फ़ालतू (faaltoo)

adjective/adverb An everyday adjective for 'extra, spare, useless' that also works as an adverb/interjection of dismissal in casual speech; both senses share the same core idea of something being surplus or not worth bothering with.

Sense 1 : extra, spare, surplus

adjective

Synonyms: अतिरिक्त (atirikt, formal), ज़ायद (zaayad, rare)

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: Ask a shopkeeper if he has a फ़ालतू (faaltoo) button or bag lying around and he'll know exactly what you mean -- it's the word for 'got a spare one?' in daily transactions, far more common in speech than अतिरिक्त (atirikt).

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for अतिरिक्त (atirikt) by default because it is the 'textbook' word for extra, but फ़ालतू (faaltoo) is what people actually say at home or in the market for a spare chair, key, or bit of cloth. 2) This sense is neutral, not negative -- फ़ालतू सामान (faaltoo saamaan, 'spare/extra stuff') just means things you have on hand beyond what's needed, unlike the 'useless' sense below.

Sample Sentences:

क्या आपके पास एक फ़ालतू बटन है? Do you have a spare button?

(kyaa aapke paas ek faaltoo batan hai?)

मेरे पास एक फ़ालतू चाबी रखी है, बुरे वक़्त के लिए। I have a spare key kept, for a bad time.

(mere paas ek faaltoo chaabii rakhii hai, bure vaqt ke lie।)

दुकानदार ने कहा कि उसके पास फ़ालतू थैले पड़े हैं। The shopkeeper said that he has spare bags lying around.

(dukaandaar ne kahaa ki uske paas faaltoo thaile pade hain।)

अगर कोई फ़ालतू पहिया मिल जाए तो गाड़ी ठीक हो जाएगी। If a spare wheel is found, the car will get fixed.

(agar koii faaltoo pahiyaa mil jaae to gaadii thiik ho jaaegii।)

फ़ालतू सामान गोदाम में रखा जाता है। Surplus goods are kept in the warehouse.

(faaltoo saamaan godaam men rakhaa jaataa hai।)

यार, कोई फ़ालतू छाता हो तो दे दे, बारिश हो रही है। Dude, if you have a spare umbrella, give it to me, it's raining.

(yaar, koii faaltoo chhaataa ho to de de, baarish ho rahii hai।)

अगर उसके पास फ़ालतू पैसे होते तो वह हमें उधार दे देता। If he had spare money, he would have lent it to us.

(agar uske paas faaltoo paise hote to vah hamen udhaar de detaa।)

कृपया अपना फ़ालतू सामान सीट के नीचे रखें। Please keep your spare luggage under the seat.

(kripyaa apnaa faaltoo saamaan siit ke niiche rakhen।)

मैंने फ़ालतू टायर डिक्की में रख दिया है। I have put the spare tyre in the boot.

(mainne faaltoo taayar dikkii men rakh diyaa hai।)

उसकी दुकान में हमेशा कुछ फ़ालतू पुर्ज़े मिल जाते हैं। Some spare parts are always available in his shop.

(uskii dukaan men hameshaa kuchh faaltoo purze mil jaate hain।)

Sense 2 : useless, worthless, pointless

adjective

Synonyms: बेकार (bekaar), फिज़ूल (phizool)

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: You'll hear this constantly in Delhi banter -- फ़ालतू बात मत कर (faaltoo baat mat kar, 'don't talk nonsense') is a classic mild scolding among friends, somewhere between 'don't be silly' and 'cut the crap.'

Common Mistakes: 1) This sense carries real disdain -- calling a person's बात (baat, 'talk/matter') or काम (kaam, 'work') फ़ालतू (faaltoo) is dismissive and can sting, so learners should be careful using it about people rather than things.

Sample Sentences:

ये सब फ़ालतू बातें हैं, इन पर ध्यान मत दो। These are all useless things, don't pay attention to them.

(ye sab faaltoo baaten hain, in par dhyaan mat do।)

फ़ालतू बात मत कर, काम की बात कर। Don't talk nonsense, say something useful.

(faaltoo baat mat kar, kaam kii baat kar।)

यह फ़िल्म बिल्कुल फ़ालतू थी, टाइम बर्बाद हो गया। This movie was completely worthless, my time got wasted.

(yah film bilkul faaltoo thii, taaim barbaad ho gayaa।)

अगर मुझे पता होता कि यह किताब इतनी फ़ालतू है, तो मैं इसे कभी न खरीदता। If I had known this book was so useless, I would never have bought it.

(agar mujhe pataa hotaa ki yah kitaab itnii faaltoo hai, to main ise kabhii n khariidtaa।)

क्या तुम्हें नहीं लगता कि उसकी सलाह बिल्कुल फ़ालतू है? Don't you think his advice is completely worthless?

(kyaa tumhen nahiin lagtaa ki uskii salaah bilkul faaltoo hai?)

बॉस ने मीटिंग में उसका सुझाव फ़ालतू बताकर खारिज कर दिया। The boss dismissed his suggestion in the meeting, calling it useless.

(bos ne miiting men uskaa sujhaav faaltoo bataakar khaarij kar diyaa।)

शायद यह तरीका फ़ालतू साबित हो और हमें कुछ नया सोचना पड़े। Perhaps this method will turn out to be useless and we'll have to think of something new.

(shaayad yah tariikaa faaltoo saabit ho aur hamen kuchh nayaa sochnaa pade।)

इस समिति की रिपोर्ट को पूरी तरह फ़ालतू करार दिया गया। The committee's report was declared entirely worthless.

(is samiti kii riport ko poorii tarah faaltoo karaar diyaa gayaa।)

यार, तेरी ये फ़ालतू थ्योरी किसी काम की नहीं है। Dude, this pointless theory of yours is no use at all.

(yaar, terii ye faaltoo thyorii kisii kaam kii nahiin hai।)

वह हमेशा फ़ालतू चीज़ों पर बहस करता रहता है। He always keeps arguing about pointless things.

(vah hameshaa faaltoo chiizon par bahas kartaa rahtaa hai।)

Sense 3 : needlessly, for no good reason

adverb Modifies a verb to say the action itself was pointless, e.g. फ़ालतू परेशान हुआ (faaltoo pareshaan huaa, 'got worried for nothing').

Synonyms: बेवजह (bevjah), बेकार में (bekaar men)

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: This is the word you'll hear when someone complains they wasted time or money for nothing -- फ़ालतू पैसे खर्च किए (faaltoo paise kharch kie, 'spent money for nothing') is a very common everyday grumble.

Sample Sentences:

तुम फ़ालतू में इतना गुस्सा क्यों कर रहे हो? Why are you getting so angry for no reason?

(tum faaltoo men itnaa gussaa kyon kar rahe ho?)

उसने फ़ालतू पैसे खर्च किए और अब पछता रहा है। He spent money for no good reason and now he's regretting it.

(usne faaltoo paise kharch kie aur ab pachhtaa rahaa hai।)

फ़ालतू में झगड़ा मत करो, बात को यहीं खत्म करो। Don't fight for no reason, just end the matter here.

(faaltoo men jhagdaa mat karo, baat ko yahiin khatm karo।)

मैं फ़ालतू में उससे बहस नहीं करना चाहता। I don't want to argue with him for no good reason.

(main faaltoo men usse bahas nahiin karnaa chaahtaa।)

अगर तुम फ़ालतू में देर करते तो ट्रेन छूट जाती। If you had needlessly delayed, you would have missed the train.

(agar tum faaltoo men der karte to tren chhoot jaatii।)

क्यों फ़ालतू में अपना दिमाग खराब कर रहे हो? Why are you needlessly stressing yourself out?

(kyon faaltoo men apnaa dimaag kharaab kar rahe ho?)

हमें फ़ालतू में इतनी दूर नहीं जाना चाहिए था। We shouldn't have needlessly gone so far.

(hamen faaltoo men itnii door nahiin jaanaa chaahie thaa।)

वह फ़ालतू में सबकी बातों में टांग अड़ाती है। She needlessly meddles in everyone's business.

(vah faaltoo men sabkii baaton men taang adaatii hai।)

फ़ालतू में समय बर्बाद मत कर, काम पर ध्यान दे। Don't waste time for nothing, focus on your work.

(faaltoo men samay barbaad mat kar, kaam par dhyaan de।)

यह निर्णय फ़ालतू में इतना टाला गया, जबकि हल आसान था। This decision was needlessly delayed so much, even though the solution was simple.

(yah nirnay faaltoo men itnaa taalaa gayaa, jabki hal aasaan thaa।)

काश वह फ़ालतू में इतनी चिंता न करता। I wish he didn't worry so needlessly.

(kaash vah faaltoo men itnii chintaa n kartaa।)

Morphology

Adjective (invariant)

invariant: फ़ालतू (faaltoo)