व्यस्त (vyast)

adjective A single-sense adjective meaning 'busy, occupied' -- used for people, schedules, and sometimes places or lines.
Sense 1 : busy, occupied
adjective Commonly appears in the frame X में व्यस्त होना/रहना (X men vyast honaa/rahnaa, 'to be busy with/in X') -- the activity takes में, not से or को.
Synonyms: मशगूल (mashgool, usually with में and implies being absorbed in something), फ़ुर्सत ना होना (fursat naa honaa, phrase: 'to have no free time')
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: व्यस्त (vyast) is the standard, polite way to say you're busy in Hindi-speaking offices and homes alike -- साहब अभी व्यस्त हैं (saahab abhii vyast hain, 'Sir is busy right now') is what a secretary or family member says to politely put off a visitor. It sits slightly more formally than a casual 'no time' excuse, so it's the safe, respectful choice when talking about someone else's time, especially an elder's or a boss's.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for को to mark the activity someone is busy with (as in 'busy to work'), but व्यस्त (vyast) takes में: काम में व्यस्त (kaam men vyast, 'busy with work'), not काम को व्यस्त. 2) व्यस्त (vyast) describes a state, so it pairs with होना (honaa) or रहना (rahnaa) rather than a verb like करना -- learners sometimes try to 'do' busy instead of 'being' busy.
Sample Sentences:
साहब अभी व्यस्त हैं, आप थोड़ी देर बाद आइए। Sir is busy right now, please come back a little later.
(saahab abhii vyast hain, aap thodii der baad aaie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
मैं आजकल दफ्तर के काम में बहुत व्यस्त हूँ। These days I am very busy with office work.
(main aajkal daphtar ke kaam men bahut vyast hoon।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
वह पूरे हफ्ते इतनी व्यस्त रही कि फोन तक नहीं उठा पाई। She was so busy all week that she couldn't even pick up the phone.
(vah poore haphte itnii vyast rahii ki phon tak nahiin uthaa paaii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगर मैं व्यस्त नहीं होता तो तुम्हारी मदद ज़रूर करता। If I weren't busy, I would definitely have helped you.
(agar main vyast nahiin hotaa to tumhaarii madad zaroor kartaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
कृपया इतने व्यस्त मत रहिए, अपनी सेहत का भी ध्यान रखिए। Please don't stay so busy all the time, take care of your health too.
(kripyaa itne vyast mat rahie, apnii sehat kaa bhii dhyaan rakhie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम कल शाम को व्यस्त रहोगे? Will you be busy tomorrow evening?
(kyaa tum kal shaam ko vyast rahoge?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
उम्मीद है कि तुम इतने व्यस्त न हो कि मिलने का समय ही न निकाल सको। I hope you're not so busy that you can't even find time to meet.
(ummiid hai ki tum itne vyast n ho ki milne kaa samay hii n nikaal sako।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
मीटिंग की तैयारी में इतना व्यस्त हुआ गया कि दोपहर का खाना भूल गए। Everyone got so caught up being busy preparing for the meeting that lunch was forgotten.
(miiting kii taiyaarii men itnaa vyast huaa gayaa ki dopahar kaa khaanaa bhool gae।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
बच्चे इन दिनों परीक्षा की तैयारी में व्यस्त हैं। The children are busy preparing for their exams these days.
(bachche in dinon pariikshaa kii taiyaarii men vyast hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
वह हमेशा किसी न किसी काम में व्यस्त रहता है। He is always busy doing one thing or another.
(vah hameshaa kisii n kisii kaam men vyast rahtaa hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
क्षमा कीजिए, मैडम अभी एक ज़रूरी कॉल में व्यस्त हैं। I'm sorry, madam is busy on an important call right now.
(kshamaa kiijie, maidam abhii ek zaroorii kol men vyast hain।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Adjective (invariant)
invariant: व्यस्त (vyast)