This page in your language
فارسی العربية Deutsch Español Français 日本語 한국어 Português 中文 हिन्दी
A2 adjective #2,500 most common 3 min read

निर्भर

nirbhar
At the A1 level, you can think of 'Nirbhar' as a way to say 'needs'. If you need your parents for money, you are 'Nirbhar' on them. It is a simple way to connect two things where one needs the other. Just remember: [Person A] + [Person B] + par + nirbhar + hai. For example: 'Main papa par nirbhar hoon' (I am dependent on Dad). It's a useful word for talking about your basic needs and who helps you in your daily life.
At the A2 level, you start using 'Nirbhar' to describe situations beyond just people. You can talk about the weather, school, or simple technology. You will notice that 'Nirbhar' is almost always used with 'par'. You can also use it to answer questions like 'Will you come to the party?' by saying 'Yeh kaam par nirbhar hai' (It depends on work). This level focuses on the basic 'Subject-Object-Par-Nirbhar' structure in present and past tenses.
At the B1 level, you should be able to use 'Nirbhar' in more complex sentences involving 'agar' (if) and 'toh' (then). You can discuss social issues, like how a village is dependent on a nearby river. You will also start encountering the noun form 'Nirbharta' (dependency). You can use it to express opinions: 'Hamein videshi saman par nirbhar nahi hona chahiye' (We should not be dependent on foreign goods). This level introduces the modal verbs like 'chahiye' (should) and 'sakte' (can) with 'Nirbhar'.
At the B2 level, you use 'Nirbhar' to discuss abstract concepts like economic stability, psychological health, and political relations. You can differentiate between 'Nirbhar' and its synonyms like 'Aashrit' or 'Adheen' based on the context. You will use it in passive constructions and complex conditional sentences. For example, 'Bharat ki unnati shiksha par nirbhar karti hai' (India's progress depends on education). You are expected to use it fluently in debates and written essays.
At the C1 level, 'Nirbhar' is used to analyze intricate interdependencies in literature, philosophy, and advanced science. You understand the nuance of using 'Nirbhar' versus 'Paraspar nirbhar' (interdependent). You can use it to describe systemic vulnerabilities. Your vocabulary includes related idioms and sophisticated collocations. You can write academic papers or give professional presentations where 'Nirbhar' describes the contingency of variables in a research study.
At the C2 level, you have a masterly command over 'Nirbhar'. You can use it to explore the philosophical depths of human existence—how life is dependent on the elements. You can use it in high-register poetry or classical prose. You understand its etymological roots in Sanskrit and how it has evolved in different Hindi dialects. You can use it to express subtle irony or deep metaphorical meanings in complex socio-political critiques.
Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

निर्भर in 30 Seconds

  • Nirbhar means 'dependent' or 'reliant'.
  • It always requires the postposition 'par' (on).
  • It can be used for people, things, or abstract ideas.
  • The opposite is 'Aatmanirbhar' (self-reliant).

The word निर्भर (Nirbhar) is a foundational Hindi adjective that describes a state of reliance. At its core, it signifies that the existence, success, or functioning of one entity is contingent upon another. Whether we are talking about a child relying on parents, a farmer relying on rain, or an economy relying on technology, 'Nirbhar' captures the essence of this connection. It is derived from Sanskrit roots, where 'Nir' acts as a prefix and 'Bhar' relates to carrying or supporting.

Conceptual Root
The idea of being 'supported by' or 'resting upon' something else.
Grammatical Role
It functions as a predicative adjective, almost always followed by the auxiliary verb 'hona' (to be) or 'rahna' (to remain).
Postposition Requirement
It is strictly used with the postposition पर (par), meaning 'on'.

बच्चा अपनी माँ पर निर्भर है। (The child is dependent on his mother.)

In modern discourse, you will often see this word in political and economic contexts, specifically regarding 'Aatmanirbhar' (Self-reliant), which is the antonym. Understanding 'Nirbhar' is the first step to understanding the Hindi philosophy of interconnectedness. It isn't just a physical dependency; it can be emotional, financial, or logical.

हमारी खेती बारिश पर निर्भर करती है। (Our farming depends on the rain.)

सफलता कड़ी मेहनत पर निर्भर है। (Success depends on hard work.)

वह पूरी तरह से अपने दोस्तों पर निर्भर था। (He was completely dependent on his friends.)

क्या तुम मुझ पर निर्भर हो? (Are you dependent on me?)

Using निर्भर correctly requires mastering the sentence structure: [Subject] + [Object] + पर + निर्भर + [Verb]. Unlike English where 'depend' is a verb, in Hindi, 'Nirbhar' is an adjective, so you must pair it with a verb like 'hona' (to be) or 'karna' (to do/act). For example, 'It depends' is translated as 'यह निर्भर करता है' (Yeh nirbhar karta hai).

Formal Usage
In formal writing, use it to describe systemic dependencies, such as economic or environmental factors.
Informal Usage
In daily speech, it's used for personal favors or emotional reliance.

One common mistake is using 'Nirbhar' without the postposition 'par'. Remember: You are never 'Nirbhar someone'; you are always 'Nirbhar ON someone'. This mimics the English 'dependent on'.

You will encounter निर्भर in various spheres of Indian life. In news broadcasts, you'll hear about India's 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' (Self-reliant India) initiative, which is a direct play on this word. In academic settings, teachers use it to explain scientific phenomena like the food chain. In Bollywood movies, a character might emotionally declare their dependency on a lover.

News & Politics
Discussions on import/export and energy needs.
Daily Conversations
Talking about public transport or family support.

The most frequent error for learners is the omission of the postposition पर (par). English speakers often try to translate 'I depend you' literally, resulting in 'Main tum nirbhar hoon', which is incorrect. It must be 'Main tum par nirbhar hoon'.

Confusion with 'Aashrit'
While 'Aashrit' also means dependent, it often implies a more subordinate or helpless position (like a refugee or a legal dependent).
Verb Agreement
Since 'Nirbhar' is an adjective, the verb (hona/karna) must agree with the subject, not the object of dependency.

Hindi has several words that touch upon the concept of dependency. आश्रित (Aashrit) is the most common synonym, often used in legal or formal contexts. अधीन (Adheen) means 'under' or 'subordinate to', implying a lack of freedom. भरोसे (Bharose) is an adverbial phrase meaning 'relying on trust'.

Nirbhar vs. Aashrit
Nirbhar is more general; Aashrit implies being sheltered or sustained by someone.
Nirbhar vs. Adheen
Adheen implies control or authority, whereas Nirbhar implies necessity.

How Formal Is It?

Formal

""

Informal

""

Difficulty Rating

Grammar to Know

Examples by Level

1

मैं माँ पर निर्भर हूँ।

I am dependent on mother.

Simple present tense with 'hoon'.

2

वह खाने के लिए मुझ पर निर्भर है।

He is dependent on me for food.

Use of 'ke liye' (for) to show purpose.

3

बच्चे माता-पिता पर निर्भर होते हैं।

Children are dependent on parents.

General truth using 'hote hain'.

4

क्या तुम मुझ पर निर्भर हो?

Are you dependent on me?

Interrogative sentence.

5

हम पानी पर निर्भर हैं।

We are dependent on water.

Basic noun dependency.

6

वह घर के लिए भाई पर निर्भर है।

She is dependent on her brother for a home.

Noun + ke liye.

7

पौधे सूरज पर निर्भर हैं।

Plants are dependent on the sun.

Scientific fact in simple Hindi.

8

मैं तुम पर निर्भर नहीं हूँ।

I am not dependent on you.

Negative sentence with 'nahi'.

1

यह मौसम पर निर्भर करता है।

It depends on the weather.

Using 'karta hai' for 'depends'.

2

मेरी यात्रा पैसों पर निर्भर है।

My trip depends on money.

Abstract noun dependency.

3

गाँव बारिश पर निर्भर था।

The village was dependent on rain.

Past tense 'tha'.

4

क्या आपकी नौकरी इस पर निर्भर है?

Does your job depend on this?

Interrogative with 'is par'.

5

सफलता मेहनत पर निर्भर करती है।

Success depends on hard work.

Abstract concept.

6

हम बस पर निर्भर हैं।

We are dependent on the bus.

Daily life context.

7

वह पूरी तरह से मुझ पर निर्भर है।

He is completely dependent on me.

Use of 'poori tarah se' (completely).

8

आपका जवाब सवाल पर निर्भर है।

Your answer depends on the question.

Logical dependency.

1

किसानों का जीवन मानसून पर निर्भर करता है।

Farmers' lives depend on the monsoon.

Genitive case 'ka' with subject.

2

हमें दूसरों पर निर्भर नहीं रहना चाहिए।

We should not remain dependent on others.

Use of 'rahna chahiye' (should remain).

3

यह आपकी पसंद पर निर्भर होगा।

It will depend on your choice.

Future tense 'hoga'.

4

इंटरनेट पर हमारी निर्भरता बढ़ रही है।

Our dependency on the internet is increasing.

Noun form 'Nirbharta'.

5

देश की अर्थव्यवस्था तेल पर निर्भर है।

The country's economy is dependent on oil.

Economic context.

6

क्या आप अभी भी माता-पिता पर निर्भर हैं?

Are you still dependent on your parents?

Use of 'abhi bhi' (still).

7

मेरा भविष्य इस परीक्षा पर निर्भर करता है।

My future depends on this exam.

High stakes context.

8

वे सहायता के लिए सरकार पर निर्भर थे।

They were dependent on the government for aid.

Social context.

1

परियोजना की सफलता टीम वर्क पर निर्भर करती है।

The project's success depends on teamwork.

Professional context.

2

भावनात्मक रूप से किसी पर निर्भर होना कठिन हो सकता है।

Being emotionally dependent on someone can be difficult.

Gerundial use of 'hona'.

3

यह नीति पूरी तरह से डेटा पर निर्भर है।

This policy is entirely dependent on data.

Formal/Technical context.

4

आत्मनिर्भर बनने के लिए मेहनत ज़रूरी है।

Hard work is necessary to become self-reliant.

Antonym 'Aatmanirbhar'.

5

हमारी खुशी बाहरी परिस्थितियों पर निर्भर नहीं होनी चाहिए।

Our happiness should not depend on external circumstances.

Philosophical advice.

6

कंप्यूटर की कार्यक्षमता सॉफ्टवेयर पर निर्भर करती है।

The computer's efficiency depends on the software.

Technical dependency.

7

वह आर्थिक रूप से अपने परिवार पर निर्भर है।

He is financially dependent on his family.

Adverb 'Aarthik roop se'.

8

क्या लोकतंत्र जनता की जागरूकता पर निर्भर नहीं है?

Is democracy not dependent on the awareness of the public?

Rhetorical question.

1

पारिस्थितिक तंत्र का संतुलन प्रत्येक जीव पर निर्भर है।

The balance of the ecosystem depends on every living being.

Complex scientific subject.

2

सिद्धांत की वैधता प्रयोगों के परिणामों पर निर्भर करती है।

The validity of the theory depends on the results of the experiments.

Academic register.

3

वैश्विक शांति राष्ट्रों के आपसी सहयोग पर निर्भर है।

Global peace depends on the mutual cooperation of nations.

Geopolitical context.

4

कलाकार की अभिव्यक्ति उसकी संस्कृति पर निर्भर होती है।

An artist's expression depends on their culture.

Cultural analysis.

5

न्याय प्रणाली की निष्पक्षता गवाहों पर निर्भर करती है।

The fairness of the justice system depends on the witnesses.

Legal context.

6

मानव अस्तित्व प्रकृति के संसाधनों पर निर्भर है।

Human existence is dependent on nature's resources.

Existential context.

7

बाज़ार की स्थिरता निवेशकों के विश्वास पर निर्भर है।

Market stability depends on investor confidence.

Financial register.

8

साहित्य का प्रभाव पाठक की संवेदनशीलता पर निर्भर करता है।

The impact of literature depends on the reader's sensitivity.

Literary criticism.

1

ब्रह्मांड की संरचना गुरुत्वाकर्षण के सूक्ष्म संतुलन पर निर्भर है।

The structure of the universe depends on the fine balance of gravity.

Astrophysical context.

2

सत्य की खोज व्यक्ति की तटस्थता पर निर्भर करती है।

The search for truth depends on an individual's neutrality.

Philosophical treatise style.

3

किसी भी सभ्यता का उत्थान उसके नैतिक मूल्यों पर निर्भर होता है।

The rise of any civilization depends on its moral values.

Historical analysis.

4

चेतना की प्रकृति मस्तिष्क की जटिलता पर निर्भर है या नहीं, यह विवादित है।

Whether the nature of consciousness depends on brain complexity is debated.

Complex conditional/debate.

5

कविता का सौंदर्य शब्दों के चयन और उनके मौन पर निर्भर करता है।

The beauty of poetry depends on the choice of words and their silence.

Aesthetic theory.

6

वैश्विक अर्थव्यवस्था की कड़ियाँ एक-दूसरे पर अटूट रूप से निर्भर हैं।

The links of the global economy are inextricably dependent on each other.

Metaphorical usage.

7

आध्यात्मिक प्रगति अहंकार के विसर्जन पर निर्भर करती है।

Spiritual progress depends on the dissolution of the ego.

Spiritual register.

8

लोकतांत्रिक संस्थाओं की गरिमा उनके नेतृत्व की ईमानदारी पर निर्भर है।

The dignity of democratic institutions depends on the integrity of their leadership.

Political philosophy.

Common Collocations

पूरी तरह से निर्भर (Poori tarah se nirbhar) - Completely dependent
एक-दूसरे पर निर्भर (Ek-doosre par nirbhar) - Interdependent
आर्थिक रूप से निर्भर (Aarthik roop se nirbhar) - Financially dependent
मौसम पर निर्भर (Mausam par nirbhar) - Weather dependent
किस्मत पर निर्भर (Kismat par nirbhar) - Dependent on fate
दूसरों पर निर्भर (Doosron par nirbhar) - Dependent on others
सरकार पर निर्भर (Sarkar par nirbhar) - Dependent on government
तकनीक पर निर्भर (Takneek par nirbhar) - Dependent on technology
विदेशी सहायता पर निर्भर (Videshi sahayata par nirbhar) - Dependent on foreign aid
आपसी निर्भरता (Aapsi nirbharta) - Mutual dependency

Common Phrases

यह आप पर निर्भर है (Yeh aap par nirbhar hai) - It is up to you / It depends on you.

सब कुछ समय पर निर्भर है (Sab kuch samay par nirbhar hai) - Everything depends on time.

निर्भर रहना (Nirbhar rahna) - To remain dependent.

निर्भर होना (Nirbhar hona) - To be dependent.

निर्भर करना (Nirbhar karna) - To depend.

किसी पर निर्भर (Kisi par nirbhar) - Dependent on someone.

परिस्थितियों पर निर्भर (Parishthitiyon par nirbhar) - Dependent on circumstances.

भाग्य पर निर्भर (Bhagya par nirbhar) - Dependent on luck.

काम पर निर्भर (Kaam par nirbhar) - Dependent on work.

भरोसे पर निर्भर (Bharose par nirbhar) - Dependent on trust.

Often Confused With

निर्भर vs निर्धार (Nirdhar - Determination)

निर्भर vs निर्भय (Nirbhay - Fearless)

निर्भर vs निर्धन (Nirdhan - Poor)

Idioms & Expressions

""

""

""

""

""

""

""

""

""

""

Easily Confused

निर्भर vs आश्रित

More formal, often implies being a 'dependent' in a legal sense.

निर्भर vs अधीन

Implies being under someone's control or rule.

निर्भर vs भरोसे

Implies trust rather than just necessity.

Sentence Patterns

How to Use It

note 1

Nirbhar is neutral; it's not necessarily bad to be dependent.

note 2

Often used in the phrase 'Nirbhar karta hai' (It depends).

Common Mistakes
  • Saying 'Main tum nirbhar hoon' instead of 'Main tum par nirbhar hoon'.
  • Using 'Nirbhar' as a standalone verb like 'It nirbhars'.
  • Confusing 'Nirbhar' with 'Nirbhay' (fearless).
  • Forgetting to change the verb 'hona' to match the subject.
  • Using 'se' instead of 'par' (e.g., 'Main tum se nirbhar hoon' is wrong).

Tips

The 'Par' Rule

Never forget 'par'. It's the bridge between the subject and what they depend on.

Aatmanirbhar

Learn this word alongside 'Nirbhar'. It's very popular in India right now.

Natural Phrasing

Use 'Yeh toh mausam par nirbhar hai' when you aren't sure about outdoor plans.

Noun Usage

Use 'Nirbharta' to sound more academic in your Hindi essays.

Context Matters

In India, saying you are 'Nirbhar' on family is often seen as a sign of a close bond.

News Keywords

When you hear 'Nirbhar' on the news, it's usually about the economy or imports.

If-Then

Use 'Nirbhar' to link cause and effect: 'Success depends on effort'.

Soft 'R'

The 'r' in 'Nir' is a quick tap, and the 'bh' is aspirated.

Synonym Choice

Use 'Nirbhar' for general things and 'Aashrit' for people relying on others for survival.

Daily Practice

Try to identify three things you are 'Nirbhar' on today.

Memorize It

Word Origin

Cultural Context

Dependency on elders is respected, unlike in some Western cultures.

Aatmanirbhar Bharat is a major government campaign.

Bhakti involves being nirbhar on God.

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Conversation Starters

"क्या आप अपने माता-पिता पर निर्भर हैं?"

"क्या आपकी खुशी दूसरों पर निर्भर करती है?"

"क्या भारत को तेल के लिए दूसरों पर निर्भर होना चाहिए?"

"सफलता किस चीज़ पर निर्भर करती है?"

"क्या आप तकनीक पर बहुत ज़्यादा निर्भर हैं?"

Journal Prompts

लिखिए कि आप किन चीज़ों पर निर्भर हैं।

क्या आत्मनिर्भर होना हमेशा अच्छा होता है?

एक ऐसी घटना के बारे में लिखें जब आप किसी पर निर्भर थे।

इंटरनेट पर हमारी निर्भरता के फायदे और नुकसान क्या हैं?

भविष्य में इंसान किस चीज़ पर निर्भर होगा?

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

It means dependent or relying on something/someone.

The postposition 'पर' (par) is always used.

No, it is an adjective. You need a verb like 'hona' or 'karna' with it.

The opposite is 'Aatmanirbhar' (self-reliant).

Yes, you say 'Yeh nirbhar karta hai'.

It is used in both formal and informal contexts.

The noun form is 'Nirbharta' (dependency).

Yes, 'Bhavnatmak roop se nirbhar' means emotionally dependent.

They are synonyms, but 'Aashrit' is more formal and often used for people who are legally dependent.

You say 'Paraspar nirbhar' or 'Ek-doosre par nirbhar'.

Test Yourself 180 questions

/ 180 correct

Perfect score!

Related Content

Was this helpful?

Comments (0)

Login to Comment
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!