कमाना in 30 Seconds
- Kamana primarily means 'to earn' money or livelihood.
- It is also used for earning respect, fame, and blessings.
- It is a transitive verb requiring 'ne' in the past tense.
- It implies effort and merit, unlike just 'getting' something.
The Hindi verb कमाना (Kamānā) is a fundamental term that primarily translates to 'to earn' in English. However, its semantic range extends far beyond the mere acquisition of financial currency. In the Hindi-speaking world, कमाना encapsulates the effort, labor, and merit involved in obtaining something of value, whether tangible or intangible. At its core, it signifies the result of an action (Karma) where the actor receives a reward for their input. This can refer to a daily wage, a monthly salary, or even more abstract concepts like 'punya' (merit) in a spiritual context. Understanding this word requires looking at it through the lens of Indian societal values, where 'earning' is often synonymous with 'providing' for one's family and establishing one's place in the community.
- Primary Meaning
- To earn money or livelihood through labor or business.
- Secondary Meaning
- To gain respect, fame, or merit through one's actions.
- Grammatical Category
- Transitive Verb (सकर्मक क्रिया).
"वह दिन-रात मेहनत करके पैसे कमाता है ताकि उसका परिवार सुखी रहे।" (He earns money by working day and night so that his family remains happy.)
When we talk about कमाना, we are often talking about the 'Kamai' (earnings). In a traditional Indian household, the 'Kamane wala' (the earner) holds a position of responsibility. The word suggests a process that is legitimate and hardworking. Unlike 'pānā' (to get) or 'lenā' (to take), कमाना implies that the object was deserved. You don't just 'get' respect; you 'earn' it (Izzat kamānā). You don't just 'get' a name; you 'earn' fame (Nām kamānā). This distinction is crucial for learners to grasp the weight of the word in conversation.
"पैसे तो हर कोई कमाता है, लेकिन इज्जत कमाना सबके बस की बात नहीं।" (Everyone earns money, but earning respect is not everyone's cup of tea.)
Furthermore, the word is deeply tied to the concept of 'Haq' (right). When you कमाना something, it becomes your 'Haq ki kamai' (rightful earning). This carries a moral connotation in Hindi literature and cinema, where 'do nambar ki kamai' (illegal earnings) is contrasted with 'mehnat ki kamai' (earnings of hard work). Thus, the verb is not just a functional economic term but a moral descriptor of one's lifestyle and choices.
"उसने अपनी ईमानदारी से समाज में बहुत नाम कमाया है।" (He has earned a lot of name/fame in society through his honesty.)
- Colloquial Usage
- 'Kitna kama lete ho?' (How much do you manage to earn?) - A common, though sometimes intrusive, question in social settings.
"क्या तुमने आज कुछ कमाया?" (Did you earn anything today? - can be used for profit or even learning.)
"पुण्य कमाना ही जीवन का असली उद्देश्य होना चाहिए।" (Earning spiritual merit should be the real purpose of life.)
Using कमाना correctly involves understanding its conjugation as a regular transitive verb ending in '-nā'. Since it is transitive, in the perfective tenses (past tense), the subject takes the postposition 'ne' and the verb agrees with the object. For example, 'Usne paise kamaye' (He earned money). Here, 'kamaye' agrees with 'paise' (masculine plural), not with 'usne'. This is a common stumbling block for A2 and B1 learners.
1. Tense Conjugations
In the present habitual, it follows the standard pattern: 'Main kamātā hūn' (I earn - male), 'Main kamātī hūn' (I earn - female). In the continuous sense, 'Main paise kamā rahā hūn' (I am earning money). The future tense is 'Main kamāūngā' (I will earn). The simplicity of its stem 'kamā-' makes it relatively easy to conjugate across all 12 major tenses in Hindi.
2. Abstract Objects
While 'paise' (money) is the most common object, कमाना is frequently paired with abstract nouns. 'Izzat kamana' (to earn respect), 'Shuhrat kamana' (to earn fame), 'Duaein kamana' (to earn blessings), and 'Anubhav kamana' (to earn experience). When using these, the verb retains its transitive nature. For instance, 'Maa-baap ki duaein kamao' (Earn the blessings of your parents) is a common piece of advice in Indian culture.
3. Causative Forms
The verb has causative forms: 'Kamvānā' (to cause someone to earn or to help someone earn). For example, 'Main use paise kamvātā hūn' (I help him earn money/I make him earn money). This is useful when discussing employment or teaching someone a trade.
4. Compound Verbs
In conversational Hindi, you might see it combined with 'lenā' to emphasize the completion or the benefit to the subject: 'Usne kaafi paise kamā liye' (He has earned quite a bit of money). The addition of 'lenā' suggests that the action of earning was successful and the money is now in his possession.
You will encounter कमाना in a variety of settings, from the bustling markets of Old Delhi to high-stakes corporate boardrooms in Mumbai. It is a word that bridges the gap between different socio-economic strata. In a household, parents often use it when discussing the future of their children: 'Beta, jab tum kamāne lagoge, tab samajh āegā' (Son, when you start earning, then you will understand). This highlights the word's association with maturity and responsibility.
In the media and news, 'Kamana' is used in economic reports. You'll hear phrases like 'Company ne is saal bhāri munāfā kamāyā' (The company earned a huge profit this year). In Bollywood movies, the hero often struggles to 'earn' his place or the heroine's father's respect, leading to dramatic dialogues about 'mehnat ki kamai'.
Socially, the question of 'earning' is a common topic of small talk among adults, though it can be sensitive. In religious or spiritual discourses (Pravachans), gurus often talk about 'Punya kamana' (earning spiritual merit) as opposed to just 'Maya' (material wealth). This duality makes the word ubiquitous in both secular and spiritual life in India.
One of the most frequent errors for English speakers is confusing 'to earn' with 'to win' (jeetnā). In English, you might 'win' respect or 'earn' respect, but in Hindi, 'Izzat' is almost always 'kamayi' (earned). If you say 'Maine izzat jeeti', it sounds like you won it in a competition or a lottery, which is semantically odd. Always use कमाना for things that require sustained effort and merit.
Another mistake is the 'Ne' rule in the past tense. Learners often say 'Vah paise kamaya' instead of 'Usne paise kamaye'. Remember, because कमाना is transitive, the 'Ne' postposition is mandatory with the subject in the perfective aspect. Additionally, ensure the verb agrees with the object (paise - plural) rather than the subject.
Lastly, avoid using 'Kamana' for receiving a gift or finding money. If you find 100 rupees on the road, you didn't 'kamaya' it; you 'paya' (found/got) it. 'Kamana' strictly implies that work or merit was exchanged for the value received. Using it for luck or chance is a common lexical error.
Several words share a semantic field with कमाना, but each has its own nuance. Pānā (पाना) means 'to get' or 'to find' and is much broader. It doesn't necessarily imply effort. Hāsil karnā (हासिल करना) means 'to achieve' or 'to acquire' and is often used for goals or targets. Prāpt karnā (प्राप्त करना) is a formal Sanskritized version of 'to receive' or 'to obtain', commonly used in official documents.
Munāfā banānā (मुनाफ़ा बनाना) specifically means 'to make a profit' and is more business-oriented. Baturnā (बटोरना) means 'to gather' or 'to collect', sometimes used pejoratively for someone who is greedily amassing wealth. Understanding these differences helps in choosing the right word for the right context. For instance, you 'earn' (kamana) a salary, but you 'achieve' (hasil karna) a promotion.
How Formal Is It?
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Difficulty Rating
Grammar to Know
Examples by Level
मैं पैसे कमाता हूँ।
I earn money.
Present habitual masculine.
तुम कितना कमाते हो?
How much do you earn?
Interrogative sentence.
वह बहुत कमाती है।
She earns a lot.
Present habitual feminine.
वे पैसे नहीं कमाते।
They do not earn money.
Negative present habitual.
क्या आप पैसे कमाना चाहते हैं?
Do you want to earn money?
Infinitive use with 'want'.
मेरा भाई पैसे कमाता है।
My brother earns money.
Subject-verb agreement.
पैसे कमाना ज़रूरी है।
Earning money is important.
Gerundial use of infinitive.
हम सब कमाते हैं।
We all earn.
Plural agreement.
उसने पिछले साल बहुत पैसे कमाए।
He earned a lot of money last year.
Past tense with 'Ne'.
मैंने अपनी पहली तनख्वाह कमाई।
I earned my first salary.
Past tense, feminine object agreement.
क्या तुमने कुछ कमाया?
Did you earn anything?
Past tense interrogative.
वह अगले महीने से कमाना शुरू करेगा।
He will start earning from next month.
Future tense.
हमें इज़्ज़त कमानी चाहिए।
We should earn respect.
Use of 'chahiye' with infinitive.
तुमने कितने पैसे कमाए?
How much money did you earn?
Past tense with plural object.
वह पैसे कमाने के लिए शहर गया।
He went to the city to earn money.
Purpose clause.
मेरी बहन पैसे कमा रही है।
My sister is earning money.
Present continuous.
अगर तुम मेहनत करोगे, तो तुम बहुत कमाओगे।
If you work hard, you will earn a lot.
Conditional sentence.
उसने मेहनत से अपना नाम कमाया है।
He has earned his name through hard work.
Present perfect with 'Ne'.
पैसे कमाना उतना आसान नहीं जितना लगता है।
Earning money is not as easy as it seems.
Comparison structure.
वह अपने परिवार के लिए पैसे कमाता आ रहा है।
He has been earning money for his family.
Continuous aspect over time.
क्या आप जानते हैं कि पैसे कैसे कमाए जाते हैं?
Do you know how money is earned?
Passive construction.
उसने अपनी ईमानदारी से सबका दिल कमा लिया।
He won (earned) everyone's heart with his honesty.
Metaphorical use with compound verb.
बिना कुछ किए पैसे कमाना मुश्किल है।
It is difficult to earn money without doing anything.
Infinitive phrase.
वह दिन में दो सौ रुपये कमा लेता है।
He manages to earn two hundred rupees a day.
Compound verb 'kama lena'.
समाज में प्रतिष्ठा कमाना सालों की मेहनत का फल है।
Earning prestige in society is the fruit of years of hard work.
Complex subject phrase.
उसने गलत तरीके से पैसे कमाए, इसलिए वह जेल गया।
He earned money the wrong way, so he went to jail.
Cause and effect.
जितना तुम कमाते हो, उतना ही खर्च भी करते हो।
As much as you earn, that much you also spend.
Correlative conjunctions.
उसने अपनी कला के ज़रिए दुनिया भर में नाम कमाया।
He earned a name worldwide through his art.
Instrumental case with 'ke zariye'.
पैसे कमाने की होड़ में लोग स्वास्थ्य भूल जाते हैं।
In the race to earn money, people forget their health.
Noun phrase 'kamane ki hod'.
उसने अपनी पहली फिल्म से ही शोहरत कमा ली थी।
He had earned fame from his very first film.
Past perfect with emphasis.
क्या तुमने कभी सोचा है कि दुआएं कैसे कमाई जाती हैं?
Have you ever thought about how blessings are earned?
Reflexive/Passive inquiry.
वह अपनी मेहनत की कमाई पर गर्व करता है।
He takes pride in his hard-earned income.
Adjectival use of 'kamai'.
बौद्धिक संपदा के माध्यम से रॉयल्टी कमाना एक लंबी प्रक्रिया है।
Earning royalties through intellectual property is a long process.
Formal/Technical vocabulary.
उसने अपने सिद्धांतों से समझौता किए बिना सफलता कमाई।
He earned success without compromising his principles.
Complex adverbial phrase.
विदेशी मुद्रा कमाना किसी भी देश की अर्थव्यवस्था के लिए महत्वपूर्ण है।
Earning foreign exchange is important for any country's economy.
Economic context.
उसने अपने जीवन के अनुभवों से जो ज्ञान कमाया, वह अनमोल है।
The knowledge he earned from his life experiences is priceless.
Relative clause.
कंपनियों को केवल मुनाफा ही नहीं, बल्कि ग्राहकों का भरोसा भी कमाना चाहिए।
Companies should not just earn profit, but also the trust of customers.
Not only... but also structure.
उसने राजनीति में अपनी साख कमाने के लिए बहुत संघर्ष किया।
He struggled a lot to earn his credibility in politics.
Political register.
परोपकार के कार्यों से जो पुण्य कमाया जाता है, वह अक्षय होता है।
The merit earned from philanthropic acts is eternal.
Spiritual/Formal register.
उसने अपनी विशिष्ट शैली के कारण साहित्य जगत में स्थान कमाया।
He earned a place in the literary world due to his unique style.
Causal link.
उसकी लेखनी ने उसे वह अमरत्व कमा कर दिया जो विरलों को ही मिलता है।
His writing earned him that immortality which only a few receive.
Literary/Poetic structure.
पूंजीवादी व्यवस्था में श्रम की गरिमा को कमाना एक चुनौती बन गया है।
Earning the dignity of labor has become a challenge in a capitalist system.
Philosophical/Sociological register.
उसने अपनी खामोशी से वह सम्मान कमाया जो शब्द नहीं दिला सकते थे।
He earned that respect through his silence which words could not provide.
Paradoxical expression.
सांस्कृतिक विरासत को सहेजकर ही हम आने वाली पीढ़ियों का आभार कमा सकते हैं।
Only by preserving cultural heritage can we earn the gratitude of future generations.
Complex conditional/Gerund.
उसने अपने विरोधियों की प्रशंसा कमाकर अपनी कूटनीतिक कुशलता सिद्ध की।
He proved his diplomatic skill by earning the praise of his opponents.
High-level diplomatic context.
सत्य के मार्ग पर चलकर जो आत्म-संतोष कमाया जाता है, वह अतुलनीय है।
The self-satisfaction earned by walking the path of truth is incomparable.
Spiritual/Philosophical.
उसने अपनी दूरदर्शिता से व्यापारिक साम्राज्य में वह मुकाम कमाया जिसकी कल्पना कठिन थी।
With his foresight, he earned that position in the business empire which was hard to imagine.
Sophisticated narrative style.
इतिहास में अपना नाम स्वर्ण अक्षरों में कमाना हर महान व्यक्ति का स्वप्न होता है।
To earn one's name in golden letters in history is the dream of every great person.
Idiomatic/Formal.
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
मेहनत की कमाई (Hard-earned money)
दो वक्त की रोटी कमाना (To earn two square meals)
पैसे कमाने की मशीन (A money-earning machine)
नाम कमाकर आना (To return after earning fame)
इज्जत की रोटी कमाना (To earn a dignified living)
कमाने वाला सदस्य (The earning member)
बाहर जाकर कमाना (To go out/abroad to earn)
हाथ-पैर मारकर कमाना (To earn by struggling hard)
बैठे-बैठे कमाना (To earn without much effort)
खून-पसीने की कमाई (Earnings of blood and sweat)
Often Confused With
Idioms & Expressions
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Easily Confused
Jeetna is for competitions or lotteries; Kamana is for work and merit.
Pana is general getting; Kamana is specific to earning through effort.
Banana is to make; sometimes used for money (paisa banana) but Kamana is more standard for 'earn'.
Sentence Patterns
How to Use It
While 'earn' is the direct translation, 'Kamana' often implies a sense of survival and duty in Hindi.
It is a neutral word, suitable for both home and office.
- Using 'Kamana' for winning a game.
- Forgetting 'ne' in 'Maine kamaya'.
- Using 'Kamana' for receiving a gift.
- Confusing 'Kamana' (to earn) with 'Kaamna' (to wish).
- Incorrect verb agreement with plural objects like 'paise'.
Tips
Past Tense Rule
Always use 'ne' with the subject in the past tense. 'Maine paise kamaye' is correct.
Abstract Earnings
Try using it with 'Izzat' (respect) to sound more like a native speaker.
Moral Value
Understand that 'Mehnat ki kamai' is a highly valued concept in India.
Daily Question
Asking 'Aur, kitna kama rahe ho?' is common among close male friends in India.
Compound Verbs
Use 'kama lena' to show that someone has successfully managed to earn something.
Context Clues
If you hear 'Kamai', it's the noun; 'Kamana' is the verb.
Root Link
Link it to 'Karma'. Your Karma helps you Kamana.
Avoid Overuse
Don't use it for things you find by chance.
Soft 'K'
The 'K' is unaspirated, like in 'skate', not 'Kate'.
Blessings
Use 'Duaein kamana' when talking about helping elders.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Kamaana sounds like 'Come on-a' money! You tell the money to 'come on' to you by working.
Word Origin
Indo-Aryan
Cultural Context
A person's ability to 'kamana' often dictates their standing in marriage negotiations.
The idea of 'Punya kamana' suggests that life is a ledger where one must earn good points for the afterlife.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
Conversation Starters
"आप क्या काम करके पैसे कमाते हैं?"
"क्या आपको लगता है कि नाम कमाना पैसे कमाने से ज़्यादा ज़रूरी है?"
"आजकल ऑनलाइन पैसे कैसे कमाए जा सकते हैं?"
"आपने अपनी पहली कमाई कब की थी?"
"क्या इज़्ज़त कमाना आज के दौर में मुश्किल है?"
Journal Prompts
आज मैंने क्या नया सीखा या कमाया?
मेरे लिए 'मेहनत की कमाई' का क्या मतलब है?
मैं भविष्य में कितना कमाना चाहता हूँ और क्यों?
क्या मैंने आज किसी की दुआएं कमाईं?
पैसे और सम्मान में से मैं किसे चुनूँगा?
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsNo, for a lottery, use 'Jeetna' or 'Nikalna'. 'Kamana' implies you worked for it.
No, you can earn respect (izzat), fame (naam), and even sins (paap) or merit (punya).
It is 'Kamaya'. Remember to use 'ne' with the subject: 'Usne kamaya'.
You can say 'Kamane-wala'.
Yes, it is one of the most common verbs in daily Hindi conversation.
Usually, we use 'prapt karna' or 'hasil karna' for degrees, but 'kamana' can be used metaphorically for the knowledge gained.
Kamai is the noun form, meaning 'earnings' or 'income'.
The verb changes based on the object or subject: 'Main kamati hun' (I earn - female).
Yes, etymologically they share roots related to 'action'.
Yes, though 'arjit karna' is more formal, 'kamana' is perfectly acceptable.
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Summary
Kamaana (कमाना) is the essential Hindi verb for 'to earn'. Whether you are talking about your monthly salary, your reputation in the community, or spiritual merit, this word covers the rewards of your hard work and character.
- Kamana primarily means 'to earn' money or livelihood.
- It is also used for earning respect, fame, and blessings.
- It is a transitive verb requiring 'ne' in the past tense.
- It implies effort and merit, unlike just 'getting' something.
Past Tense Rule
Always use 'ne' with the subject in the past tense. 'Maine paise kamaye' is correct.
Abstract Earnings
Try using it with 'Izzat' (respect) to sound more like a native speaker.
Moral Value
Understand that 'Mehnat ki kamai' is a highly valued concept in India.
Daily Question
Asking 'Aur, kitna kama rahe ho?' is common among close male friends in India.
Related Content
Related Phrases
More work words
आचार संहिता
B1A set of rules outlining the responsibilities of, or proper practices for, an individual or organization.
आगे बढ़ाना
A2To make progress; to promote or advance something.
आहरित करना
B1To withdraw money; to take money out of an account.
आहिस्ता-आहिस्ता
B1Slowly, gradually; at a slow pace; in a gentle or unhurried manner.
आजीविका
B1Livelihood; a means of securing the necessities of life.
आंकड़े इकट्ठा करना
B1To gather facts and statistics for analysis.
आलेख तैयार करना
B1To draft a document; to prepare a written piece.
आलस्य से
B1Lazily; in a way that shows a lack of effort or enthusiasm.
आमदनी
A2Income, earnings
आने वाला कल
B1On the day after today.
