Zaroori

Zaroori is an adjective used in Urdu and Hindi to denote something that is necessary or essential. In Urdu it is written ضروری and pronounced with a long vowel in the second syllable. It translates to English as essential, required, or indispensable, and is used in both everyday speech and formal writing.

The term derives from Arabic ḍarūrī meaning necessary, via Persian and then Urdu. The root ḍarūr conveys the idea of necessity, and zaroori adapts that sense to describe things, actions, or conditions that must be present or performed.

Usage in sentences is common and flexible. It can precede a noun, as in zaroori cheez (an essential thing) or zaroori qadam (a necessary step), or stand alone in phrases like yeh zaroori hai (this is necessary). In conversation, zaroori often signals priority, obligation, or practical importance, such as health, safety, education, or administrative requirements.

In the broader Hindi-Urdu lexicon, zaroori is related to zaroorat, which means need or necessity, and to synonyms like avashyak in Hindi or zaroorat ki cheez, used to emphasize urgent or essential status. While it conveys importance, it is distinct from stronger terms like zabardasti (compulsion) or anivaar (obligatory in formal contexts). The word is widely used across South Asia in education, governance, media, and everyday discourse.

See also: zaroorat, avashyak, zabardasti.