बकवास (bakvaas)
noun/adjective
One core idea, 'nonsense/rubbish talk,' used as a noun ('nonsense'), an adjective ('nonsensical, worthless'), and as part of a very common light-verb phrase बकवास करना (bakvaas karnaa, 'to talk nonsense').
Sense
1
:
nonsense, rubbish talk
noun, feminine Very frequently used with करना (karnaa) -- बकवास करना (bakvaas karnaa, 'to talk nonsense') -- as a light-verb construction rather than alone as a bare object.
Synonyms: फ़ालतू बातें (faaltoo baaten), गप (gap, colloquial), बेकार की बातें (bekaar kii baaten)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: बकवास (bakvaas) is one of those wonderfully punchy words that Delhi folks use constantly in daily arguments -- friends interrupt each other with बकवास बंद कर! (bakvaas band kar, 'stop talking nonsense!') far more casually than English speakers would say the equivalent, so it lands as blunt but not necessarily deeply offensive among close friends.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often say केवल बकवास (keval bakvaas) as a standalone verb-like word; remember it needs करना (karnaa) or a form of होना (honaa) to function as a full sentence, e.g. यह बकवास है (yah bakvaas hai, 'this is nonsense'). 2) Used loosely, it can sound rude or dismissive -- in polite company, फ़ालतू बातें (faaltoo baaten) is a softer alternative.
Sample Sentences:
बकवास बंद कर!
Stop talking nonsense!
(bakvaas band kar!)
यह सब बकवास है।
All this is nonsense.
(yah sab bakvaas hai।)
वह हमेशा बकवास करता रहता है।
He's always talking nonsense.
(vah hameshaa bakvaas kartaa rahtaa hai।)
उसने मीटिंग में इतनी बकवास की कि सब चले गए।
He talked so much nonsense in the meeting that everyone left.
(usne miiting men itnii bakvaas kii ki sab chale gae।)
क्या बकवास कर रहे हो तुम?
What nonsense are you talking?
(kyaa bakvaas kar rahe ho tum?)
अगर तुमने फिर बकवास की, तो मैं यहीं से चला जाऊँगा।
If you talk nonsense again, I'll just leave from here.
(agar tumne phir bakvaas kii, to main yahiin se chalaa jaaoongaa।)
उसकी बकवास सुनकर मुझे हँसी आ गई।
Hearing his nonsense, I burst out laughing.
(uskii bakvaas sunkar mujhe hansii aa gaii।)
काश वह इतनी बकवास न करता।
I wish he didn't talk so much nonsense.
(kaash vah itnii bakvaas n kartaa।)
अखबार में बस बकवास छपी है, कोई काम की खबर नहीं।
The newspaper has just nonsense printed in it, no news of any use.
(akhbaar men bas bakvaas chhapii hai, koii kaam kii khabar nahiin।)
यार, ये सब बकवास छोड़ और असली बात बता।
Dude, drop all this nonsense and tell me the real thing.
(yaar, ye sab bakvaas chhod aur aslii baat bataa।)
मंत्री जी का पूरा भाषण बकवास से भरा था।
The minister's entire speech was full of nonsense.
(mantrii jii kaa pooraa bhaashan bakvaas se bharaa thaa।)
Sense
2
:
nonsensical, worthless, rubbish (describing a thing)
adjective Used attributively before a noun, e.g. बकवास फ़िल्म (bakvaas film, 'a rubbish film'), or predicatively with है (hai).
Synonyms: बेकार (bekaar), फ़ालतू (faaltoo)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This adjectival use is extremely common in casual reviews and opinions -- यह किताब बिल्कुल बकवास है (yah kitaab bilkul bakvaas hai, 'this book is total rubbish') is the kind of blunt verdict you'll hear friends give about movies, food, or plans gone wrong.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes try to inflect it like a regular -आ adjective (बकवासा, बकवासे); it never changes form regardless of the noun's gender or number.
Sample Sentences:
यह फ़िल्म बिल्कुल बकवास है।
This movie is total rubbish.
(yah film bilkul bakvaas hai।)
यार, यह खाना तो बकवास था।
Dude, this food was rubbish.
(yaar, yah khaanaa to bakvaas thaa।)
अगर उसकी योजना बकवास होती, तो हम शुरू में ही मना कर देते।
If his plan had been rubbish, we would have refused right at the start.
(agar uskii yojnaa bakvaas hotii, to ham shuroo men hii manaa kar dete।)
मुझे नहीं लगता कि यह किताब बकवास होगी।
I don't think this book will be rubbish.
(mujhe nahiin lagtaa ki yah kitaab bakvaas hogii।)
उसके सारे बहाने बकवास लगते हैं।
All his excuses seem nonsensical.
(uske saare bahaane bakvaas lagte hain।)
यह प्लान इतना बकवास मत बनाओ कि कोई साथ ही न दे।
Don't make this plan so rubbish that no one even joins in.
(yah plaan itnaa bakvaas mat banaao ki koii saath hii n de।)
समीक्षक ने लिखा कि निर्देशक की नई फ़िल्म बकवास है।
The critic wrote that the director's new film is rubbish.
(samiikshak ne likhaa ki nirdeshak kii naii film bakvaas hai।)
हो सकता है यह थ्योरी बकवास निकले, पर कोशिश करने में क्या हर्ज है।
It's possible this theory turns out to be nonsensical, but what's the harm in trying.
(ho saktaa hai yah thyorii bakvaas nikle, par koshish karne men kyaa harj hai।)
इस तरह के बकवास तर्कों पर ध्यान मत दो।
Don't pay attention to such nonsensical arguments.
(is tarah ke bakvaas tarkon par dhyaan mat do।)
यह रिपोर्ट बकवास मानी गई और वापस भेज दी गई।
This report was deemed rubbish and sent back.
(yah riport bakvaas maanii gaii aur vaapas bhej dii gaii।)
उसके सारे तर्क बकवास साबित हुए।
All his arguments proved to be nonsensical.
(uske saare tark bakvaas saabit hue।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
बकवास
(bakvaas)
(sg.f.oblique):
बकवास
(bakvaas)
(pl.f.direct):
बकवासें
(bakvaasen)
(pl.f.oblique):
बकवासों
(bakvaason)
Adjective (invariant)
invariant:
बकवास
(bakvaas)