समस्या (samasyaa)

noun A common, single-sense noun meaning 'problem' or 'issue' -- one of the everyday words you will use constantly to talk about troubles big and small.
Sense 1 : problem, issue, difficulty
noun, feminine
Synonyms: मुश्किल (mushkil), परेशानी (pareshaanii, everyday hassle/worry), मसला (maslaa, issue/matter to be resolved), दिक्कत (dikkat, colloquial)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will hear समस्या (samasyaa) constantly on the news and in office/school talk -- it has a slightly more formal, 'issue to be addressed' flavor than the very casual परेशानी (pareshaanii), which is what you'd say about your own daily headaches like traffic or a leaky tap. Reach for समस्या (samasyaa) when the problem feels more objective or structural (a country's water समस्या (samasyaa), a maths समस्या (samasyaa)).
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for तकलीफ (takliiph) to mean 'problem,' but तकलीफ (takliiph) leans toward physical pain or personal discomfort/inconvenience, while समस्या (samasyaa) is the neutral word for an objective problem or issue (a math problem, a national problem, a work problem). 2) समस्या (samasyaa) pairs naturally with होना (honaa) ('there is a problem') and हल करना (hal karnaa) ('to solve a problem') -- learners sometimes force करना (karnaa) alone where हल करना (hal karnaa) or सुलझाना (suljhaanaa) is what natives actually say.
Sample Sentences:
देश के सामने पानी की गंभीर समस्या है। The country is facing a serious water problem.
(desh ke saamne paanii kii gambhiir samasyaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
मुझे यह गणित की समस्या समझ नहीं आ रही है। I'm not able to understand this math problem.
(mujhe yah ganit kii samasyaa samajh nahiin aa rahii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
इस समस्या का हल कोई नहीं ढूँढ पाया। No one was able to find a solution to this problem.
(is samasyaa kaa hal koii nahiin dhoondh paayaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगर सरकार समय पर ध्यान देती तो यह समस्या इतनी नहीं बढ़ती। If the government had paid attention in time, this problem wouldn't have grown so much.
(agar sarkaar samay par dhyaan detii to yah samasyaa itnii nahiin badhtii।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
कृपया अपनी समस्या विस्तार से बताएँ। Please explain your problem in detail.
(kripyaa apnii samasyaa vistaar se bataaen।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
यह समस्या पिछले कई सालों से सुलझाई नहीं गई है। This problem hasn't been resolved for several years now.
(yah samasyaa pichhle kaii saalon se suljhaaii nahiin gaii hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
शायद यह समस्या अगले महीने तक हल हो जाए। Perhaps this problem will get resolved by next month.
(shaayad yah samasyaa agle mahiine tak hal ho jaae।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
देश की सबसे बड़ी समस्या बेरोज़गारी है। The country's biggest problem is unemployment.
(desh kii sabse badii samasyaa berozgaarii hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
टीम इस समस्या पर लगातार काम कर रही है। The team is continuously working on this problem.
(tiim is samasyaa par lagaataar kaam kar rahii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
हमें इस समस्या की जड़ तक जाना होगा। We will have to get to the root of this problem.
(hamen is samasyaa kii jad tak jaanaa hogaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
अगर सब मिलकर सोचें, तो हर समस्या का हल निकल सकता है। If everyone thinks together, a solution to every problem can be found.
(agar sab milkar sochen, to har samasyaa kaa hal nikal saktaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): समस्या (samasyaa)
(sg.f.oblique): समस्या (samasyaa)
(pl.f.direct): समस्याएँ (samasyaaen)
(pl.f.oblique): समस्याओं (samasyaaon)