सर्व
sárva/sɐ́ɾ.ʋɐ/
The English word "all" is translated into Sanskrit as सर्व (sárva). Wiktionary also lists विश्व (viśva).
Meaning: every individual of the given class (det)
Ways to say it
| Sanskrit | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| सर्व | sárva | /sɐ́ɾ.ʋɐ/ (Vedic) /s̪ɐɾ.ʋɐ/ (Classical Sanskrit) |
|
| विश्व | viśva | /ʋíɕ.ʋɐ/ (Vedic) /ʋiɕ.ʋɐ/ (Classical Sanskrit) |
Early, Vedic |
This term is used as a determiner to refer to every individual within a given class.
Which one should you use?
While सर्व is the standard form, the form विश्व is specifically used in Early Vedic Sanskrit.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form सर्व must decline to match the gender, number and case of the noun it modifies. For example, the neuter singular nominative is सर्वम् and the neuter plural is सर्वाणि.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced as sárva. It has 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- The term विश्व is not just a word for 'all' but is also used as a noun to mean 'the universe' or 'the cosmos'.
- The word सर्व is the root of the term sarvashakti, which describes the concept of 'all-power' or omnipotence in Indian philosophy.
- The Sanskrit word सर्व is a distant relative of the English word 'whole' via the Ancient Greek ὅλος and Latin sollus.
Examples in context
- सर्वं कार्यं कुरु।sarvaṃ kāryaṃ kuru.Do every task.
Example conversation
Aryan and Meera are talking about their classmates.
- आर्यन Aryanकिं सर्वाणि मित्राणि आगतानि?kiṃ sarvāṇi mitrāṇi āgatāni?Have all the friends arrived?
- मीरा Miraन, कानिचित् न आगतानि।na, kānicit na āgatāni.No, some have not come.
- आर्यन Aryanकति जनाः अत्र सन्ति?kati janāḥ atra santi?How many people are here?
- मीरा Miraदश जनाः अत्र सन्ति।daśa janāḥ atra santi.Ten people are here.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “all” translations and entries सर्व, विश्व, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries विश्व, सर्व, CC BY-SA 4.0.
