In 15 Seconds
- Used for physical slicing, biting, and deducting money or time.
- Very common in metaphors for being cheated or hanging up calls.
- Changes meaning slightly based on the noun it is paired with.
Meaning
In Hindi, this word means to cut something physically with a tool, but it also describes 'cutting' through time, phone calls, or even your salary.
Key Examples
3 of 6In the kitchen
क्या आप सब्ज़ियाँ काट सकते हैं?
Can you cut the vegetables?
Complaining about a bank fee
बैंक ने मेरे पैसे काट लिए।
The bank deducted my money.
Frustrated with a phone call
उसने मेरा फ़ोन काट दिया!
He hung up on me!
Cultural Background
The phrase 'Chakkar kāṭnā' (cutting circles) perfectly describes the experience of visiting government offices repeatedly to get a single task done. If a black cat crosses your path, it is said to 'cut the path' (rāstā kāṭnā), which is considered bad luck. Many people will wait for someone else to cross first. In India, 'Phone kāṭnā' (hanging up) during an argument is a very strong statement of anger, often seen as more offensive than in Western cultures. In farming communities, 'Fasal kāṭnā' (cutting the crop) is a season of celebration and hard work, marking the harvest.
The 'Endurance' Nuance
When using 'kāṭnā' for time, it often implies you are just waiting for it to be over. Use 'bitānā' if you are enjoying yourself.
Retroflex Alert
Make sure to use the hard 'ṭ'. If you use a soft 't', people might think you are talking about spinning thread (kātnā).
In 15 Seconds
- Used for physical slicing, biting, and deducting money or time.
- Very common in metaphors for being cheated or hanging up calls.
- Changes meaning slightly based on the noun it is paired with.
What It Means
At its heart, काटना is about separation. You use it when you slice an apple or snip a thread. But Hindi speakers love metaphors. So, you also use it when a mosquito bites you or when you are 'killing time' at a boring party. It is a versatile verb that covers physical actions and abstract concepts like deductions or cancellations.
How To Use It
You conjugate it like any regular Hindi verb. If you are doing the cutting, use काटना. If something is being cut (like your hair or a ticket), you might use the passive form कटना. In casual talk, you often add देना to make it काट देना, which sounds more complete and decisive. It is like saying 'cut it off' instead of just 'cut'.
When To Use It
Use it in the kitchen for vegetables. Use it at the bank when they deduct a fee from your account. It is perfect for when someone hangs up the phone on you abruptly. You will also hear it when someone gets a traffic fine; they say their 'challan' was cut. Even a dog bite uses this word because it 'cuts' the skin.
When NOT To Use It
Do not use it for 'cutting a deal' in business. For that, use सौदा करना. Avoid using it for 'cutting class' or skipping school; बंक मारना is the better slang there. Also, if you want to say you 'cut' someone in line, use बीच में आना instead of काटना, which sounds too violent.
Cultural Background
In India, the phrase समय काटना (cutting time) is very common. It implies that time is a long rope you are slowly snipping away. There is also the famous जेब काटना (pocket cutting), which refers to pickpocketing. It reflects a society where physical actions often describe social interactions or misfortunes. Even a 'Challan' (fine) is 'cut' because historically, receipts were torn from a physical book.
Common Variations
चक्कर काटना is a fun one. It means to pace around or visit a place repeatedly, like a boy circling a girl's house. बात काटना means to interrupt someone while they are speaking. If you say मेरा कट गया, it is modern slang for 'I got cheated' or 'I got played'. It is a very colorful word with many lives.
Usage Notes
The verb is neutral but its meaning shifts drastically based on the noun. Always pay attention to whether you are using the active `काटना` or the passive `कटना` to avoid confusion about who is doing the cutting.
The 'Endurance' Nuance
When using 'kāṭnā' for time, it often implies you are just waiting for it to be over. Use 'bitānā' if you are enjoying yourself.
Retroflex Alert
Make sure to use the hard 'ṭ'. If you use a soft 't', people might think you are talking about spinning thread (kātnā).
Compound it!
Add 'denā' (kāṭ denā) to sound more like a native when talking about hanging up or cutting something off completely.
Examples
6क्या आप सब्ज़ियाँ काट सकते हैं?
Can you cut the vegetables?
A standard, literal use of the verb in a daily chore.
बैंक ने मेरे पैसे काट लिए।
The bank deducted my money.
Used here for financial deductions or penalties.
उसने मेरा फ़ोन काट दिया!
He hung up on me!
Literally 'cut the phone,' meaning ended the call abruptly.
मैं बस समय काट रहा हूँ।
I am just passing time.
A very common idiom for doing something just to make time go by.
मच्छर मुझे काट रहे हैं!
Mosquitoes are biting me!
In Hindi, insects 'cut' you rather than 'bite' you.
मुझे अपने बाल कटवाने हैं।
I need to get my hair cut.
Uses the causative form 'katwana' because someone else does the cutting.
Test Yourself
Fill in the blank with the correct form of 'kāṭnā'.
उसने मेरा फ़ोन _______ दिया।
'Kāṭ denā' is a compound verb meaning to disconnect/hang up.
Which sentence correctly describes passing time?
How do you say 'I am passing time'?
'Samay kāṭnā' is the standard idiom for passing time.
Match the use of 'kāṭnā' to the situation.
1. सज़ा काटना, 2. सब्ज़ी काटना, 3. पैसे काटना
These represent the legal, physical, and financial senses of the word.
Complete the dialogue.
A: बैंक ने मेरी फीस क्यों _____? B: क्योंकि आपने देरी की थी।
'Fees' is feminine in Hindi, so the verb must be 'kāṭī'.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
The Many Faces of Kāṭnā
Physical
- • Vegetables
- • Paper
- • Cake
Abstract
- • Time
- • Life
- • Sentence
Digital
- • Phone Call
- • Signal
- • Data
Financial
- • Salary
- • Tax
- • Discount
Practice Bank
4 exercisesउसने मेरा फ़ोन _______ दिया।
'Kāṭ denā' is a compound verb meaning to disconnect/hang up.
How do you say 'I am passing time'?
'Samay kāṭnā' is the standard idiom for passing time.
1. सज़ा काटना, 2. सब्ज़ी काटना, 3. पैसे काटना
These represent the legal, physical, and financial senses of the word.
A: बैंक ने मेरी फीस क्यों _____? B: क्योंकि आपने देरी की थी।
'Fees' is feminine in Hindi, so the verb must be 'kāṭī'.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsTechnically yes, but it's more natural to say 'Bāl kaṭvānā' (to have hair cut) because you usually don't cut it yourself.
The word itself isn't rude, but the action of hanging up can be. 'Main phone kāṭ rahā hūn' is a neutral way to say 'I'm hanging up now'.
'Kāṭnā' is active (I cut), while 'kaṭnā' is passive or intransitive (It is being cut / Time is passing).
No, that's an English idiom. Use 'saudā karnā' instead.
Use 'Machhar kā kāṭnā'. In Hindi, insects 'cut' you.
Yes, very often! Songs about life often use 'zindagi kāṭnā' to describe the struggle of living.
Yes, 'Cake kāṭnā' is the standard phrase for birthdays.
It means to make repeated, often frustrating, trips to a place.
Yes, for bees or scorpions, you can use 'kāṭnā', though 'ḍank mārnā' is more specific for stings.
Tax kāṭnā.
Related Phrases
काट देना
specialized formTo cut off completely
कट जाना
similarTo be cut or to pass
काट-छाँट
builds onTrimming/Editing
जेब काटना
specialized formTo pickpocket
समय बिताना
synonymTo spend time
