सज़ा (sazaa)

noun One core meaning: punishment or penalty, most often heard in legal, disciplinary, or parental contexts. Also spelled सजा (sajaa) without the nuqta.
Sense 1 : punishment, penalty
noun, feminine
Synonyms: दंड (dand, formal), जुर्माना (jurmaanaa, specifically a fine)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You'll hear सज़ा (sazaa) everywhere from courtroom dramas (सज़ा-ए-मौत (sazaa-e-maut, 'death penalty')) to a mother scolding a child with सज़ा मिलेगी (sazaa milegii, 'you'll get punished'). It carries a slightly dramatic, formal weight compared to casual scolding words, so it fits both a judge's verdict and a parent's half-joking threat.
Common Mistakes: 1) सज़ा (sazaa) pairs with देना (denaa, to give) and मिलना (milnaa, to receive), as in सज़ा देना (sazaa denaa, 'to punish') and सज़ा मिलना (sazaa milnaa, 'to be punished/receive punishment') -- learners often reach for a passive construction where Hindi just uses मिलना (milnaa). 2) The person being punished takes को (ko): उसे सज़ा दी (use sazaa dii, 'punished him'), not से (se) or पर (par).
Sample Sentences:
अदालत ने उसे दस साल की सज़ा दी। The court gave him a ten-year sentence.
(adaalat ne use das saal kii sazaa dii।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगर तुमने झूठ बोला तो सज़ा मिलेगी। If you lie, you'll get punished.
(agar tumne jhooth bolaa to sazaa milegii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
उस पर सज़ा-ए-मौत का ऐलान हुआ। The death penalty was announced against him.
(us par sazaa-e-maut kaa ailaan huaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
बच्चे को उसकी शरारत की सज़ा भुगतनी पड़ी। The child had to suffer the punishment for his mischief.
(bachche ko uskii sharaarat kii sazaa bhugatnii padii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
जज हर रोज़ किसी न किसी को सज़ा सुनाते हैं। The judge pronounces a sentence on someone every day.
(jaj har roz kisii n kisii ko sazaa sunaate hain।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
कमरा साफ़ न करो, वरना सज़ा मिलेगी! Clean the room, or else you'll be punished!
(kamraa saaf n karo, varnaa sazaa milegii!)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
काश उसे इतनी कड़ी सज़ा न दी जाती। I wish such a harsh punishment hadn't been given to him.
(kaash use itnii kadii sazaa n dii jaatii।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Passive
हो सकता है कि उसे कड़ी सज़ा मिले। It's possible that he might get a harsh punishment.
(ho saktaa hai ki use kadii sazaa mile।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
अगर मैं वहाँ होता, तो मुझे भी सज़ा मिलती। If I had been there, I would have been punished too.
(agar main vahaan hotaa, to mujhe bhii sazaa miltii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
अपराधी अब तक अपनी सज़ा काट रहा है। The criminal is still serving his sentence.
(apraadhii ab tak apnii sazaa kaat rahaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उसे उसके गुनाहों की सज़ा मिल गई है। He has received the punishment for his sins.
(use uske gunaahon kii sazaa mil gaii hai।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): सज़ा (sazaa)
(sg.f.oblique): सज़ा (sazaa)
(pl.f.direct): सज़ाएँ (sazaaen)
(pl.f.oblique): सज़ाओं (sazaaon)