पाप (paap)

noun A noun meaning 'sin' or 'moral wrongdoing' in both religious and everyday ethical senses; also used as an adjective-like intensifier in a few fixed expressions of pity or reproach.

Sense 1 : sin, moral wrongdoing

noun, masculine

Synonyms: गुनाह (gunaah), अपराध (apraadh, more like 'crime/offense'), दोष (dosh, fault/blame)

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: In everyday Hindu moral thinking, पाप (paap) is paired with पुण्य (puny, 'merit/virtue') -- life is often framed as a running ledger between the two, and elders will invoke पाप (paap) to discourage anything from cruelty to animals to wasting food. You will also hear it in the mild exclamation पाप लगेगा (paap lagegaa, 'it will bring sin upon you'), said half-seriously when someone is about to do something unkind or wasteful.

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes reach for अपराध (apraadh) when they mean a moral/religious sin -- पाप (paap) carries a spiritual or karmic weight that अपराध (apraadh) (closer to 'crime' or 'legal offense') does not. 2) पाप लगना (paap lagnaa, 'sin attaches/accrues') is a common construction -- sin is described as something that 'sticks to' a person, not something one 'does' in the direct English sense, even though पाप करना (paap karnaa) also exists.

Sample Sentences:

झूठ बोलना पाप है। Lying is a sin.

(jhooth bolnaa paap hai।)

खाना बर्बाद मत करो, पाप लगेगा। Don't waste food, it'll bring sin upon you.

(khaanaa barbaad mat karo, paap lagegaa।)

उसने अपने जीवन में बहुत पाप किए थे। He had committed many sins in his life.

(usne apne jiivan men bahut paap kie the।)

दादी कहती हैं कि जानवरों को सताना पाप है। Grandmother says that tormenting animals is a sin.

(daadii kahtii hain ki jaanavron ko sataanaa paap hai।)

अगर मैं यह पैसा चुराता, तो यह पाप होता। If I had stolen this money, it would have been a sin.

(agar main yah paisaa churaataa, to yah paap hotaa।)

इस मंदिर में लोग अपने पापों का प्रायश्चित करने आते हैं। People come to this temple to atone for their sins.

(is mandir men log apne paapon kaa praayashchit karne aate hain।)

शास्त्रों में कहा गया है कि पाप का फल अवश्य मिलता है। It is said in the scriptures that sin's fruit is certainly received.

(shaastron men kahaa gayaa hai ki paap kaa phal avashy miltaa hai।)

क्या सच में झूठी कसम खाना इतना बड़ा पाप है? Is swearing a false oath really such a big sin?

(kyaa sach men jhoothii kasam khaanaa itnaa badaa paap hai?)

पुजारी जी बोले कि निर्दोष को दुख देना घोर पाप है। The priest said that causing pain to an innocent person is a grave sin.

(pujaarii jii bole ki nirdosh ko dukh denaa ghor paap hai।)

उसे डर था कि उसके पाप कभी माफ़ नहीं होंगे। He was afraid that his sins would never be forgiven.

(use dar thaa ki uske paap kabhii maaf nahiin honge।)

काश वह अपने पापों का बोध कर पाता। If only he could realize his sins.

(kaash vah apne paapon kaa bodh kar paataa।)

Sense 2 : pity, shame (in fixed exclamatory expressions)

noun, masculine Occurs almost exclusively in the fixed phrase पाप है (paap hai, 'it's a shame/sin [to do this]'), used to express that some act would be a waste or a pity, distinct from a genuine moral-sin judgment.

Synonyms: अफ़सोस (afsos, regret/pity, not a direct synonym but overlaps in this use)

Frequency: medium

Cultural Note: You'll hear a grandmother say खाना फेंकना पाप है (khaanaa phenknaa paap hai, 'throwing away food is a sin') without meaning anything theological at all -- it's a rhetorical nudge, much like an English speaker saying 'it's a crime to waste this.'

Common Mistakes: 1) पाप है (paap hai, 'it would be a shame') is often used lightly, e.g. about wasting good food, and should not be translated with the full religious weight of sense 1 -- it is closer to English 'what a shame' or 'that would be a crime' (in the loose sense).

Sample Sentences:

खाना फेंकना पाप है। It's a shame to throw away food.

(khaanaa phenknaa paap hai।)

इतना अच्छा खाना बर्बाद करना पाप है। It's a crime to waste such good food.

(itnaa achchhaa khaanaa barbaad karnaa paap hai।)

इतनी मेहनत से बनाई चीज़ को यूँ ही छोड़ देना पाप है। It's a shame to just abandon something made with so much effort.

(itnii mehnat se banaaii chiiz ko yoon hii chhod denaa paap hai।)

बूढ़ी दादी बोली, ऐसा सुंदर बगीचा उजाड़ना पाप है। The old grandmother said, it's a shame to ruin such a beautiful garden.

(boodhii daadii bolii, aisaa sundar bagiichaa ujaadnaa paap hai।)

क्या पाप है, इतनी नई किताब को ऐसे फाड़ दिया! What a shame, he tore up such a new book like that!

(kyaa paap hai, itnii naii kitaab ko aise phaad diyaa!)

अगर तुम यह मौका गँवा दोगे तो बड़ा पाप होगा। If you waste this chance, it will be a real shame.

(agar tum yah maukaa ganvaa doge to badaa paap hogaa।)

मुझे तो लगता है ऐसे हुनर को यूँ ही बर्बाद करना पाप होगा। I think it would be a real shame to let a talent like that go to waste.

(mujhe to lagtaa hai aise hunar ko yoon hii barbaad karnaa paap hogaa।)

अरे, रोटी नीचे मत गिराओ, यह तो पाप है। Hey, don't drop the roti on the floor, that's practically a sin.

(are, rotii niiche mat giraao, yah to paap hai।)

इतने अच्छे मौसम में घर बैठे रहना भी एक तरह का पाप है। Staying stuck at home in such lovely weather is a kind of shame too.

(itne achchhe mausam men ghar baithe rahnaa bhii ek tarah kaa paap hai।)

Morphology

Noun

(sg.m.direct): पाप (paap)

(sg.m.oblique): पाप (paap)

(pl.m.direct): पाप (paap)

(pl.m.oblique): पापों (paapon)