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कटना

A2 verb #2,000 most common 5 min read

कटना

katna Top 2,000

At the A1 level, you should know 'कटना' in its most basic physical sense. It is used to describe when something is cut. For example, 'The vegetable is cut' (सब्ज़ी कट गई). You might also hear it in the context of 'The phone disconnected' (फ़ोन कट गया). At this stage, focus on the past tense form 'कट गया' (masculine) and 'कट गई' (feminine). It is an intransitive verb, meaning it doesn't need an object to perform the action on; the subject itself is the thing being cut. Avoid using 'ne' with this verb.

At A2, you expand into the 'passage of time' and 'deductions'. You can say 'The day passed well' (दिन अच्छा कटा). You also learn that money can 'cut' from an account. You start to see it in compound verbs like 'कट जाना'. You should be able to distinguish between 'काटना' (to cut something) and 'कटना' (to be cut). For instance, 'I cut the paper' (मैंने कागज़ काटा) vs 'The paper got cut' (कागज़ कट गया). This level also introduces the idea of a 'challan' (fine) being 'cut'.

By B1, you use 'कटना' for more abstract concepts like social exclusion. 'वह समाज से कट गया है' (He has been cut off from society). You also use it for feelings, like 'शर्म से कटना' (to be dying of shame/embarrassment). You understand the nuances of 'कटना' in the kitchen vs. 'कटना' in the bank. You can use it in various tenses, including the continuous: 'सैलरी कट रही है' (Salary is being deducted). You also learn idioms like 'रास्ता कटना' (to cross a path/finish a journey).

At B2, you are comfortable with 'कटना' in complex grammatical structures. You understand its use in the passive voice without an agent. You recognize it in literature and news reports regarding budget cuts (बजट में कटौती/कटना) or power grids. You can use it to describe intricate social situations where someone is being 'sidelined'. You also start using more sophisticated idioms like 'चाँदी कटना' (to earn a lot of money/be in a very profitable position).

At C1, you use 'कटना' with native-like precision in idiomatic expressions. You understand the subtle difference between 'समय बिताना' (spending time actively) and 'समय कटना' (time passing, often implying effort or a specific quality of time). You can discuss philosophical concepts like 'जीवन कटना' (how life is lived/passed). You are aware of regional variations and slang where 'कटना' might mean being cheated or 'fooled' (e.g., 'मेरा कट गया' - slang for 'I got played').

At C2, you have total mastery over the semantic field of 'कटना'. You can use it in poetic contexts where 'कटना' might refer to the soul being severed from the body or the threads of fate being cut. You understand its historical etymology and how it relates to Sanskrit 'कृत्' (Krit). You can use it in high-level legal or financial discourse regarding the 'cutting' of contracts or the 'deduction' of liabilities with perfect register and tone.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

कटना in 30 Seconds

Katna means 'to be cut' (passive).
Used for physical objects (vegetables, paper).
Used for time passing (day, night, life).
Used for deductions (money, taxes, marks).

The Hindi verb कटना (Katna) is a multifaceted word that primarily serves as the intransitive or passive counterpart to the active verb काटना (Kaatna). While 'Kaatna' implies an agent performing the action of cutting, 'Katna' focuses on the result or the process happening to the subject. In its simplest physical sense, it refers to an object being divided or severed by a sharp edge. However, its metaphorical reach is vast, covering everything from the passage of time to the deduction of taxes from a paycheck.

Physical Transformation: When a rope snaps or a vegetable is sliced, we use 'कटना'. It describes the state of the object. For example, 'रस्सी कट गई' (The rope got cut/broke).
Temporal Passage: One of the most common uses is describing how time passes. If a day was difficult, you might say it didn't 'cut' (pass) easily. 'वक़्त मुश्किल से कट रहा है' (Time is passing with difficulty).

'आज मेरा हाथ कागज़ से कट गया।'
(Today my hand got cut by paper.)

In financial contexts, 'कटना' is the standard term for deductions. Whether it is TDS (Tax Deducted at Source) or a bank fee, the money 'cuts' from your account. This reflects a sense of removal or subtraction without the subject necessarily being the one who initiated it. Furthermore, in social dynamics, 'कटना' can mean to feel embarrassed or to be excluded from a group. If someone is 'sharm se katna', they are dying of shame. If someone is 'katna' from a group, they are being sidelined or avoided.

'बैंक से पैसे कट गए हैं।'
(Money has been deducted from the bank.)

Using कटना correctly requires understanding its role as a passive-resultative verb. It is frequently paired with auxiliary verbs like 'जाना' (to go) to indicate a completed action or a sudden change of state. For example, 'कट गया' (cut-went) is the standard way to say 'it got cut'.

With Electricity/Connections: In India, power outages are common. You will often hear 'बिजली कट गई' (The electricity has been cut/disconnected). Similarly, if a phone call drops, you say 'फ़ोन कट गया'.

'बात करते-करते फ़ोन कट गया।'
(The phone got disconnected while talking.)

When discussing insects or animals, 'कटना' is used for the bite received. While 'काटना' is what the mosquito does, 'कटना' is what happens to you (though usually expressed as 'mosquito bit me' in English, in Hindi you can say 'mosquito-by I was bitten'). However, more commonly, we use the active form for animals, but 'कटना' remains relevant in the sense of 'getting bitten'.

'सैलरी से टैक्स कटता है।'
(Tax is deducted from the salary.)

You will encounter कटना in a variety of daily scenarios. In the kitchen, it's about the prep work. In the office, it's about the payroll. On the street, it's about traffic tickets or 'challans'.

The Traffic Challan: A very common modern usage: 'मेरा चालान कट गया'. This means 'I was issued a fine/ticket'. The ticket 'cut' from the officer's book (historically) or the digital system.

'बिना हेलमेट के चालान कट जाएगा।'
(A fine will be issued for not wearing a helmet.)

In social circles, 'कटना' is used to describe someone being 'cut off' or ignored. If a friend stops inviting you to parties, you might say 'वह सबसे कट गया है' (He has cut himself off from everyone). It implies a social distancing, whether voluntary or involuntary.

The most frequent error for learners is confusing कटना (Katna) with काटना (Kaatna). Remember: 'Kaatna' is something YOU do. 'Katna' is something that HAPPENS to the object.

Transitive vs. Intransitive: Wrong: 'मैंने सेब कटा' (I got cut the apple). Correct: 'मैंने सेब काटा' (I cut the apple) OR 'सेब कट गया' (The apple got cut).

'मुझसे गलती से उंगली कट गई।'
(My finger accidentally got cut by me.)

Another mistake is using 'कटना' for 'passing an exam'. In English, we 'cut it' (succeed), but in Hindi, 'कटना' never means to pass or succeed; it usually implies a loss, a deduction, or just the neutral passage of time. To pass an exam, use 'पास होना' or 'उत्तीर्ण होना'.

Hindi has several verbs that deal with separation or division. Understanding the nuances between them will elevate your fluency.

कटना vs. फटना (Phatna): कटना implies a clean cut (like with a knife), while फटना implies tearing or bursting (like paper or a balloon).
कटना vs. बँटना (Bantna): कटना is the physical act of being cut. बँटना is the act of being distributed or divided among people (like sweets or property).

How Formal Is It?

Formal

Informal

Difficulty Rating

Grammar to Know

Examples by Level

सब्ज़ी कट गई।

The vegetable got cut.

Feminine singular subject.

फ़ोन कट गया।

The phone got disconnected.

Masculine singular subject.

कागज़ कट गया।

The paper got cut.

Simple past tense.

रस्सी कट गई।

The rope broke/got cut.

Intransitive use.

कपड़ा कट गया।

The cloth got cut.

Masculine subject.

पेंसिल कट गई।

The pencil (tip) got cut/broken.

Feminine subject.

हाथ कट गया।

The hand got cut.

Common injury expression.

केक कट गया।

The cake has been cut.

Passive sense.

पैसे बैंक से कट गए।

Money was deducted from the bank.

Plural masculine subject.

आज का दिन अच्छा कटा।

Today's day passed well.

Time passing usage.

मेरा चालान कट गया।

I got a traffic ticket.

Colloquial for being fined.

बिजली कट गई है।

The power is out.

Present perfect.

टिकट कट गई क्या?

Has the ticket been booked/issued?

Feminine subject 'ticket'.

सैलरी से टैक्स कटता है।

Tax is deducted from the salary.

Habitual present.

रास्ता कट गया।

The journey/path is finished.

Metaphorical for finishing a distance.

उंगली चाकू से कट गई।

The finger got cut by the knife.

Instrumental 'se'.

वह सबसे कट कर रहता है।

He stays cut off from everyone.

Social isolation.

मुश्किल से रात कटी।

The night passed with difficulty.

Adverbial 'mushkil se'.

उसकी बातों से मेरा दिल कट गया।

My heart was hurt by his words.

Emotional pain.

जेब कटने से बच गई।

The pocket was saved from being picked.

Gerund 'katne'.

लाइन कट गई है, फिर से लगाओ।

The line is disconnected, call again.

Telecommunication context.

शर्म से वह कट गई।

She was overwhelmed with shame.

Idiomatic expression.

छुट्टियाँ बहुत जल्दी कट गईं।

The holidays passed very quickly.

Plural feminine.

पतंग कट गई!

The kite got cut!

Kite flying culture.

बजट में शिक्षा का हिस्सा कट गया।

The education share was cut in the budget.

Financial/Political context.

रिश्ता कटते-कटते बच गया।

The relationship was almost severed.

Reduplication for 'almost'.

ज़िंदगी बस कट रही है।

Life is just passing by (surviving).

Implies lack of enthusiasm.

उसका नाम लिस्ट से कट गया।

His name was removed from the list.

Removal from a group.

बातों-बातों में वक़्त कट गया।

Time passed while talking.

Compound expression.

जेल में उसके पाँच साल कटे।

He spent five years in jail.

Spending time in a specific place.

अँधेरा कटते ही सूरज निकला।

As soon as the darkness vanished, the sun rose.

Literary usage for vanishing.

उसकी बातों की धार से सब कट गए।

Everyone was silenced/cut down by his sharp words.

Metaphorical sharpness.

संसार से कट जाना ही संन्यास है।

Cutting oneself off from the world is asceticism.

Philosophical usage.

आजकल उसकी बहुत चाँदी कट रही है।

He is making a lot of money these days.

Idiom: Chaandi katna.

विपक्ष के तर्कों से सरकार कट गई।

The government was cornered/cut down by the opposition's arguments.

Political rhetoric.

उम्र कट गई पर समझ न आई।

A lifetime passed but wisdom didn't come.

Existential reflection.

अफ़वाहों से उसका करियर कट गया।

His career was ruined by rumors.

Destruction of reputation.

वह अपनी ही बातों में कट गया।

He got trapped/contradicted in his own words.

Self-contradiction.

दुखों का पहाड़ कटता नहीं।

The mountain of sorrows doesn't diminish.

Poetic hyperbole.

शहर की भीड़ में इंसान कट जाता है।

In the city crowd, a person gets lost/isolated.

Urban alienation.

माया का जाल कटते ही सत्य दिखता है।

Truth is seen as soon as the web of illusion is severed.

Metaphysical usage.

शब्दों की आरी से मौन कट गया।

Silence was cut by the saw of words.

Highly poetic.

इतिहास के पन्नों में कई नाम कट गए।

Many names were erased from the pages of history.

Historical erasure.

चेतना के धरातल पर विचार कटते रहे।

Thoughts kept being dissected on the plane of consciousness.

Psychological depth.

समय की धार से पत्थर भी कट जाता है।

Even stone is cut by the edge of time.

Universal truth.

उसका अहंकार अंततः कट ही गया।

His ego was finally humbled/severed.

Moralistic conclusion.

विधिक दांव-पेंच में केस कट गया।

The case was dismissed in legal technicalities.

Legal jargon.

सांसों की डोरी कटने का वक़्त आ गया।

The time has come for the thread of breath to be cut (death).

Euphemism for death.

Common Collocations

समय कटना (time passing)

पैसे कटना (money deduction)

फ़ोन कटना (call drop)

बिजली कटना (power cut)

चालान कटना (getting a ticket)

सब्ज़ी कटना (veg prep)

टिकट कटना (ticket booking)

रास्ता कटना (crossing path)

जेब कटना (pickpocketed)

गला कटना (throat cut/betrayal)

Common Phrases

दिन कटना (to pass the day)

शर्म से कटना (to be ashamed)

लाइन कटना (line disconnect)

सैलरी कटना (salary deduction)

बात कटना (to be interrupted)

रास्ता कटना (to finish a trip)

पतंग कटना (kite being cut)

नाम कटना (name removed)

नंबर कटना (marks deducted)

जेल कटना (serving time)

Often Confused With

कटना vs काटना (to cut - active)

कटना vs हटना (to move away)

कटना vs पटना (to be settled/agreed)

Idioms & Expressions

Easily Confused

कटना vs काटना

Active: I cut the cake.

कटना vs कटना

Passive: The cake is cut.

कटना vs कटवाना

Causative: I had my hair cut.

Sentence Patterns

How to Use It

passive nature

It emphasizes the result, not the actor.

metaphorical versatility

One of the most used verbs for abstract concepts in Hindi.

Common Mistakes

Using 'ne' with Katna.
Confusing Katna with Kaatna.
Using Katna for 'passing an exam'.
Misgendering the verb (e.g., 'Sabbzi kat gaya' instead of 'gayi').
Using it for 'breaking' a glass (use 'Tootna' instead).

Tips

No 'ne' particle

Even in the past tense, do not use 'ne'. Say 'Rassi kat gayi', not 'Rassi ne kat gaya'.

Compound Verbs

Usually paired with 'jana' (कट जाना) to show completion.

Being Polite

Saying 'Baat kat gayi' is softer than 'Aapne meri baat kaati'.

Banking

Always check if 'paisa kat gaya' (money was deducted) in your SMS.

Kites

Shout 'Kat gaya!' when you win a kite fight.

Survival

'Din katna' can imply just getting through the day.

Injuries

Use 'Kat gaya' for minor cuts from paper or knives.

Connectivity

If the internet stops, you can say 'Connection kat gaya'.

Cleverness

'Kaan katna' means someone is more cunning than they look.

Subject Matching

Ensure the verb matches the gender of the thing being cut.

Memorize It

Word Origin

Sanskrit

Cultural Context

Refers to the ubiquitous 'Challan' system.

The phrase 'पतंग कट गई' is a cry of victory or defeat.

Interrupting someone is 'baat katna', which is considered rude.

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Conversation Starters

"आपका दिन कैसा कटा?"

"क्या आपकी बिजली कट गई?"

"क्या कभी आपका चालान कटा है?"

"सैलरी से कितने पैसे कटे?"

"क्या फ़ोन कट गया था?"

Journal Prompts

आज का दिन कैसे कटा? विस्तार से लिखें।

जब आपका चालान कटा, तो आपको कैसा लगा?

क्या आप कभी किसी दोस्त से कट गए हैं? क्यों?

समय काटने के लिए आप क्या करते हैं?

बैंक की गलत कटौती पर एक शिकायत पत्र लिखें।

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

No, it is intransitive. It describes what happens to the subject.

Yes, but it means you intentionally cut your finger. Usually, you say 'Meri ungli kat gayi' (My finger got cut).

Use 'Phone kat gaya'.

Yes, in the passive sense or when referring to the result of a bite.

It's an idiom meaning to make a lot of money easily.

Never. It is an intransitive verb.

Waqt kat raha hai.

It means to be issued a traffic fine.

Yes, if they are torn or cut by mistake.

Katna is the act of being cut; Bantna is being divided/shared.