सफल (saphal)

adjective An adjective meaning 'successful,' most often met in the fixed pairing सफल होना (saphal honaa, 'to succeed') and its causative-style partner सफल बनाना (saphal banaanaa, 'to make successful').
Sense 1 : successful, fruitful
adjective Almost always appears with होना (honaa) as the verb of being ('to be/become successful'); it does not take करना (karnaa) directly for 'to succeed' -- that sense needs सफल होना (saphal honaa).
Synonyms: कामयाब (kaamyaab), सफलतापूर्ण (saphaltaapoorn, less common, more formal-sounding variant)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You'll hear सफल (saphal) constantly around exam season and job interviews in Delhi -- परीक्षा में सफल होना (pariikshaa men saphal honaa, 'to succeed/pass in the exam') is a phrase every parent and student uses. It pairs naturally with असफल (asphal, 'unsuccessful'), its direct negative counterpart formed with the अ- (a) prefix.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes say सफल करना (saphal karnaa) meaning 'to succeed,' but that phrase actually means 'to make [something] successful' (i.e. it needs an object); 'I succeeded' is मैं सफल हुआ (main saphal huaa, 'I succeeded'), using होना (honaa), not करना (karnaa). 2) कामयाब (kaamyaab) is a close everyday synonym and the two are largely interchangeable, but सफल (saphal) feels slightly more common in written/formal contexts like exam results or reports.
Sample Sentences:
वह इस परीक्षा में सफल हुआ। He succeeded in this exam.
(vah is pariikshaa men saphal huaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
मुझे उम्मीद है कि तुम इंटरव्यू में सफल होगे। I hope you will be successful in the interview.
(mujhe ummiid hai ki tum intravyoo men saphal hoge।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
जो लोग मेहनत करते हैं, वे अक्सर सफल होते हैं। People who work hard are often successful.
(jo log mehnat karte hain, ve aksar saphal hote hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर वह थोड़ा और मेहनत करता तो सफल हो जाता। If he had worked a little harder, he would have become successful.
(agar vah thodaa aur mehnat kartaa to saphal ho jaataa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
भगवान करे तुम अपने काम में सफल रहो। God grant that you remain successful in your work.
(bhagvaan kare tum apne kaam men saphal raho।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
इस साल हमारी कंपनी की योजना बहुत सफल रही। This year our company's plan was very successful.
(is saal hamaarii kampnii kii yojnaa bahut saphal rahii।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
सफल बनो, पर ईमानदारी मत छोड़ो। Become successful, but do not abandon honesty.
(saphal bano, par iimaandaarii mat chhodo।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
यह प्रयोग सफल माना गया। This experiment was considered successful.
(yah prayog saphal maanaa gayaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
सफल जीवन का रहस्य केवल धन में नहीं, संतोष में है। The secret of a successful life lies not merely in wealth, but in contentment.
(saphal jiivan kaa rahasy keval dhan men nahiin, santosh men hai।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
बेटा, अगर परीक्षा में सफल होना है तो अभी से पढ़ना शुरू कर दो। Son, if you want to pass the exam, start studying right now.
(betaa, agar pariikshaa men saphal honaa hai to abhii se padhnaa shuroo kar do।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम्हें यकीन है कि यह मिशन सफल हो पाएगा? Are you sure this mission will be able to succeed?
(kyaa tumhen yakiin hai ki yah mishan saphal ho paaegaa?)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Adjective (invariant)
invariant: सफल (saphal)