लुत्फ़ (lutf)

noun A borrowed noun from Persian/Arabic meaning 'enjoyment' or 'pleasure,' almost always seen in the fixed phrase लुत्फ़ उठाना (lutf uthaanaa) 'to relish/savor something.'
Sense 1 : enjoyment, pleasure, relish
noun, masculine Almost always occurs with उठाना (uthaanaa) as a light-verb pairing -- लुत्फ़ उठाना (lutf uthaanaa, 'to enjoy/relish') -- rather than standing alone as a subject or object of ordinary verbs.
Synonyms: मज़ा (mazaa), आनंद (aanand, slightly more formal), आनंद (aanand)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: लुत्फ़ (lutf) carries a slightly more refined, almost poetic flavor than the everyday मज़ा (mazaa) -- you will hear it often around food, music, monsoon evenings, or good company, especially from an older or more literary-minded speaker. It comes from Arabic via Persian/Urdu, reflecting the Mughal-Delhi cultural layer embedded in everyday Hindi vocabulary.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for मज़ा लेना (mazaa lenaa) instead, which is fine, but पैदा नहीं करना combinations like 'लुत्फ़ लेना' (lutf lenaa) also exist alongside 'लुत्फ़ उठाना' (lutf uthaanaa) -- both are heard, so don't assume only one verb pairs with it. 2) It is not used the way 'fun' is used in English for lighthearted activity generally; it leans toward savoring something (a meal, a view, an experience) rather than casual fun.
Sample Sentences:
बारिश के मौसम में गरम चाय का अलग ही लुत्फ़ है। Hot tea has a special pleasure of its own in the rainy season.
(baarish ke mausam men garam chaay kaa alag hii lutf hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
हमने पुरानी दिल्ली की गलियों में खाने का खूब लुत्फ़ उठाया। We thoroughly enjoyed the food in the lanes of old Delhi.
(hamne puraanii dillii kii galiyon men khaane kaa khoob lutf uthaayaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
महफ़िल में गज़लें सुनने का लुत्फ़ ही कुछ और था। The pleasure of listening to ghazals at the gathering was something else altogether.
(mahfil men gazlen sunne kaa lutf hii kuchh aur thaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
छुट्टियों का लुत्फ़ उठाइए, फिर काम की भागदौड़ शुरू हो जाएगी। Enjoy the holidays -- the hustle of work will start again soon.
(chhuttiyon kaa lutf uthaaie, phir kaam kii bhaagdaud shuroo ho jaaegii।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
अगर तुम जल्दी न करते तो शाम की महफ़िल का पूरा लुत्फ़ ले पाते। If you hadn't rushed, you would have been able to fully enjoy the evening gathering.
(agar tum jaldii n karte to shaam kii mahfil kaa pooraa lutf le paate।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
दादाजी कहते हैं कि ज़िंदगी का असली लुत्फ़ छोटी-छोटी बातों में छिपा होता है। Grandfather says that the real enjoyment of life is hidden in small things.
(daadaajii kahte hain ki zindgii kaa aslii lutf chhotii-chhotii baaton men chhipaa hotaa hai।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम्हें सचमुच किताबें पढ़ने में लुत्फ़ आता है? Do you really find pleasure in reading books?
(kyaa tumhen sachmuch kitaaben padhne men lutf aataa hai?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उम्मीद है आपको हमारी मेहमाननवाज़ी का पूरा लुत्फ़ मिला होगा। I hope you found full enjoyment in our hospitality.
(ummiid hai aapko hamaarii mehmaananvaazii kaa pooraa lutf milaa hogaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
संगीत सुनते हुए उसकी आँखों में लुत्फ़ साफ़ झलक रहा था। While listening to music, the pleasure was clearly showing in his eyes.
(sangiit sunte hue uskii aankhon men lutf saaf jhalak rahaa thaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): लुत्फ़ (lutf)
(sg.m.oblique): लुत्फ़ (lutf)
(pl.m.direct): लुत्फ़ (lutf)
(pl.m.oblique): लुत्फ़ों (lutfon)