कोशिश करना (koshish karnaa)

verb A compound expression meaning 'to try, to make an effort' -- built from the noun कोशिश (koshish, 'attempt/effort') plus करना (karnaa, 'to do'). One core sense, used constantly in everyday speech.
Sense 1 : to try, to make an effort
verb, intransitive Takes an infinitive + की with the following verb, e.g. जाने की कोशिश करना (jaane kii koshish karnaa, 'to try to go') -- the infinitive is marked with its feminine oblique form की (kii) agreeing with कोशिश (koshish), not with the subject or object of the embedded verb.
Synonyms: प्रयास करना (prayaas karnaa, formal), जोर लगाना (jor lagaanaa, colloquial, 'to put in effort/strain')
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is the everyday, all-purpose way to say 'try' in Hindi -- you will hear it in classrooms, offices, and homes alike, from कोशिश करते रहो (koshish karte raho, 'keep trying') said encouragingly to a child, to मैंने बहुत कोशिश की (mainne bahut koshish kii, 'I tried very hard') said with a sigh. The noun कोशिश (koshish) alone (without करना (karnaa)) is also common in phrases like कोई कोशिश नहीं (koii koshish nahiin, 'no effort at all').
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often forget the की (kii) link and say गलत (jaane koshish karnaa) instead of जाने की कोशिश करना (jaane kii koshish karnaa) -- the possessive-like की (kii) is required to connect the infinitive to कोशिश (koshish). 2) Because कोशिश (koshish) is feminine, में ने कोशिश की (main ne koshish kii, 'I tried') takes की (kii) as the perfective form of करना (karnaa) agreeing with the feminine object कोशिश (koshish), not किया (kiyaa) -- a common slip for learners still internalizing ने-agreement with feminine objects.
Sample Sentences:
मैं कोशिश करता हूँ। I try.
(main koshish kartaa hoon।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
मैंने बहुत कोशिश की, लेकिन काम नहीं बना। I tried very hard, but it didn't work out.
(mainne bahut koshish kii, lekin kaam nahiin banaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
वह परीक्षा पास करने की कोशिश कर रही है। She is trying to pass the exam.
(vah pariikshaa paas karne kii koshish kar rahii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
कोशिश करते रहो, सफलता ज़रूर मिलेगी। Keep trying, you will definitely succeed.
(koshish karte raho, saphaltaa zaroor milegii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
अगर तुम थोड़ी और कोशिश करते तो शायद जीत जाते। If you had tried a little more, you might have won.
(agar tum thodii aur koshish karte to shaayad jiit jaate।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
हमें हर हाल में कोशिश करनी चाहिए। We should try no matter what happens.
(hamen har haal men koshish karnii chaahie।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
क्या तुमने नौकरी के लिए कोशिश की? Did you try for the job?
(kyaa tumne naukrii ke lie koshish kii?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
मैं कल फिर कोशिश करूँगा। I will try again tomorrow.
(main kal phir koshish karoongaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
उससे कोई कोशिश नहीं हो रही। He isn't making any effort at all.
(usse koii koshish nahiin ho rahii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
इस समस्या को सुलझाने की भरपूर कोशिश की गई। A thorough effort was made to solve this problem.
(is samasyaa ko suljhaane kii bharpoor koshish kii gaii।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
कृपया अपनी तरफ़ से पूरी कोशिश कीजिए। Please make your best effort from your side.
(kripyaa apnii taraf se poorii koshish kiijie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Verb (irregular)
infinitive: कोशिश करना (koshish karnaa)
infinitive oblique: कोशिश करने (koshish karne)
habitual/simple (sg.m): कोशिश करता (koshish kartaa)
habitual/simple (pl.m): कोशिश करते (koshish karte)
habitual/simple (sg.f): कोशिश करती (koshish kartii)
habitual/simple (pl.f): कोशिश करतीं (koshish kartiin)
continuous (sg.m): कोशिश कर रहा (koshish kar rahaa)
continuous (pl.m): कोशिश कर रहे (koshish kar rahe)
continuous (sg.f): कोशिश कर रही (koshish kar rahii)
continuous (pl.f): कोशिश कर रहीं (koshish kar rahiin)
perfective (sg.m): कोशिश किया (koshish kiyaa)
perfective (pl.m): कोशिश किए (koshish kie)
perfective (sg.f): कोशिश की (koshish kii)
perfective (pl.f): कोशिश कीं (koshish kiin)
imperative (informal): कोशिश कर (koshish kar)
imperative (neutral): कोशिश करो (koshish karo)
imperative (formal): कोशिश कीजिए (koshish kiijie)
future (1sg.m): कोशिश करूँगा (koshish karoongaa)
future (1sg.f): कोशिश करूँगी (koshish karoongii)
future (1pl.m): कोशिश करेंगे (koshish karenge)
future (1pl.f): कोशिश करेंगी (koshish karengii)
future (2sg.m): कोशिश करेगा (koshish karegaa)
future (2sg.f): कोशिश करेगी (koshish karegii)
future (2pl.m): कोशिश करोगे (koshish karoge)
future (2pl.f): कोशिश करोगी (koshish karogii)
future (3sg.m): कोशिश करेगा (koshish karegaa)
future (3sg.f): कोशिश करेगी (koshish karegii)
future (3pl.m): कोशिश करेंगे (koshish karenge)
future (3pl.f): कोशिश करेंगी (koshish karengii)
subjunctive (1sg): कोशिश करूँ (koshish karoon)
subjunctive (1pl): कोशिश करें (koshish karen)
subjunctive (2sg): कोशिश करे (koshish kare)
subjunctive (2pl): कोशिश करो (koshish karo)
subjunctive (3sg): कोशिश करे (koshish kare)
subjunctive (3pl): कोशिश करें (koshish karen)