लापता (laaptaa)

adjective A single-sense adjective meaning 'missing' or 'untraceable' -- used for people, objects, or things that have vanished without explanation.
Sense 1 : missing, untraceable, gone without a trace
adjective
Synonyms: गुम (gum), गायब (gaayab)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is the word you will see splashed across a पुलिस complaint (pulis) or a TV ticker: लापता व्यक्ति (laaptaa vyakti, 'missing person') is a fixed phrase you will hear constantly in Indian news broadcasts. It carries a slightly more formal, report-worthy tone than गायब (gaayab), which is what you would use casually if your phone or your neighbor's cat has vanished.
Common Mistakes: 1) लापता (laaptaa) is invariant -- it does not change form for gender or number, unlike ordinary -आ adjectives such as अच्छा (achchhaa). 2) Learners sometimes reach for खोया हुआ (khoyaa huaa, 'lost') when लापता (laaptaa) is the word actually used in news and police contexts for a person who has disappeared -- खोया हुआ (khoyaa huaa) sounds more like a lost object or a lost child in a crowd, while लापता (laaptaa) has a slightly more official, serious ring.
Sample Sentences:
पिछले हफ्ते से एक बच्चा लापता है। A child has been missing since last week.
(pichhle haphte se ek bachchaa laaptaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
पुलिस ने कहा कि लापता व्यक्ति की तलाश जारी है। The police said that the search for the missing person is ongoing.
(pulis ne kahaa ki laaptaa vyakti kii talaash jaarii hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
बाढ़ के बाद सैकड़ों लोग लापता हो गए थे। After the flood, hundreds of people had gone missing.
(baadh ke baad saikdon log laaptaa ho gae the।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगर वह सच में लापता होता, तो अब तक खबर आ जाती। If he were really missing, the news would have come by now.
(agar vah sach men laaptaa hotaa, to ab tak khabar aa jaatii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
यह खबर हर चैनल पर चल रही है: 'दस साल की लड़की लापता'। This news is running on every channel: 'ten-year-old girl missing'.
(yah khabar har chainal par chal rahii hai: 'das saal kii ladkii laaptaa'।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
लापता व्यक्तियों की सूची थाने में लगाई गई है। The list of missing persons has been put up at the police station.
(laaptaa vyaktiyon kii soochii thaane men lagaaii gaii hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
कृपया अगर आपको यह लापता व्यक्ति दिखे, तो पुलिस को सूचित करें। Please, if you see this missing person, inform the police.
(kripyaa agar aapko yah laaptaa vyakti dikhe, to pulis ko soochit karen।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
सैनिक युद्ध के मैदान से लापता बताया गया है। The soldier has been reported missing from the battlefield.
(sainik yuddh ke maidaan se laaptaa bataayaa gayaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
जहाज़ समुद्र में लापता हो गया और आज तक उसका कोई सुराग नहीं मिला। The ship went missing at sea, and to this day no trace of it has been found.
(jahaaz samudr men laaptaa ho gayaa aur aaj tak uskaa koii suraag nahiin milaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम्हें पता है कि इलाके में और कितने बच्चे लापता हैं? Do you know how many more children are missing in the area?
(kyaa tumhen pataa hai ki ilaake men aur kitne bachche laaptaa hain?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उम्मीद है कि लापता पर्वतारोही सुरक्षित मिल जाए। It is hoped that the missing mountaineer will be found safe.
(ummiid hai ki laaptaa parvtaarohii surakshit mil jaae।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Adjective (invariant)
invariant: लापता (laaptaa)