ख़राबी (kharaabii)

noun A noun meaning fault, defect, or malfunction -- the state of something being ख़राब (kharaab, 'bad/broken'). One core sense, used both for mechanical/physical faults and for more abstract trouble or discord.

Sense 1 : fault, defect, malfunction (of a thing)

noun, feminine

Synonyms: गड़बड़ (gadbad), दोष (dosh, formal), नुक़्स (nuqs)

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: You will hear this constantly with mechanics, electricians, and plumbers in Delhi: गाड़ी में कोई ख़राबी है (gaadii men koii kharaabii hai, 'there's some fault in the car'). It is the go-to word for anything from a wonky fan to a glitchy phone.

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often say यह ख़राब है (yah kharaab hai, 'this is bad/broken') when they mean the object itself is faulty, but to name the specific fault inside it, ख़राबी use is needed: इसमें ख़राबी है (ismen kharaabii hai, 'there's a fault in it') -- note it takes में (men), not है alone describing the object. 2) ख़राबी is a noun naming the fault itself; ख़राब (kharaab) is the adjective describing the thing -- learners sometimes use them interchangeably by mistake.

Sample Sentences:

गाड़ी में कोई ख़राबी है। There's some fault in the car.

(gaadii men koii kharaabii hai।)

पंखे में क्या ख़राबी है, यह समझ नहीं आ रहा। I can't figure out what the fault in the fan is.

(pankhe men kyaa kharaabii hai, yah samajh nahiin aa rahaa।)

मिस्त्री ने कहा कि मोटर में गंभीर ख़राबी आ गई है। The mechanic said there's a serious fault in the motor.

(mistrii ne kahaa ki motar men gambhiir kharaabii aa gaii hai।)

फ्रिज में ख़राबी आने से पहले उसकी सर्विस करवा लो। Get the fridge serviced before a fault develops in it.

(phrij men kharaabii aane se pahle uskii sarvis karvaa lo।)

अगर समय पर ख़राबी पकड़ में आ जाती, तो इंजन बच जाता। If the defect had been caught in time, the engine would have been saved.

(agar samay par kharaabii pakad men aa jaatii, to injan bach jaataa।)

हो सकता है वायरिंग में कोई ख़राबी हो। It's possible there's some fault in the wiring.

(ho saktaa hai vaayring men koii kharaabii ho।)

फोन की स्क्रीन में ख़राबी की वजह से टच काम नहीं कर रहा। Because of a defect in the phone's screen, the touch isn't working.

(phon kii skriin men kharaabii kii vajah se tach kaam nahiin kar rahaa।)

इस मशीन में जो ख़राबी थी, वह अब ठीक कर दी गई है। The fault that was in this machine has now been fixed.

(is mashiin men jo kharaabii thii, vah ab thiik kar dii gaii hai।)

एसी में हर गर्मी में कोई न कोई ख़राबी निकल आती है। Some fault or another crops up in the AC every summer.

(esii men har garmii men koii n koii kharaabii nikal aatii hai।)

इलेक्ट्रीशियन को बुलाओ, स्विचबोर्ड में कुछ ख़राबी लग रही है। Call the electrician, there seems to be some fault in the switchboard.

(ilektriishiyan ko bulaao, svichbord men kuchh kharaabii lag rahii hai।)

जब तक ख़राबी का सही कारण नहीं मिलेगा, समस्या दोबारा आएगी। Until the exact cause of the fault is found, the problem will come back again.

(jab tak kharaabii kaa sahii kaaran nahiin milegaa, samasyaa dobaaraa aaegii।)

Sense 2 : trouble, disorder, discord (in a situation or relationship)

noun, feminine

Synonyms: गड़बड़ी (gadabdii), बिगाड़ (bigaad)

Frequency: medium

Cultural Note: This is the same word stretched to cover a relationship or a plan going sour, e.g. रिश्ते में ख़राबी आ गई (rishte men kharaabii aa gaii, 'trouble crept into the relationship') -- treating discord as something that 'comes' into a bond, much like a fault creeping into a machine.

Sample Sentences:

उनके रिश्ते में ख़राबी आ गई है। Trouble has crept into their relationship.

(unke rishte men kharaabii aa gaii hai।)

दोनों भाइयों के बीच पुरानी ख़राबी है। There is old discord between the two brothers.

(donon bhaaiyon ke biich puraanii kharaabii hai।)

अगर बीच में कोई ख़राबी न आए तो यह योजना ज़रूर कामयाब होगी। If no trouble crops up in between, this plan will definitely succeed.

(agar biich men koii kharaabii n aae to yah yojnaa zaroor kaamyaab hogii।)

काश उनके घर में यह ख़राबी न होती। If only there hadn't been this discord in their household.

(kaash unke ghar men yah kharaabii n hotii।)

व्यापार में जो भी ख़राबी हुई, उसे समय रहते सुधार लो। Whatever trouble has happened in the business, fix it while there's still time.

(vyaapaar men jo bhii kharaabii huii, use samay rahte sudhaar lo।)

दफ़्तर के माहौल में धीरे-धीरे ख़राबी आती रही। Discord kept creeping into the office atmosphere little by little.

(daftar ke maahaul men dhiire-dhiire kharaabii aatii rahii।)

यह ख़राबी सुलझ जाए तो सब कुछ ठीक हो जाएगा। If this discord gets sorted out, everything will be fine.

(yah kharaabii sulajh jaae to sab kuchh thiik ho jaaegaa।)

उनके कारोबारी साझेदारी में ख़राबी की वजह पैसों का लेन-देन थी। The cause of the discord in their business partnership was money dealings.

(unke kaarobaarii saajhedaarii men kharaabii kii vajah paison kaa len-den thii।)

समाज में फैली इस ख़राबी को दूर करना आसान नहीं है। It is not easy to remove this disorder that has spread through society.

(samaaj men phailii is kharaabii ko door karnaa aasaan nahiin hai।)

उनकी दोस्ती में ख़राबी इसलिए आई क्योंकि किसी ने ग़लतफ़हमी फैला दी थी। Trouble came into their friendship because someone had spread a misunderstanding.

(unkii dostii men kharaabii islie aaii kyonki kisii ne ghalatfahmii phailaa dii thii।)

Morphology

Noun

(sg.f.direct): ख़राबी (kharaabii)

(sg.f.oblique): ख़राबी (kharaabii)

(pl.f.direct): ख़राबियाँ (kharaabiyaan)

(pl.f.oblique): ख़राबियों (kharaabiyon)