सार्थक (saarthak)

adjective A single-sense adjective meaning 'meaningful, purposeful, worthwhile' -- used for things (a life, an effort, a discussion) that achieve or embody real value or purpose.
Sense 1 : meaningful, purposeful, worthwhile
adjective
Synonyms: उपयोगी (upyogii, useful), सफल (saphal, successful/effective), असरदार (asardaar, effective, colloquial)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This is a favorite word in motivational speeches, school essays, and self-help talk -- a सार्थक जीवन (saarthak jiivan, 'a meaningful life') is a very common phrase you'll hear from teachers and elders reflecting on how one should live. It carries a slightly reflective, almost philosophical weight compared to plainer words like अच्छा (achchhaa, good).
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for सफल (saphal) when they mean सार्थक (saarthak) -- सफल (saphal) is about achieving a goal ('successful'), while सार्थक (saarthak) is about a thing having genuine worth or purpose, even if no clear 'success' is measured. 2) It pairs naturally with abstract nouns like जीवन (jiivan, life), प्रयास (prayaas, effort), and चर्चा (charchaa, discussion) -- using it for small physical objects sounds off; उपयोगी (upyogii) is the better fit there.
Sample Sentences:
एक सार्थक जीवन जीना हर किसी का सपना होता है। Living a meaningful life is everyone's dream.
(ek saarthak jiivan jiinaa har kisii kaa sapnaa hotaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उसकी बातें हमेशा सार्थक होती हैं, बेकार की बकवास नहीं। His words are always meaningful, not useless chatter.
(uskii baaten hameshaa saarthak hotii hain, bekaar kii bakvaas nahiin।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
क्या यह प्रयास सचमुच सार्थक होगा? Will this effort really be worthwhile?
(kyaa yah prayaas sachmuch saarthak hogaa?)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
गुरुजी ने कहा कि सेवा से जीवन सार्थक बनता है। The teacher said that life becomes meaningful through service.
(gurujii ne kahaa ki sevaa se jiivan saarthak bantaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर तुम दूसरों की मदद करो, तो तुम्हारा समय सार्थक होगा। If you help others, your time will be well spent.
(agar tum doosron kii madad karo, to tumhaaraa samay saarthak hogaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
काश उसकी मेहनत सार्थक होती। If only his hard work had been worthwhile.
(kaash uskii mehnat saarthak hotii।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
इस यात्रा को सार्थक बनाओ, बस घूमने के लिए मत आओ। Make this journey meaningful, don't just come to wander around.
(is yaatraa ko saarthak banaao, bas ghoomne ke lie mat aao।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
प्रधानाचार्य जी ने कहा कि शिक्षा का उद्देश्य एक सार्थक जीवन बनाना है। The principal said that the purpose of education is to build a meaningful life.
(pradhaanaachaary jii ne kahaa ki shikshaa kaa uddeshy ek saarthak jiivan banaanaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उसका बलिदान इतना सार्थक था कि सारा गाँव उसे याद करता है। His sacrifice was so meaningful that the whole village remembers him.
(uskaa balidaan itnaa saarthak thaa ki saaraa gaanv use yaad kartaa hai।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
यह परियोजना तब तक सार्थक नहीं मानी जाएगी जब तक गरीबों को फायदा न हो। This project will not be considered meaningful until the poor benefit from it.
(yah pariyojnaa tab tak saarthak nahiin maanii jaaegii jab tak gariibon ko phaaydaa n ho।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Passive
Morphology
Adjective (invariant)
invariant: सार्थक (saarthak)