गुंजाइश (gunjaaish)
noun
A single-sense noun meaning 'room' or 'scope' for something to happen -- physical space, or more often figurative space like room for improvement, negotiation, or doubt.
Sense
1
:
scope, room, leeway (for something to happen or be done)
noun, feminine Almost always used with a following genitive or एक postposition phrase: गुंजाइश होना (gunjaaish honaa) 'there to be room/scope', or X में गुंजाइश (X men gunjaaish) 'scope within X'. Frequently paired with कोई नहीं (koii nahiin) to mean 'no room at all', as in कोई गुंजाइश नहीं (koii gunjaaish nahiin, 'no room/chance at all').
Synonyms: जगह (jagah, physical sense only), मौका (maukaa, opportunity sense), संभावना (sambhaavnaa, possibility sense)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This word shows up constantly in office, family, and political talk in Delhi -- 'sudhaar ki gunjaaish hai' (room for improvement) is something every boss says gently instead of being blunt. It carries a diplomatic, softening flavor: saying kuch gunjaaish nahi hai (kuchh gunjaaish nahiin hai, 'there's no room at all') shuts a door firmly but politely, which is very much in keeping with how directness is often cushioned in Hindi conversation.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for जगह (jagah) when they mean figurative 'room for X' (like room for improvement or negotiation) -- गुंजाइश (gunjaaish) is the natural word there, while जगह (jagah) sounds oddly literal. 2) It pairs with है (hai) / नहीं है (nahiin hai) via the dative-subject-like frame [किसी के लिए/में] गुंजाइश है (gunjaaish hai) -- learners sometimes try to make it the direct object of a verb like 'have,' producing an unnatural sentence.
Sample Sentences:
इस काम में सुधार की गुंजाइश है।
There's room for improvement in this work.
(is kaam men sudhaar kii gunjaaish hai।)
माफ़ करना, इसमें कोई गुंजाइश नहीं है।
I'm sorry, there's no room for that at all.
(maaf karnaa, ismen koii gunjaaish nahiin hai।)
क्या बजट में थोड़ी गुंजाइश निकल सकती है?
Could a little leeway be found in the budget?
(kyaa bajat men thodii gunjaaish nikal saktii hai?)
अगर समय पर बताया होता, तो कुछ गुंजाइश निकल आती।
If you had told me on time, some room could have been found.
(agar samay par bataayaa hotaa, to kuchh gunjaaish nikal aatii।)
समझौते में दोनों पक्षों के लिए गुंजाइश छोड़ी गई थी।
Room was left in the agreement for both sides.
(samjhaute men donon pakshon ke lie gunjaaish chhodii gaii thii।)
बॉस ने कहा कि प्रोजेक्ट में और मेहनत की गुंजाइश है।
The boss said there's room for more effort in the project.
(bos ne kahaa ki projekt men aur mehnat kii gunjaaish hai।)
थोड़ी गुंजाइश तो रखो, हर बात में इतनी सख्ती मत करो।
Leave a little room, don't be so strict about everything.
(thodii gunjaaish to rakho, har baat men itnii sakhtii mat karo।)
अगले हफ्ते तक शायद कुछ गुंजाइश बन जाएगी।
By next week, some room will probably open up.
(agle haphte tak shaayad kuchh gunjaaish ban jaaegii।)
नियमों में इतनी गुंजाइश नहीं होती कि हर किसी को छूट मिल जाए।
The rules don't usually have enough leeway for everyone to get an exemption.
(niymon men itnii gunjaaish nahiin hotii ki har kisii ko chhoot mil jaae।)
यार, इस बार बिल्कुल गुंजाइश नहीं है, अगली बार देख लेंगे।
Dude, there's absolutely no room this time, we'll see next time.
(yaar, is baar bilkul gunjaaish nahiin hai, aglii baar dekh lenge।)
संविधान में संशोधन की गुंजाइश हमेशा से रही है।
There has always been scope for amendment in the constitution.
(sanvidhaan men sanshodhan kii gunjaaish hameshaa se rahii hai।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
गुंजाइश
(gunjaaish)
(sg.f.oblique):
गुंजाइश
(gunjaaish)
(pl.f.direct):
गुंजाइशें
(gunjaaishen)
(pl.f.oblique):
गुंजाइशों
(gunjaaishon)