मासूम (maasoom)

adjective A borrowed Persian-Urdu adjective meaning 'innocent,' used both literally (a child's innocence) and affectionately/figuratively (a naive or guileless look or person).

Sense 1 : innocent, guileless (of a person, especially a child)

adjective

Synonyms: निर्दोष (nirdosh), भोला (bholaa, also naive), निष्पाप (nishpaap, literary)

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: This is the word Hindi speakers reach for when cooing over a baby's face or describing a child's wide-eyed innocence -- मासूम बच्चा (maasoom bachchaa, 'innocent child') is an extremely common pairing. It also shows up often in film and song titles and lyrics describing an innocent heart or face, reflecting how central this idea is to Hindi's emotional vocabulary.

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes reach for निर्दोष (nirdosh) when they mean legally 'not guilty' -- मासूम (maasoom) is broader and warmer, describing someone's whole nature or face, not just their innocence in a specific incident. 2) Don't confuse with भोला (bholaa), which leans more toward 'naive/simple' and can sometimes carry a teasing undertone; मासूम (maasoom) is almost always tender or sympathetic.

Sample Sentences:

उस बच्चे का चेहरा कितना मासूम है। That child's face is so innocent.

(us bachche kaa chehraa kitnaa maasoom hai।)

मासूम बच्चा अपनी माँ की गोद में सो रहा था। The innocent child was sleeping in his mother's lap.

(maasoom bachchaa apnii maan kii god men so rahaa thaa।)

काश वह मासूम मुस्कान फिर से देख पाता। If only he could see that innocent smile again.

(kaash vah maasoom muskaan phir se dekh paataa।)

उसकी मासूम आँखों को देखकर सबका दिल पिघल जाता है। Seeing her innocent eyes, everyone's heart melts.

(uskii maasoom aankhon ko dekhkar sabkaa dil pighal jaataa hai।)

उस मासूम चेहरे को कभी मत डराओ। Never scare that innocent face.

(us maasoom chehre ko kabhii mat daraao।)

फिल्म में हीरोइन का मासूम रूप सभी को पसंद आया। Everyone liked the heroine's innocent look in the film.

(philm men hiiroin kaa maasoom roop sabhii ko pasand aayaa।)

इस गाने के बोल एक मासूम दिल की कहानी बयाँ करते हैं। The lyrics of this song narrate the story of an innocent heart.

(is gaane ke bol ek maasoom dil kii kahaanii bayaan karte hain।)

बच्चे की मासूम शरारतों से पूरा घर हँसी से भर जाता है। The child's innocent mischief fills the whole house with laughter.

(bachche kii maasoom sharaarton se pooraa ghar hansii se bhar jaataa hai।)

बच्चों के मासूम सवालों का जवाब देना कभी-कभी मुश्किल हो जाता है। Sometimes it becomes hard to answer children's innocent questions.

(bachchon ke maasoom savaalon kaa javaab denaa kabhii-kabhii mushkil ho jaataa hai।)

उम्मीद है कि आपकी बेटी हमेशा इतनी ही मासूम बनी रहे। I hope your daughter always remains this innocent.

(ummiid hai ki aapkii betii hameshaa itnii hii maasoom banii rahe।)

उसकी मासूमियत भरी आवाज़ में एक अलग-सी कशिश थी। There was a special charm in her innocent-sounding voice.

(uskii maasoomiyat bharii aavaaz men ek alag-sii kashish thii।)

Sense 2 : naive, unaware of wrongdoing (extended/figurative use)

adjective

Synonyms: अनजान (anjaan, unaware), भोला-भाला (bholaa-bhaalaa)

Frequency: medium

Cultural Note: Used of adults too, this sense softens a criticism -- calling someone's mistake मासूम (maasoom) suggests they erred out of naivety rather than malice, e.g. मासूम सी गलती (maasoom sii galtii, 'an innocent little mistake'). It's a gentle, forgiving word.

Sample Sentences:

यह उसकी मासूम सी गलती थी, जानबूझकर नहीं की थी। It was an innocent little mistake of his, he didn't do it on purpose.

(yah uskii maasoom sii galtii thii, jaanboojhkar nahiin kii thii।)

वह इतना मासूम है कि उसे पता ही नहीं चला कि लोग उसका फायदा उठा रहे थे। He is so naive that he didn't even realize people were taking advantage of him.

(vah itnaa maasoom hai ki use pataa hii nahiin chalaa ki log uskaa phaaydaa uthaa rahe the।)

अरे, इतना मासूम मत बनो, तुम्हें सब समझ आता है। Come on, don't act so naive, you understand everything.

(are, itnaa maasoom mat bano, tumhen sab samajh aataa hai।)

अगर मैं इतना मासूम न होता तो कभी उस पर आँख मूँद कर भरोसा न करता। If I weren't so naive, I would never have trusted him blindly.

(agar main itnaa maasoom n hotaa to kabhii us par aankh moond kar bharosaa n kartaa।)

उसकी मासूम सी गलती को माफ कर दिया जाए, यही सबकी राय थी। Everyone's opinion was that his innocent little mistake should be forgiven.

(uskii maasoom sii galtii ko maaph kar diyaa jaae, yahii sabkii raay thii।)

उसकी मासूम शक्ल देखकर किसी को शक भी नहीं हुआ कि वह ठगी में शामिल था। Seeing his naive, unsuspecting face, no one even suspected that he was involved in the fraud.

(uskii maasoom shakl dekhkar kisii ko shak bhii nahiin huaa ki vah thagii men shaamil thaa।)

मुझे यकीन है कि वह मासूम है, उसे उस साजिश की कोई जानकारी नहीं थी। I'm sure he's naive about it, he had no knowledge of that conspiracy.

(mujhe yakiin hai ki vah maasoom hai, use us saajish kii koii jaankaarii nahiin thii।)

काश वह इतना मासूम न होता, तो शायद इस धोखे में न फँसता। If only he weren't so naive, he probably wouldn't have fallen for this deception.

(kaash vah itnaa maasoom n hotaa, to shaayad is dhokhe men n phanstaa।)

वकील ने अदालत में दलील दी कि उसका मुवक्किल मासूम था और उसे इस्तेमाल किया गया। The lawyer argued in court that his client was naive and had been used.

(vakiil ne adaalat men daliil dii ki uskaa muvakkil maasoom thaa aur use istemaal kiyaa gayaa।)

यह मत सोचो कि वह इतना मासूम है कि उसे कुछ भी समझ में नहीं आता। Don't think he's so naive that he doesn't understand anything.

(yah mat socho ki vah itnaa maasoom hai ki use kuchh bhii samajh men nahiin aataa।)

Morphology

Adjective (invariant)

invariant: मासूम (maasoom)