छुटकारा (chhutkaaraa)

noun A single-sense noun meaning 'release, riddance, or freedom from something unwanted' -- almost always used with the postposition से (se) marking the thing being escaped, and paired with verbs like मिलना (milnaa) or पाना (paanaa).
Sense 1 : release, riddance, deliverance (from something unwanted)
noun, masculine Almost always occurs as X से छुटकारा (X se chhutkaaraa) -- 'riddance from X' -- with छुटकारा मिलना (chhutkaaraa milnaa, 'to get riddance') as the default verb pairing.
Synonyms: मुक्ति (mukti, formal), निजात (nijaat)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You'll hear this constantly in everyday complaints -- मुझे इस काम से छुटकारा चाहिए (mujhe is kaam se chhutkaaraa chaahie, 'I want to be free of this work') is the classic frustrated-employee line. It carries a real sense of relief, like shrugging off a burden, so it fits nagging in-laws, traffic, debt, or a bad habit equally well.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often say छुटकारा करना (chhutkaaraa karnaa) by analogy with 'to do,' but the natural verb is मिलना (milnaa) or पाना (paanaa) -- छुटकारा is something you 'get,' not something you 'do.' 2) The thing being escaped is marked with से (se), not से पहले (se pahle) or का (kaa) -- e.g. झंझट से छुटकारा (jhanjhat se chhutkaaraa, 'riddance from the hassle'), not झंझट का छुटकारा.
Sample Sentences:
मुझे इस काम से छुटकारा चाहिए। I want to be free of this work.
(mujhe is kaam se chhutkaaraa chaahie।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
आखिरकार मुझे उस कर्ज़ से छुटकारा मिल गया। I finally got rid of that debt.
(aakhirkaar mujhe us karz se chhutkaaraa mil gayaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम्हें अभी तक इस आदत से छुटकारा नहीं मिला? Haven't you gotten rid of this habit yet?
(kyaa tumhen abhii tak is aadat se chhutkaaraa nahiin milaa?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
इस ट्रैफिक से छुटकारा पाना मुश्किल है। It's hard to get rid of this traffic.
(is traiphik se chhutkaaraa paanaa mushkil hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
सास की रोज़-रोज़ की बातों से छुटकारा पाने के लिए वह अलग घर ले आई। To get rid of her mother-in-law's daily nagging, she moved into a separate house.
(saas kii roz-roz kii baaton se chhutkaaraa paane ke lie vah alag ghar le aaii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
काश मुझे इस बीमारी से छुटकारा मिल जाता। I wish I could be rid of this illness.
(kaash mujhe is biimaarii se chhutkaaraa mil jaataa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Perfective -- Voice: Active
इस समस्या से छुटकारा पाने के लिए कुछ ठोस कदम उठाइए। Take some solid steps to get rid of this problem.
(is samasyaa se chhutkaaraa paane ke lie kuchh thos kadam uthaaie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
देश को भ्रष्टाचार से छुटकारा दिलाना सरकार की ज़िम्मेदारी है। It is the government's responsibility to free the country from corruption.
(desh ko bhrashtaachaar se chhutkaaraa dilaanaa sarkaar kii zimmedaarii hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
जब तक तुम खुद कोशिश नहीं करोगे, इस लत से छुटकारा नहीं मिलेगा। Until you try yourself, you won't be rid of this addiction.
(jab tak tum khud koshish nahiin karoge, is lat se chhutkaaraa nahiin milegaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
उस झंझट से छुटकारा पाकर उसने चैन की साँस ली। Having gotten rid of that hassle, he breathed a sigh of relief.
(us jhanjhat se chhutkaaraa paakar usne chain kii saans lii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
इस दर्द से छुटकारा दिलाने वाली कोई दवा बताइए। Please suggest some medicine that gives relief from this pain.
(is dard se chhutkaaraa dilaane vaalii koii davaa bataaie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): छुटकारा (chhutkaaraa)
(sg.m.oblique): छुटकारे (chhutkaare)
(pl.m.direct): छुटकारे (chhutkaare)
(pl.m.oblique): छुटकारों (chhutkaaron)