साथ देना
To support/stand by; to offer help or encouragement.
साथ देना en 30 secondes
- साथ देना means to support or stand by someone, especially in tough times.
- It is used with the postposition 'का' (e.g., मेरा साथ दो).
- It can mean musical accompaniment or supporting a political cause.
- It is a key expression for loyalty and friendship in Hindi culture.
The Hindi verb साथ देना (saath denā) is a multifaceted expression that translates literally to "to give company" or "to give with-ness." However, its functional meaning is far deeper, encompassing the concepts of supporting someone, standing by them during difficult times, or offering active assistance and encouragement. It is not merely about physical presence but about moral and emotional solidarity. In the Hindi heartland, this phrase carries a heavy weight of loyalty and reliability. When you say someone 'साथ देता है', you are acknowledging their dependability as a friend, partner, or ally. It is a transitive verb construction where 'साथ' (with/company) acts as the object being 'given' to the recipient.
- Literal Meaning
- To give company or to provide accompaniment.
- Metaphorical Meaning
- To support someone's cause, to remain loyal under pressure, or to assist in a task.
- Emotional Resonance
- Implies a deep bond of trust and the act of not abandoning someone.
"सच्चा दोस्त वही है जो मुसीबत में साथ दे।" (A true friend is one who supports you in trouble.)
In a musical context, 'साथ देना' refers to accompaniment. For instance, a tabla player 'gives company' (accompanies) a sitar player. In a social context, it refers to social support. The beauty of this phrase lies in its versatility—it can be used for a small favor like helping someone carry groceries or for a life-altering commitment like standing by a spouse through illness. It is the verbal embodiment of the concept of 'Sahaara' (support) but with a more active, participatory nuance. Unlike 'madad karna' (to help), which can be a one-time transaction, 'saath dena' often implies a continuous state of being there for someone.
"क्या तुम इस मुश्किल घड़ी में मेरा साथ दोगे?" (Will you stand by me in this difficult hour?)
Furthermore, the phrase can be used in the negative to express betrayal or abandonment. 'साथ छोड़ देना' (to leave the company/support) is the direct opposite. In political discourse, 'साथ देना' is used to describe alliances and coalitions. When a party supports a bill or another leader, they are said to be 'giving company' to that cause. This highlights the word's transition from personal intimacy to public endorsement.
"जनता ने चुनाव में ईमानदार नेता का साथ दिया।" (The public supported the honest leader in the election.)
- Grammar Note
- The person being supported is usually followed by the postposition 'का' (ka/ki/ke).
- Synonymic Nuance
- More emotional than 'sahayata karna' (to assist).
"गायक का तबले पर कलाकार ने बखूबी साथ दिया।" (The artist accompanied the singer beautifully on the tabla.)
Using साथ देना correctly requires understanding its relationship with the possessive postposition 'का' (ka). Unlike the English 'to support someone' (direct object), in Hindi, you 'give the company *of* someone'. For example, 'मेरा साथ दो' (Give *my* company/support me). If you are supporting a woman, it remains 'उसका साथ दो' because 'साथ' is a masculine noun. The verb 'देना' conjugates according to the tense and the subject, while 'साथ' remains constant as the object of the giving.
- Imperative: 'मेरा साथ दो!' (Support me!)
- Future: 'मैं तुम्हारा साथ दूँगा।' (I will support you.)
- Past: 'उसने मेरा साथ दिया।' (He/She supported me.)
It is frequently used in the context of 'मुसीबत' (trouble) or 'ज़रूरत' (need). You will often hear the phrase 'हर कदम पर साथ देना' (to support at every step), which signifies total and unwavering commitment. In professional settings, it can mean to cooperate. For example, 'कृपया इस प्रोजेक्ट में हमारा साथ दें' (Please cooperate/support us in this project). It is less formal than 'सहयोग करना' (to cooperate) but more personal and warm.
Another common usage is in the context of physical movement. If you are walking and want someone to walk with you, you can say 'मेरा साथ दो'. However, in modern Hindi, this is more commonly replaced by 'मेरे साथ चलो'. 'साथ देना' in the sense of walking is now mostly reserved for poetic or older literature. Today, it almost exclusively implies support, accompaniment in music, or staying loyal.
You will encounter साथ देना in a variety of settings, ranging from intimate family conversations to high-stakes political rallies. In Bollywood movies, it is a staple in dialogues about love and friendship. A hero might ask the heroine, 'क्या तुम ज़िंदगी भर मेरा साथ दोगी?' (Will you stay by my side for the rest of your life?). This usage elevates the verb to a level of sacred commitment.
In news broadcasts, you'll hear it when reporting on political alliances: 'विपक्षी दलों ने सरकार का साथ देने से मना कर दिया' (The opposition parties refused to support the government). Here, it carries a formal tone of legislative or strategic backing. In sports commentary, it describes a partnership between two players, especially in cricket: 'कोहली ने रहाणे का अच्छा साथ दिया' (Kohli supported Rahane well/built a good partnership).
Daily life is full of this phrase. Parents tell children to 'साथ देना' when helping with chores. Friends use it when asking for a favor. It is also heard in religious hymns (bhajans) where devotees ask God to 'साथ देना' through the journey of life. Its ubiquity makes it one of the most essential phrases for a learner to master for natural-sounding Hindi.
One of the most frequent errors learners make is using the wrong postposition. Many try to say 'मुझको साथ दो' (Give support to me) or 'मेरे साथ दो'. The correct form is always 'मेरा साथ देना' (Give my support). Remember that 'साथ' here is a noun, and you are giving the support belonging to that person.
Another mistake is confusing 'साथ देना' with 'साथ होना'. 'साथ होना' simply means 'to be with' (physical presence), whereas 'साथ देना' implies an action of support or accompaniment. If you are just standing next to someone, you are 'उनके साथ' (with them). If you are helping them fight a legal battle, you are 'उनका साथ दे रहे हैं' (supporting them).
Learners also sometimes over-rely on 'मदद करना' (to help). While 'मदद करना' is correct for 'helping someone carry a bag', using 'साथ देना' in that context might sound a bit too dramatic. 'साथ देना' is better suited for situations involving loyalty, long-term commitment, or moral support. Avoid using it for trivial, one-off mechanical tasks unless you want to sound particularly poetic or grateful.
Several words share a semantic field with साथ देना, but each has its own flavor. समर्थन करना (samarthan karnā) is the formal equivalent, often used in politics or official debates to mean 'to endorse' or 'to support a motion'. While 'साथ देना' is personal, 'समर्थन करना' is institutional.
सहारा देना (sahārā denā) literally means 'to give a prop' or 'to give a shoulder'. It is used when someone is physically or emotionally falling and needs a 'crutch'. It is more about providing stability than just company. मदद करना (madad karnā) is the most generic term for 'to help' and is used for any kind of assistance, from financial to physical.
पक्ष लेना (paksh lenā) means 'to take a side' in an argument. While 'साथ देना' implies staying with someone, 'पक्ष लेना' specifically means choosing one person over another in a conflict. Finally, निभाना (nibhānā), as in 'साथ निभाना', means to fulfill a commitment of staying together. It is even more intense than 'साथ देना' and implies a long-term duty or promise kept over time.
How Formal Is It?
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Niveau de difficulté
Grammaire à connaître
Exemples par niveau
मेरा साथ दो।
Support me / Give me company.
Imperative form.
क्या तुम मेरा साथ दोगे?
Will you support me?
Future tense question.
वह मेरा साथ देता है।
He supports me.
Present habitual.
माँ का साथ दो।
Help mother.
Using 'ka' postposition.
मेरा साथ मत छोड़ो।
Don't leave me.
Negative imperative.
दोस्त साथ देते हैं।
Friends support (each other).
General truth.
उसने मेरा साथ दिया।
He/She supported me.
Simple past.
हम आपका साथ देंगे।
We will support you.
First person plural future.
मुसीबत में मेरा साथ देना।
Support me in trouble.
Infinitive as imperative.
वह हर काम में मेरा साथ देती है।
She supports me in every task.
Present tense.
क्या आप इस प्रोजेक्ट में हमारा साथ देंगे?
Will you support us in this project?
Formal 'aap' usage.
मेरे भाई ने हमेशा मेरा साथ दिया है।
My brother has always supported me.
Present perfect.
सच का साथ देना चाहिए।
One should support the truth.
Modal 'chahiye'.
उन्होंने मुश्किल समय में मेरा साथ दिया।
They supported me during difficult times.
Past tense plural.
अच्छे दोस्त हमेशा साथ देते हैं।
Good friends always support.
Adjective + Noun subject.
मैं तुम्हारा साथ कभी नहीं छोड़ूँगा।
I will never leave your side.
Negative future.
तबला वादक ने गायक का अच्छा साथ दिया।
The tabla player accompanied the singer well.
Musical context.
हमें गरीबों का साथ देना चाहिए।
We should support the poor.
Social responsibility.
अगर तुम मेरा साथ दो, तो हम यह कर सकते हैं।
If you support me, we can do this.
Conditional sentence.
उसने अपनी टीम का अंत तक साथ दिया।
He supported his team until the end.
Compound postposition 'ant tak'.
विपक्ष ने इस कानून में सरकार का साथ दिया।
The opposition supported the government on this law.
Political context.
मेरी किस्मत ने मेरा साथ नहीं दिया।
My luck didn't favor me.
Personification of luck.
वह हमेशा कमज़ोर लोगों का साथ देता है।
He always supports the weak.
Moral stance.
क्या तुम इस लड़ाई में मेरा साथ दोगे?
Will you stand by me in this fight?
Metaphorical fight.
ईमानदारी का साथ देना कभी-कभी कठिन होता है।
Supporting honesty is sometimes difficult.
Gerundial subject.
उसने अपनी विचारधारा का साथ कभी नहीं छोड़ा।
He never abandoned his ideology.
Abstract noun support.
जब सब ने उसे छोड़ दिया, तब भी उसकी माँ ने उसका साथ दिया।
When everyone left him, even then his mother supported him.
Complex sentence with 'jab...tab'.
वैज्ञानिकों ने एक-दूसरे का साथ देकर यह खोज की।
Scientists made this discovery by supporting each other.
Conjunctive participle 'dekar'.
हमें अन्याय के खिलाफ एक-दूसरे का साथ देना होगा।
We will have to support each other against injustice.
Compulsion 'hoga'.
उसकी आवाज़ ने उसका साथ नहीं दिया और वह गा नहीं सका।
His voice failed him and he couldn't sing.
Inanimate subject.
प्रशासन को जनता का साथ देना चाहिए।
The administration should support the public.
Formal duty.
वह अपने सिद्धांतों का साथ देने के लिए मशहूर है।
He is famous for standing by his principles.
Purpose 'ke liye'.
साहित्यकार ने अपनी रचनाओं के माध्यम से समाज का साथ दिया।
The writer supported society through his works.
Abstract literary context.
संकट के समय धैर्य का साथ देना ही बुद्धिमानी है।
It is wise to stick with patience during a crisis.
Philosophical usage.
उन्होंने अपनी संस्कृति का साथ देने का संकल्प लिया।
They took a vow to stand by their culture.
Noun phrase object.
इतिहास गवाह है कि जनता ने हमेशा क्रांति का साथ दिया है।
History is witness that the public has always supported revolution.
Formal historical statement.
उसकी बुद्धिमत्ता ने उसका साथ दिया और वह बच निकला।
His intelligence stood by him and he escaped.
Abstract personification.
न्याय का साथ देना हर नागरिक का कर्तव्य है।
Supporting justice is the duty of every citizen.
Legal/Ethical context.
उसने अपनी कला के ज़रिए मानवता का साथ दिया।
He supported humanity through his art.
Instrumental 'ke zariye'.
विपरीत परिस्थितियों में भी उसने अपने वादे का साथ दिया।
Even in adverse circumstances, he stood by his promise.
Abstract commitment.
आत्मा का साथ देना ही परम सत्य की प्राप्ति है।
Standing by the soul is the attainment of ultimate truth.
Metaphysical usage.
राजनीतिक अस्थिरता के दौर में नैतिकता का साथ देना दुष्कर कार्य है।
Supporting morality in an era of political instability is a difficult task.
High-level formal vocabulary.
उसकी लेखनी ने दबे-कुचले लोगों का साथ दिया।
His pen (writing) supported the downtrodden.
Metonymy 'lekhni' for writing.
प्रकृति का साथ देना ही भविष्य की सुरक्षा है।
Standing by nature is the security of the future.
Environmental philosophy.
शून्य में भी जो साथ दे, वही ईश्वर है।
He who supports even in the void is God.
Mystical poetry.
तर्क का साथ देना विज्ञान की पहली शर्त है।
Standing by logic is the first condition of science.
Epistemological context.
उसने अपनी अंतरात्मा का साथ देने के लिए पद त्याग दिया।
He resigned to stand by his conscience.
Moral integrity.
वैश्विक शांति के लिए राष्ट्रों को एक-दूसरे का साथ देना अनिवार्य है।
It is mandatory for nations to support each other for global peace.
Diplomatic language.
Collocations courantes
Phrases Courantes
मेरा साथ दो
साथ देने के लिए शुक्रिया
वह हमेशा साथ देता है
किसी का साथ न छोड़ना
वक्त पर साथ देना
अन्याय का साथ देना
परिवार का साथ देना
मुश्किल घड़ी में साथ देना
ईमानदारी का साथ देना
एक-दूसरे का साथ देना
Souvent confondu avec
To be with (presence) vs. To support (action).
General help vs. Loyal support.
Physical walking together vs. Metaphorical support.
Expressions idiomatiques
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Facile à confondre
Structures de phrases
Comment l'utiliser
Implies active participation, not just passive agreement.
Usually used for people or personified concepts (luck, truth).
- Using 'ko' instead of 'ka' (e.g., *मुझको साथ दो*).
- Using 'saath dena' for simple tasks like opening a door.
- Forgetting to conjugate 'dena' according to the subject.
- Confusing it with 'saath hona' (physical presence).
- Thinking 'saath' changes gender based on the person supported.
Astuces
The 'Ka' Rule
Always remember that the person you support is followed by 'ka/ke/ki'. Never use 'ko'.
Loyalty Matters
Using this phrase shows you value the relationship more than the specific help provided.
Natural Flow
In fast speech, 'मेरा साथ' often sounds like one word 'merasaath'.
Musical Context
If you are a musician, use this to ask someone to jam or accompany you.
Emotional Weight
Use 'साथ देना' in stories to show a character's growth or loyalty.
News Alerts
When you hear 'साथ दिया' in news, look for the names of political parties.
Luck
Use 'किस्मत ने साथ दिया' when you succeed unexpectedly.
Teamwork
In a team, say 'एक-दूसरे का साथ देना' to encourage cooperation.
Common Error
Don't confuse 'saath dena' with 'saath lena' (to take someone along).
Best Context
Use it when someone is going through a hard time like an exam or a breakup.
Mémorise-le
Origine du mot
Sanskrit
Contexte culturel
When someone thanks you for your support, a common humble reply is 'यह तो मेरा फर्ज़ था' (It was my duty).
Supporting elders is considered a primary duty.
Pratique dans la vie réelle
Contextes réels
Amorces de conversation
"क्या तुम मेरा साथ दोगे?"
"मुसीबत में कौन तुम्हारा साथ देता है?"
"क्या हमें हमेशा सच का साथ देना चाहिए?"
"पिछली बार किसने तुम्हारा साथ दिया था?"
"क्या आप इस काम में मेरा साथ देंगे?"
Sujets d'écriture
उस समय के बारे में लिखें जब किसी ने आपका साथ दिया था।
आप अपने दोस्तों का साथ कैसे देते हैं?
क्या मुश्किल समय में साथ देना ज़रूरी है? क्यों?
क्या आपने कभी किसी अजनबी का साथ दिया है?
एक अच्छे साथी के गुण क्या होते हैं?
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsNo, it is grammatically incorrect. You must say 'मेरा साथ दो' because 'साथ' is treated as a noun belonging to you.
It is neutral. It can be used in both informal and formal contexts, though 'समर्थन करना' is more common in very formal writing.
No, you can support a cause, the truth, or even a political party. You can also say your luck supported you.
The most common opposite is 'साथ छोड़ना' (to leave someone's side/stop supporting).
Yes, it means to accompany another musician, like a drummer supporting a singer.
You say 'मैं तुम्हारा साथ दूँगा' (masculine) or 'मैं तुम्हारा साथ दूँगी' (feminine).
Yes, 'help' (madad) is task-oriented, while 'saath dena' is relationship-oriented and implies loyalty.
In poetic or old Hindi, yes. In modern Hindi, 'साथ चलना' is preferred for physical walking.
It means 'Luck favored me' or 'I got lucky'.
Yes, in this phrase, 'साथ' is a masculine noun, so it's always 'का साथ', never 'की साथ'.
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Summary
साथ देना is more than just 'help'; it is an expression of loyalty and presence. Whether you are supporting a friend, a singer, or a political movement, this phrase conveys a commitment to stay 'with' them through the process.
- साथ देना means to support or stand by someone, especially in tough times.
- It is used with the postposition 'का' (e.g., मेरा साथ दो).
- It can mean musical accompaniment or supporting a political cause.
- It is a key expression for loyalty and friendship in Hindi culture.
The 'Ka' Rule
Always remember that the person you support is followed by 'ka/ke/ki'. Never use 'ko'.
Loyalty Matters
Using this phrase shows you value the relationship more than the specific help provided.
Natural Flow
In fast speech, 'मेरा साथ' often sounds like one word 'merasaath'.
Musical Context
If you are a musician, use this to ask someone to jam or accompany you.
Exemple
मैं हर मुश्किल में तुम्हारा साथ दूँगा।
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