Meaning
To acquire money through work or effort.
Cultural Background
Earning money is seen as the primary milestone of adulthood. A person is not considered 'settled' until they start 'paisa kamana'. In villages, 'paisa kamana' often involves seasonal migration to cities. It's a collective family effort. The concept of 'Shubh Labh' (Auspicious Profit) is written on doors. It means earning money should be done in a way that brings good fortune. The 'startup' culture has introduced terms like 'funding' and 'valuation', but the goal remains 'paisa kamana' at scale.
Verb Agreement
Remember that 'kamana' is transitive. In the past tense, the verb agrees with 'paisa' (masculine), not the subject.
Don't over-use 'Paisa'
In very formal writing, use 'Dhan' or 'Vitt' instead of 'Paisa' to sound more professional.
Meaning
To acquire money through work or effort.
Verb Agreement
Remember that 'kamana' is transitive. In the past tense, the verb agrees with 'paisa' (masculine), not the subject.
Don't over-use 'Paisa'
In very formal writing, use 'Dhan' or 'Vitt' instead of 'Paisa' to sound more professional.
Compound Verbs
Use 'paisa kama lena' to sound more like a native speaker when talking about achieving a financial goal.
Politeness
Avoid asking 'Aap kitna paisa kamate hain?' (How much do you earn?) directly to strangers; it's considered rude.
Test Yourself
Fill in the blank with the correct form of 'kamana'.
वह पिछले पाँच सालों से इस कंपनी में पैसा _______ रहा है।
The sentence is in the present continuous tense (raha hai), so the root form 'कमा' is used.
Which sentence is correct for winning the lottery?
लॉटरी के लिए कौन सा वाक्य सही है?
Lottery is a game of chance, so 'jeetna' (to win) is the correct verb.
Complete the dialogue.
राहुल: तुम इतनी मेहनत क्यों कर रहे हो? अमित: क्योंकि मुझे अपने परिवार के लिए _______ है।
The context of 'hard work' (mehnat) implies 'earning' (kamana).
Match the phrase to the situation.
Situation: A businessman talking about his annual profits.
'Munafa' means profit, which is what businessmen earn.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Kamana vs Jeetna
Practice Bank
4 exercisesवह पिछले पाँच सालों से इस कंपनी में पैसा _______ रहा है।
The sentence is in the present continuous tense (raha hai), so the root form 'कमा' is used.
लॉटरी के लिए कौन सा वाक्य सही है?
Lottery is a game of chance, so 'jeetna' (to win) is the correct verb.
राहुल: तुम इतनी मेहनत क्यों कर रहे हो? अमित: क्योंकि मुझे अपने परिवार के लिए _______ है।
The context of 'hard work' (mehnat) implies 'earning' (kamana).
Situation: A businessman talking about his annual profits.
'Munafa' means profit, which is what businessmen earn.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
12 questionsIt is neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
Yes, 'izzat kamana' (earning respect) is a very common and beautiful expression.
'Kamana' is more common and implies labor; 'banana' is a literal translation of 'making money' and is used more in business slang.
You say 'Maine paisa kamaya.' Don't forget the 'ne'!
Yes, 'rokda chhapna' (printing cash) or 'moti kamai' (fat earnings).
No, use 'jeetna' for bets.
It literally means 'daily bread' and refers to one's basic livelihood.
Yes, 'paisa' is a masculine noun in Hindi.
You can say 'dher saara paisa kamana' or 'bahut paisa kamana'.
Yes, variants of 'kamana' are used in Punjabi, Marathi, and Gujarati.
Yes, 'Company ne paisa kamaya' is perfectly fine.
'Paisa kharch karna' (to spend money) or 'paisa ganwana' (to lose/waste money).
Related Phrases
रोजी-रोटी कमाना
similarTo earn one's bread and butter
नाम कमाना
builds onTo earn a name/fame
दुआएं कमाना
figurativeTo earn blessings
मुनाफा कमाना
specialized formTo earn profit
पैसे बनाना
similarTo make money
