नष्ट in 30 Seconds
- Nasht means destroyed or ruined.
- Used for physical objects and abstract concepts like time.
- Commonly paired with 'karna' (to destroy) or 'hona' (to be destroyed).
- It is a formal word of Sanskrit origin.
The Hindi word नष्ट (nasht) is a powerful adjective derived from Sanskrit that signifies the state of being destroyed, ruined, or perished. It is not merely about something being broken; it implies a total loss of form, function, or existence. In everyday Hindi, it is most frequently encountered in two verbal constructions: नष्ट करना (nasht karnā) meaning 'to destroy' and नष्ट होना (nasht honā) meaning 'to be destroyed'. This word spans across various registers, from formal news reports about natural disasters to philosophical discussions about the impermanence of life. When you use nasht, you are highlighting the finality of the damage. For instance, a building isn't just damaged in an earthquake; it is nasht—its structure is gone. Similarly, in a metaphorical sense, one's reputation or hope can be nasht. It carries a weight that the more common word barbaad (ruined/wasted) sometimes lacks, though they are often interchangeable in casual speech.
- Physical Destruction
- Used when objects, buildings, or nature are physically annihilated. Example: The fire destroyed the forest (आग ने जंगल को नष्ट कर दिया).
- Wasted Resources
- Commonly used for wasting time or money. Example: Don't waste your time (अपना समय नष्ट मत करो).
- Abstract Concepts
- Used for the ruin of health, peace, or evidence. Example: The evidence was destroyed (सबूत नष्ट कर दिए गए).
युद्ध के कारण पूरा शहर नष्ट हो गया। (The entire city was destroyed because of the war.)
बाढ़ ने किसानों की फसलें नष्ट कर दीं। (The floods destroyed the farmers' crops.)
बुरी आदतों ने उसका स्वास्थ्य नष्ट कर दिया। (Bad habits destroyed his health.)
Using नष्ट (nasht) correctly involves understanding its role as a state-descriptor. It functions similarly to the English word 'destroyed' or 'nullified'. Because it is an adjective, it doesn't change form based on gender or number; however, the auxiliary verbs it accompanies (karna/hona) will change to match the subject or object of the sentence. In the active voice, the person doing the destroying is the subject, and the object is what is being nasht. In the passive sense, things simply 'become' nasht due to circumstances. This distinction is vital for B2 learners who are moving beyond simple sentences into more complex descriptions of cause and effect.
- Active Voice (Subject + Object + Nasht + Karna)
- The government destroyed the illegal buildings. (सरकार ने अवैध इमारतों को नष्ट कर दिया।)
- Passive/State (Subject + Nasht + Hona)
- Everything was destroyed in the fire. (आग में सब कुछ नष्ट हो गया।)
हमें अपना कीमती समय नष्ट नहीं करना चाहिए। (We should not waste/destroy our precious time.)
रसायनों ने पानी की शुद्धता को नष्ट कर दिया है। (Chemicals have destroyed the purity of the water.)
भूकंप ने कई प्राचीन मंदिरों को नष्ट कर दिया। (The earthquake destroyed many ancient temples.)
You will encounter नष्ट (nasht) in a variety of formal and semi-formal settings. It is a staple of Hindi news broadcasting, especially when reporting on accidents, natural calamities, or military conflicts. News anchors often use it to describe the scale of devastation. Furthermore, it is a key term in environmental science discussions in Hindi, where it describes the destruction of habitats or the ozone layer. In legal or bureaucratic language, it refers to the disposal or destruction of documents. Even in motivational speeches, you might hear speakers urging the audience to 'destroy' (nasht karna) their negative thoughts or bad habits. It is less common in very casual street slang, where 'barbaad' or 'khatam' might be preferred, but it remains accessible to all speakers.
- News & Media
- Reporting on floods, fires, or wars. "The cyclone destroyed hundreds of houses."
- Academic & Scientific
- Discussing ecology or chemistry. "High temperatures destroy certain bacteria."
समाचार: तूफ़ान ने तटीय क्षेत्रों में सब कुछ नष्ट कर दिया। (News: The storm destroyed everything in the coastal areas.)
विज्ञान: प्रदूषण पर्यावरण को नष्ट कर रहा है। (Science: Pollution is destroying the environment.)
One of the most common mistakes learners make with नष्ट (nasht) is confusing it with खराब (kharaab). While kharaab means 'bad' or 'spoiled' (like food or a machine not working), nasht implies total destruction. You wouldn't say your phone is nasht just because the screen is cracked; you would say it is kharaab. Use nasht only if the phone was crushed into dust. Another common error is forgetting the auxiliary verb. In English, 'destroy' is a verb, but in Hindi, nasht is an adjective. Saying 'He destroyed' requires 'उसने नष्ट किया' (He made destroyed), not just 'उसने नष्ट'. Additionally, ensure you use the correct transitivity: 'nasht karna' for when someone destroys something, and 'nasht hona' for when something gets destroyed on its own.
- Nasht vs. Barbaad
- 'Barbaad' is more common for money or life ruin in a colloquial sense. 'Nasht' is more precise for physical or systematic annihilation.
Incorrect: मेरा फोन नष्ट है। (My phone is destroyed - sounds too dramatic for a minor glitch.)
Correct: आग ने घर को पूरी तरह से नष्ट कर दिया। (The fire completely destroyed the house.)
Hindi has a rich vocabulary for destruction, and choosing the right word depends on the context and the level of formality. नष्ट (nasht) is a versatile middle-ground word. If you want to sound more literary or talk about massive-scale devastation (like an apocalypse), you might use विनाश (vinash). For the ruin of a person's life or finances in a more emotional way, बर्बाद (barbaad) is the go-to. If you are talking about the demolition of a building specifically, ध्वस्त (dhvast) is very common in news headlines. Understanding these nuances will help you sound more like a native speaker and less like a textbook.
- विनाश (Vinash)
- Noun/Adjective meaning utter annihilation or catastrophe. Often used in 'Vinashkaari' (destructive).
- बर्बाद (Barbaad)
- Persian-origin word meaning ruined or wasted. Very common in songs and daily conversation.
- समाप्त (Samapt)
- Meaning 'finished' or 'ended'. Use this if something just stopped existing rather than being violently destroyed.
How Formal Is It?
Fun Fact
The English word 'perish' and the Sanskrit root 'nas' both trace back to Proto-Indo-European roots dealing with death or disappearance.
Pronunciation Guide
- Pronouncing the 't' as a soft dental 't' (like in 'thin'). It must be a hard retroflex 't'.
- Making the 'sh' sound like a standard English 'sh'. In 'nasht', it is technically a retroflex 'ṣ'.
- Adding an extra vowel at the end (nashta), which means breakfast.
- Pronouncing the 'a' as a long 'aa' (naasht).
- Confusing it with 'nasht' (destroyed) and 'nashta' (breakfast) due to similar spelling in English script.
Difficulty Rating
Common in newspapers and literature, easy to recognize.
Requires correct use of 'karna' or 'hona' and object markers.
Useful for various topics, though 'barbaad' is a frequent competitor.
Clearly pronounced, usually stands out in a sentence.
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
Advanced
Grammar to Know
Causative Verbs with Nasht
मैं उसे नष्ट करवा दूँगा (I will have it destroyed).
Ne Particle with Nasht Karna
उसने (He) कागजों को नष्ट किया।
Passive Voice with Jana
इमारत नष्ट कर दी गई (The building was destroyed).
Adjectival Agreement (None)
Nasht remains the same for masculine, feminine, singular, and plural.
Compound Verbs
नष्ट कर देना (To destroy completely - adds emphasis).
Examples by Level
समय नष्ट मत करो।
Don't waste time.
Imperative sentence using 'mat' for prohibition.
खिलौना नष्ट हो गया।
The toy got destroyed.
Passive construction with 'ho gaya'.
क्या यह नष्ट है?
Is this destroyed?
Simple question format.
आग ने कागज नष्ट कर दिया।
The fire destroyed the paper.
Active voice with 'ne' particle.
पानी नष्ट मत करो।
Don't waste water.
Using 'nasht' for wasting resources.
वह घर नष्ट हो गया।
That house was destroyed.
Demonstrative pronoun 'voh' used.
चिट्ठी नष्ट कर दो।
Destroy the letter.
Compound verb 'kar do' for command.
सब कुछ नष्ट है।
Everything is destroyed.
Adjectival use of 'nasht'.
तेज हवा ने पेड़ों को नष्ट कर दिया।
Strong winds destroyed the trees.
Subject-Object-Verb order with 'ne'.
बाढ़ में फसलें नष्ट हो गईं।
The crops were destroyed in the flood.
Plural feminine subject 'faslein' affects 'gayeen'.
चूहों ने अनाज नष्ट कर दिया।
Rats destroyed the grain.
Plural subject 'choohon' with 'ne'.
पुरानी किताबें नष्ट हो रही हैं।
Old books are being destroyed.
Present continuous passive form.
उसने मेरा काम नष्ट कर दिया।
He destroyed my work.
Possessive 'mera' used with 'kaam'.
जंगल नष्ट मत करो।
Do not destroy the forest.
Direct object 'jangal' without 'ko'.
भूकंप से सब नष्ट हो गया।
Everything was destroyed by the earthquake.
Instrumental 'se' indicating cause.
वायरस ने फाइलें नष्ट कर दीं।
The virus destroyed the files.
Feminine plural object 'filein'.
युद्ध ने शांति को पूरी तरह नष्ट कर दिया।
The war completely destroyed the peace.
Adverbial phrase 'poori tarah' (completely).
गलत फैसलों ने कंपनी को नष्ट कर दिया।
Wrong decisions destroyed the company.
Abstract subject 'galat faislon'.
प्रदूषण समुद्र के जीवन को नष्ट कर रहा है।
Pollution is destroying marine life.
Genitive 'ke' linking 'samudra' and 'jeevan'.
क्या सबूत नष्ट कर दिए गए थे?
Were the evidences destroyed?
Passive voice in the past tense.
धूम्रपान फेफड़ों को नष्ट कर देता है।
Smoking destroys the lungs.
Habitual present tense with 'deta hai'.
उसकी प्रतिष्ठा नष्ट हो गई।
His reputation was destroyed.
Abstract noun 'pratishtha' (reputation).
कीड़ों ने सारी मेहनत नष्ट कर दी।
Insects destroyed all the hard work.
Metaphorical use of 'mehnat' as an object.
हमें प्लास्टिक का उपयोग नष्ट करना होगा।
We must destroy (eliminate) the use of plastic.
Obligatory 'hoga' construction.
अत्यधिक गर्मी ने फसल की गुणवत्ता नष्ट कर दी।
Excessive heat destroyed the quality of the crop.
Abstract quality 'gunvatta' as the object.
अफ़वाहों ने उनके आपसी संबंधों को नष्ट कर दिया।
Rumors destroyed their mutual relations.
Plural subject 'afwaahon' with 'ne'.
आतंकवादियों ने ऐतिहासिक स्मारकों को नष्ट कर दिया।
Terrorists destroyed the historical monuments.
Specific object with 'ko'.
रसायनों ने मिट्टी की उर्वरता नष्ट कर दी है।
Chemicals have destroyed the fertility of the soil.
Present perfect tense.
लापरवाही से सारा डेटा नष्ट हो सकता है।
Carelessness can destroy all the data.
Modal 'sakta hai' for possibility.
भ्रष्टाचार ने देश की अर्थव्यवस्था को नष्ट कर दिया।
Corruption destroyed the country's economy.
Socio-political context.
बाढ़ के बाद बुनियादी ढांचा नष्ट हो गया था।
The infrastructure was destroyed after the flood.
Complex noun 'buniyadi dhancha' (infrastructure).
उसने अपने ही भविष्य को नष्ट कर लिया।
He destroyed his own future.
Reflexive 'apne hi'.
वैज्ञानिकों का मानना है कि ओजोन परत नष्ट हो रही है।
Scientists believe that the ozone layer is being destroyed.
Complex sentence with 'ki' clause.
साम्राज्यवाद ने कई स्वदेशी संस्कृतियों को नष्ट कर दिया।
Imperialism destroyed many indigenous cultures.
Academic vocabulary 'samrajyavad' and 'swadeshi'.
क्रोध मनुष्य के विवेक को नष्ट कर देता है।
Anger destroys a person's wisdom/discretion.
Philosophical subject 'vivek'.
जहरीली गैसों ने वातावरण की शुद्धता को नष्ट कर दिया।
Toxic gases destroyed the purity of the atmosphere.
Technical terminology.
न्यायालय ने अवैध अनुबंध को नष्ट (निरस्त) घोषित किया।
The court declared the illegal contract destroyed (void).
Legal context for 'nasht'.
समय के साथ पुरानी स्मृतियाँ नष्ट हो जाती हैं।
With time, old memories get destroyed/fade away.
Universal truth in present habitual.
अहंकार ने उसके सारे पुण्यों को नष्ट कर दिया।
Ego destroyed all his virtues.
Spiritual/Moral context.
विदेशी आक्रमणकारियों ने पुस्तकालय को नष्ट कर दिया।
Foreign invaders destroyed the library.
Historical narrative.
शून्यवाद के अनुसार, अंततः सब कुछ नष्ट होना निश्चित है।
According to nihilism, everything is destined to be destroyed eventually.
Advanced philosophical discourse.
परमाणु युद्ध पूरी मानवता को नष्ट करने की क्षमता रखता है।
Nuclear war has the capacity to destroy all of humanity.
High-stakes formal statement.
लेखक ने समाज की कुरीतियों को नष्ट करने का आह्वान किया।
The author called for the destruction of social evils.
Literary 'aahwan' (call/summons).
डिजिटल युग ने गोपनीयता की अवधारणा को नष्ट कर दिया है।
The digital age has destroyed the concept of privacy.
Modern sociological critique.
अत्यधिक दोहन ने प्राकृतिक संसाधनों को नष्ट कर दिया है।
Excessive exploitation has destroyed natural resources.
Formal environmental term 'dohan'.
उसकी तर्कशक्ति ने प्रतिद्वंद्वी के दावों को नष्ट कर दिया।
His reasoning power destroyed the opponent's claims.
Metaphorical destruction in debate.
विकास की अंधी दौड़ ने जैव विविधता को नष्ट कर दिया है।
The blind race for development has destroyed biodiversity.
Idiomatic 'andhi daud' (blind race).
महाप्रलय के समय संपूर्ण ब्रह्मांड नष्ट हो जाता है।
At the time of the great apocalypse, the entire universe is destroyed.
Mythological/Cosmological register.
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
— Totally ruined and broken down. Used for ancient ruins or messy places.
महल अब नष्ट-भ्रष्ट हो चुका है।
— To perish or be wiped out. Used for species or civilizations.
डायनासोर लाखों साल पहले नष्ट हो गए।
— Everything destroyed. Used to describe total loss after a disaster.
आग के बाद सब कुछ नष्ट था।
— To ruin one's life. Often used in warnings against bad habits.
जुआ तुम्हारा जीवन नष्ट कर देगा।
— To waste energy or power. Used in physics or personal advice.
बेकार के झगड़ों में अपनी शक्ति नष्ट मत करो।
— To ruin a relationship. Used in emotional contexts.
झूठ किसी भी रिश्ते को नष्ट कर सकता है।
— To destroy proof. Formal version of 'saboot nasht karna'.
उसने दस्तावेजी प्रमाण नष्ट कर दिए।
— To erode value. Used in economics or ethics.
मुद्रास्फीति बचत के मूल्य को नष्ट कर देती है।
— End of a lineage. Used in historical or mythological stories.
युद्ध में उनका पूरा वंश नष्ट हो गया।
Often Confused With
Means breakfast. The spelling is similar, but the meaning is totally different.
Kharaab is 'bad' or 'broken'; Nasht is 'destroyed'.
Khatam means 'finished' or 'over'; Nasht specifically implies ruin.
Idioms & Expressions
— To destroy something completely, often reputation or pride. Similar to 'nasht karna'.
उसने खानदान का नाम मिट्टी में मिला दिया।
Informal— To wipe out every trace of something.
सेना ने दुश्मन का नाम-ओ-निशान मिटा दिया।
Neutral— To destroy something utterly (usually a building or an enemy).
हमिद ने दुश्मन के किले की ईंट से ईंट बजा दी।
Dramatic— To destroy from the roots; to eradicate.
हमें समाज से भ्रष्टाचार को जड़ से उखाड़ना होगा।
Formal— To ruin someone's efforts or hopes.
बारिश ने मेरी सारी योजना पर पानी फेर दिया।
Colloquial— To spoil or ruin something entirely.
तुमने मेरा सारा खेल मटियामेट कर दिया।
Informal— To give up or abandon something (metaphorically destroying its presence in your life).
उसने अपनी सुख-सुविधाओं को तिलांजलि दे दी।
Formal/Literary— To consume or destroy completely (often by fire or waste).
उसने अपनी सारी संपत्ति जुए में स्वाहा कर दी।
Neutral/Religious origin— To blow away or squander (destroying resources).
उसने एक ही रात में लाखों रुपये फूंक दिए।
SlangEasily Confused
Both imply something is not in good condition.
Kharaab can be a minor issue; Nasht is terminal.
मेरा रेडियो खराब है (My radio is not working). मेरा रेडियो नष्ट हो गया (My radio is destroyed).
Both mean something has ended.
Samapt is neutral (like a movie ending); Nasht is often negative or violent.
फिल्म समाप्त हुई। शहर नष्ट हुआ।
Both involve damage.
Toota means broken into pieces; Nasht means the essence or function is gone.
शीशा टूट गया (Glass broke). सपना नष्ट हो गया (Dream was destroyed).
Both mean something is no longer there.
Gum means lost (might be found); Nasht means destroyed (cannot be found).
चाबी गुम है। फाइल नष्ट है।
Very close synonyms.
Barbaad is more emotional/casual; Nasht is mor
Sentence Patterns
[Object] नष्ट मत करो।
पानी नष्ट मत करो।
[Subject] ने [Object] नष्ट कर दिया।
बिल्ली ने खाना नष्ट कर दिया।
[Event] की वजह से [Subject] नष्ट हो गया।
बारिश की वजह से खेल नष्ट हो गया।
[Subject] को नष्ट होने से बचाना चाहिए।
हमें प्रकृति को नष्ट होने से बचाना चाहिए।
अगर [Condition], तो [Subject] नष्ट हो सकता है।
अगर तापमान बढ़ा, तो ग्लेशियर नष्ट हो सकते हैं।
[Abstract Concept] का नष्ट होना अनिवार्य है।
अधर्म का नष्ट होना अनिवार्य है।
बिना [Reason] समय नष्ट करना ठीक नहीं।
बिना कारण समय नष्ट करना ठीक नहीं।
[Subject] पूरी तरह से नष्ट हो चुका है।
किला पूरी तरह से नष्ट हो चुका है।
Word Family
Nouns
Verbs
Adjectives
Related
How to Use It
Common in news, formal writing, and parenting/school contexts.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of 'Nasht' as 'Not' - if something is 'nasht', it is 'not' there anymore because it was destroyed.
Visual Association
Imagine a 'N'uclear 'A'ttack 'S'hattering 'H'ouses and 'T'owers. N-A-S-H-T.
Word Web
Challenge
Try to find three things in your house that are 'nasht' (broken/wasted) and describe them using the word.
Word Origin
Derived from the Sanskrit root 'nas' (नश्) which means to disappear, perish, or be lost. The word 'nashta' is the past participle form.
Original meaning: Lost, disappeared, or vanished.
Indo-Aryan (Sanskrit)Cultural Context
Be careful when using 'nasht' for people; it implies they are dead or utterly ruined, which can be very harsh or offensive.
English speakers might use 'waste' and 'destroy' as separate concepts, but in Hindi, 'nasht' elegantly covers both, especially for time and energy.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
Natural Disasters
- भूकंप में नष्ट (destroyed in earthquake)
- बाढ़ से नुकसान (damage from flood)
- तूफ़ान का कहर (havoc of the storm)
- पूरी तरह तबाह (completely ruined)
Time Management
- समय की बर्बादी (waste of time)
- वक्त नष्ट करना (wasting time)
- कीमती समय (precious time)
- फालतू काम (useless work)
Crime & Law
- सबूत मिटाना (wiping evidence)
- दस्तावेज नष्ट करना (destroying documents)
- कानून का उल्लंघन (violation of law)
- अवैध निर्माण (illegal construction)
Environment
- जंगलों की कटाई (deforestation)
- ओजोन परत (ozone layer)
- प्रदूषण का प्रभाव (effect of pollution)
- प्राकृतिक आवास (natural habitat)
Personal Life
- रिश्ता टूटना (breaking of relationship)
- भविष्य की चिंता (worry for future)
- स्वास्थ्य का ध्यान (care of health)
- बुरी आदतें (bad habits)
Conversation Starters
"क्या आपको लगता है कि सोशल मीडिया हमारा समय नष्ट कर रहा है?"
"अगर कभी कोई प्राकृतिक आपदा आए और सब कुछ नष्ट हो जाए, तो आप क्या करेंगे?"
"क्या प्लास्टिक के उपयोग को पूरी तरह नष्ट करना संभव है?"
"इतिहास में किस युद्ध ने सबसे अधिक संपत्तियाँ नष्ट कीं?"
"क्या पुरानी यादों को नष्ट करना हमेशा बुरा होता है?"
Journal Prompts
उन चीजों की सूची बनाइए जो आपका समय नष्ट करती हैं और आप उन्हें कैसे रोक सकते हैं।
किसी ऐसी घटना के बारे में लिखें जब आपकी कोई प्रिय वस्तु नष्ट हो गई थी।
पर्यावरण को नष्ट होने से बचाने के लिए हम व्यक्तिगत स्तर पर क्या कर सकते हैं?
क्या किसी का चरित्र नष्ट करना शारीरिक चोट पहुँचाने से ज्यादा बुरा है? अपने विचार लिखें।
एक कहानी लिखें जहाँ एक वैज्ञानिक ने एक खतरनाक वायरस को नष्ट कर दिया।
Summary
The word 'नष्ट' (nasht) is the standard Hindi term for 'destroyed'. It is most effectively used in formal contexts or when emphasizing the total loss of something, such as 'समय नष्ट करना' (wasting time) or 'सबूत नष्ट करना' (destroying evidence).
- Nasht means destroyed or ruined.
- Used for physical objects and abstract concepts like time.
- Commonly paired with 'karna' (to destroy) or 'hona' (to be destroyed).
- It is a formal word of Sanskrit origin.
Related Content
More nature words
आच्छादित करना
B2To cover; to spread over or around.
आघात करना
B2To hit forcefully or with great impact; to strike.
आहार श्रृंखला
B2Food chain; a hierarchical series of organisms each dependent on the next as a source of food.
आहिस्ता
B2At a slow pace or speed; slowly.
आकस्मिक रूप से
B2By chance or without intention; accidentally or suddenly.
आकाश
A1Sky.
आकाशगंगा
B2A system of millions or billions of stars, together with gas and dust, held together by gravitational attraction.
आकाशगंगा का
B2Relating to a galaxy or galaxies; galactic.
आकाशीय
B2Relating to the sky or outer space; celestial.
आकाशीय बिजली
B2Lightning that occurs in the sky, typically during a thunderstorm.
