Hindi Vyakaran · शब्द विचार
तत्सम और तद्भव शब्द (Tatsam and Tadbhav)
Tatsam words are Sanskrit words used in Hindi unchanged (e.g. सूर्य, रात्रि). Tadbhav words are Hindi forms that developed from Sanskrit words through sound change (e.g. सूरज, रात).
What is a tatsam word?
तत्सम = तत् (उसके) + सम (समान): “same as that”. A tatsam word is borrowed from Sanskrit in its original form, for example सूर्य, पुत्र, रात्रि, ग्राम, अग्नि. They are common in formal and literary Hindi.
What is a tadbhav word?
तद्भव = तत् + भव (उससे उत्पन्न): “born from that”. A tadbhav word comes from a Sanskrit word but changed through Prakrit and later Hindi usage, for example सूर्य → सूरज, रात्रि → रात, ग्राम → गाँव. They are the words of everyday speech.
Tatsam–tadbhav pairs to know
| Tatsam (तत्सम) | Tadbhav (तद्भव) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| सूर्य | सूरज | Sun |
| रात्रि | रात | Night |
| दुग्ध | दूध | Milk |
| दधि | दही | Curd |
| हस्त | हाथ | Hand |
| कर्ण | कान | Ear |
| अग्नि | आग | Fire |
| चंद्र | चाँद | Moon |
| मयूर | मोर | Peacock |
| ग्राम | गाँव | Village |
| सप्त | सात | Seven |
| अश्रु | आँसू | Tear |
| स्वर्ण | सोना | Gold |
| नृत्य | नाच | Dance |
| अंधकार | अँधेरा | Darkness |
| भ्राता | भाई | Brother |
How to tell them apart
- Does the word look like a Sanskrit word with conjuncts such as त्र, क्ष, र्य, ष्ट? It is likely tatsam.
- Is there a simpler everyday form with the same meaning derived from it? That simpler form is tadbhav.
- Learn the pair, not just the word, since questions usually give one form and ask for the other.
Other word-origin classes
- Deshaj (देशज): words that arose locally and are not traced to Sanskrit, e.g. पगड़ी, लोटा, खिड़की.
- Videshi (विदेशी): words borrowed from other languages, e.g. कलम, किताब (Arabic/Persian origin), स्कूल, रेल (English).
Common mistakes
- Calling a word tadbhav just because it is simple; check whether it is a Sanskrit word itself (e.g. जल is tatsam).
- Mixing pair order — keep tatsam on the left, tadbhav on the right while revising.
- Memorising one-way; practise both directions.
Keep learning
Next: Varna Vichar. Use this topic for REET Hindi, Second Grade and Patwar preparation, and see the Vyakaran playlist for video practice.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between tatsam and tadbhav?
Tatsam words are taken from Sanskrit without change. Tadbhav words come from Sanskrit but have changed in form over time.
Is 'सूर्य' tatsam or tadbhav?
'सूर्य' is tatsam. Its tadbhav form is 'सूरज'.
Are deshaj and videshi words also tested?
Often yes, alongside tatsam and tadbhav in the topic of word origin (shabd utpatti). Confirm in the current syllabus.
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