गपशप (gapshap)

noun A single, warm colloquial noun meaning casual chit-chat or gossip -- the kind of relaxed talk you do over tea, not serious discussion.
Sense 1 : casual chit-chat, idle talk, gossip
noun, feminine
Synonyms: बातचीत (baatchiit), बतरस (batras, literary), चुगली (chuglii, gossip about others specifically)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is the word for the kind of unhurried talk that happens over chai on a veranda or during a lazy Sunday afternoon with neighbors -- it carries no negative charge, unlike English 'gossip' often does. You will most commonly meet it in the fixed phrase गपशप करना (gapshap karnaa, 'to chit-chat'), almost like a compound action rather than a topic of conversation.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes treat गपशप (gapshap) as a count noun and try to pluralize or number it (e.g. 'do gapshap'); it is normally used as a mass noun, most often paired with करना (karnaa) as गपशप करना (gapshap karnaa, 'to chat/chit-chat') rather than counted. 2) गपशप (gapshap) implies light, friendly talk -- for malicious gossip about a third person, चुगली (chuglii) is the sharper word, not गपशप (gapshap).
Sample Sentences:
शाम को हम छत पर बैठकर गपशप करते हैं। In the evening we sit on the roof and chit-chat.
(shaam ko ham chhat par baithkar gapshap karte hain।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
पड़ोसी चाय पीते हुए गपशप कर रहे थे। The neighbors were chit-chatting over tea.
(padosii chaay piite hue gapshap kar rahe the।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
कल रात हमने घंटों गपशप की। Last night we chit-chatted for hours.
(kal raat hamne ghanton gapshap kii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
चलो, थोड़ी गपशप करते हैं। Come on, let's chit-chat a little.
(chalo, thodii gapshap karte hain।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
काम खत्म करने के बाद ही गपशप करना। Only chit-chat after you finish the work.
(kaam khatm karne ke baad hii gapshap karnaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
अगर वक्त होता तो हम और गपशप करते। If there had been time, we would have chit-chatted more.
(agar vakt hotaa to ham aur gapshap karte।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
दफ्तर में इतनी गपशप करना ठीक नहीं है। It's not right to chit-chat so much in the office.
(daphtar men itnii gapshap karnaa thiik nahiin hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
बैठक शुरू होने से पहले सब गपशप में लगे थे। Before the meeting started, everyone was busy chit-chatting.
(baithak shuroo hone se pahle sab gapshap men lage the।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम दोनों फिर से गपशप कर रहे हो? Are you two chit-chatting again?
(kyaa tum donon phir se gapshap kar rahe ho?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
बस स्टॉप पर औरतें आपस में गपशप कर रही थीं। The women were chit-chatting among themselves at the bus stop.
(bas stop par aurten aapas men gapshap kar rahii thiin।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
रविवार की दोपहर आराम से गपशप में कट जाती है। Sunday afternoon passes leisurely in chit-chat.
(ravivaar kii dopahar aaraam se gapshap men kat jaatii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): गपशप (gapshap)
(sg.f.oblique): गपशप (gapshap)
(pl.f.direct): गपशपें (gapashpen)
(pl.f.oblique): गपशपों (gapashpon)