Signification
Evaluating a task as hard.
Contexte culturel
In Kolkata, 'kothin' is often used in 'Adda' (intellectual banter). If someone makes a very complex point, a friend might say 'Kothin bolli!' (You said something deep/hard!). In Dhaka, the word 'shokto' is very frequently used as a synonym for 'kothin' in casual speech, even for mental tasks. There is a high cultural value placed on mastering 'kothin' subjects like Science and Math, often leading to high pressure on students. Many Baul and Sufi songs from Bengal talk about the 'kothin poth' (difficult path) to finding God or truth.
The 'Is' Rule
Remember you don't need 'is'. Just say 'Subject + Kothin'. It makes you sound more like a native speaker.
Physical vs Mental
Don't call a hard-boiled egg 'kothin'. It's 'shokto'!
Signification
Evaluating a task as hard.
The 'Is' Rule
Remember you don't need 'is'. Just say 'Subject + Kothin'. It makes you sound more like a native speaker.
Physical vs Mental
Don't call a hard-boiled egg 'kothin'. It's 'shokto'!
Polite Refusal
If someone asks you for a favor you can't do, saying 'Eta ektu kothin' (This is a bit hard) is a polite way to say no.
Teste-toi
How do you say 'Math is difficult' in Bengali?
Choose the correct translation:
'Onko' means math and 'kothin' means difficult.
Complete the sentence to say 'This is very difficult'.
এটা ____ কঠিন।
'Khub' is the Bengali word for 'very'.
Match the Bengali phrase to the situation.
You just saw a very complex exam paper. What do you say?
'Eta kothin!' is the natural reaction to a hard exam.
Complete the dialogue.
A: বাংলা শেখা কি কঠিন? B: না, এটা ____।
The speaker is disagreeing ('না'), so they would say it is 'sohoj' (easy).
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
When to use Kothin vs Shokto
Kothin (Mental)
- • Math
- • Exams
- • Decisions
- • Language
Shokto (Physical)
- • Stone
- • Wood
- • Stale Bread
- • Muscles
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesChoose the correct translation:
'Onko' means math and 'kothin' means difficult.
এটা ____ কঠিন।
'Khub' is the Bengali word for 'very'.
You just saw a very complex exam paper. What do you say?
'Eta kothin!' is the natural reaction to a hard exam.
A: বাংলা শেখা কি কঠিন? B: না, এটা ____।
The speaker is disagreeing ('না'), so they would say it is 'sohoj' (easy).
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsIt is neutral and can be used in any context, from a job interview to a chat with a friend.
Add 'khub' before 'kothin': 'khub kothin'.
Yes, but it means they are strict or stern, not that they are 'hard to understand'.
The opposite is 'sohoj' (সহজ), which means easy.
In casual speech, especially in Bangladesh, 'shokto' is a common synonym for 'kothin'.
It is a retroflex sound. Curl your tongue back and release it with a puff of air.
No, use 'shokto' for hard food like nuts or stale bread.
'Eta' is standard/informal; 'Eti' is more formal/literary.
Add 'chilo' at the end: 'Eta kothin chilo'.
Yes, very often! It's a popular word in Bengali pop and folk music to describe life and love.
Expressions liées
সহজ
contrastEasy
জটিল
similarComplex
শক্ত
synonymHard/Strong
অসম্ভব
builds onImpossible
কষ্টকর
specialized formPainful/Arduous
