व्यर्थ (vyarth)

adjective/adverb One core idea -- 'useless / in vain' -- expressed both as an adjective (describing something pointless) and as an adverb (describing an action done pointlessly).

Sense 1 : useless, pointless, futile

adjective

Synonyms: बेकार (bekaar), फ़िज़ूल (fizool), निरर्थक (nirarthak, formal), बेफ़ायदा (befaaydaa)

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: You will hear this a lot in moralizing or advice-giving speech -- parents, teachers, and motivational speakers love saying things like समय व्यर्थ मत करो (samay vyarth mat karo, 'don't waste time'). It carries a slightly bookish, sermon-like flavor compared to the more everyday बेकार (bekaar).

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for बेकार (bekaar) in every context, but व्यर्थ (vyarth) sounds a notch more formal/literary and is common in advice, warnings, or reflective statements rather than casual complaints about broken objects. 2) As a predicate adjective it is invariant -- it does not change form for gender or number, unlike a typical -आ adjective.

Sample Sentences:

समय व्यर्थ मत करो। Don't waste time.

(samay vyarth mat karo।)

यह बहस बिलकुल व्यर्थ है। This argument is completely pointless.

(yah bahas bilkul vyarth hai।)

उसकी सारी मेहनत व्यर्थ साबित हुई। All his hard work turned out to be futile.

(uskii saarii mehnat vyarth saabit huii।)

अगर तुम मन लगाकर नहीं पढ़ोगे, तो यह कोचिंग व्यर्थ होगी। If you don't study attentively, this coaching will be pointless.

(agar tum man lagaakar nahiin padhoge, to yah koching vyarth hogii।)

गुरुजी कहते थे कि क्रोध में की गई कोई भी बात व्यर्थ होती है। The teacher used to say that anything said in anger is futile.

(gurujii kahte the ki krodh men kii gaii koii bhii baat vyarth hotii hai।)

अगर उसने पहले ही बता दिया होता, तो यह सारी योजना व्यर्थ न होती। If he had told us earlier, this whole plan wouldn't have been futile.

(agar usne pahle hii bataa diyaa hotaa, to yah saarii yojnaa vyarth n hotii।)

क्या हमारी सारी कोशिशें व्यर्थ जा सकती हैं? Could all our efforts go to waste?

(kyaa hamaarii saarii koshishen vyarth jaa saktii hain?)

बड़ों का कहना है कि जीवन का एक भी पल व्यर्थ नहीं जाना चाहिए। Elders say that not even a single moment of life should go to waste.

(badon kaa kahnaa hai ki jiivan kaa ek bhii pal vyarth nahiin jaanaa chaahie।)

इस व्यर्थ चर्चा को यहीं समाप्त किया जाए। Let this pointless discussion be ended right here.

(is vyarth charchaa ko yahiin samaapt kiyaa jaae।)

स्वामी जी के अनुसार, बिना भक्ति के सारा ज्ञान व्यर्थ है। According to the swami, without devotion all knowledge is futile.

(svaamii jii ke anusaar, binaa bhakti ke saaraa gyaan vyarth hai।)

बिना उद्देश्य के जीवन व्यर्थ प्रतीत होता है। Life without purpose appears futile.

(binaa uddeshy ke jiivan vyarth pratiit hotaa hai।)

Sense 2 : in vain, uselessly, for nothing

adverb Modifies a verb directly, typically placed just before it: व्यर्थ गया (vyarth gayaa, 'went to waste') or मत जाओ व्यर्थ (vyarth) constructions with करना.

Synonyms: बेकार (bekaar), फ़िज़ूल में (fizool men), बेवजह (bevjah, without reason)

Frequency: medium

Cultural Note: A classic pairing is मेहनत व्यर्थ गई (mehnat vyarth gaii, 'the effort went to waste') -- you will hear this whenever plans fall through despite hard work, a very relatable sentiment in exam-and-job-obsessed Delhi households.

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes insert में (men) after व्यर्थ (vyarth) by analogy with फ़िज़ूल में (fizool men), but व्यर्थ (vyarth) alone already functions adverbially and needs no postposition.

Sample Sentences:

उसकी सारी मेहनत व्यर्थ गई। All his hard work went to waste.

(uskii saarii mehnat vyarth gaii।)

मैं व्यर्थ ही सुबह से लाइन में खड़ा हूँ, काउंटर बंद है। I've been standing in line since morning for nothing, the counter is closed.

(main vyarth hii subah se laain men khadaa hoon, kaauntar band hai।)

व्यर्थ मत बको, कोई नहीं सुनेगा। Don't babble uselessly, no one is going to listen.

(vyarth mat bako, koii nahiin sunegaa।)

अगर तुम समय पर बोल देते, तो हमारी इतनी मेहनत व्यर्थ न जाती। If you had spoken up on time, our hard work wouldn't have gone to waste like this.

(agar tum samay par bol dete, to hamaarii itnii mehnat vyarth n jaatii।)

क्या यह सारी तैयारी व्यर्थ जाएगी? Will all this preparation go to waste?

(kyaa yah saarii taiyaarii vyarth jaaegii?)

मुझे डर है कि उम्मीदवार का इतना प्रचार व्यर्थ चला जाए। I'm afraid the candidate's whole campaign might go in vain.

(mujhe dar hai ki ummiidvaar kaa itnaa prachaar vyarth chalaa jaae।)

बच्चे व्यर्थ ही किताबें लेकर बैठे थे, परीक्षा तो टल गई थी। The kids sat with their books for nothing, the exam had actually been postponed.

(bachche vyarth hii kitaaben lekar baithe the, pariikshaa to tal gaii thii।)

उसकी सारी दलीलें व्यर्थ साबित हुईं, फैसला पहले ही हो चुका था। All his arguments proved to be in vain, the decision had already been made.

(uskii saarii daliilen vyarth saabit huiin, phaislaa pahle hii ho chukaa thaa।)

क्यों व्यर्थ अपना समय और शक्ति नष्ट कर रहे हो? Why are you wasting your time and energy for nothing?

(kyon vyarth apnaa samay aur shakti nasht kar rahe ho?)

हे प्रभु, हमारी भक्ति व्यर्थ न जाए। O Lord, may our devotion not go in vain.

(he prabhu, hamaarii bhakti vyarth n jaae।)

Morphology

Adjective (invariant)

invariant: व्यर्थ (vyarth)