क़िस्सा (qissaa)

noun A conversational word for a story, tale, or anecdote, often one told orally and with a bit of drama or entertainment value; also used loosely to mean 'matter' or 'affair' in casual speech.

Sense 1 : story, tale, anecdote

noun, masculine

Synonyms: कहानी (kahaanii), दास्तान (daastaan, literary), वाकया (vaakyaa, incident)

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: Picture an elder in the family launching into a क़िस्सा (qissaa) about their college days or a memorable train journey -- it is the go-to word for that kind of animated, personal storytelling. You will also hear क़िस्सा-कहानी (qissaa-kahaanii) as a paired phrase meaning 'stories and tales' in general.

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for कहानी (kahaanii) in every context, but क़िस्सा (qissaa) specifically suggests an oral, anecdotal retelling -- something someone recounts about real (or embellished) events -- rather than a written or fictional story like a fairy tale. 2) The nuqta under क़ (q) reflects its Persian-Arabic origin; dropping it (किस्सा, kissaa) is extremely common in casual writing and still understood as the same word.

Sample Sentences:

दादाजी हमेशा अपनी जवानी का कोई न कोई क़िस्सा सुनाते हैं। Grandfather always tells some story or another about his youth.

(daadaajii hameshaa apnii javaanii kaa koii n koii qissaa sunaate hain।)

उसने अपनी ट्रेन यात्रा का क़िस्सा बड़े मज़े से सुनाया। He narrated the story of his train journey with great relish.

(usne apnii tren yaatraa kaa qissaa bade maze se sunaayaa।)

मुझे अपने कॉलेज के दिनों का एक क़िस्सा सुनाओ। Tell me a story from your college days.

(mujhe apne kolej ke dinon kaa ek qissaa sunaao।)

यह क़िस्सा हमारे परिवार में पीढ़ियों से सुनाया जाता रहा है। This story has been told in our family for generations.

(yah qissaa hamaare parivaar men piidhiyon se sunaayaa jaataa rahaa hai।)

अगर वह होता, तो वह ज़रूर यह क़िस्सा बड़े रंग में सुनाता। If he were here, he would surely tell this story with great flair.

(agar vah hotaa, to vah zaroor yah qissaa bade rang men sunaataa।)

नानी के पास बचपन के अनगिनत क़िस्से हैं। Grandmother has countless stories from childhood.

(naanii ke paas bachpan ke anginat qisse hain।)

बचपन में हम सोने से पहले दादी से क़िस्से-कहानियाँ सुनते थे। As children, we used to listen to stories and tales from grandmother before sleeping.

(bachpan men ham sone se pahle daadii se qisse-kahaaniyaan sunte the।)

शायद वह अपनी शादी का क़िस्सा सुनाए, अगर मूड में हो तो। Maybe he will tell the story of his wedding, if he is in the mood.

(shaayad vah apnii shaadii kaa qissaa sunaae, agar mood men ho to।)

यह किताब लेखक की अपनी ज़िंदगी के क़िस्सों पर आधारित है। This book is based on stories from the author's own life.

(yah kitaab lekhak kii apnii zindgii ke qisson par aadhaarit hai।)

महफ़िल में बुज़ुर्गों के पुराने क़िस्से देर रात तक चलते रहे। At the gathering, the elders' old stories went on until late at night.

(mahfil men buzurgon ke puraane qisse der raat tak chalte rahe।)

उसकी ज़िंदगी का क़िस्सा किसी फ़िल्म की कहानी जैसा लगता है। The story of his life feels like the plot of a movie.

(uskii zindgii kaa qissaa kisii film kii kahaanii jaisaa lagtaa hai।)

Sense 2 : matter, affair, business (often with a negative or dismissive shade)

noun, masculine Common in the fixed complaint क़िस्सा ख़त्म (qissaa khatm, 'matter closed/end of story'), used to shut down a discussion.

Synonyms: मामला (maamlaa), चक्कर (chakkar, colloquial)

Frequency: medium

Cultural Note: This is the word you will hear when someone throws up their hands over some drawn-out family or office drama: यह क़िस्सा बहुत पुराना है (yah qissaa bahut puraanaa hai, 'this affair is a very old one') -- implying everyone is tired of hearing about it.

Common Mistakes: 1) In this sense क़िस्सा (qissaa) usually carries a slightly weary or exasperated tone, as in पूरा क़िस्सा ही अजीब है (pooraa qissaa hii ajiib hai, 'the whole affair is strange') -- it is not a neutral synonym for मामला (maamlaa) in formal contexts like legal or business matters.

Sample Sentences:

यह क़िस्सा बहुत पुराना है। This affair is a very old one.

(yah qissaa bahut puraanaa hai।)

अब इस क़िस्से को यहीं ख़त्म करो। Now put an end to this whole matter right here.

(ab is qisse ko yahiin khatm karo।)

उनके तलाक़ का क़िस्सा पूरे मोहल्ले में फैल गया। The whole business of their divorce spread through the entire neighborhood.

(unke talaaq kaa qissaa poore mohalle men phail gayaa।)

यह क़िस्सा सुलझने में अभी और वक़्त लगेगा। This matter will still take more time to get resolved.

(yah qissaa sulajhne men abhii aur vaqt lagegaa।)

काश यह क़िस्सा कभी शुरू ही न हुआ होता। If only this whole affair had never even started.

(kaash yah qissaa kabhii shuroo hii n huaa hotaa।)

दफ़्तर की सियासत का क़िस्सा हर हफ़्ते कोई नया मोड़ लेता है। The whole office-politics business takes some new turn every week.

(daftar kii siyaasat kaa qissaa har hafte koii nayaa mod letaa hai।)

इस क़िस्से में आपकी दख़लअंदाज़ी बिलकुल ज़रूरी नहीं थी। Your interference in this matter was not at all necessary.

(is qisse men aapkii dakhlaandaazii bilkul zaroorii nahiin thii।)

यह पूरा क़िस्सा अदालत में सालों तक घसीटा जाता रहा। This entire affair kept getting dragged through the courts for years.

(yah pooraa qissaa adaalat men saalon tak ghasiitaa jaataa rahaa।)

मुझे लगता है कि यह क़िस्सा किसी और के हाथ में सौंप देना चाहिए। I think this matter should be handed over to someone else.

(mujhe lagtaa hai ki yah qissaa kisii aur ke haath men saump denaa chaahie।)

अरे, वह पुराना ज़मीन वाला क़िस्सा फिर उठ गया क्या? Oh no, has that old land dispute matter come up again?

(are, vah puraanaa zamiin vaalaa qissaa phir uth gayaa kyaa?)

Morphology

Noun

(sg.m.direct): क़िस्सा (qissaa)

(sg.m.oblique): क़िस्से (qisse)

(pl.m.direct): क़िस्से (qisse)

(pl.m.oblique): क़िस्सों (qisson)