फ़र्ज़ (farz)

noun A noun meaning 'duty' or 'obligation' -- the sense of moral or social responsibility one is bound to fulfill. Closely tied to the idiom फ़र्ज़ अदा करना (farz adaa karnaa, to fulfill one's duty).
Sense 1 : duty, moral obligation
noun, masculine
Synonyms: कर्तव्य (kartavy), ज़िम्मेदारी (zimmedaarii, responsibility, slightly broader), दायित्व (daayitv, formal)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: फ़र्ज़ (farz) is a word with real emotional gravity in Hindi -- it shows up in conversations about parents, soldiers, and children living up to family expectations, e.g. यह मेरा फ़र्ज़ है (yah meraa farz hai, 'this is my duty'). It is an Urdu-origin word fully at home in everyday Hindi, sitting alongside the more Sanskritic कर्तव्य (kartavy) with which it is largely interchangeable in speech.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for ज़िम्मेदारी (zimmedaarii) as a blanket synonym, but फ़र्ज़ (farz) carries a stronger moral or almost sacred weight -- it is what you owe out of conscience, not just a task assigned to you. 2) The common verb pairing is फ़र्ज़ अदा करना (farz adaa karnaa, to discharge one's duty) or फ़र्ज़ निभाना (farz nibhaanaa, to fulfill one's duty) -- not फ़र्ज़ करना (farz karnaa), which sounds odd to native ears.
Sample Sentences:
यह मेरा फ़र्ज़ है कि मैं अपने माता-पिता की देखभाल करूँ। It is my duty to take care of my parents.
(yah meraa farz hai ki main apne maataa-pitaa kii dekhbhaal karoon।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
एक सैनिक अपने फ़र्ज़ के लिए जान भी दे देता है। A soldier even gives his life for his duty.
(ek sainik apne farz ke lie jaan bhii de detaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उसने अपना फ़र्ज़ निभाया और परिवार का साथ नहीं छोड़ा। He fulfilled his duty and did not abandon his family.
(usne apnaa farz nibhaayaa aur parivaar kaa saath nahiin chhodaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अपना फ़र्ज़ पूरा करो, फिर चाहे कुछ भी हो। Do your duty, whatever may happen after that.
(apnaa farz pooraa karo, phir chaahe kuchh bhii ho।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
अगर वह अपना फ़र्ज़ समझता तो आज यह हालत न होती। If he had understood his duty, things would not be like this today.
(agar vah apnaa farz samajhtaa to aaj yah haalat n hotii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
बच्चों का फ़र्ज़ है कि वे बुज़ुर्गों का सम्मान करें। It is the duty of children to respect their elders.
(bachchon kaa farz hai ki ve buzurgon kaa sammaan karen।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
डॉक्टर होने के नाते मरीज़ की जान बचाना उसका फ़र्ज़ था। Being a doctor, saving the patient's life was his duty.
(doktar hone ke naate mariiz kii jaan bachaanaa uskaa farz thaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
फ़र्ज़ निभाते हुए उसने अपनी खुशियों की परवाह नहीं की। While fulfilling his duty, he did not care about his own happiness.
(farz nibhaate hue usne apnii khushiyon kii parvaah nahiin kii।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
क्या यह हमारा फ़र्ज़ नहीं बनता कि हम देश की सेवा करें? Isn't it our duty to serve the nation?
(kyaa yah hamaaraa farz nahiin bantaa ki ham desh kii sevaa karen?)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उससे फ़र्ज़ भुलाया नहीं जाता, वह बहुत ज़िम्मेदार आदमी है। Duty cannot be forgotten by him, he is a very responsible man.
(usse farz bhulaayaa nahiin jaataa, vah bahut zimmedaar aadmii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
फ़र्ज़ अदा करने के बाद ही उसे सुकून मिला। Only after discharging his duty did he find peace.
(farz adaa karne ke baad hii use sukoon milaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): फ़र्ज़ (farz)
(sg.m.oblique): फ़र्ज़ (farz)
(pl.m.direct): फ़र्ज़ (farz)
(pl.m.oblique): फ़र्ज़ों (farzon)