काटना (kaatnaa)

verb The core meaning is 'to cut,' extending to bite/sting (insects, snakes), to deduct/dock (money, time), and to spend/pass (time) -- all senses share the idea of something being reduced or divided off.
Sense 1 : to cut, chop, slice
verb, transitive
Synonyms: चीरना (chiirnaa, to slit/rip), कतरना (katarnaa, to trim/snip)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Picture a sabzi-waali chopping vegetables at the market: सब्ज़ी काटना (sabzii kaatnaa, 'to cut vegetables') is the everyday kitchen image most learners first meet this verb through.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often try to use this for 'cutting off' a relationship or call in English idiom-for-idiom; Hindi usually prefers काटना (kaatnaa) only for physical cutting or specific fixed collocations like फ़ोन काटना (fon kaatnaa, 'to cut the phone/hang up') -- check the collocation rather than translating literally.
Sample Sentences:
माँ रोज़ सुबह सब्ज़ी काटती है। Mom cuts vegetables every morning.
(maan roz subah sabzii kaattii hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
वह अभी प्याज़ काट रही है। She is cutting onions right now.
(vah abhii pyaaz kaat rahii hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उसने चाकू से सेब को दो टुकड़ों में काटा। He cut the apple into two pieces with a knife.
(usne chaakoo se seb ko do tukdon men kaataa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
कृपया रोटी के लिए आटा गूंधने से पहले हरी मिर्च काट लीजिए। Please cut the green chilies before kneading the dough for the rotis.
(kripyaa rotii ke lie aataa goondhne se pahle harii mirch kaat liijie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
पेड़ की सूखी डालियाँ काट दी गई हैं। The tree's dry branches have been cut off.
(ped kii sookhii daaliyaan kaat dii gaii hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
अगर तुम्हारे पास तेज़ चाकू होता तो यह रस्सी आसानी से काट सकते। If you had a sharp knife, you could have cut this rope easily.
(agar tumhaare paas tez chaakoo hotaa to yah rassii aasaanii se kaat sakte।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
कल हम पार्टी के लिए केक काटेंगे। Tomorrow we will cut the cake for the party.
(kal ham paartii ke lie kek kaatenge।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
बढ़ई ने लकड़ी को सही नाप में काटा। The carpenter cut the wood to the exact measurement.
(badhaii ne lakdii ko sahii naap men kaataa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
मुमकिन है कि दर्ज़ी कपड़ा गलत नाप में काट दे। It's possible the tailor might cut the cloth to the wrong measurement.
(mumkin hai ki darzii kapdaa galat naap men kaat de।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
इस चाकू से टमाटर मत काटो, यह बहुत कुंद है। Don't cut the tomato with this knife, it's very blunt.
(is chaakoo se tamaatar mat kaato, yah bahut kund hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
पुराने ज़माने में लकड़हारे हाथ की आरी से पेड़ काटते थे। In the olden days, woodcutters used to cut trees with a hand saw.
(puraane zamaane men lakdahaare haath kii aarii se ped kaatte the।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Sense 2 : to bite or sting (insect, snake, dog)
verb, transitive
Synonyms: डसना (dasnaa, mainly for snakes, literary-tinged)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Any monsoon evening in Delhi comes with someone saying मच्छर काट रहे हैं (machchhar kaat rahe hain, 'the mosquitoes are biting') -- this sense is extremely alive in daily complaint-talk.
Common Mistakes: 1) English speakers may reach for a separate verb for 'sting' vs 'bite,' but Hindi uses काटना (kaatnaa) for both mosquito bites and snake bites -- मच्छर ने काटा (machchhar ne kaataa, 'the mosquito bit') and साँप ने काटा (saamp ne kaataa, 'the snake bit') use the same verb.
Sample Sentences:
मच्छर काट रहे हैं। The mosquitoes are biting.
(machchhar kaat rahe hain।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
कल रात एक कुत्ते ने पड़ोसी को काट लिया। Last night a dog bit the neighbor.
(kal raat ek kutte ne padosii ko kaat liyaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
सांप काटे तो फौरन अस्पताल जाना चाहिए। If a snake bites you, you should go to the hospital immediately.
(saamp kaate to phauran asptaal jaanaa chaahie।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
अगर तुम खुले में सोते तो मच्छर पूरी रात काटते। If you slept in the open, the mosquitoes would bite you all night.
(agar tum khule men sote to machchhar poorii raat kaatte।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
बरसात में मच्छर बहुत काटते हैं। Mosquitoes bite a lot during the monsoon.
(barsaat men machchhar bahut kaatte hain।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
इस कुत्ते को मत छेड़ो, यह काट लेगा। Don't tease this dog, it'll bite.
(is kutte ko mat chhedo, yah kaat legaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
मुझे मकड़ी ने काट लिया है, हाथ सूज गया है। A spider has bitten me, my hand has swollen up.
(mujhe makdii ne kaat liyaa hai, haath sooj gayaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
बच्चे को चींटी ने काटा तो वह जोर से रोने लगा। When an ant bit the child, he started crying loudly.
(bachche ko chiintii ne kaataa to vah jor se rone lagaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
कुत्ते को इतना मत भड़काओ, कहीं तुम्हें काट न ले। Don't provoke the dog so much, lest it bite you.
(kutte ko itnaa mat bhadkaao, kahiin tumhen kaat n le।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
गली के इस कुत्ते के काटने से कई लोग डरते हैं। Many people are afraid of this street dog biting them.
(galii ke is kutte ke kaatne se kaii log darte hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
पिकनिक में हम सबको ततैयों ने काट लिया था। At the picnic, wasps had bitten all of us.
(piknik men ham sabko tataiyon ne kaat liyaa thaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
बच्चे को कुत्ते ने काट लिया था, इसलिए उसे इंजेक्शन लगाया गया। The child had been bitten by a dog, so he was given an injection.
(bachche ko kutte ne kaat liyaa thaa, islie use injekshan lagaayaa gayaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
Sense 3 : to deduct, dock, subtract (money, marks, pay)
verb, transitive
Synonyms: घटाना (ghataanaa)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: Every salaried person in India has heard तनख़्वाह से काट लिया (tanakhvaah se kaat liyaa, 'it was deducted from the salary') -- office and payroll talk relies heavily on this sense, often with से (se) marking the source deducted from.
Sample Sentences:
कंपनी ने इस महीने मेरी तनख़्वाह से पैसे काट लिए। The company deducted money from my salary this month.
(kampnii ne is mahiine merii tanakhvaah se paise kaat lie।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
देर से आने पर बॉस हर बार तनख़्वाह से पैसे काटता है। Whenever I'm late, the boss deducts money from my salary every time.
(der se aane par bos har baar tanakhvaah se paise kaattaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगले महीने से टैक्स सीधे तनख़्वाह से काटा जाएगा। From next month, tax will be deducted directly from the salary.
(agle mahiine se taiks siidhe tanakhvaah se kaataa jaaegaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Passive
एचआर अभी उसकी छुट्टियों के पैसे काट रही है। HR is currently deducting money for his leaves.
(echaaar abhii uskii chhuttiyon ke paise kaat rahii hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
गलती से बिल में उसने दुगने पैसे काट लिए थे। By mistake, he had deducted double the amount in the bill.
(galtii se bil men usne dugne paise kaat lie the।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगर मैं समय पर पहुँच जाता, तो मेरी तनख़्वाह से पैसे नहीं कटते। If I had reached on time, money wouldn't have been deducted from my salary.
(agar main samay par pahunch jaataa, to merii tanakhvaah se paise nahiin katte।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Passive
कृपया इस महीने मेरी सैलरी से जुर्माने के पैसे मत काटिए। Please don't deduct the fine amount from my salary this month.
(kripyaa is mahiine merii sailrii se jurmaane ke paise mat kaatie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
शायद परीक्षक ग़लत जवाब के लिए दो अंक काट दे। The examiner might deduct two marks for the wrong answer.
(shaayad pariikshak ghalat javaab ke lie do ank kaat de।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
उन्होंने कहा कि जितने दिन गैरहाज़िर रहूँगा, उतने दिनों के पैसे काट लिए जाएँगे। He said that whatever days I remain absent, the pay for those days will be deducted.
(unhonne kahaa ki jitne din gairahaazir rahoongaa, utne dinon ke paise kaat lie jaaenge।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Passive
बैंक हर महीने खाते से मेंटेनेंस चार्ज काट लेता है। The bank deducts a maintenance charge from the account every month.
(baink har mahiine khaate se mentenens chaarj kaat letaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Sense 4 : to spend or pass (time), especially with difficulty
verb, transitive Commonly used with वक़्त (vaqt) or ज़िंदगी (zindgii) as object, often implying the time was hard to get through.
Synonyms: गुज़ारना (guzaarnaa), बिताना (bitaanaa)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You will hear this from someone stuck in a long train journey or a tough phase of life: कैसे काटूँ ये दिन (kaise kaatoon ye din, 'how will I get through these days') -- it carries a weary, endurance-tinged feel that बिताना (bitaanaa) lacks.
Common Mistakes: 1) Unlike बिताना (bitaanaa), which is neutral, काटना (kaatnaa) for time usually carries a flavor of enduring or struggling through it -- वक़्त काटना (vaqt kaatnaa, 'to pass the time') can sound like killing time out of boredom or hardship, not enjoying it.
Sample Sentences:
यह रात कैसे कटेगी, कुछ समझ नहीं आ रहा। I have no idea how I'm going to get through this night.
(yah raat kaise kategii, kuchh samajh nahiin aa rahaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Passive
जेल में उसने दस साल कैसे काटे, यह सोचकर ही रूह काँप जाती है। Just thinking about how he endured ten years in prison makes my soul shudder.
(jel men usne das saal kaise kaate, yah sochkar hii rooh kaamp jaatii hai।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अस्पताल में बैठे-बैठे मैं समय काट रहा था। I was passing the time sitting around in the hospital.
(asptaal men baithe-baithe main samay kaat rahaa thaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
कैसे काटूँ ये दिन, कुछ समझ नहीं आता। How will I get through these days, I just don't know.
(kaise kaatoon ye din, kuchh samajh nahiin aataa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
अगर उसका साथ न होता तो मैं ये मुश्किल दिन कभी न काट पाता। If I hadn't had his company, I could never have gotten through these hard days.
(agar uskaa saath n hotaa to main ye mushkil din kabhii n kaat paataa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Perfective -- Voice: Active
बस स्टेशन पर घंटों समय काटना पड़ा, क्योंकि गाड़ी लेट थी। I had to kill hours at the station because the train was late.
(bas steshan par ghanton samay kaatnaa padaa, kyonki gaadii let thii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
बुढ़ापे के ये साल वह अकेले ही काट रही है। She is enduring these years of old age all alone.
(budhaape ke ye saal vah akele hii kaat rahii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
प्रवासी मजदूर परदेस में मुश्किल से अपने दिन काटते हैं। Migrant workers get through their days in a foreign land with great difficulty.
(pravaasii majdoor pardes men mushkil se apne din kaatte hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
इतनी लंबी बीमारी के दिन उसने बड़ी हिम्मत से काटे। She endured those long days of illness with great courage.
(itnii lambii biimaarii ke din usne badii himmat se kaate।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
ऐसे बुरे वक्त को हिम्मत से काटो, यह भी गुजर जाएगा। Get through this bad time with courage; it too shall pass.
(aise bure vakt ko himmat se kaato, yah bhii gujar jaaegaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Verb
infinitive: काटना (kaatnaa)
infinitive oblique: काटने (kaatne)
habitual/simple (sg.m): काटता (kaattaa)
habitual/simple (pl.m): काटते (kaatte)
habitual/simple (sg.f): काटती (kaattii)
habitual/simple (pl.f): काटतीं (kaattiin)
continuous (sg.m): काट रहा (kaat rahaa)
continuous (pl.m): काट रहे (kaat rahe)
continuous (sg.f): काट रही (kaat rahii)
continuous (pl.f): काट रहीं (kaat rahiin)
perfective (sg.m): काटा (kaataa)
perfective (pl.m): काटे (kaate)
perfective (sg.f): काटी (kaatii)
perfective (pl.f): काटीं (kaatiin)
imperative (informal): काट (kaat)
imperative (neutral): काटो (kaato)
imperative (formal): काटिए (kaatie)
future (1sg.m): काटूँगा (kaatoongaa)
future (1sg.f): काटूँगी (kaatoongii)
future (1pl.m): काटेंगे (kaatenge)
future (1pl.f): काटेंगी (kaatengii)
future (2sg.m): काटेगा (kaategaa)
future (2sg.f): काटेगी (kaategii)
future (2pl.m): काटोगे (kaatoge)
future (2pl.f): काटोगी (kaatogii)
future (3sg.m): काटेगा (kaategaa)
future (3sg.f): काटेगी (kaategii)
future (3pl.m): काटेंगे (kaatenge)
future (3pl.f): काटेंगी (kaatengii)
subjunctive (1sg): काटूँ (kaatoon)
subjunctive (1pl): काटें (kaaten)
subjunctive (2sg): काटे (kaate)
subjunctive (2pl): काटो (kaato)
subjunctive (3sg): काटे (kaate)
subjunctive (3pl): काटें (kaaten)