ख़ाली
The word ख़ाली means empty. If you have a glass with no water, it is khali. If you have no work, you are khali. It is a very easy word to use!
Use ख़ाली to describe things that are not full. You can say 'The room is khali' or 'My bag is khali.' It is very useful when you are shopping or traveling.
Beyond physical objects, ख़ाली describes time. If you have free time, you have khali samay. It is a common way to ask if someone is busy or available for a chat.
In professional contexts, ख़ाली can refer to vacancies. A job opening is a khali pad. It carries a sense of 'unoccupied' space that needs to be filled by a person or resource.
Figuratively, ख़ाली can describe a sense of emptiness or lack of purpose. When someone feels 'khali', it implies a deeper emotional state of void or detachment from their surroundings.
Historically, the term has roots in Persian, representing a void. In literature, it is often used to contrast the 'fullness' of life with the 'emptiness' of loss, showing how a simple adjective can carry profound philosophical weight.
ख़ाली en 30 secondes
- Means empty or vacant.
- Used for objects and time.
- Common in daily Hindi/Urdu.
- Opposite of 'bhara' (full).
When you hear the word ख़ाली, think of a space waiting to be filled. It is one of the most common adjectives in Hindi and Urdu, used to describe everything from an empty bottle to a free schedule.
You can use it for physical things, like an empty room, or for situations where someone has no work to do. It is a very practical word that you will hear in markets, offices, and homes every single day.
The word ख़ाली has its roots in the Persian language. It traveled through history as trade and culture spread between Persia and the Indian subcontinent.
It is fascinating how words like this have stayed consistent over centuries. While it has Persian origins, it has been fully integrated into the Hindustani linguistic identity, becoming a staple in both formal literature and casual street-talk.
You will find ख़ाली used in almost every context. In a formal setting, you might say a position is 'khali' (vacant). In a casual setting, you might say your plate is 'khali' (empty).
Common collocations include khali ghar (empty house) or khali samay (free time). It is a neutral word, meaning it doesn't sound too fancy or too slangy; it is just right for everyday conversation.
Idioms often use ख़ाली to describe states of mind or luck. For example, khali haath means 'empty-handed,' often used when someone returns without success.
Another common expression is khali dimaag, which literally means 'empty brain,' often used playfully to suggest someone isn't thinking clearly or is bored. These phrases add color and depth to your speech.
As an adjective, ख़ाली is relatively stable. It does not change much based on the gender of the noun it describes, which makes it very learner-friendly.
Pronunciation is straightforward: 'Kha' (like the 'kh' in 'loch') followed by 'lee'. Focus on the long 'ee' sound at the end to sound more natural. It rhymes with words like gali (street) or hali (condition).
Le savais-tu ?
The word has traveled across Central Asia into South Asia.
Guide de prononciation
- Pronouncing it like 'kali' (black)
- Ignoring the guttural 'kh'
- Shortening the 'ee'
Niveau de difficulté
Very easy
Very easy
Very easy
Very easy
Quoi apprendre ensuite
Prérequis
Apprends ensuite
Avancé
Grammaire à connaître
Adjective placement
Khali dabba
Verb-Adjective agreement
Ghar khali hai
Negation
Khali nahi hai
Exemples par niveau
Glass is empty.
Glass = gilaas, empty = khali
Adjective usage
The room is empty.
Room = kamra
Simple sentence
I am free today.
Free = khali
State of being
The box is empty.
Box = dabba
Direct adjective
Is the seat empty?
Seat = seat/kursi
Question form
My pockets are empty.
Pocket = jeb
Plural noun
The house is empty.
House = ghar
Basic description
The plate is empty.
Plate = thali
Simple adjective
The park is empty today.
Are you free this evening?
The bottle is completely empty.
He left the house empty.
The stadium was empty.
I have an empty notebook.
The train compartment is empty.
Her eyes looked empty.
I have some empty time in my schedule.
The position is currently empty.
Don't come back empty-handed.
The streets were empty at midnight.
He felt empty after the movie.
An empty promise is useless.
The office is empty on Sundays.
She stared into the empty space.
The vacancy remains empty for now.
His words rang empty and hollow.
An empty vessel makes the most noise.
The city felt empty without him.
She found an empty slot in the calendar.
The warehouse was left empty.
His life felt empty after retirement.
The argument was empty of logic.
The existential dread left him feeling empty.
The empty rhetoric failed to impress.
He occupied the empty space with art.
The hall was empty of people.
An empty victory is still a victory.
The silence filled the empty room.
She felt empty of all emotion.
The concept is empty without proof.
The void was an empty canvas for his thoughts.
His soul felt empty and weary.
The empty grandeur of the palace was haunting.
An empty heart finds no solace.
The vast empty desert stretched for miles.
The theory is empty of substance.
He sought to fill the empty hours with work.
The empty echoes of the past remained.
Collocations courantes
Expressions idiomatiques
"ख़ाली हाथ लौटना"
To return empty-handed
He returned empty-handed from the store.
neutral"ख़ाली दिमाग शैतान का घर"
An idle mind is the devil's workshop
Keep busy, or you'll get into trouble.
common"ख़ाली घड़ा"
Empty vessel (often implying lack of wisdom)
He talks a lot but knows little.
literary"ख़ाली बैठना"
To sit idle
Don't just sit idle all day.
casual"ख़ाली करना"
To vacate
Please vacate the room by noon.
formal"ख़ालीपन"
A sense of emptiness
He felt a deep sense of emptiness.
literaryFacile à confondre
Sounds similar
Kali means black
Kali billi (black cat).
Spelling
Khali means empty
Khali dabba (empty box).
Both start with Kh
Khula means open
Khula darwaza (open door).
Opposite concept
Bhara means full
Bhara hua (filled).
Structures de phrases
Subject + is + khali
The glass is khali.
I have + khali + noun
I have empty time.
Khali + noun + is + adjective
Empty box is light.
Make + noun + khali
Make the room empty.
Subject + feels + khali
He feels empty.
Famille de mots
Noms
Verbes
Adjectifs
Apparenté
Comment l'utiliser
10
-
Using 'khali' for 'free' in all contexts
→
Use 'muft' for free of cost
Khali means empty/vacant, not free of charge.
-
Mispronouncing the 'kh'
→
Use a guttural sound
It is not a simple 'k'.
-
Using 'khali' for 'busy'
→
Use 'vyast'
Khali is the opposite of busy.
-
Pluralizing 'khali'
→
Keep it as 'khali'
Adjectives don't pluralize here.
-
Confusing with 'khula'
→
Khula means open
Khali means empty.
Astuces
Rhyme it
Rhyme it with 'gali' to remember.
Daily practice
Label empty boxes 'khali'.
Bollywood
Listen for it in songs.
Adjective rule
It stays the same.
Guttural Kh
Practice the throat sound.
Not 'free'
Don't use for cost.
Persian root
Ancient origin.
Flashcards
Use visual cards.
Context
Use for time and objects.
Hinglish
Common in India.
Mémorise-le
Moyen mnémotechnique
Think of a 'car' that is 'lee' (empty) because it has no passengers.
Association visuelle
An empty, open box.
Word Web
Défi
Try to identify 3 empty things in your room.
Origine du mot
Persian
Sens originel : Vacant/Void
Contexte culturel
None, it is a neutral word.
Used in South Asian English (Hinglish) frequently.
Pratique dans la vie réelle
Contextes réels
Restaurant
- Is this seat empty?
- The plate is empty.
- Empty the glass.
Office
- The position is empty.
- I have empty time.
- Empty the file.
Shopping
- The bag is empty.
- Empty pockets.
- Empty store.
Home
- The house is empty.
- Empty the trash.
- Empty room.
Amorces de conversation
"Are you free (khali) this weekend?"
"Why is this room so empty (khali)?"
"Did you come back empty-handed (khali haath)?"
"My schedule is empty (khali) today."
"What do you do when you are free (khali)?"
Sujets d'écriture
Describe a time you felt empty.
What do you do in your empty time?
Write about an empty house you visited.
How do you feel when you are empty-handed?
Questions fréquentes
8 questionsIt is neutral.
Yes, for 'free' time.
No.
It is used in both.
Bhara.
Yes, 'khali jeb' (empty pocket).
No, it is an adjective.
Rikt.
Teste-toi 5 questions
The bottle is ___.
Khali means empty.
What does 'khali samay' mean?
Khali samay is free time.
Khali means full.
Khali means empty.
/ 5 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
Khali is the go-to word for anything that is empty, whether it is a box, a room, or your schedule.
- Means empty or vacant.
- Used for objects and time.
- Common in daily Hindi/Urdu.
- Opposite of 'bhara' (full).
Rhyme it
Rhyme it with 'gali' to remember.
Daily practice
Label empty boxes 'khali'.
Bollywood
Listen for it in songs.
Adjective rule
It stays the same.
Exemple
यह कमरा खाली है।
Contenu associé
Plus de mots sur general
आभार व्यक्त करना
B1Exprimer sa gratitude ou ses remerciements.
आचरण करना
C1Se comporter ; agir d'une manière particulière.
आगे
A1Forward; ahead.
आगे बढ़ना
A2Avancer ou progresser.
आगामी
B1Happening in the near future; upcoming or next.
आह्वान करना
B1To call, to summon, to request someone's presence.
आज रात
A2The night of the present day; tonight.
आजमाना
A2Faire une tentative ou un effort pour faire quelque chose ; tester.
आक्रमण करना
B2Commencer des opérations militaires contre un pays ou un groupe.
आखिरी
A2Last, final.
