Questions & Answers about दोस्तों में कलह है।
Why is it दोस्तों instead of दोस्त?
Because में is a postposition, and nouns before postpositions usually take the oblique form.
- dictionary form: दोस्त
- plural direct: दोस्त
- plural oblique: दोस्तों
So दोस्तों में means among the friends or among friends.
What does में mean here? I thought it usually meant in.
It often does mean in, but with a plural noun referring to a group, it can also mean among.
So दोस्तों में कलह है literally means something like:
Among the friends, there is discord.
That is why में works naturally here.
Why is the verb है singular, not हैं?
Because the main thing being said to exist is कलह—discord/strife/quarrel—and that noun is singular here.
The phrase दोस्तों में is just the setting: among the friends.
So the structure is basically:
Among the friends + discord + is
Since कलह is singular, Hindi uses है, not हैं.
What exactly does कलह mean?