्ति चिंताजनक है।
It was written in the editorial that this trend is worrisome.
(sampaadkiiy men likhaa gayaa ki yah pravritti chintaajnak hai।)
विद्वानों का मानना है कि हर युग की अपनी प्रवृत्तियाँ होती हैं।
Scholars believe that every era has its own trends.
(vidvaanon kaa maannaa hai ki har yug kii apnii pravrittiyaan hotii hain।)
कृपया इस लेख में उभरती प्रवृत्तियों को रेखांकित करें।
Please highlight the emerging trends in this article.
(kripyaa is lekh men ubhartii pravrittiyon ko rekhaankit karen।)
हो सकता है कि यह प्रवृत्ति अगले दशक तक बदल जाए।
It's possible that this trend will change by the next decade.
(ho saktaa hai ki yah pravritti agle dashak tak badal jaae।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
प्रवृत्ति
(pravritti)
(sg.f.oblique):
प्रवृत्ति
(pravritti)
(pl.f.direct):
प्रवृत्तिएँ
(pravrittien)
(pl.f.oblique):
प्रवृत्तिओं
(pravrittion)