लापरवाही (laaparvaahii)

noun A single-sense noun meaning 'carelessness' or 'negligence' -- built from लापरवा (laaparvaa, 'careless') plus the abstract-noun suffix ी.
Sense 1 : carelessness, negligence
noun, feminine
Synonyms: असावधानी (asaavdhaanii), बेपरवाही (beparvaahii, variant form), अनदेखी (andekhii, meaning scope: overlooking/ignoring something rather than general carelessness)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You'll hear this word a lot in Delhi traffic complaints and news reports -- लापरवाही से गाड़ी चलाना (laaparvaahii se gaadii chalaanaa, 'to drive negligently') is a stock phrase in accident reports. It also shows up in parental scoldings: थोड़ी सी लापरवाही (thodii sii laaparvaahii, 'a little bit of carelessness') is the classic prelude to a lecture about spilled milk or lost keys.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often say लापरवाह (laaparvaah) (the adjective 'careless') when they mean the noun -- लापरवाही (laaparvaahii) is the thing itself ('carelessness'), while लापरवाह (laaparvaah) describes a careless person. 2) It usually pairs with करना (karnaa) as in लापरवाही करना (laaparvaahii karnaa, 'to be careless/act negligently') or बरतना (baratnaa) in more formal contexts, not with होना (honaa) alone when describing an action.
Sample Sentences:
लापरवाही से गाड़ी चलाना बहुत खतरनाक है। Driving negligently is very dangerous.
(laaparvaahii se gaadii chalaanaa bahut khatarnaak hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
थोड़ी सी लापरवाही और सारा दूध बिखर गया। Just a little carelessness and all the milk spilled.
(thodii sii laaparvaahii aur saaraa doodh bikhar gayaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
उसकी लापरवाही की वजह से हादसा हुआ। The accident happened because of his carelessness.
(uskii laaparvaahii kii vajah se haadsaa huaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
डॉक्टर की लापरवाही के कारण मरीज़ की हालत बिगड़ गई। Due to the doctor's negligence, the patient's condition worsened.
(doktar kii laaparvaahii ke kaaran mariiz kii haalat bigad gaii।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
काम में लापरवाही मत बरतो, वरना नुकसान हो जाएगा। Don't be careless in your work, or there will be a loss.
(kaam men laaparvaahii mat barto, varnaa nuksaan ho jaaegaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
अगर तुमने थोड़ी भी लापरवाही की, तो चाबियाँ फिर खो जाएँगी। If you're even a little careless, the keys will get lost again.
(agar tumne thodii bhii laaparvaahii kii, to chaabiyaan phir kho jaaengii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
पुलिस रिपोर्ट में ड्राइवर की लापरवाही का ज़िक्र किया गया। The driver's negligence was mentioned in the police report.
(pulis riport men draaivar kii laaparvaahii kaa zikr kiyaa gayaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
अगर तुमने ज़रा भी लापरवाही न बरती होती, तो यह हादसा न होता। If you hadn't been the slightest bit careless, this accident wouldn't have happened.
(agar tumne zaraa bhii laaparvaahii n bartii hotii, to yah haadsaa n hotaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Perfective -- Voice: Active
मैं चाहता हूँ कि तुम अपनी पढ़ाई में लापरवाही न करो। I want you to not be careless about your studies.
(main chaahtaa hoon ki tum apnii padhaaii men laaparvaahii n karo।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
सड़क पर इतनी लापरवाही से गाड़ी चलाने वाले बहुत हैं। There are many people who drive so negligently on the road.
(sadak par itnii laaparvaahii se gaadii chalaane vaale bahut hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अस्पताल प्रशासन की लापरवाही के चलते कई शिकायतें दर्ज की गई हैं। Due to the hospital administration's negligence, many complaints have been filed.
(asptaal prashaasan kii laaparvaahii ke chalte kaii shikaayten darj kii gaii hain।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): लापरवाही (laaparvaahii)
(sg.f.oblique): लापरवाही (laaparvaahii)
(pl.f.direct): लापरवाहियाँ (laaparvaahiyaan)
(pl.f.oblique): लापरवाहियों (laaparvaahiyon)