वसीयत (vasiiyat)

noun A single-sense noun meaning a will/testament -- the legal document a person leaves behind stating how their property should be divided after death.
Sense 1 : will, testament
noun, feminine
Synonyms: वसीयतनामा (vasiiyatnaamaa, formal/legal)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: In Indian family life, वसीयत (vasiiyat) is a loaded word -- it comes up in serious conversations about property, inheritance, and often family disputes between siblings after a parent's death. You will hear it constantly in TV dramas and real family gossip alike: किसने वसीयत में क्या लिया (kisne vasiiyat men kyaa liyaa, 'who got what in the will') is a classic line of household intrigue.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often pair it only with बनाना (banaanaa, 'to make') but native speakers just as commonly say वसीयत करना (vasiiyat karnaa, 'to make/do a will') or वसीयत लिखना (vasiiyat likhnaa, 'to write a will') -- all three are natural. 2) The person being left something takes के नाम (ke naam, 'in the name of'), as in किसी के नाम वसीयत करना (kisii ke naam vasiiyat karnaa, 'to will something to someone') -- learners sometimes reach for को (ko) instead.
Sample Sentences:
दादाजी ने मरने से पहले अपनी वसीयत बना ली थी। Grandfather had made his will before he died.
(daadaajii ne marne se pahle apnii vasiiyat banaa lii thii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
किसने वसीयत में क्या लिया, यह बात पूरे मोहल्ले में फैल गई। Who got what in the will -- this news spread through the whole neighborhood.
(kisne vasiiyat men kyaa liyaa, yah baat poore mohalle men phail gaii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
वसीयत में साफ लिखा है कि घर बड़े बेटे को मिलेगा। It is clearly written in the will that the house will go to the eldest son.
(vasiiyat men saaph likhaa hai ki ghar bade bete ko milegaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
क्या आपने अपनी वसीयत बनवाई है? Have you had your will drawn up?
(kyaa aapne apnii vasiiyat banvaaii hai?)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर उनकी अचानक मृत्यु हो जाती तो संपत्ति का बंटवारा वसीयत के हिसाब से होता। If he had died suddenly, the property would have been divided according to the will.
(agar unkii achaanak mrityu ho jaatii to sampatti kaa bantvaaraa vasiiyat ke hisaab se hotaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Passive
वकील साहब, कृपया मेरी वसीयत तैयार कर दीजिए। Please prepare my will, sir (lawyer).
(vakiil saahab, kripyaa merii vasiiyat taiyaar kar diijie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
भाई-बहनों के बीच वसीयत को लेकर सालों तक झगड़ा चलता रहा। The dispute over the will kept going on between the siblings for years.
(bhaaii-bahnon ke biich vasiiyat ko lekar saalon tak jhagdaa chaltaa rahaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
हो सकता है कि उसने अपनी सारी संपत्ति चैरिटी के नाम वसीयत कर दी हो। It's possible that he willed all his property to charity.
(ho saktaa hai ki usne apnii saarii sampatti chairitii ke naam vasiiyat kar dii ho।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
पुरानी वसीयत को अदालत में चुनौती दी गई थी। The old will had been challenged in court.
(puraanii vasiiyat ko adaalat men chunautii dii gaii thii।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
यार, वसीयत बनवाना इतना आसान भी नहीं है, कई कागज़ात चाहिए होते हैं। Dude, getting a will made isn't even that easy, you need a bunch of documents.
(yaar, vasiiyat banvaanaa itnaa aasaan bhii nahiin hai, kaii kaagzaat chaahie hote hain।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): वसीयत (vasiiyat)
(sg.f.oblique): वसीयत (vasiiyat)
(pl.f.direct): वसीयतें (vasiiyten)
(pl.f.oblique): वसीयतों (vasiiyton)