কাজ করা in 30 Seconds
- Kāj karā is the standard Bengali phrase for 'to work', combining the noun 'kāj' (work) and the verb 'karā' (to do).
- It is highly versatile, used for professional jobs, daily chores, and describing how machines or medicines function.
- The phrase follows standard Bengali verb conjugation patterns, where only the 'karā' part changes based on tense and subject.
- It is an essential A1-level vocabulary item that serves as a template for many other Bengali compound verbs.
The Bengali verb phrase কাজ করা (Kāj karā) is one of the most fundamental and frequently used expressions in the Bengali language. At its core, it translates to "to work" or "to do work." However, its application is far broader than just professional labor. In Bengali, verbs are often formed by combining a noun with a helper verb like করা (karā - to do). Here, কাজ (kāj) means "work" or "task," and when paired with করা, it creates the functional verb "to work." This structure is essential for beginners to master because it represents the logic of Bengali verb construction.
- Professional Context
- When used in an office or business setting, it refers to performing one's duties or job responsibilities. For example, "I am working" (আমি কাজ করছি).
- Household Chores
- It is equally common to use this phrase for domestic tasks like cleaning, cooking, or gardening. Any activity that requires effort and produces a result is considered 'kāj'.
- Functionality
- Interestingly, 'kāj karā' is also used to describe machines or systems functioning correctly. If your phone is working, you would say the phone is 'kāj korche'.
সে খুব মনোযোগ দিয়ে কাজ করা শুরু করল। (He started to work with great focus.)
Understanding the cultural weight of 'kāj' is also important. In Bengali society, hard work is highly esteemed, but 'kāj' is also used to differentiate between being busy and being productive. You might hear someone ask, "Kāj hoyeche?" (Is the work done?), which implies a focus on the completion of the task rather than just the act of doing it. The phrase is ubiquitous in daily life, from a mother telling her child to do their homework to a manager assigning tasks to a team. It is the linguistic engine of productivity in the Bengali-speaking world.
আমার কম্পিউটারটি ঠিকমতো কাজ করছে না। (My computer is not working properly.)
Furthermore, the word 'kāj' itself is derived from the Sanskrit 'karya,' which means 'that which is to be done.' This historical root emphasizes the necessity and duty associated with work. In modern Bengali, the phrase has evolved to be very flexible. You can 'work' on a project, 'work' a machine, or even 'work' on a relationship. The versatility of 'kāj karā' makes it a cornerstone of the Bengali vocabulary for anyone looking to communicate effectively in both formal and informal settings. Whether you are discussing the economy, your daily routine, or a malfunctioning appliance, this phrase will be your primary tool.
আমাদের একসাথে কাজ করা উচিত। (We should work together.)
Using কাজ করা correctly requires an understanding of Bengali verb conjugation, which varies based on the subject, the tense, and the level of formality. Since this is a compound verb, only the second part, করা (karā), changes its form. The noun part, কাজ (kāj), remains constant regardless of the context. This makes it slightly easier for learners to manage than simple verbs.
- Subject-Verb Agreement
- In Bengali, the verb ending changes for 'I' (Ami), 'You' (Tumi/Apni/Tui), and 'He/She/They' (Shey/O/Tini). For example: 'Ami kāj kori' (I work), 'Tumi kāj koro' (You work - informal), 'Apni kāj koren' (You work - formal).
- Tense Variations
- To express different times, you modify 'karā'. Present continuous: 'kāj korchi' (am working). Simple past: 'kāj korechi' (worked). Future: 'kāj korbo' (will work).
আমি গতকাল অনেক কাজ করেছি। (I worked a lot yesterday.)
One of the most important aspects of using this phrase is the placement of adverbs. Usually, adverbs like 'khub' (very), 'thikmoto' (properly), or 'ekhon' (now) are placed before 'kāj' or between 'kāj' and 'karā'. For example, "Ami ekhon kāj korchi" (I am working now). If you want to say "I work hard," you would say "Ami kothin kāj kori" (I do hard work) or use the adverbial form "Ami kothin porishrom kori," which is a more natural way to express intense labor.
Negative sentences are formed by adding 'na' after the conjugated verb. "Ami kāj kori na" (I do not work). For past negatives, you use 'ni': "Ami kāj korini" (I did not work). This distinction is vital for clear communication. Question forms are usually created by changing the intonation or adding the question word 'ki'. "Tumi ki kāj koro?" (Do you work?). This phrase is the building block for discussing productivity, schedules, and daily responsibilities.
সে কি আজ কাজ করবে? (Will he work today?)
When using the phrase in a more complex sentence, such as "I want to work," the infinitive form is used: "Ami kāj korte chai." Here, 'karā' becomes 'korte' (to do). This pattern is consistent across all compound verbs in Bengali. Mastering 'kāj karā' gives you the blueprint for hundreds of other verbs like 'ranna karā' (to cook), 'porashona karā' (to study), and 'khela karā' (to play). By learning how to manipulate the 'karā' part of the phrase, you unlock a significant portion of Bengali grammar.
আপনার মেশিনটি কিভাবে কাজ করে? (How does your machine work?)
The phrase কাজ করা is pervasive in Bengali culture, appearing in literature, cinema, news, and daily street conversations. In a bustling city like Dhaka or Kolkata, you will hear it constantly. Construction workers shouting instructions, office employees discussing deadlines, and street vendors managing their stalls all use 'kāj karā' to describe their activities. It is the verbal pulse of the Bengali economy.
- In the Media
- News reports often use the phrase when discussing employment rates, government projects, or social initiatives. Headlines might read 'Sorkar notun prokolpe kāj korche' (The government is working on a new project).
- In Cinema and Music
- Bengali films (Tollywood and Dhallywood) frequently depict the struggle of the working class. Dialogues often revolve around 'kāj khunja' (looking for work) or the pride of 'kāj kora'. Songs might use 'kāj' metaphorically to represent life's journey or spiritual labor.
"মানুষের জন্য কাজ করা মহৎ গুণ।" (Working for people is a great virtue.) - A common moral teaching.
In a domestic setting, you will hear it most often during the morning rush. Parents tell children, "Bhalo kore kāj koro" (Work/Study well), or family members discuss who will 'kāj' in the kitchen. It's also the standard way to talk about repairs. If you call a plumber, you'll ask, "Apni ki ekhon kāj korte parben?" (Can you work now?). The word is also central to social activism; NGOs often talk about 'field-e kāj karā' (working in the field) to describe their grassroots efforts.
Culturally, the phrase also carries a sense of identity. In many Bengali communities, one's 'kāj' defines their social standing and contribution to the collective. Whether it's the intellectual 'kāj' of a writer or the physical 'kāj' of a farmer, the phrase encompasses all forms of human endeavor. You'll even hear it in religious contexts, where 'Sheba kāj' (service work) refers to working for the divine or the community. This broad social and cultural footprint makes 'kāj karā' more than just a verb; it's a reflection of the Bengali ethos of engagement and effort.
অফিসে সবাই খুব ব্যস্ত হয়ে কাজ করছে। (Everyone in the office is working very busily.)
Even though কাজ করা seems simple, English speakers often make specific errors when translating directly or applying Bengali grammar rules. The most common mistake is confusing 'kāj' (work/task) with 'chakri' (job/employment). While you can say "I am doing a job" in English, in Bengali, you 'do work' (kāj kori) but you 'do a job' (chakri kori). Using 'chakri' for a small task like cleaning a table is incorrect.
- The 'Na' vs 'Ni' Trap
- Beginners often use 'na' for all negations. However, 'Ami kāj kori na' means 'I do not work' (habitual), whereas 'Ami kāj korini' means 'I did not work' (past). Using the wrong one can lead to significant confusion about when the event occurred.
- Incorrect Honorifics
- Bengali has three levels of formality. Using 'kāj korish' (very informal) with a boss or an elder instead of 'kāj koren' (formal) is a major social faux pas. Always default to the formal 'en' ending if unsure.
Incorrect: আমি গতকাল কাজ করি না। (I do not work yesterday.)
Correct: আমি গতকাল কাজ করিনি। (I did not work yesterday.)
Another mistake involves the placement of the word 'kāj'. In English, we might say "I work at the office." In Bengali, the location must come before the verb: "Ami office-e kāj kori." Learners often try to put the location after the verb, which sounds unnatural. Additionally, confusing 'kāj karā' with 'kāj dewa' (to give work/to assign) is common. If you want to say someone gave you a task, you must use 'dewa', not 'karā'.
Lastly, learners often forget the 'e' in the infinitive 'korte'. To say "I like to work," you must say "Ami kāj korte bhalobashi." Omitting the 'te' ending makes the sentence grammatically incomplete. Also, avoid overusing the word 'kāj' when a more specific verb exists. For instance, instead of 'lekhari kāj karā' (doing the work of writing), just use 'lekha' (to write). Bengali prefers concise verbs when available, though 'kāj karā' remains the safe, general-purpose fallback.
ভুল: আমি অফিসে করি কাজ। (Wrong word order.)
সঠিক: আমি অফিসে কাজ করি। (Correct word order.)
While কাজ করা is the most common way to say "to work," Bengali offers several synonyms and related terms that carry different nuances. Understanding these alternatives will help you sound more sophisticated and precise in your speech.
- পরিশ্রম করা (Porishrom karā)
- This translates to "to labor" or "to work hard." It implies physical or mental exertion and is used when you want to emphasize the effort involved rather than just the task itself.
- চাকরি করা (Chakri karā)
- Specifically means "to have a job" or "to be employed." You use this when talking about your profession or career path.
- খাটা (Khata)
- A more colloquial and sometimes slightly negative term for working hard or toiling. It often implies being overworked or working for someone else's benefit.
সফল হতে হলে কঠোর পরিশ্রম করতে হয়। (To be successful, one must work hard/labor.)
In formal or literary contexts, you might encounter কর্ম সম্পাদন করা (Kormo shompādon karā), which means "to execute a task" or "to perform a duty." This is rarely used in conversation but is common in official documents. Another interesting alternative is সেবা করা (Sheba karā), which means "to serve." While it translates to work in some contexts (like a nurse working in a hospital), its primary meaning is service with a sense of care or devotion.
For mechanical contexts, instead of 'kāj karā', you can use চলা (Chola), which means "to move" or "to run." For example, "Ghori-ti cholche" (The clock is running/working). This is often more natural than saying the clock is 'working' like a human. Similarly, ব্যস্ত থাকা (Byasto thaka) means "to be busy," which often implies working without explicitly using the word 'kāj'. Understanding these distinctions allows you to navigate different social and technical situations with greater ease.
সে তার নতুন চাকরিতে খুব খুশি। (He is very happy in his new job.)
Examples by Level
আমি কাজ করি।
I work.
Simple present tense with first person 'Ami'.
তুমি কি কাজ করো?
Do you work?
Question form with second person 'Tumi'.
সে এখন কাজ করছে।
He/She is working now.
Present continuous tense 'korche'.
আমরা এখানে কাজ করি।
We work here.
Plural first person 'Amra'.
বাবা অফিসে কাজ করেন।
Father works in the office.
Honorific form 'koren' for father.
আমি আজ কাজ করব না।
I will not work today.
Future negative 'korbo na'.
মা বাড়িতে কাজ করেন।
Mother works at home.
Honorific form 'koren' for mother.
ওরা খুব কাজ করে।
They work a lot.
Third person plural 'Ora'.
আমি গতকাল অনেক কাজ করেছি।
I worked a lot yesterday.
Simple past/Present perfect 'korechi'.
তুমি কি এই কাজটা করতে পারবে?
Can you do this work?
Infinitive 'korte' with modal 'parbe'.
সে ঠিকমতো কাজ করে না।
He does not work properly.
Adverb 'thikmoto' with simple present negative.
আমি নতুন কোম্পানিতে কাজ করতে চাই।
I want to work in a new company.
Infinitive 'korte' with 'chai' (want).
আপনি কোথায় কাজ করেন?
Where do you work?
Formal second person 'Apni' and 'koren'.
আমরা গত সপ্তাহে কাজ করিনি।
We did not work last week.
Past negative 'korini'.
সে খুব ভালো কাজ করে।
He works very well.
Adjective 'bhalo' modifying the implied quality of work.
তুমি কেন কাজ করছ না?
Why are you not working?
Interrogative 'keno' with present continuous negative.
আমি পাঁচ বছর ধরে এই স্কুলে কাজ করছি।
I have been working in this school for five years.
Continuous tense used for a duration of time.
কাজটি শেষ করতে আমার দুই ঘণ্টা লাগবে।
It will take me two hours to finish the work.
Infinitive 'korte' used as a purpose/goal.
আমার ফোনটা আর কাজ করছে না।
My phone is not working anymore.
Metaphorical use for functionality.
সে খুব মন দিয়ে কাজ করতে পছন্দ করে।
He likes to work with great concentration.
Compound infinitive 'korte' with 'pohondo kora'.
যদি তুমি কাজ করো, তবে তুমি সফল হবে।
If you work, then you will be successful.
Conditional sentence 'jodi... tobe'.
আমরা একসাথে কাজ করার পরিকল্পনা করছি।
We are planning to work together.
Gerundial form 'korar' (of doing/working).
সে কোনো কাজ না করেই টাকা চায়।
He wants money without doing any work.
Negative participial 'na korei' (without even doing).
আপনার কি আরও কাজ করার দরকার আছে?
Do you need to work more?
Gerund 'korar' with 'dorkar' (need).
কঠোর কাজ করা সাফল্যের চাবিকাঠি।
Working hard is the key to success.
Gerundial subject 'kāj karā'.
সে অসুস্থ হওয়া সত্ত্বেও কাজ করে গেছে।
He continued to work despite being ill.
Compound verb 'kore geche' (continued working).
এই ওষুধটি আমার শরীরে দারুণ কাজ করেছে।
This medicine worked wonders on my body.
Usage for 'effectiveness'.
আমি তার সাথে কাজ করতে স্বাচ্ছন্দ্য বোধ করি।
I feel comfortable working with him.
Infinitive 'korte' with 'shachondo bodh' (feel comfortable).
কাজ করার সময় কথা বলা উচিত নয়।
One should not talk while working.
Temporal gerund 'korar shomoy' (at the time of working).
সে নিজের কাজ নিজে করতেই ভালোবাসে।
He loves to do his work by himself.
Emphatic 'i' attached to 'korte' (kortei).
বেকারত্ব দূর করতে সবাইকে কাজ করতে হবে।
Everyone must work to eliminate unemployment.
Obligatory 'korte hobe' (must do/work).
তার কথাগুলো আমার মনে গভীরভাবে কাজ করেছে।
His words worked deeply in my mind.
Metaphorical use for emotional impact.
সামাজিক উন্নয়নের জন্য আমাদের সম্মিলিতভাবে কাজ করা প্রয়োজন।
We need to work collectively for social development.
Formal vocabulary 'shommilito-bhabe' (collectively).
প্রকল্পটি বাস্তবায়নে তারা দিনরাত কাজ করে চলেছে।
They have been working day and night to implement the project.
Continuous action 'kore choleche'.
তার বুদ্ধিমত্তা এই জটিল পরিস্থিতিতে দারুণ কাজ দিয়েছে।
His intelligence worked brilliantly in this complex situation.
Idiomatic 'kāj dewa' (to prove useful).
কাজ করার ধরনই একজন মানুষের পরিচয় বহন করে।
The manner of working carries a person's identity.
Philosophical subject 'kāj korar dhoron'.
আমরা পরিবেশ রক্ষায় নিরলসভাবে কাজ করে যাচ্ছি।
We are working tirelessly to protect the environment.
Adverb 'nirolosh-bhabe' (tirelessly).
সঠিক পরিকল্পনা ছাড়া কাজ করা পণ্ডশ্রম মাত্র।
Working without a proper plan is mere futile labor.
Formal term 'pondoshrom' (futile labor).
মেশিনটি বিরতিহীনভাবে কাজ করার ক্ষমতা রাখে।
The machine has the capacity to work without interruption.
Formal noun 'khomota' (capacity).
মানুষের সেবায় কাজ করা পরম ধর্মের অঙ্গ।
Working in the service of humanity is part of the supreme duty.
Spiritual/Formal register.
যান্ত্রিকতার এই যুগে মানুষের সৃজনশীল কাজ করা প্রায় অসম্ভব হয়ে দাঁড়িয়েছে।
In this era of mechanization, doing creative work has become almost impossible for humans.
Complex socio-philosophical context.
তার সুচিন্তিত পরামর্শটি আমার ব্যবসায়িক মন্দা কাটাতে ম্যাজিকের মতো কাজ করেছে।
His well-thought-out advice worked like magic to overcome my business slump.
Simile 'magic-er moto' (like magic).
পরনিন্দা না করে নিজের কাজ করাতেই প্রকৃত আত্মতৃপ্তি নিহিত।
True self-satisfaction lies in doing one's own work rather than slandering others.
Moral/Ethical construction.
রাষ্ট্রের নীতিগুলো প্রান্তিক মানুষের কল্যাণে কাজ করছে কি না, তা খতিয়ে দেখা দরকার।
It is necessary to examine whether state policies are working for the welfare of marginalized people.
Political/Formal register.
শিল্পীর তুলির প্রতিটি টান যেন এক একটি মহৎ কাজ করার স্বাক্ষর।
Every stroke of the artist's brush is like a signature of performing a great work.
Poetic/Literary metaphor.
বিবেকের তাড়নায় সে এই ঝুঁকিপূর্ণ কাজ করতে রাজি হয়েছে।
Driven by conscience, he agreed to do this risky work.
Psychological motivation phrase 'bibeker taronay'.
ইতিহাস সাক্ষী দেয় যে, একাগ্রভাবে কাজ করাই সভ্যতার অগ্রগতির মূল চালিকাশক্তি।
History bears witness that working with single-minded devotion is the main driving force of civilization's progress.
Grand historical narrative style.
প্রকৃতির আপন নিয়মে কাজ করে যাওয়া আমাদের জন্য এক বড় শিক্ষা।
Nature's way of continuing to work by its own laws is a great lesson for us.
Metaphysical observation.
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
— Work is in progress. Used to indicate that a task is currently being handled.
রাস্তা মেরামতের কাজ চলছে।
— To be useful or to be effective. Used when something proves helpful.
তোমার পরামর্শটি আমার খুব কাজে লেগেছে।
— A helpful person or a domestic worker. Depending on context.
সে খুব কাজের লোক, সব সময় সাহায্য করে।
— To find work. Used when searching for employment.
সে অনেকদিন পর একটি কাজ খুঁজে পেয়েছে।
— To shirk work. Used when someone avoids their duties.
কাজে ফাঁকি দেওয়া একদম ভালো নয়।
Idioms & Expressions
— To do something truly useful or significant. It implies that previous efforts might have been trivial.
এতক্ষণে তুমি একটা কাজের কাজ করেছ!
Informal— To get one's way or achieve a goal, often through cleverness or persistence.
সে যেভাবেই হোক নিজের কাজ হাসিল করে নেয়।
Neutral— A proverb describing someone who is friendly when they need help but ungrateful once the work is done.
তার কথা বিশ্বাস করো না, সে হলো কাজের বেলায় কাজী, কাজ ফুরালে পাজি।
Colloquial— Handicraft or manual skill. Also refers to work currently being handled.
তার হাতের কাজ খুব সুন্দর।
NeutralSummary
The phrase 'কাজ করা' (kāj karā) is the most common way to say 'to work' in Bengali. It is a compound verb where 'kāj' means work and 'karā' means to do. Example: 'Ami ekhon kāj korchi' (I am working now).
- Kāj karā is the standard Bengali phrase for 'to work', combining the noun 'kāj' (work) and the verb 'karā' (to do).
- It is highly versatile, used for professional jobs, daily chores, and describing how machines or medicines function.
- The phrase follows standard Bengali verb conjugation patterns, where only the 'karā' part changes based on tense and subject.
- It is an essential A1-level vocabulary item that serves as a template for many other Bengali compound verbs.
