दिलचस्पी (dilchaspii)
noun
A single-sense noun meaning 'interest' -- the mental engagement or curiosity one has in a topic, activity, or person. Persian-origin compound (dil + chaspii, 'heart' + 'attachment/sticking'), very common in everyday speech.
Sense
1
:
interest (in a subject, activity, or person)
noun, feminine Typically appears with लेना (lenaa, 'to take interest') or होना (honaa, 'to have interest'), and takes में (men) to mark the topic: किसी चीज़ में दिलचस्पी (kisii chiiz men dilchaspii, 'interest in something').
Synonyms: रुचि (ruchi), दिलचस्पी (dilchaspii), शौक (shauk, leans toward 'hobby/enthusiasm')
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: दिलचस्पी (dilchaspii) literally carries 'dil' (heart) inside it, so Hindi frames interest as something the heart sticks to, rather than a purely mental state as in English. In everyday Delhi speech you will hear both दिलचस्पी लेना (dilchaspii lenaa, to take interest, more active/deliberate) and दिलचस्पी होना (dilchaspii honaa, to have interest, more passive/inherent) -- the choice subtly shifts whether the interest feels like an effort or a natural inclination.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often say दिलचस्पी है (dilchaspii hai) alone without में (men) marking the topic -- you need मुझे संगीत में दिलचस्पी है (mujhe sangiit men dilchaspii hai, 'I am interested in music'), not मुझे संगीत दिलचस्पी है. 2) The subject who feels interest is marked with को (ko) (often contracted to मुझे (mujhe), उसे (use), etc.), not with ने (ne) -- it behaves like पसंद होना (pasand honaa) or अच्छा लगना (achchhaa lagnaa).
Sample Sentences:
मुझे संगीत में बहुत दिलचस्पी है।
I have a lot of interest in music.
(mujhe sangiit men bahut dilchaspii hai।)
वह हमेशा नई तकनीकों में दिलचस्पी लेता है।
He always takes an interest in new technologies.
(vah hameshaa naii takniikon men dilchaspii letaa hai।)
पहले उसे राजनीति में कोई दिलचस्पी नहीं थी।
Earlier he had no interest in politics.
(pahle use raajniiti men koii dilchaspii nahiin thii।)
क्या तुम्हें इस प्रोजेक्ट में दिलचस्पी है?
Do you have any interest in this project?
(kyaa tumhen is projekt men dilchaspii hai?)
प्लीज़, अपने काम में थोड़ी दिलचस्पी लो।
Please, take a little interest in your work.
(pliiz, apne kaam men thodii dilchaspii lo।)
अगर उसे पढ़ाई में दिलचस्पी होती, तो वह ज़रूर टॉप करता।
If he had had interest in studies, he would surely have topped.
(agar use padhaaii men dilchaspii hotii, to vah zaroor top kartaa।)
मुझे यकीन नहीं कि उसे सच में इस मामले में दिलचस्पी हो।
I'm not sure if he really has any interest in this matter.
(mujhe yakiin nahiin ki use sach men is maamle men dilchaspii ho।)
इस विषय में लोगों की दिलचस्पी दिन-ब-दिन बढ़ रही है।
People's interest in this subject is increasing day by day.
(is vishay men logon kii dilchaspii din-b-din badh rahii hai।)
उसने अचानक इस काम में दिलचस्पी दिखाई।
He suddenly showed interest in this work.
(usne achaanak is kaam men dilchaspii dikhaaii।)
सरकार द्वारा इस योजना में दिलचस्पी ली जा रही है।
Interest is being taken in this scheme by the government.
(sarkaar dvaaraa is yojnaa men dilchaspii lii jaa rahii hai।)
बचपन से ही उसकी दिलचस्पी विज्ञान में रही है।
Ever since childhood, his interest has been in science.
(bachpan se hii uskii dilchaspii vigyaan men rahii hai।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
दिलचस्पी
(dilchaspii)
(sg.f.oblique):
दिलचस्पी
(dilchaspii)
(pl.f.direct):
दिलचस्पियाँ
(dilchaspiyaan)
(pl.f.oblique):
दिलचस्पियों
(dilchaspiyon)