मूर्खता (moorkhtaa)

noun A single-sense noun meaning 'foolishness/stupidity' -- the abstract quality, or a specific foolish act.
Sense 1 : foolishness, stupidity
noun, feminine
Synonyms: बेवकूफी (bevkoophii), नासमझी (naasamjhii), बुद्धिहीनता (buddhihiintaa, rare)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: मूर्खता (moorkhtaa) comes from मूर्ख (moorkh, 'fool') plus the abstract-noun suffix -ता (taa), the same pattern you see in सुंदरता (sundartaa, 'beauty') from सुंदर (sundar). It has a slightly more formal, almost scolding-elder register compared to the everyday बेवकूफी (bevkoophii) -- think of a teacher or parent saying यह मूर्खता है (yah moorkhtaa hai, 'this is foolishness') rather than a friend teasing you casually.
Common Mistakes: 1) Used both for the abstract trait ('foolishness is not good') and for a specific act ('doing that was a foolish thing'), often with करना (karnaa) as in मूर्खता करना (moorkhtaa karnaa, 'to do something foolish') -- learners sometimes reach only for बेवकूफी (bevkoophii) in the second use, but मूर्खता (moorkhtaa) works equally well and sounds a touch more formal/bookish. 2) It is feminine, so adjectives and verb agreement must follow accordingly -- यह मूर्खता थी (yah moorkhtaa thii, 'this was foolishness'), not थी replaced by था.
Sample Sentences:
यह तो निरी मूर्खता है। This is sheer foolishness.
(yah to nirii moorkhtaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अपनी गलती मानने के बजाय बहाने बनाना मूर्खता है। Making excuses instead of admitting your mistake is foolishness.
(apnii galtii maanne ke bajaay bahaane banaanaa moorkhtaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उसने अपनी मूर्खता के कारण सारा पैसा गँवा दिया। He lost all his money because of his foolishness.
(usne apnii moorkhtaa ke kaaran saaraa paisaa ganvaa diyaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
शिक्षक ने कहा, "बिना सोचे-समझे उत्तर देना मूर्खता है।" The teacher said, "Answering without thinking is foolishness."
(shikshak ne kahaa, "binaa soche-samjhe uttar denaa moorkhtaa hai।")
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
काश उस समय मुझे अपनी मूर्खता का एहसास हो जाता। If only I had realized my foolishness back then.
(kaash us samay mujhe apnii moorkhtaa kaa ehsaas ho jaataa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Perfective -- Voice: Active
अगर तुम फिर वही गलती करोगे, तो यह मूर्खता ही कहलाएगी। If you make that same mistake again, it will be called nothing but foolishness.
(agar tum phir vahii galtii karoge, to yah moorkhtaa hii kahlaaegii।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Passive
पिताजी हमेशा कहते थे कि क्रोध में लिया गया फैसला मूर्खता होती है। Father always used to say that a decision made in anger is foolishness.
(pitaajii hameshaa kahte the ki krodh men liyaa gayaa phaislaa moorkhtaa hotii hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
क्या यह मूर्खता नहीं होगी कि हम बिना योजना बनाए निकल पड़ें? Wouldn't it be foolishness for us to set out without making a plan?
(kyaa yah moorkhtaa nahiin hogii ki ham binaa yojnaa banaae nikal paden?)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
गुरुजी ने शिष्य की मूर्खता पर सिर पकड़ लिया। The guru held his head at the disciple's foolishness.
(gurujii ne shishy kii moorkhtaa par sir pakad liyaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अपनी मूर्खता स्वीकार करो, तभी सुधार संभव है। Admit your foolishness, only then is improvement possible.
(apnii moorkhtaa sviikaar karo, tabhii sudhaar sambhav hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): मूर्खता (moorkhtaa)
(sg.f.oblique): मूर्खता (moorkhtaa)
(pl.f.direct): मूर्खताएँ (moorkhtaaen)
(pl.f.oblique): मूर्खताओं (moorkhtaaon)