कठिन
kaṭhin/kə.ʈʰɪn/
The English word 'difficult' can be translated into Hindi using कठिन (kaṭhin). Wiktionary also lists मुश्किल (muśkil) and दुश्वार (duśvār).
Meaning: hard, not easy (adj)
Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| कठिन | kaṭhin | /kə.ʈʰɪn/ (Hindi, Standard) |
| मुश्किल | muśkil | /mʊʃ.kɪl/ (Hindi, Standard) |
| दुश्वार | duśvār | /d̪ʊʃ.ʋɑːɾ/ (Hindi, Standard) |
| दूभर | dūbhar | /d̪uː.bʱəɾ/ (Hindi, Standard) |
The terms used to express that something is hard or not easy vary depending on the intensity and the context of the situation. दूभर is used to describe a situation that is so difficult it becomes nearly impossible or unbearable to endure.
Which one should you use?
कठिन is more formal and is often used in written or literary contexts compared to मुश्किल.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
कठिन is a formal term used in formal situations or complex matters. For a highly formal or poetic tone, often used in Urdu-influenced literary Hindi, you can use दुश्वार.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word मुश्किल is an indeclinable adjective, meaning it does not change its form based on the gender or number of the noun it describes.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of कठिन is /kə.ʈʰɪn/. It has 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- The word मुश्किल is an Arabic loanword that entered Hindi via Persian, reflecting the deep linguistic influence of the Mughal Empire on everyday speech.
- In many parts of India, people will naturally switch between these terms mid-sentence. A speaker might start a sentence with a formal Sanskrit-based word and end it with a Persian-based one without any sense of inconsistency.
- The term कठिन is the preferred word in official government documents and textbooks, whereas मुश्किल dominates movie dialogue and street conversation.
Examples in context
- उन्होंने ही हमें कठिन समय में सँभाला था।He was the one who assisted us in difficult times.This sentence is useful for describing assistance provided during कठिन times.Tatoeba #12393657 by Saumya, translation #12393658 by Saumya
- प्रत्येक व्यक्ति को प्रसन्न करना बहुत कठिन है।It is very difficult to please everybody.This sentence shows the use of कठिन to express the difficulty of a task.
- यह बहुत मुश्किल था।It was very difficult.This sentence demonstrates a common way to use मुश्किल.Tatoeba #2654562 by gauravjiii, translation #37769 by CK
- 20 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Rahul and Pooja are discussing a math problem.
- पूजा Poojaयह सवाल बहुत कठिन है।Yeh sawal bahut kathin hai.This question is very difficult.
- राहुल Rahulहाँ, यह काफी कठिन है।Haan, yeh kaafi kathin hai.Yes, it is quite difficult.
- पूजा Poojaक्या तुम इसे हल कर सकते हो?Kya tum ise hal kar sakte ho?Can you solve it?
- राहुल Rahulमैं कोशिश करूँगा, पूजा।Main koshish karunga, Pooja.I will try, Pooja.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “difficult” translations and entries कठिन, मुश्किल, दुश्वार, दूभर, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries कठिन, दुश्वार, दूभर, मुश्किल, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
