फ़ायदा उठाना (faaydaa uthaanaa)

verb A compound expression built from फ़ायदा (faaydaa, 'benefit/advantage') plus उठाना (uthaanaa, 'to lift/raise'), used to mean 'to take advantage of' -- in both a neutral, opportunistic sense and a negative, exploitative sense.
Sense 1 : to take advantage of (an opportunity, situation, or scheme), in a neutral or positive sense
verb, transitive Takes का (kaa) on the thing being made use of: किसी चीज़ का फ़ायदा उठाना (kisii chiiz kaa faaydaa uthaanaa, 'to take advantage of something').
Synonyms: लाभ उठाना (laabh uthaanaa, formal), फ़ायदा लेना (faaydaa lenaa)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will hear this constantly around sale season or government schemes -- shopkeepers and news anchors alike say things like इस ऑफ़र का फ़ायदा उठाएँ (is ofar kaa faaydaa uthaaen, 'take advantage of this offer'), where the tone is purely encouraging, not exploitative.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often say फ़ायदा लेना (faaydaa lenaa) instead, which is understandable but less natural in this fixed expression -- फ़ायदा उठाना (faaydaa uthaanaa) is the phrase native speakers reach for. 2) The object of advantage is marked with का (kaa), not को (ko): सेल का फ़ायदा उठाया (sel kaa faaydaa uthaayaa, 'took advantage of the sale'), not सेल को.
Sample Sentences:
इस ऑफ़र का फ़ायदा उठाएँ। Take advantage of this offer.
(is ofar kaa faaydaa uthaaen।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
उसने सरकारी योजना का फ़ायदा उठाया और अपना छोटा कारोबार शुरू कर लिया। He took advantage of the government scheme and started his own small business.
(usne sarkaarii yojnaa kaa faaydaa uthaayaa aur apnaa chhotaa kaarobaar shuroo kar liyaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
मैं हर साल सेल का फ़ायदा उठाती हूँ और सारी सर्दियों की शॉपिंग एक साथ कर लेती हूँ। I take advantage of the sale every year and do all my winter shopping at once.
(main har saal sel kaa faaydaa uthaatii hoon aur saarii sardiyon kii shoping ek saath kar letii hoon।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
वह इस मौके का फ़ायदा उठा रहा है और नई भाषा सीख रहा है। He is taking advantage of this opportunity and learning a new language.
(vah is mauke kaa faaydaa uthaa rahaa hai aur naii bhaashaa siikh rahaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर तुम अभी छूट का फ़ायदा उठा लो, तो बाद में पछताना नहीं पड़ेगा। If you take advantage of the discount now, you won't have to regret it later.
(agar tum abhii chhoot kaa faaydaa uthaa lo, to baad men pachhtaanaa nahiin padegaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
काश मैंने भी उस स्कॉलरशिप का फ़ायदा उठाया होता। I wish I had also taken advantage of that scholarship.
(kaash mainne bhii us skolarship kaa faaydaa uthaayaa hotaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Perfective -- Voice: Active
अगर उसे और वक़्त मिलता, तो वह इस सुविधा का फ़ायदा और अच्छे से उठाता। If he had gotten more time, he would have taken better advantage of this facility.
(agar use aur vaqt miltaa, to vah is suvidhaa kaa faaydaa aur achchhe se uthaataa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
इस योजना का फ़ायदा उठाया जा सकता है, बशर्ते समय पर आवेदन करें। One can take advantage of this scheme, provided the application is made on time.
(is yojnaa kaa faaydaa uthaayaa jaa saktaa hai, basharte samay par aavedan karen।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
हमें इस टेक्नोलॉजी का फ़ायदा उठाना चाहिए और अपने काम को आसान बनाना चाहिए। We should take advantage of this technology and make our work easier.
(hamen is teknolojii kaa faaydaa uthaanaa chaahie aur apne kaam ko aasaan banaanaa chaahie।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
कंपनी ने बाज़ार में आई इस नई माँग का पूरा फ़ायदा उठाया। The company fully took advantage of this new demand that arose in the market.
(kampnii ne baazaar men aaii is naii maang kaa pooraa faaydaa uthaayaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
जब तक ऑफ़र चल रहा है, इसका फ़ायदा उठा लो। As long as the offer is running, take advantage of it.
(jab tak ofar chal rahaa hai, iskaa faaydaa uthaa lo।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
Sense 2 : to exploit or take unfair advantage of (a person, their weakness, or trust)
verb, transitive Same का (kaa) marking as the neutral sense, but the object is typically a person's weakness, trust, or vulnerable state: उसकी मजबूरी का फ़ायदा उठाया (uskii majboorii kaa faaydaa uthaayaa, 'exploited his/her helplessness').
Synonyms: शोषण करना (shoshan karnaa, formal), नाजायज़ फ़ायदा उठाना (naajaayaz faaydaa uthaanaa, stronger/explicit)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is the sense you'll hear in warnings and complaints: parents cautioning against strangers, or someone venting कि उसने मेरी भोलेपन का फ़ायदा उठाया (usne merii bholepan kaa faaydaa uthaayaa, 'he took advantage of my naivety'). The same verb phrase covers both a savvy shopper and a con artist -- context alone tells you which.
Common Mistakes: 1) The negative reading depends entirely on context (whose weakness, in what situation) -- the phrase itself is not marked as negative, so learners sometimes miss the exploitative tone when it's implied rather than stated outright.
Sample Sentences:
उसने मेरी भोलेपन का फ़ायदा उठाया। He took advantage of my naivety.
(usne merii bholepan kaa faaydaa uthaayaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
लोग गरीबों की मजबूरी का फ़ायदा उठाते हैं। People take advantage of poor people's helplessness.
(log gariibon kii majboorii kaa faaydaa uthaate hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
वह मेरी चुप्पी का फ़ायदा उठा रहा है। He is taking advantage of my silence.
(vah merii chuppii kaa faaydaa uthaa rahaa hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अजनबियों को अपने भरोसे का फ़ायदा मत उठाने देना। Don't let strangers take advantage of your trust.
(ajanbiyon ko apne bharose kaa faaydaa mat uthaane denaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
अगर तुम इतने भोले न होते, तो कोई तुम्हारा फ़ायदा नहीं उठाता। If you weren't so naive, no one would take advantage of you.
(agar tum itne bhole n hote, to koii tumhaaraa faaydaa nahiin uthaataa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
मुझे डर है कि दुकानदार अनपढ़ ग्राहकों का फ़ायदा उठाता है। I'm afraid that the shopkeeper takes advantage of illiterate customers.
(mujhe dar hai ki dukaandaar anpadh graahkon kaa faaydaa uthaataa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
क्या कोई तुम्हारी दयालुता का फ़ायदा उठा सकता है? Can someone take advantage of your kindness?
(kyaa koii tumhaarii dayaalutaa kaa faaydaa uthaa saktaa hai?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
बच्चों को समझाया जाता है कि कोई भी उनकी मासूमियत का फ़ायदा उठा सकता है। Children are taught that anyone might take advantage of their innocence.
(bachchon ko samjhaayaa jaataa hai ki koii bhii unkii maasoomiyat kaa faaydaa uthaa saktaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
उसने मेरी मजबूरी का ऐसा फ़ायदा उठाया कि मुझे शर्म आ गई। He took such advantage of my helplessness that I felt ashamed.
(usne merii majboorii kaa aisaa faaydaa uthaayaa ki mujhe sharm aa gaii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
सावधान रहो, वरना लोग तुम्हारी सादगी का फ़ायदा उठाएँगे। Be careful, or else people will take advantage of your simplicity.
(saavdhaan raho, varnaa log tumhaarii saadgii kaa faaydaa uthaaenge।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
यह ज़रूरी नहीं कि हर कोई तुम्हारी कमज़ोरी का फ़ायदा उठाए। It's not necessary that everyone takes advantage of your weakness.
(yah zaroorii nahiin ki har koii tumhaarii kamzorii kaa faaydaa uthaae।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Verb
infinitive: फ़ायदा उठाना (faaydaa uthaanaa)
infinitive oblique: फ़ायदा उठाने (faaydaa uthaane)
habitual/simple (sg.m): फ़ायदा उठाता (faaydaa uthaataa)
habitual/simple (pl.m): फ़ायदा उठाते (faaydaa uthaate)
habitual/simple (sg.f): फ़ायदा उठाती (faaydaa uthaatii)
habitual/simple (pl.f): फ़ायदा उठातीं (faaydaa uthaatiin)
continuous (sg.m): फ़ायदा उठा रहा (faaydaa uthaa rahaa)
continuous (pl.m): फ़ायदा उठा रहे (faaydaa uthaa rahe)
continuous (sg.f): फ़ायदा उठा रही (faaydaa uthaa rahii)
continuous (pl.f): फ़ायदा उठा रहीं (faaydaa uthaa rahiin)
perfective (sg.m): फ़ायदा उठाया (faaydaa uthaayaa)
perfective (pl.m): फ़ायदा उठाए (faaydaa uthaae)
perfective (sg.f): फ़ायदा उठाई (faaydaa uthaaii)
perfective (pl.f): फ़ायदा उठाईं (faaydaa uthaaiin)
imperative (informal): फ़ायदा उठा (faaydaa uthaa)
imperative (neutral): फ़ायदा उठाओ (faaydaa uthaao)
imperative (formal): फ़ायदा उठाइए (faaydaa uthaaie)
future (1sg.m): फ़ायदा उठाऊँगा (faaydaa uthaaoongaa)
future (1sg.f): फ़ायदा उठाऊँगी (faaydaa uthaaoongii)
future (1pl.m): फ़ायदा उठाएँगे (faaydaa uthaaenge)
future (1pl.f): फ़ायदा उठाएँगी (faaydaa uthaaengii)
future (2sg.m): फ़ायदा उठाएगा (faaydaa uthaaegaa)
future (2sg.f): फ़ायदा उठाएगी (faaydaa uthaaegii)
future (2pl.m): फ़ायदा उठाओगे (faaydaa uthaaoge)
future (2pl.f): फ़ायदा उठाओगी (faaydaa uthaaogii)
future (3sg.m): फ़ायदा उठाएगा (faaydaa uthaaegaa)
future (3sg.f): फ़ायदा उठाएगी (faaydaa uthaaegii)
future (3pl.m): फ़ायदा उठाएँगे (faaydaa uthaaenge)
future (3pl.f): फ़ायदा उठाएँगी (faaydaa uthaaengii)
subjunctive (1sg): फ़ायदा उठाऊँ (faaydaa uthaaoon)
subjunctive (1pl): फ़ायदा उठाएँ (faaydaa uthaaen)
subjunctive (2sg): फ़ायदा उठाए (faaydaa uthaae)
subjunctive (2pl): फ़ायदा उठाओ (faaydaa uthaao)
subjunctive (3sg): फ़ायदा उठाए (faaydaa uthaae)
subjunctive (3pl): फ़ायदा उठाएँ (faaydaa uthaaen)