बहुत (bahut)
adverb/adjective
One of the first intensifiers learners meet: as an adverb it means 'very/a lot', and as an adjective/quantifier it means 'much/many'. Same word, same spelling, both senses in constant use.
Sense
1
:
very, extremely (intensifier before adjectives/adverbs)
adverb Placed directly before the adjective or adverb it intensifies: बहुत अच्छा (bahut achchhaa, 'very good').
Synonyms: अति (ati, literary), काफ़ी (kaafii, means 'quite/fairly', weaker than bahut), ज़्यादा (zyaadaa, more like 'too/excessively' in comparative contexts)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is the word every learner overuses first, and rightly so -- बहुत अच्छा (bahut achchhaa, 'very good') and बहुत बढ़िया (bahut badhiyaa, 'very nice') are everyday currency in Delhi speech, said with a little head-tilt of approval.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for ज़्यादा (zyaadaa) when they mean plain 'very' -- ज़्यादा (zyaadaa) leans toward 'too much/excessive', while बहुत (bahut) is the neutral intensifier, as in बहुत अच्छा (bahut achchhaa, 'very good') versus ज़्यादा अच्छा नहीं (zyaadaa achchhaa nahiin, 'not too good'). 2) As an invariant adverb, बहुत (bahut) never changes form here, unlike the adjective sense which does.
Sample Sentences:
यह खाना बहुत अच्छा है।
This food is very good.
(yah khaanaa bahut achchhaa hai।)
आज मौसम बहुत सुहावना था।
The weather was very pleasant today.
(aaj mausam bahut suhaavnaa thaa।)
यह फिल्म बहुत बढ़िया निकलेगी, ऐसा लग रहा है।
This film seems like it will turn out very nice.
(yah philm bahut badhiyaa niklegii, aisaa lag rahaa hai।)
वह बहुत तेज़ दौड़ता है।
He runs very fast.
(vah bahut tez daudtaa hai।)
वह बहुत ज़ोर से चिल्ला रही थी।
She was shouting very loudly.
(vah bahut zor se chillaa rahii thii।)
थोड़ा धीरे बोलो, तुम बहुत तेज़ बोल रहे हो।
Speak a little slower, you're speaking very fast.
(thodaa dhiire bolo, tum bahut tez bol rahe ho।)
अगर वह बहुत ईमानदार होता, तो लोग उस पर इतना शक न करते।
If he were very honest, people wouldn't suspect him so much.
(agar vah bahut iimaandaar hotaa, to log us par itnaa shak n karte।)
कृपया बहुत सावधानी से यह काम कीजिए।
Please do this work very carefully.
(kripyaa bahut saavdhaanii se yah kaam kiijie।)
मुझे लगता है कि यह प्रस्ताव बहुत उपयुक्त हो सकता है।
I think this proposal could be very suitable.
(mujhe lagtaa hai ki yah prastaav bahut upyukt ho saktaa hai।)
यह समस्या बहुत सावधानी से हल की जानी चाहिए।
This problem should be resolved very carefully.
(yah samasyaa bahut saavdhaanii se hal kii jaanii chaahie।)
उसकी आँखों में बहुत गहरी उदासी झलक रही थी।
A very deep sadness was showing in his eyes.
(uskii aankhon men bahut gahrii udaasii jhalak rahii thii।)
Sense
2
:
much, a lot of, many
adjective Functions as a quantifier before a noun: बहुत पानी (bahut paanii, 'a lot of water'), बहुत लोग (bahut log, 'many people'). Agrees with the noun in gender/number like a regular adjective (बहुत सारी बातें (bahut saarii baaten, 'many things')).
Synonyms: अधिक (adhik, formal), ज़्यादा (zyaadaa)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will hear बहुत सारा (bahut saaraa, 'a whole lot of') constantly in kitchens and markets in Delhi-NCR -- बहुत सारी सब्ज़ी (bahut saarii sabzii, 'lots of vegetables') is how a vendor or mother describes abundance, softer and more colloquial than plain बहुत (bahut) alone.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes leave बहुत (bahut) uninflected even with a feminine or plural noun where agreement is expected, saying बहुत लड़की (bahut ladkii) instead of बहुत सी लड़कियाँ (bahut sii ladkiyaan, 'many girls'); the compound बहुत सा/सी/से (bahut saa) is often the more natural quantifier phrase before a noun.
Sample Sentences:
आज बाज़ार में बहुत लोग थे।
There were many people in the market today.
(aaj baazaar men bahut log the।)
मेरे पास बहुत काम है।
I have a lot of work.
(mere paas bahut kaam hai।)
माँ ने बहुत सारी सब्ज़ी खरीदी।
Mom bought lots of vegetables.
(maan ne bahut saarii sabzii khariidii।)
पार्टी में बहुत सारा खाना बर्बाद हो गया।
A whole lot of food went to waste at the party.
(paartii men bahut saaraa khaanaa barbaad ho gayaa।)
इस शहर में बहुत पैसा है, पर बहुत गरीबी भी है।
There is a lot of money in this city, but also a lot of poverty.
(is shahar men bahut paisaa hai, par bahut gariibii bhii hai।)
अगर मेरे पास बहुत समय होता, तो मैं यह किताब पूरी पढ़ लेता।
If I had a lot of time, I would have read this whole book.
(agar mere paas bahut samay hotaa, to main yah kitaab poorii padh letaa।)
बहुत मेहमान आने वाले हैं, कुर्सियाँ मत हटाना।
Many guests are about to come, don't remove the chairs.
(bahut mehmaan aane vaale hain, kursiyaan mat hataanaa।)
इस देश में बहुत भाषाएँ बोली जाती हैं।
Many languages are spoken in this country.
(is desh men bahut bhaashaaen bolii jaatii hain।)
क्या इतने कम समय में बहुत सामान इकट्ठा किया जा सकता है?
Can a lot of goods be gathered in such little time?
(kyaa itne kam samay men bahut saamaan ikatthaa kiyaa jaa saktaa hai?)
उम्मीद है कि इस साल बहुत बारिश हो।
Hopefully there will be a lot of rain this year.
(ummiid hai ki is saal bahut baarish ho।)
दुकानदार बोला, "आज तो बहुत सारा माल बिक गया।"
The shopkeeper said, "A whole lot of goods got sold today."
(dukaandaar bolaa, "aaj to bahut saaraa maal bik gayaa।")
Morphology
Adjective (variable)
(sg.m):
बहुत
(bahut)
(pl.m):
बहुते
(bahute)
(sg.f):
बहुती
(bahutii)
(pl.f):
बहुती
(bahutii)