वसूल (vasool)

adjective/noun Two related strands: recovering/collecting money that is owed (a debt, a fee, a fine), and the colloquial adjective/idiom sense of getting your money's worth. Both come from the same root idea of 'what was due, extracted.'

Sense 1 : worth it, value for money

adjective Used predicatively, most often in the fixed colloquial phrase पैसा वसूल (paisaa vasool, 'money's worth') -- e.g. of a movie, meal, or purchase that delivered full value.

Synonyms: सार्थक (saarthak, meaning scope: worthwhile in a broader sense, less about money)

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: पैसा वसूल (paisaa vasool, 'worth every rupee') is classic Bollywood-review language -- critics and audiences alike use it for a masala film that delivers action, comedy, and drama in full paisa-vasool measure. It captures a very Indian consumer instinct: did I get my money's worth?

Common Mistakes: 1) This is an invariant adjective in practice -- it does not inflect like कड़ा (kadaa) would; you'll always see it as पैसा वसूल (paisaa vasool) regardless of the gender/number of what's being described. 2) Learners sometimes try to use it outside this fixed phrase (e.g. as a general adjective for 'satisfying'), which sounds odd -- it's really glued to पैसा (paisaa).

Sample Sentences:

यह फ़िल्म पूरी तरह पैसा वसूल है। This movie is totally worth every rupee.

(yah film poorii tarah paisaa vasool hai।)

टिकट थोड़ी महंगी थी, लेकिन शो पैसा वसूल था। The ticket was a bit expensive, but the show was worth it.

(tikat thodii mahangii thii, lekin sho paisaa vasool thaa।)

अगर एक्शन इतना जबरदस्त न होता, तो फ़िल्म पैसा वसूल न होती। If the action hadn't been this intense, the movie wouldn't have been worth it.

(agar ekshan itnaa jabardast n hotaa, to film paisaa vasool n hotii।)

इस होटल में एक रात रुककर देख लो, बिल्कुल पैसा वसूल लगेगा। Stay one night at this hotel and see for yourself -- it'll feel completely worth the money.

(is hotal men ek raat rukkar dekh lo, bilkul paisaa vasool lagegaa।)

क्रिटिक्स ने लिखा कि यह साल की सबसे पैसा वसूल फ़िल्म है। The critics wrote that this is the most worth-it film of the year.

(kritiks ne likhaa ki yah saal kii sabse paisaa vasool film hai।)

मैं चाहता हूँ कि यह ट्रिप पैसा वसूल साबित हो। I hope this trip turns out to be worth every penny.

(main chaahtaa hoon ki yah trip paisaa vasool saabit ho।)

इतने कम दाम में इतनी अच्छी थाली मिलेगी, यह तो सच में पैसा वसूल डील है। Getting such a good thali at this low price -- this is truly a worth-it deal.

(itne kam daam men itnii achchhii thaalii milegii, yah to sach men paisaa vasool diil hai।)

भइया, यह फ़ोन ले लो, बिल्कुल पैसा वसूल है, बाद में पछताओगे नहीं। Bro, get this phone, it's totally worth it, you won't regret it later.

(bhaiyaa, yah fon le lo, bilkul paisaa vasool hai, baad men pachhtaaoge nahiin।)

समीक्षकों द्वारा फ़िल्म को पूरी तरह पैसा वसूल माना गया। The film was considered thoroughly worth the money by the critics.

(samiikshkon dvaaraa film ko poorii tarah paisaa vasool maanaa gayaa।)

यह जूता महंगा तो है, पर अगर टिकाऊ निकला तो पैसा वसूल रहेगा। These shoes are expensive, but if they turn out durable, they'll be worth every rupee.

(yah jootaa mahangaa to hai, par agar tikaaoo niklaa to paisaa vasool rahegaa।)

जब भी मैं इस रेस्तरां में खाता हूँ, हर बार लगता है कि खाना पैसा वसूल था। Whenever I eat at this restaurant, every time it feels like the food was worth the money.

(jab bhii main is restraan men khaataa hoon, har baar lagtaa hai ki khaanaa paisaa vasool thaa।)

Sense 2 : recovery/collection (of dues, money owed)

noun, masculine Almost always paired with the verb करना (karnaa) or होना (honaa) -- वसूल करना (vasool karnaa, 'to collect/recover') and वसूल होना (vasool honaa, 'to be recovered').

Synonyms: आदायगी (aadaaygii, formal), वापसी (vaapsii, meaning scope: return, not always of money owed)

Frequency: medium

Cultural Note: You'll hear this constantly around landlords, shopkeepers, and tax officers -- किराया वसूल करना (kiraayaa vasool karnaa, 'to collect the rent') is a classic phrase for a landlord chasing a tenant. It has a slightly businesslike, sometimes even mildly threatening edge, as in वसूली (vasoolii), the related noun for forceful collection/extortion, which you might hear in news reports about goons collecting 'protection money.'

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes use वसूल (vasool) loosely for any 'collection' (like collecting stamps) -- it specifically means collecting something that is *owed*, like rent, a debt, a fine, or a fee. 2) पैसे वसूल करना (paise vasool karnaa) implies the money was due to you, unlike सामान्य 'लेना' (lenaa, 'to take') which carries no such implication.

Sample Sentences:

मकानमालिक हर महीने की पहली तारीख को किराया वसूल करता है। The landlord collects the rent on the first of every month.

(makaanmaalik har mahiine kii pahlii taariikh ko kiraayaa vasool kartaa hai।)

दुकानदार ने बकाया पैसे वसूल कर लिए। The shopkeeper recovered the outstanding money.

(dukaandaar ne bakaayaa paise vasool kar lie।)

बैंक कर्ज़ वसूल करने के लिए नोटिस भेज रहा है। The bank is sending notices in order to recover the loan.

(baink karz vasool karne ke lie notis bhej rahaa hai।)

अगर किराया वसूल न हुआ तो मकानमालिक कोर्ट जा सकता है। If the rent is not recovered, the landlord can go to court.

(agar kiraayaa vasool n huaa to makaanmaalik kort jaa saktaa hai।)

अगर वो पहले ही वसूल कर लेता तो अब इतनी परेशानी न होती। If he had recovered it earlier, there wouldn't be so much trouble now.

(agar vo pahle hii vasool kar letaa to ab itnii pareshaanii n hotii।)

किराया वसूल करो, वरना घर खाली करवा दूँगा। Collect the rent, or I'll have the house vacated.

(kiraayaa vasool karo, varnaa ghar khaalii karvaa doongaa।)

नगर निगम ने टैक्स वसूल करने के लिए विशेष टीम बनाई है। The municipal corporation has formed a special team to collect taxes.

(nagar nigam ne taiks vasool karne ke lie vishesh tiim banaaii hai।)

स्थानीय गुंडों द्वारा दुकानदारों से हफ्ता वसूल किया जाता है। Weekly protection money is collected from shopkeepers by local goons.

(sthaaniiy gundon dvaaraa dukaandaaron se haphtaa vasool kiyaa jaataa hai।)

पुलिस को शक है कि यह पैसा जबरन वसूल किया गया था। The police suspect that this money was forcibly extorted.

(pulis ko shak hai ki yah paisaa jabran vasool kiyaa gayaa thaa।)

उम्मीद है कि इस बार सारा बकाया वसूल हो जाएगा। It's hoped that all the outstanding dues will be recovered this time.

(ummiid hai ki is baar saaraa bakaayaa vasool ho jaaegaa।)

Morphology

Adjective (invariant)

invariant: वसूल (vasool)

Noun

(sg.m.direct): वसूल (vasool)

(sg.m.oblique): वसूल (vasool)

(pl.m.direct): वसूल (vasool)

(pl.m.oblique): वसूलों (vasoolon)