बेकार
bekār/beː.kɑːɾ/
The English word useless is translated into Hindi as बेकार (bekār). Wiktionary also lists निरर्थक (nirarthak).
Meaning: without use or possibility to be used (adj)
Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| बेकार | bekār | /beː.kɑːɾ/ (Hindi, Standard) |
| निरर्थक | nirarthak | /nɪ.ɾəɾ.t̪ʰək/ (Hindi, Standard) |
The term useless in Hindi describes something that lacks use or possibility to be used.
What does it mean word for word?
The word bekār is composed of the prefix be- (without) and kār (work or use).
Which one should you use?
The word bekār is used for physical objects or people that are no longer functional or useful, and it can also mean 'unemployed' or 'idle'. In contrast, nirarthak refers specifically to abstract concepts that are 'meaningless' or 'void of sense', such as a pointless effort or a meaningless argument.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
bekār is the standard colloquial term used in everyday conversation. If you want to use informal slang, you can use फालतू.
How do you pronounce it?
bekār
Did you know?
- The word nirarthak breaks down into nir meaning 'without' and arth meaning 'meaning' or 'purpose', linking it to the word for 'money' in Hindi, arth, which also implies 'value'.
- The distinction between bekār and nirarthak is a classic example of the overlap between Persian and Sanskrit in Hindi.
- Hindi speakers often use fāltū to describe 'useless' chatter, which is a specific cultural nuance referring to gossip or meaningless small talk.
Examples in context
- टॉम बेकार है।Tom is useless.This sentence uses बेकार to describe a person.Tatoeba #3978682 by sabretou, translation #2203561 by CK
- मैंने ज़िन्दगी में पहली बार कोई अच्छा काम किया पर वह भी बेकार निकला।For once in my life I'm doing a good deed… And it is useless.This sentence uses बेकार to describe an action or deed that turned out to be of no use.Tatoeba #482429 by minshirui, translation #3257 by sugisaki
- इस प्रयास को निरर्थक माना जा सकता है।This effort can be considered useless.
- यह वस्त्र बेकार हो गया है।This clothing has become useless.
- यह पुराना पेन बेकार है।yah purāna pen bekār hai.This old pen is useless.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Rahul and Priya are looking at a broken electronic device.
- राहुल Rahulक्या यह रिमोट काम कर रहा है?kyā yah remote kām kar rahā hai?Is this remote working?
- प्रिया Priyaनहीं, यह रिमोट बिलकुल बेकार है।nahī̃, yah remote bilkul bekār hai.No, this remote is completely useless.
- राहुल Rahulक्या हम इसे ठीक कर सकते हैं?kyā ham ise thīk kar sakte hain?Can we fix it?
- प्रिया Priyaनहीं, राहुल, यह अब बेकार है।nahī̃, rāhul, yah ab bekār hai.No, Rahul, it is useless now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “useless” translations and entries बेकार, निरर्थक, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
