गुस्ताख़ी (gustaakhii)

noun A noun meaning impudence, insolence, or a rude/impertinent act; most often heard in the fixed, polite apologetic phrase for 'forgive my impertinence.'
Sense 1 : impertinence, insolence, an impudent act
noun, feminine Frequently used in the set phrase गुस्ताख़ी माफ़ (gustaakhii maaf, 'forgive my impertinence') or गुस्ताख़ी की माफ़ी (gustaakhii kii maafii), a courteous way to preface a bold or forward remark.
Synonyms: बदतमीज़ी (badatmiizii), बेअदबी (beadbii), ढिठाई (dhithaaii, less common)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This word carries a lovely Mughal-court flavor -- you can almost picture a courtier bowing and saying गुस्ताख़ी माफ़ (gustaakhii maaf) before daring to disagree with a nawab. Today it survives mainly in that same polite-preface usage, giving even a blunt remark a graceful, old-world wrapping.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often use it too casually; in real speech गुस्ताख़ी (gustaakhii) is fairly formal/literary in tone and shows up mainly in polite set phrases or old-fashioned scoldings, not everyday complaints. 2) It is a noun, not an adjective; to describe a person as insolent, learners should reach for गुस्ताख़ (gustaakh) or बदतमीज़ (badatmiiz), not this word directly.
Sample Sentences:
गुस्ताख़ी माफ़, लेकिन आप ग़लत कह रहे हैं। Forgive my impertinence, but you are mistaken.
(gustaakhii maaf, lekin aap ghalat kah rahe hain।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
गुस्ताख़ी माफ़ हो, हुज़ूर, मगर बात कुछ और है। Pardon the impertinence, my lord, but the matter is something else entirely.
(gustaakhii maaf ho, huzoor, magar baat kuchh aur hai।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उसकी गुस्ताख़ी देखकर दरबार में सन्नाटा छा गया। Seeing his insolence, a hush fell over the court.
(uskii gustaakhii dekhkar darbaar men sannaataa chhaa gayaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
इतनी गुस्ताख़ी मत करो, बड़ों से ऐसे बात नहीं करते। Don't be so insolent, one doesn't talk to elders like that.
(itnii gustaakhii mat karo, badon se aise baat nahiin karte।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
अगर मुझसे कोई गुस्ताख़ी हुई हो तो माफ़ी चाहता हूँ। If I have committed any impertinence, I beg forgiveness.
(agar mujhse koii gustaakhii huii ho to maafii chaahtaa hoon।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उसकी हर बात में एक ख़ास तरह की गुस्ताख़ी झलकती थी। A certain kind of insolence used to show in his every word.
(uskii har baat men ek khaas tarah kii gustaakhii jhalaktii thii।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
क्या यह गुस्ताख़ी होगी अगर मैं आपकी राय से असहमत हूँ? Would it be impertinent if I disagree with your opinion?
(kyaa yah gustaakhii hogii agar main aapkii raay se asahmat hoon?)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
अगर वह इतनी गुस्ताख़ी न करता तो शायद बच जाता। If he had not shown such insolence, he might perhaps have been spared.
(agar vah itnii gustaakhii n kartaa to shaayad bach jaataa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
उसने राजा के सामने ऐसी गुस्ताख़ी की जो किसी ने पहले नहीं देखी थी। He committed such an insolent act before the king as no one had seen before.
(usne raajaa ke saamne aisii gustaakhii kii jo kisii ne pahle nahiin dekhii thii।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
गुस्ताख़ी के लिए उसे दरबार से निकाल दिया गया। He was thrown out of the court for his insolence.
(gustaakhii ke lie use darbaar se nikaal diyaa gayaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): गुस्ताख़ी (gustaakhii)
(sg.f.oblique): गुस्ताख़ी (gustaakhii)
(pl.f.direct): गुस्ताख़ियाँ (gustaakhiyaan)
(pl.f.oblique): गुस्ताख़ियों (gustaakhiyon)