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बैठा

A2 adjective #1,000 most common 11 min read

बैठा

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Practice it Examples Notes & Tips बैठा in 30 Seconds

Explanation बैठा in your Level:

At the A1 level, the most important thing to know about the word बैठा (baithā) is that it means 'sitting'. When you want to say that someone is currently in a chair, on a bed, or on the floor, you use this word. It is very different from English because you do not use the '-ing' form (रहा है) for sitting. You just use 'बैठा है'. You need to learn three basic forms based on who is sitting. If a boy or a man is sitting, you say 'बैठा है' (baithā hai). For example, 'लड़का बैठा है' (The boy is sitting). If a girl or a woman is sitting, you change the ending to an 'ee' sound and say 'बैठी है' (baithī hai). For example, 'लड़की बैठी है' (The girl is sitting). If you are talking about many people, or if you are talking to someone with respect (like using 'आप'), you change the ending to an 'e' sound and say 'बैठे हैं' (baithe hain). For example, 'वे बैठे हैं' (They are sitting). This is a very common word that you will use every day to describe where people are and what they are doing. Practice looking around the room and saying who is sitting and where they are sitting. Remember to use 'पर' (par) for 'on' and 'में' (mein) for 'in'. For example, 'कुर्सी पर' (on the chair) or 'गाड़ी में' (in the car).

At the A2 level, you should be comfortable with the basic gender and number agreement of बैठा (baithā, baithī, baithe). Now, you need to expand your use of this word into different tenses and slightly more complex sentences. You should know how to say someone *was* sitting. To do this, you change the 'है' (hai) to 'था' (thā) for masculine, 'थी' (thī) for feminine, and 'थे' (the) for plural/respect. For example, 'वह कल यहाँ बैठा था' (He was sitting here yesterday). You should also start using बैठा as an adjective to describe a noun directly. For instance, instead of just saying 'The man is sitting', you can say 'The sitting man' by using 'बैठा हुआ आदमी' (baithā huā ādmī). The word 'हुआ' (huā) is often added to emphasize the state, though it is optional. You will also start hearing common phrases like 'खाली बैठा' (khālī baithā), which literally means 'sitting empty' but is used to mean 'sitting idle' or 'unemployed'. This is a very common way to describe someone who has no work to do. Furthermore, you should practice using बैठा with different postpositions and ensuring the nouns are in the oblique case, such as 'कमरे में बैठा है' (sitting in the room) instead of 'कमरा में'. Mastering these nuances will make your Hindi sound much more natural and less like a direct translation from English.

At the B1 level, your understanding of बैठा moves beyond simple physical posture and into idiomatic and metaphorical usage. You should now understand that verbs of posture in Hindi (sit, stand, lie) use the perfective aspect to denote a continuous state. This is a major grammatical concept. You will encounter बैठा in various compound verbs and expressions. For example, 'बैठ जाना' (baith jānā) means 'to sit down' (the action), but it can also mean to collapse or subside. If a building collapses, one might say 'इमारत बैठ गई' (The building sat down). If someone loses their voice due to a sore throat, they say 'गला बैठ गया' (The throat sat down), and the resulting state is 'गला बैठा हुआ है' (The voice is hoarse). You will also hear it in emotional contexts. If a fear is deeply rooted, 'डर मन में बैठ गया है' (Fear has sat in the mind). You should be able to use these expressions naturally in conversation. Additionally, you should be comfortable using the present participle form 'बैठते हुए' (baithte hue - while sitting down) to describe simultaneous actions, distinguishing it clearly from the stative 'बैठा हुआ' (baithā huā - in a seated state). For example, 'कुर्सी पर बैठते हुए उसने कहा...' (While sitting down on the chair, he said...) versus 'कुर्सी पर बैठे हुए उसने कहा...' (While seated on the chair, he said...).

At the B2 level, you are expected to use बैठा with high accuracy in complex sentence structures and understand its subtle cultural implications. You should effortlessly handle relative clauses involving stative verbs, such as 'वह आदमी जो कोने में बैठा है, मेरा दोस्त है' (The man who is sitting in the corner is my friend), or more concisely, 'कोने में बैठा (हुआ) आदमी मेरा दोस्त है'. You will understand the nuances of register and choose appropriate synonyms like 'विराजमान' (virājmān) or 'आसीन' (āsīn) when the context demands formality or respect, such as in professional settings, religious contexts, or formal writing. You will also be familiar with complex idioms like 'बैठा-बैठाया' (baithā-baithāyā), which means 'ready-made' or 'without effort'. For example, 'उसे बैठा-बैठाया काम मिल गया' (He got a ready-made job/a job without any effort). You will understand how the concept of 'sitting' is used to describe the state of businesses or markets, such as 'बाज़ार बैठा हुआ है' (The market is sluggish/down). Your listening comprehension should be sharp enough to catch the subtle differences in pronunciation and context that distinguish the action of sitting from the state of being seated, even in fast-paced native speech. You should also be able to correct others who make the common 'बैठ रहा है' mistake.

At the C1 level, your use of बैठा and its related forms is near-native. You understand the deep etymological and cultural roots of the word. You recognize that in Indian culture, sitting (especially on the floor or in a specific posture) carries specific connotations of respect, mourning, or negotiation. For instance, 'धरने पर बैठना' (dharne par baithnā) means to sit on a strike or protest, a very common political action in India. You can seamlessly integrate these cultural concepts into your discussions. You are adept at using the causative forms of the verb, such as 'बिठाना' (bithānā - to make someone sit) and 'बैठवाना' (baithvānā - to have someone seated by a third party), and you understand how these relate to the stative adjective 'बैठा'. You can appreciate the literary uses of the word in Hindi poetry and prose, where 'बैठना' might symbolize stagnation, acceptance, or defeat. You can easily navigate complex literary sentences where 'बैठा' functions as a secondary predicate or part of a complex participial phrase. You are also fully aware of regional variations in the use of posture verbs and can adapt your speech accordingly. Your vocabulary includes a wide array of idioms and proverbs featuring this root, and you use them spontaneously and accurately in debates, presentations, and complex social interactions.

At the C2 level, you possess a complete, masterful command of the word बैठा, equivalent to an educated native speaker. You can analyze its usage in classical Hindi literature, contemporary media, and various dialects. You understand the subtle morphological shifts and historical evolution of stative verbs in Indo-Aryan languages. You can play with the word rhetorically, using it to create puns, metaphors, or specific stylistic effects in your writing and speaking. You intuitively grasp the sociolinguistic implications of who is 'sitting' where and how, understanding the power dynamics implied by phrases like 'सिर पर बैठना' (sir par baithnā - to sit on the head / to dominate or take undue advantage). You can write sophisticated essays or deliver speeches where you employ words like विराजमान, आसीन, and बैठा in precisely the right proportions to achieve the desired tone of reverence, objectivity, or casual intimacy. You are capable of teaching the complex grammar of Hindi stative verbs to other learners, explaining the nuances of aspect, tense, and agreement with absolute clarity. Your understanding of 'बैठा' is not just grammatical, but deeply cultural, reflecting a profound integration into the Hindi-speaking world.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

बैठा in 30 Seconds

Means 'sitting' or 'seated'.
Used for the state, not the action.
Changes with gender (बैठा/बैठी).
Changes with number/respect (बैठे).

The Hindi word बैठा (baithā) is an incredibly important vocabulary item for learners to master, primarily because it represents a fundamental difference between how English and Hindi handle verbs of posture and state. In English, when you want to describe someone's current state of being in a chair or on the floor, you use the present continuous tense: 'He is sitting.' However, in Hindi, if you were to translate this literally using the continuous marker 'रहा है' (rahā hai), resulting in 'वह बैठ रहा है' (vah baith rahā hai), you would actually be saying 'He is in the process of sitting down'—meaning his body is currently in motion moving toward the chair. To express the static state of being seated, Hindi uses the perfective participle. The word बैठा is the masculine singular past participle of the verb बैठना (baithnā - to sit). Therefore, 'वह बैठा है' (vah baithā hai) literally translates to 'He has sat,' but it functions entirely as 'He is sitting' or 'He is seated.' This stative use of the perfective participle is a core grammatical concept in Hindi that applies to other posture verbs like खड़ा (khadā - standing) and लेटा (letā - lying down). Understanding this distinction is crucial for achieving fluency and sounding natural to native speakers. Beyond its literal meaning, बैठा is used in a wide variety of contexts. It can describe animals resting, objects placed in a certain way, or even metaphorical states. For instance, if someone is unemployed or has nothing to do, they might say 'मैं घर पर खाली बैठा हूँ' (main ghar par khālī baithā hūn), which means 'I am sitting idle at home.' The word adapts to the gender and number of the subject it describes. If the subject is feminine, it becomes बैठी (baithī). If the subject is masculine plural or if you are using formal respect (आप - āp), it becomes बैठे (baithe).

Masculine Singular: Used for a single male subject: वह बैठा है (He is sitting).

Feminine Singular/Plural: Used for female subjects: वह बैठी है (She is sitting) / वे बैठी हैं (They [females] are sitting).

Masculine Plural / Formal: Used for multiple males or for respect: वे बैठे हैं (They are sitting) / आप बैठे हैं (You [formal] are sitting).

राम सोफे पर बैठा है।

कुत्ता ज़मीन पर बैठा था।

मैं इंतज़ार में बैठा हूँ।

वह कोने में चुपचाप बैठा रहा।

दुकानदार अपनी दुकान में बैठा है।

Using बैठा correctly in sentences requires an understanding of Hindi sentence structure, specifically the Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) word order, and the rules of gender and number agreement. Because बैठा functions as a predicative adjective when describing a state, it must agree with the subject of the sentence. Let us explore various sentence constructions to see how this word operates in different tenses and contexts. In the present tense, you pair it with the auxiliary verb होना (honā - to be). For a masculine singular subject like 'लड़का' (ladkā - boy), the sentence is 'लड़का कुर्सी पर बैठा है' (The boy is sitting on the chair). If we change the subject to feminine, 'लड़की' (ladkī - girl), the participle changes to match: 'लड़की कुर्सी पर बैठी है' (The girl is sitting on the chair). For plural or respectful subjects, we use 'बैठे'. For example, 'पिताजी सोफे पर बैठे हैं' (Father is sitting on the sofa). Notice that even though 'father' is one person, we use the plural form 'बैठे हैं' to show respect, which is a very common and necessary practice in Hindi culture. Moving to the past tense, the auxiliary verb changes to था/थी/थे (thā/thī/the). 'वह कल यहाँ बैठा था' (He was sitting here yesterday). 'वे बाहर बैठे थे' (They were sitting outside). In the future tense, you would use होगा/होगी/होंगे (hogā/hogī/honge) to express probability or a future state: 'वह अब तक ट्रेन में बैठा होगा' (He must be sitting in the train by now). Furthermore, बैठा can be used as an attributive adjective modifying a noun directly. In this case, it often takes the suffix हुआ (huā) to emphasize the state, though it is optional. For example, 'कुर्सी पर बैठा (हुआ) आदमी मेरा भाई है' (The man sitting on the chair is my brother). This structure is extremely useful for creating complex sentences without needing relative clauses like 'The man who is sitting...'. You can also use it with verbs of perception. 'मैंने उसे वहाँ बैठा देखा' (I saw him sitting there). In this construction, बैठा describes the state of the object (him) at the time of perception.

Present State: Subject + Location + बैठा/बैठी/बैठे + है/हैं/हूँ/हो.

Past State: Subject + Location + बैठा/बैठी/बैठे + था/थी/थे.

Attributive Use: बैठा (हुआ) + Noun (e.g., बैठा हुआ लड़का - the sitting boy).

वह पेड़ के नीचे बैठा है।

बच्चा ज़मीन पर बैठा रो रहा था।

मैं सुबह से यहाँ बैठा हूँ।

वह गाड़ी में बैठा इंतज़ार कर रहा है।

क्या तू वहाँ अकेला बैठा है?

The word बैठा is ubiquitous in the Hindi-speaking world. You will hear it in almost every conceivable environment, from the most informal street conversations to formal news broadcasts, though its application might shift slightly depending on the context. In everyday domestic life, it is constantly used to locate family members. A mother might ask, 'तुम्हारा भाई कहाँ है?' (Where is your brother?), and the reply would likely be, 'वह अपने कमरे में बैठा है' (He is sitting in his room). In public transportation, which is a massive part of daily life in India, you will hear it used to describe passengers. 'बस में कोई नहीं बैठा था' (No one was sitting in the bus). It is also heavily used in the context of employment and daily activities. In India, shopkeepers and business owners are often described as 'sitting' at their shops. 'वह अपनी दुकान पर बैठा है' (He is sitting at his shop) implies that he is currently working or tending to his business. Conversely, the phrase 'खाली बैठा है' (sitting empty/idle) is a very common way to describe someone who is unemployed or currently has no work to do. You will also encounter metaphorical uses of बैठा in emotional or physical contexts. If someone has a sore throat and loses their voice, they will say 'मेरा गला बैठ गया है' (My throat has sat down), and the resulting state is described as 'गला बैठा हुआ है' (The throat is seated/hoarse). In financial contexts, if a market crashes or prices drop significantly, people might say 'बाज़ार बैठ गया' (The market sat down). In emotional contexts, if a fear or a thought becomes deeply ingrained in someone's mind, one might say 'यह डर उसके मन में बैठ गया है' (This fear has sat in his mind). These idiomatic expressions show how deeply the concept of 'sitting'—representing a settled, unmoving, or collapsed state—permeates Hindi thought and language. Therefore, mastering this word opens up not just literal descriptions of posture, but a whole range of cultural and idiomatic expressions.

Domestic Settings: Used to locate people in the house or describe their current activity state.

Business Contexts: Describes shopkeepers tending to their stores or people being unemployed (khali baitha).

Health and Body: Used idiomatically to describe a hoarse voice (gala baitha) or a sinking heart.

वह आजकल घर पर खाली बैठा है।

मेरा गला बैठा हुआ है, मैं गा नहीं सकता।

दुकानदार गल्ले पर बैठा था।

वह पीछे की सीट पर बैठा है।

यह बात मेरे दिमाग में बैठ गई है।

When English speakers learn the word बैठा, they frequently make a few specific, predictable errors due to the interference of English grammar rules. The most prominent mistake, as mentioned earlier, is the confusion between the continuous action and the continuous state. An English speaker wants to say 'I am sitting,' so they translate 'I' (मैं), 'am' (हूँ), and 'sitting' (बैठ रहा). They say 'मैं बैठ रहा हूँ' (main baith rahā hūn). To a Hindi speaker, this sounds like you are currently bending your knees and lowering your body into a chair. If you are already in the chair, you must say 'मैं बैठा हूँ' (main baithā hūn). This is a stative verb rule that must be memorized. Another very common mistake involves gender agreement. Because 'sitting' in English has no gender, learners often default to the masculine singular 'बैठा' regardless of who is sitting. A female learner must remember to say 'मैं बैठी हूँ' (main baithī hūn). If a female learner says 'मैं बैठा हूँ', it sounds grammatically incorrect and confusing to native speakers. Similarly, when addressing someone with the formal 'आप' (āp - you), learners sometimes forget that 'आप' always takes plural verb forms and adjectives. So, saying 'आप कहाँ बैठा है?' (Where are you sitting? - using singular masculine) is incorrect and slightly disrespectful. The correct form is 'आप कहाँ बैठे हैं?' (āp kahān baithe hain?). Another area of confusion is the use of postpositions. In English, we say 'sitting ON the chair' or 'sitting IN the car'. In Hindi, you must use the correct postposition (पर for on, में for in) and ensure the noun is in the oblique case. For example, 'कुर्सी' (kursī - chair) remains 'कुर्सी' in the oblique, so it is 'कुर्सी पर बैठा'. But 'कमरा' (kamrā - room) becomes 'कमरे' (kamre) in the oblique, so it must be 'कमरे में बैठा' (sitting in the room), not 'कमरा में बैठा'. Finally, learners sometimes overuse the emphatic 'हुआ' (huā). While 'बैठा हुआ' is perfectly correct, using it in every single sentence can make speech sound slightly unnatural or overly formal. In quick, everyday conversation, just 'बैठा' is usually preferred.

Continuous vs Stative: Mistaking 'बैठ रहा है' (action of sitting down) for 'बैठा है' (state of being seated).

Gender Disagreement: Females using the masculine 'बैठा' instead of the feminine 'बैठी'.

Respect/Plural Errors: Failing to use the plural 'बैठे' when using the formal pronoun 'आप'.

Incorrect: मैं कुर्सी पर बैठ रहा हूँ। (When already seated) -> Correct: मैं कुर्सी पर बैठा हूँ।

Incorrect: सीता कमरे में बैठा है। -> Correct: सीता कमरे में बैठी है।

Incorrect: आप कहाँ बैठा है? -> Correct: आप कहाँ बैठे हैं?

Incorrect: वह कमरा में बैठा है। -> Correct: वह कमरे में बैठा है।

Incorrect: लड़की ज़मीन पर बैठे है। -> Correct: लड़की ज़मीन पर बैठी है।

While बैठा is the most common and versatile word for 'sitting' in Hindi, there are several synonyms and related terms that are used in more specific, formal, or literary contexts. Understanding these alternatives can greatly enrich your vocabulary and allow you to understand higher-register Hindi, such as news broadcasts, formal invitations, or religious texts. A very common formal alternative is विराजमान (virājmān). This word carries a strong sense of respect and dignity. You would not use it for a child sitting on the floor. Instead, it is used for deities sitting in a temple, a king sitting on a throne, or a highly respected guest taking their seat. For example, 'मूर्ति मंदिर में विराजमान है' (The idol is seated/established in the temple). Another formal word is आसीन (āsīn), which also means seated. It is often used in political or official contexts, such as 'अध्यक्ष पद पर आसीन' (seated on the post of the president). The word स्थित (sthit) means 'situated' or 'located' and can sometimes overlap with the idea of being seated or placed somewhere, though it is broader and usually applies to places or buildings (e.g., 'यह शहर नदी के किनारे स्थित है' - This city is situated on the banks of the river). If you want to describe someone who is sitting firmly or resting against something, you might use टिका (tikā), which means resting or propped up. For example, 'वह दीवार से टिका बैठा है' (He is sitting propped against the wall). On the opposite end of the spectrum, the direct antonyms of बैठा are खड़ा (khadā - standing) and लेटा (letā - lying down). It is highly recommended to learn these three words together—बैठा, खड़ा, लेटा—because they all behave identically in terms of grammar. They are all past participles used as stative adjectives. If you know how to use one, you know how to use all three. By expanding your vocabulary to include these synonyms and antonyms, you can describe physical states with much greater precision and appropriate cultural respect.

विराजमान (Virajman): Highly formal and respectful; used for deities, kings, or honored guests.

आसीन (Aaseen): Formal; often used in official, political, or academic contexts for holding a position.

खड़ा (Khada): The direct antonym, meaning 'standing'. Follows the exact same grammatical rules.

भगवान राम सिंहासन पर विराजमान हैं।

मुख्य अतिथि मंच पर आसीन हुए।

वह बैठा नहीं है, वह खड़ा है।

मरीज़ बिस्तर पर लेटा है।

वह थका हुआ ज़मीन पर टिका है।

How Formal Is It?

Formal

"सभी अतिथि अपने स्थानों पर विराजमान हैं।"

Neutral

"पिताजी सोफे पर बैठे हैं।"

Informal

"तू वहाँ क्यों बैठा है?"

Child friendly

"बिल्ली म्याऊँ-म्याऊँ करती हुई चटाई पर बैठी है।"

Slang

"भाई, तू तो एकदम खाली बैठा है, कुछ काम कर ले।"

Fun Fact

In traditional Indian wrestling (Pehlwani), 'Baithak' is the name for deep squats. Wrestlers do thousands of 'baithaks' a day to build leg strength. So the root word for 'sitting' is also the root word for one of the most intense physical exercises in the culture!

Pronunciation Guide

UK /bɛː.ʈʰɑː/

US /bɛː.ʈʰɑː/

The stress is generally on the first syllable: BAI-tha.

Rhymes With

ऐठा (aithā - twisted) पैठा (paithā - entered/penetrated) मीठा (mīthā - sweet - slant rhyme) रूठा (rūthā - sulking - slant rhyme) झूठा (jhūthā - liar - slant rhyme) अंगूठा (angūthā - thumb - slant rhyme) पीठा (pīthā - a type of sweet - slant rhyme) दीठा (dīthā - seen/archaic - slant rhyme)

Common Errors

Pronouncing the 'th' as the English 'th' in 'think' or 'this'. It is a hard, retroflex 't' with a puff of air.
Not aspirating the 'th'. If you don't puff air, it sounds like 'beta' (son), which completely changes the meaning.
Pronouncing the 'ai' as a diphthong like 'eye'. It is a pure, open vowel sound like in 'bat' or 'bear'.
Ignoring the long 'aa' at the end. It must be held longer than a short 'a'.
Failing to nasalize the plural form 'hain' when saying 'baithe hain'.

Difficulty Rating

Reading 2/5

Easy to read, common letters. The retroflex 'th' (ठ) is distinct and easy to recognize.

Writing 3/5

Requires remembering the 'ai' matra (ै) and the correct retroflex character (ठ) instead of the dental (थ).

Speaking 4/5

The pronunciation of the aspirated retroflex 'th' is difficult for native English speakers. Also, remembering to use the stative form instead of the continuous form requires practice.

Listening 3/5

Easy to hear, but learners might confuse it with 'beta' (son) if they don't catch the aspiration.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

है (is) था (was) कुर्सी (chair) पर (on) में (in)

Learn Next

खड़ा (standing) लेटा (lying down) बैठना (to sit - the verb) उठना (to get up) बिठाना (to make sit)

Advanced

विराजमान (seated - formal) आसीन (seated - official) धरना (sit-in protest) तशरीफ़ रखना (to keep one's presence/sit - Urdu formal) स्थित (situated)

Grammar to Know

Stative Verbs for Posture

वह बैठा है (He is sitting) vs वह बैठ रहा है (He is sitting down).

Adjective Gender Agreement

लड़का बैठा है (Boy is sitting) vs लड़की बैठी है (Girl is sitting).

Adjective Number/Respect Agreement

बच्चा बैठा है (Child is sitting) vs पिताजी बैठे हैं (Father is sitting).

Oblique Case with Postpositions

कमरे में बैठा है (Sitting in the room - 'kamra' becomes 'kamre').

Attributive Use with 'Hua'

कुर्सी पर बैठा हुआ आदमी (The man sitting on the chair).

Examples by Level

राम कुर्सी पर बैठा है।

Ram is sitting on the chair.

Masculine singular subject 'Ram' takes 'baithā'.

सीता सोफे पर बैठी है।

Sita is sitting on the sofa.

Feminine singular subject 'Sita' takes 'baithī'.

मैं ज़मीन पर बैठा हूँ।

I (male) am sitting on the floor.

First person masculine singular takes 'baithā hūn'.

बच्चे बाहर बैठे हैं।

The children are sitting outside.

Plural subject 'bacche' takes 'baithe hain'.

कुत्ता वहाँ बैठा है।

The dog is sitting there.

Animal subjects also follow gender rules; 'kuttā' is masculine.

आप कहाँ बैठे हैं?

Where are you sitting? (Formal)

Formal pronoun 'āp' always takes the plural form 'baithe'.

वह गाड़ी में बैठा है।

He is sitting in the car.

Use 'mein' (in) for enclosed spaces.

लड़की पलंग पर बैठी है।

The girl is sitting on the bed.

Feminine subject takes 'baithī'.

कल वह मेरे पास बैठा था।

Yesterday he was sitting near me.

Past tense masculine singular uses 'baithā thā'.

हम पार्क में बैठे थे।

We were sitting in the park.

First person plural 'ham' uses 'baithe the'.

वह घर पर खाली बैठा है।

He is sitting idle at home.

'Khālī baithā' is a common phrase for being unemployed or idle.

कुर्सी पर बैठा आदमी मेरा भाई है।

The man sitting on the chair is my brother.

'Baithā' used as an attributive adjective modifying 'ādmī'.

क्या तुम वहाँ अकेले बैठे हो?

Are you sitting there alone? (Informal)

Informal pronoun 'tum' takes 'baithe ho'.

बिल्ली मेज़ के नीचे बैठी थी।

The cat was sitting under the table.

Feminine past tense uses 'baithī thī'.

वे चुपचाप कमरे में बैठे हैं।

They are sitting quietly in the room.

Adverb 'chupchāp' (quietly) used with the stative verb.

दुकानदार अपनी दुकान पर बैठा है।

The shopkeeper is sitting at his shop.

Used to indicate someone is present at their place of work.

मेरा गला बैठा हुआ है, मैं बोल नहीं सकता।

My throat is hoarse, I cannot speak.

Idiomatic use: 'galā baithā huā' means a hoarse voice.

वह कोने में मुँह फुलाए बैठा है।

He is sitting in the corner sulking.

'Munh phulāe' (with puffed cheeks) is an idiom for sulking.

मैंने उसे पेड़ के नीचे बैठा देखा।

I saw him sitting under the tree.

Used with a verb of perception ('dekhā' - saw).

इतनी रात गए तुम यहाँ क्यों बैठे हो?

Why are you sitting here so late at night?

Complex sentence structure with time expression.

बाज़ार आजकल बैठा हुआ है।

The market is sluggish these days.

Metaphorical use for economic stagnation.

वह मेरे सिर पर बैठा रहता है।

He constantly hovers over me / dominates me.

Idiom: 'sir par baithnā' means to micromanage or dominate.

मेहमानों के लिए कुर्सियाँ बिछा दो, वे बैठे हैं।

Lay out chairs for the guests, they are sitting (waiting).

Contextual use implying waiting to be seated properly.

वह अपनी ज़िद पर अड़ा बैठा है।

He is sitting firm on his stubbornness.

Used with 'adā' (stubborn/fixed) to emphasize unyielding behavior.

उसे बैठा-बैठाया व्यापार मिल गया।

He got a ready-made/established business.

'Baithā-baithāyā' is an adjective meaning ready-made or without effort.

यह बात मेरे ज़हन में बैठ गई है।

This matter has settled in my mind.

Metaphorical use for something deeply understood or remembered.

मंच पर आसीन अतिथियों का स्वागत है।

Welcome to the guests seated on the stage.

Using the formal synonym 'āsīn' in a welcome address.

वह घंटों तक बिना हिले-डुले बैठा रहा।

He remained sitting for hours without moving.

Combining 'baithā' with the continuous aspect 'rahā' for duration.

हड़ताल पर बैठे कर्मचारियों की माँगें मान ली गईं।

The demands of the employees sitting on strike were accepted.

'Hadatāl par baithe' (sitting on strike) used as an adjectival phrase.

नींव कमज़ोर होने के कारण मकान बैठ गया।

Due to a weak foundation, the house sank/collapsed.

'Baith gayā' used for physical subsidence or collapse.

वह ताक में बैठा था कि कब मौका मिले।

He was sitting in ambush/waiting for an opportunity.

Idiom: 'tāk mein baithnā' means to lie in wait.

भगवान की मूर्ति गर्भगृह में विराजमान है।

The idol of the deity is seated in the inner sanctum.

Using the highly respectful synonym 'virājmān' for a deity.

विपक्ष सरकार की हर नाकामी पर घात लगाए बैठा है।

The opposition is lying in wait for every failure of the government.

Advanced idiom 'ghāt lagāe baithā hai' (lying in ambush).

इस उम्र में आकर उसकी आवाज़ बैठ सी गई है।

Having reached this age, his voice has somewhat become hoarse/weak.

Nuanced use of 'baith sī gaī hai' indicating a gradual, slight change.

वह अपने उसूलों पर इस कदर बैठा है कि कोई उसे हिला नहीं सकता।

He is so firmly seated on his principles that no one can move him.

Metaphorical use of sitting firmly on abstract concepts like principles.

शेयर बाज़ार के बैठ जाने से निवेशकों को भारी नुकसान हुआ।

The crashing of the stock market caused heavy losses to investors.

Gerundive use 'baith jāne se' (due to the sitting/crashing).

सभा में उपस्थित सभी गणमान्य नागरिक अपने-अपने स्थानों पर विराजमान थे।

All the distinguished citizens present in the assembly were seated at their respective places.

Highly formal register using 'upsthit', 'ganmānya', and 'virājmān'.

वह ऐसा इंसान है जो बैठे-बिठाए मुसीबत मोल ले लेता है।

He is the kind of person who invites trouble without any reason/while sitting idle.

Idiom 'baithe-bithāe' meaning unnecessarily or out of nowhere.

दिल में बैठी हुई बात आसानी से नहीं निकलती।

A matter seated deep in the heart does not come out easily.

Poetic/emotional use of 'dil mein baithī huī'.

न्यायाधीश के आसन पर बैठे व्यक्ति को निष्पक्ष होना चाहिए।

The person seated on the judge's chair must be impartial.

Complex noun phrase 'āsan par baithe vyakti' (person seated on the seat).

सत्ता के शीर्ष पर बैठा व्यक्ति अक्सर ज़मीनी हकीकत से कट जाता है।

The person seated at the pinnacle of power often gets cut off from ground reality.

Philosophical/political commentary using 'shīrsh par baithā' (seated at the top).

सालों की तपस्या के बाद वह इस आध्यात्मिक अवस्था में स्थित/बैठा है।

After years of penance, he is seated/established in this spiritual state.

Interchangeable use of 'sthit' and 'baithā' in a deeply spiritual context.

उसकी आँखों में एक अजीब सा खौफ बैठा हुआ था, जो शब्दों में बयां नहीं हो सकता।

A strange terror was seated in his eyes, which cannot be expressed in words.

Abstract noun (terror) taking the stative verb 'baithā huā thā'.

यह महज़ एक इत्तेफाक नहीं था, बल्कि एक सोची-समझी चाल थी जो उसके दिमाग में पहले से बैठी थी।

This was not merely a coincidence, but a well-thought-out ploy that was already seated in his mind.

Complex sentence structure detailing premeditation.

जब तक समाज की जड़ों में बैठी कुरीतियों को नहीं उखाड़ा जाएगा, विकास संभव नहीं है।

Until the evil customs seated in the roots of society are uprooted, development is not possible.

Sociological discourse using 'jadon mein baithī' (seated in the roots).

वह महफ़िल में कुछ इस अंदाज़ से बैठा था गोया सारी दुनिया उसी के इर्द-गिर्द घूमती हो।

He was seated in the gathering in such a manner as if the whole world revolved around him.

Literary style using Urdu loanwords ('mahfil', 'goyā') mixed with Hindi stative verbs.

अर्थव्यवस्था का इस कदर बैठ जाना किसी भी राष्ट्र के लिए एक गंभीर चेतावनी है।

The collapsing of the economy to this extent is a serious warning for any nation.

Academic/economic analysis using 'is kadar baith jānā'.

कवि ने अपनी रचना में उस उदासी का वर्णन किया है जो हर इंसान के भीतर कहीं न कहीं बैठी है।

The poet has described in his work that sadness which is seated somewhere within every human being.

Literary critique style discussing abstract emotions.

Common Collocations

चुपचाप बैठा

खाली बैठा

अकेला बैठा

आराम से बैठा

ज़मीन पर बैठा

कुर्सी पर बैठा

मुँह फुलाए बैठा

घात लगाए बैठा

गला बैठा

धरने पर बैठा

Common Phrases

खाली बैठा है

— Sitting idle or unemployed. Used to describe someone who has no work or is wasting time.

वह दिन भर घर में खाली बैठा रहता है।

बैठे-बैठे

— While sitting; suddenly or without doing anything. Used to describe something that happens unexpectedly while inactive.

बैठे-बैठे मेरे पैर में दर्द होने लगा।

बैठा-बैठाया

— Ready-made or acquired without effort. Often used for businesses or wealth inherited rather than earned.

उसे तो बैठा-बैठाया काम मिल गया।

गला बैठना

— To have a hoarse voice or lose one's voice, usually due to a sore throat or shouting.

ज़्यादा बोलने से मेरा गला बैठ गया है।

दिल बैठना

— Heart sinking; feeling sudden despair, fear, or deep disappointment.

यह बुरी खबर सुनकर मेरा दिल बैठ गया।

दिमाग में बैठना

— To be deeply understood or memorized; to become a fixed idea in one's mind.

यह बात मेरे दिमाग में अच्छी तरह बैठ गई है।

बाज़ार बैठना

— The market crashing or becoming very slow/sluggish. Used in economic contexts.

आजकल कपड़ों का बाज़ार बैठा हुआ है।

धरने पर बैठना

— To sit on a strike or protest. A very common form of political or social demonstration in India.

छात्र अपनी माँगों को लेकर धरने पर बैठे हैं।

सिर पर बैठना

— To dominate someone, take undue advantage of their leniency, or constantly hover over them.

तुमने ही बच्चों को सिर पर बैठा रखा है।

ताक में बैठना

— To lie in wait or ambush; waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike or act.

बिल्ली चूहे की ताक में बैठी है।

Often Confused With

बैठा vs बैठ रहा है (baith rahā hai)

Learners confuse the action (sitting down) with the state (being seated). 'Baitha' is the state.

बैठा vs बेटा (betā)

Means 'son'. English speakers often mispronounce the retroflex aspirated 'th' as a simple 't', making 'baitha' sound like 'beta'.

बैठा vs बैठक (baithak)

This is the noun form meaning 'meeting' or 'sitting room', not the adjective 'seated'.

Idioms & Expressions

"सिर पर चढ़कर बैठना"

— To become overly dominant or arrogant; to take advantage of someone's kindness.

अगर तुम उसे ज़्यादा छूट दोगे, तो वह तुम्हारे सिर पर चढ़कर बैठेगा।

Informal

"गले में बैठना"

— When a voice becomes hoarse or raspy.

ठंडा पानी पीने से मेरा गला बैठ गया है।

Neutral

"दिल में घर कर बैठना"

— To settle deeply in someone's heart (usually a feeling of love, fear, or a specific thought).

उसकी बातें मेरे दिल में घर कर बैठी हैं।

Poetic/Formal

"हाथ पर हाथ धरे बैठना"

— To sit idle doing nothing, especially when action is required.

मुसीबत के समय हाथ पर हाथ धरे बैठने से काम नहीं चलेगा।

Neutral

"बैठे-बिठाए"

— Without any reason; out of nowhere; unnecessarily.

उसने बैठे-बिठाए एक नई मुसीबत मोल ले ली।

Informal

"ज़मीन बैठ जाना"

— When the ground or foundation sinks or collapses.

भूकंप के कारण कई घरों की ज़मीन बैठ गई।

Neutral

"आँखों में बैठना"

— To become very dear to someone; to be constantly in someone's thoughts/vision.

वह बच्चा तो सबकी आँखों में बैठ गया है।

Poetic

"कलेजा बैठना"

— Heart sinking due to extreme fear or shock.

शेर की दहाड़ सुनकर मेरा कलेजा बैठ गया।

Informal/Dramatic

"पालथी मारकर बैठना"

— To sit cross-legged on the floor (a specific posture).

हम सब ज़मीन पर पालथी मारकर बैठे थे।

Neutral

"गद्दी पर बैठना"

— To ascend to the throne or take over a position of power/business.

पिता की मृत्यु के बाद बेटा गद्दी पर बैठा।

Formal/Historical

Easily Confused

बैठा vs खड़ा

Learners forget that 'standing' follows the exact same stative rule as 'sitting'.

खड़ा means standing, बैठा means sitting. Both use the perfective participle for the continuous state.

वह खड़ा है (He is standing), वह बैठा है (He is sitting).

बैठा vs लेटा

Same as above, 'lying down' is also a stative verb.

लेटा means lying down.

वह बिस्तर पर लेटा है (He is lying on the bed).

बैठा vs बिठाना

Learners confuse the intransitive state with the transitive causative action.

बैठा is the state of being seated. बिठाना is the action of making someone else sit.

मैंने उसे कुर्सी पर बिठाया (I made him sit on the chair).

बैठा vs उठा

Opposite action, similar grammatical structure.

उठा means 'risen' or 'gotten up'.

वह सोकर उठा है (He has woken/gotten up from sleep).

बैठा vs स्थित

Both can translate to 'situated' or 'placed' in English.

स्थित is used for geographical locations or abstract concepts, not for people sitting.

दिल्ली भारत में स्थित है (Delhi is situated in India).

Sentence Patterns

[Subject] [Location] पर/में बैठा/बैठी/बैठे है/हैं।

राम कुर्सी पर बैठा है।

[Subject] [Location] पर/में बैठा/बैठी/बैठे था/थी/थे।

वह कल यहाँ बैठा था।

[Location] पर/में बैठा (हुआ) [Noun]...

कुर्सी पर बैठा हुआ आदमी मेरा भाई है।

[Subject] खाली बैठा है।

वह आजकल घर पर खाली बैठा है।

[Subject] [Emotion/State] में बैठा है।

वह गहरे विचार में बैठा है।

[Body Part] बैठ गया है / बैठा हुआ है।

मेरा गला बैठा हुआ है।

[Subject] [Action] की ताक/घात में बैठा है।

शेर शिकार की ताक में बैठा है।

[Abstract Noun] [Location] में बैठी है।

यह डर उसके मन में गहराई तक बैठा है।

Word Family

Nouns

Verbs

Adjectives

How to Use It

frequency

Extremely High. It is one of the top 500 most frequently used words in spoken Hindi.

Common Mistakes

Saying 'मैं बैठ रहा हूँ' (Main baith raha hoon) to mean 'I am sitting'. → मैं बैठा हूँ (Main baitha hoon).
'Baith raha hoon' means you are currently in the physical motion of sitting down. If you are already in the chair, you must use the stative form 'baitha hoon'.
A female saying 'मैं बैठा हूँ' (Main baitha hoon). → मैं बैठी हूँ (Main baithi hoon).
'Baitha' is an adjective and must agree with the gender of the speaker. Females must use the feminine form 'baithi'.
Saying 'आप कहाँ बैठा है?' (Aap kahan baitha hai?). → आप कहाँ बैठे हैं? (Aap kahan baithe hain?).
The formal pronoun 'Aap' requires plural verb agreement. Therefore, 'baitha' must become 'baithe' and 'hai' must become 'hain'.
Saying 'वह कमरा में बैठा है' (Vah kamra mein baitha hai). → वह कमरे में बैठा है (Vah kamre mein baitha hai).
When using a postposition like 'mein' (in), the preceding noun must be in the oblique case. 'Kamra' changes to 'kamre'.
Using 'स्थित' (sthit) for a person sitting. → बैठा (baitha).
While both can mean 'situated', 'sthit' is used for geographical locations or buildings, not for human posture.

Tips

The Stative Trio

Always group 'baitha' (sitting), 'khada' (standing), and 'leta' (lying down) together in your mind. They all follow the exact same rule: use the past participle for the present state.

Aspirate the 'Th'

If you don't puff air on the 'th', native speakers will hear 'beta' (son) instead of 'baitha' (sitting). Practice holding a piece of paper in front of your mouth; it should move when you say the 'th'.

Respectful Plurals

Never say 'Aap baitha hai' to an elder. It is grammatically jarring and disrespectful. Always use the plural 'Aap baithe hain'.

Khali Baitha

Memorize the phrase 'khali baitha'. You will hear it constantly in Indian movies and daily life when people complain about someone being lazy or jobless.

Postpositions and Oblique Case

When saying sitting 'on' or 'in' something, remember to change the noun to the oblique case. 'Kamra' becomes 'kamre mein baitha'.

Metaphorical Sitting

Remember that things other than people can 'sit' in Hindi. Voices sit (hoarse), markets sit (crash), and fears sit (settle in the mind).

Spelling the Vowel

The 'ai' sound in 'baitha' is written with the 'ai' matra (ै) on top of the letter 'ba' (ब). It is not a combination of 'a' and 'i'.

Dropping the Nasalization

In spoken Hindi, the plural feminine 'baithīn hain' is almost always simplified to 'baithī hain'. Don't worry too much about nasalizing the feminine plural in casual speech.

Avoid 'Baith Raha'

Put a mental block on translating 'I am sitting' to 'Main baith raha hoon'. Reserve 'rah hoon' only for the 2 seconds it takes to lower your body into the chair.

Using 'Hua'

Use 'hua' (baitha hua) when you want to strongly emphasize the state, or when using it as an adjective before a noun (baitha hua aadmi). Otherwise, just 'baitha' is fine.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Imagine you are at a bay (BAI) and you see a thug (THA) sitting on a treasure chest. BAI-THA = sitting.

Visual Association

Visualize a large, comfortable armchair with the letters B-A-I-T-H-A carved into the wooden backrest. Whenever you think of someone sitting in that chair, you see the word.

Word Web

बैठना (to sit) कुर्सी (chair) ज़मीन (floor) खड़ा (standing) आराम (rest) बैठक (meeting) खाली (idle) गला (throat)

Challenge

Next time you are in a public place like a cafe or a bus, look around and mentally label everyone who is sitting as 'baitha' (for men) or 'baithi' (for women). Try to form full sentences in your head: 'वह आदमी बैठा है' (That man is sitting).

Word Origin

The word बैठा comes from the Sanskrit root 'उपविशति' (upavishati - he sits) or more directly from the Prakrit form 'उवविसइ' (uvavisai) which eventually evolved into the Old Hindi 'बइठना' (baithnā). The transition involves complex phonological shifts over centuries. The stative use of the perfective participle is a shared feature across many modern Indo-Aryan languages.

Original meaning: The original meaning has always been related to the physical act of lowering the body to rest on the ground or a seat.

Indo-European > Indo-Iranian > Indo-Aryan > Central Zone > Hindi

Cultural Context

Be mindful of the pronouns and verb endings you use. Addressing an elder and saying 'Tu kahan baitha hai?' (Where are you sitting? - using the lowest respect pronoun) is highly offensive. Always use 'Aap kahan baithe hain?'

English speakers must unlearn the habit of using the continuous '-ing' form for sitting. In English, 'sitting' is an action that continues. In Hindi, 'sitting' is a state achieved after the action is completed.

The famous Bollywood song 'Khali Peeli Rokne Ka Nahi' has lyrics that reflect casual street slang, often using posture words. In the epic Mahabharata, the 'baithak' or assembly of kings is where the most crucial and disastrous decisions are made. The political concept of 'Dharna' (sit-in protest) is globally recognized, famously used by Mahatma Gandhi, where people literally 'sit' to demand justice.

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Describing where people are in a house.

कमरे में बैठा है
सोफे पर बैठी है
बाहर बैठे हैं
ज़मीन पर बैठा है

Talking about employment or lack thereof.

खाली बैठा है
बेकार बैठा है
दुकान पर बैठा है
काम पर बैठा है

Describing physical ailments.

गला बैठा हुआ है
आवाज़ बैठ गई है
पैर बैठ गए हैं
दिल बैठ रहा है

Political or social protests.

धरने पर बैठे हैं
हड़ताल पर बैठे हैं
अनशन पर बैठे हैं
विरोध में बैठे हैं

Formal events and ceremonies.

मंच पर आसीन
विराजमान हैं
स्थान ग्रहण करें
बैठक चल रही है

Conversation Starters

"आप यहाँ अकेले क्यों बैठे हैं?"

"क्या मैं यहाँ बैठ सकता हूँ?"

"वह आदमी जो वहाँ बैठा है, कौन है?"

"आजकल बाज़ार कैसा चल रहा है, क्या काम बैठा हुआ है?"

"इतनी उदास क्यों बैठी हो?"

Journal Prompts

Describe your favorite place to sit and relax in your house. Use 'baitha/baithi' to describe yourself in that spot.

Write about a time you had to wait a long time for someone. Where were you sitting? (मैं... बैठा था)

Describe a picture of your family. Who is sitting where?

Write about the concept of 'khali baitha' (sitting idle). Is it good to sit idle sometimes?

Imagine you are a king or queen. Describe how you are seated on your throne using formal words.

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

In Hindi, 'baith raha hoon' specifically means the physical action of lowering your body into a chair. If you are already in the chair and resting, the action is complete. Therefore, Hindi uses the perfective state 'baitha hoon' (I am seated) to express this continuous state.

No, it is optional. 'Main kursi par baitha hoon' and 'Main kursi par baitha hua hoon' mean the same thing. Adding 'hua' just slightly emphasizes the continuous nature of the state. In casual speech, it is usually dropped.

In Hindi, when a group is mixed gender, the masculine plural form is used as the default. So, you would say 'Ve baithe hain' (They are sitting), using the masculine plural 'baithe'.

It is an idiom that translates literally to 'the throat is sitting'. It means that someone has a hoarse voice, has lost their voice, or has a sore throat that prevents them from speaking clearly.

It is a past participle derived from the verb 'baithna' (to sit), but in sentences like 'Vah baitha hai', it functions as a predicative adjective describing the state of the subject.

You use 'baitha' as an attributive adjective. You say 'Baitha hua aadmi' (The seated man). Here, adding 'hua' is more common to link the adjective clearly to the noun.

If you are talking about a highly respected guest, a king, or a deity, you should use the word 'virajman' (विराजमान) instead of 'baitha'. For official positions, 'aaseen' (आसीन) is used.

Hindi uses plural verb forms and adjectives to show respect. When you use the formal pronoun 'Aap' (You), you must use the plural form 'baithe', even if you are only talking to one person.

'Khali' means empty. 'Khali baitha' literally means 'sitting empty'. It is a very common phrase used to describe someone who is idle, has no work to do, or is unemployed.

It is not like the English 'th' in 'the' or 'think'. It is a retroflex sound. Curl the tip of your tongue back to touch the roof of your mouth, and then release it with a strong puff of air (aspiration).

Test Yourself 200 questions

writing

Translate to Hindi: 'The boy is sitting.'

Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.

Ladka (boy) + baitha hai (is sitting).