सबसे अच्छा
sabse achha/səb.seː ət̪.t͡ʃʰɑː/word by word
The English word "best" is translated into Hindi as सबसे अच्छा (sabse achha).
The phrase सबसे अच्छा is the superlative form of the adjective "good". It literally translates to "most good". Depending on the context, you may also use श्रेष्ठ, which can mean "best", "excellent" or "supreme".
Meaning: superlative of the adjective good (adj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase सबसे अच्छा is built from the word sabse, which combines sab (all) and the particle se (from). Together, they mean "from all", which creates the superlative sense of "most".
Which one should you use?
While achha means "good", placing sabse before it transforms the adjective into the superlative "best".
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the adjective must change to agree with the gender and number of the noun it describes. While सबसे अच्छा is the default, use सबसे अच्छी for feminine nouns and सबसे अच्छे for masculine plural nouns or to show respect to a singular person.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /səb.seː ət̪.tʃʰɑː/. It has 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- The word अच्छा is often used as a conversational filler or a way to say 'I see' or 'really' rather than just 'good'. Depending on the tone, it can signal agreement, surprise or a request for the speaker to continue.
- The word अच्छा (achha) is a direct descendant of the ancient Sanskrit word अच्छ (accha). While many modern Hindi words evolved through significant phonetic shifts, this one has remained remarkably close to its ancestor.
- The particle से (se) used in सबसे is a multifunctional tool that can mean 'from', 'with', or 'than', serving here to facilitate the comparison.
Examples in context
- एक खराब मनोदशा के लिए एक मुस्कान सबसे अच्छा इलाज है।A smile is the best cure for a bad mood.This sentence shows how to use सबसे अच्छा to describe a cure.Tatoeba #9012843 by simranbansal, translation #8154893 by AlanF_US
- टॉम सबसे अच्छा है।Tom is the best.This sentence uses सबसे अच्छा to describe a person.Tatoeba #4074734 by sabretou, translation #2273541 by CK
- वे उसे उनका सबसे अच्छा कर्मचारी मानते हैं।They consider him their best employee.This sentence uses सबसे अच्छा to describe an employee.Tatoeba #3625199 by sabretou, translation #680575 by Source_VOA
- वह सबसे अच्छा रेस्टोरेंट चुनती है।She chooses the best restaurant.
- तुम बहुत अच्छा काम करते होYou do a great job.
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Anjali and Aditya are discussing which restaurant to visit.
- अंजलि Anjaliयह शहर का सबसे अच्छा रेस्टोरेंट है।yah shahar ka sabse achchha restaurant hai.This is the best restaurant in the city.
- आदित्य Adityaक्या तुम्हें यहाँ का खाना पसंद है?kya tumhein yahan ka khana pasand hai?Do you like the food here?
- अंजलि Anjaliहाँ, यहाँ का खाना सबसे अच्छा है।haan, yahan ka khana sabse achchha hai.Yes, the food here is the best.
- आदित्य Adityaमुझे भी यह बहुत पसंद आया।mujhe bhi yah bahut pasand aaya.I liked it a lot too.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (सबसे, अच्छा) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries अच्छा, सबसे, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
