चौथा (chauthaa)
adjective/noun
The ordinal number 'fourth'; it also has an inherited-property/rent sense from Maratha-era history that a learner may encounter in historical or literary contexts.
Sense
1
:
fourth (ordinal number)
adjective
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will hear this constantly in everyday ranking talk -- चौथी कक्षा (chauthii kakshaa, 'fourth grade'), चौथा नंबर (chauthaa nambar, 'fourth position') -- much like 'fourth' in English school and sports contexts. It follows the same family pattern as अगला (aglaa) and other variable adjectives ending in -आ (aa).
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often forget this word inflects like a regular -आ (aa) adjective: चौथा (chauthaa) becomes चौथी (chauthii) before a feminine noun, e.g. चौथी मंज़िल (chauthii manzil, 'fourth floor'), and चौथे (chauthe) in the oblique/plural, e.g. चौथे नंबर पर (chauthe nambar par, 'in fourth place'). 2) Do not confuse with चार (chaar), the cardinal number 'four' -- चौथा (chauthaa) is only used for ranking/ordering, never for counting quantity.
Sample Sentences:
मेरा बेटा चौथी कक्षा में पढ़ता है।
My son studies in fourth grade.
(meraa betaa chauthii kakshaa men padhtaa hai।)
वह दौड़ में चौथे नंबर पर आया।
He came in fourth position in the race.
(vah daud men chauthe nambar par aayaa।)
यह इस महीने की चौथी तारीख है।
This is the fourth date of this month.
(yah is mahiine kii chauthii taariikh hai।)
अगली बार तुम चौथी सीट पर बैठना।
Next time, sit in the fourth seat.
(aglii baar tum chauthii siit par baithnaa।)
काश मैं चौथे स्थान पर न आता।
I wish I hadn't come in fourth place.
(kaash main chauthe sthaan par n aataa।)
अगर वह चौथी बार कोशिश करता, तो शायद कामयाब हो जाता।
If he had tried a fourth time, he might have succeeded.
(agar vah chauthii baar koshish kartaa, to shaayad kaamyaab ho jaataa।)
यह इमारत की चौथी मंज़िल है।
This is the fourth floor of the building.
(yah imaarat kii chauthii manzil hai।)
शायद यह उसकी चौथी गलती हो।
This might be his fourth mistake.
(shaayad yah uskii chauthii galtii ho।)
चौथी बार घंटी बजने पर उसने दरवाज़ा खोला।
On the fourth ring of the bell, he opened the door.
(chauthii baar ghantii bajne par usne darvaazaa kholaa।)
टीम को चौथा स्थान दिया गया।
The team was given fourth place.
(tiim ko chauthaa sthaan diyaa gayaa।)
अगले साल वह चौथी कक्षा में जाएगी।
Next year she will go into fourth grade.
(agle saal vah chauthii kakshaa men jaaegii।)
Sense
2
:
a quarter; one-fourth share
noun, masculine
Synonyms: चौथाई (chauthaaii, more common for the fraction 'one-fourth')
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: Historically, चौथ (chauth) or चौथा (chauthaa) referred to the one-fourth levy the Marathas collected from territories as a form of tribute -- you may meet this in history lessons or period dramas, but it is not something you would use in casual conversation today.
Common Mistakes: 1) For everyday fractions ('a quarter of the mango', 'one-fourth of the money'), native speakers usually reach for चौथाई (chauthaaii) rather than चौथा (chauthaa) as a noun -- this noun sense of चौथा (chauthaa) survives mainly in the historical tax term below.
Sample Sentences:
मराठों ने कई राज्यों से चौथा वसूल किया।
The Marathas collected a quarter-levy from many kingdoms.
(maraathon ne kaii raajyon se chauthaa vasool kiyaa।)
चौथा एक प्रकार का कर था जो उपज के हिस्से के रूप में लिया जाता था।
The 'chautha' was a kind of tax taken as a share of the produce.
(chauthaa ek prakaar kaa kar thaa jo upaj ke hisse ke roop men liyaa jaataa thaa।)
इतिहास की किताब में चौथा शब्द का उल्लेख कई बार आता है।
The term 'chautha' is mentioned several times in the history book.
(itihaas kii kitaab men chauthaa shabd kaa ullekh kaii baar aataa hai।)
क्या तुम्हें पता है कि चौथा किसानों की आय का चौथाई हिस्सा हुआ करता था?
Do you know that the 'chautha' used to be a quarter share of the farmers' income?
(kyaa tumhen pataa hai ki chauthaa kisaanon kii aay kaa chauthaaii hissaa huaa kartaa thaa?)
यदि किसी क्षेत्र में मराठा सेना पहुँच जाती, तो चौथा अनिवार्य रूप से वसूला जाता।
If the Maratha army reached a region, the 'chautha' would inevitably be collected.
(yadi kisii kshetr men maraathaa senaa pahunch jaatii, to chauthaa anivaary roop se vasoolaa jaataa।)
फिल्म में एक दृश्य दिखाता है कि गाँव वालों से चौथा माँगा जा रहा है।
A scene in the film shows the villagers being asked for the 'chautha'.
(philm men ek drishy dikhaataa hai ki gaanv vaalon se chauthaa maangaa jaa rahaa hai।)
शायद उस दौर में चौथा न चुकाने पर कठोर दंड मिलता हो।
Perhaps in that era, failing to pay the 'chautha' would result in harsh punishment.
(shaayad us daur men chauthaa n chukaane par kathor dand miltaa ho।)
इस अध्याय में चौथा और सरदेशमुखी के बीच का अंतर समझाया गया है।
This chapter explains the difference between 'chautha' and 'sardeshmukhi'.
(is adhyaay men chauthaa aur sardeshmukhii ke biich kaa antar samjhaayaa gayaa hai।)
Morphology
Adjective (variable)
(sg.m):
चौथा
(chauthaa)
(pl.m):
चौथे
(chauthe)
(sg.f):
चौथी
(chauthii)
(pl.f):
चौथी
(chauthii)
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
चौथा
(chauthaa)
(sg.m.oblique):
चौथे
(chauthe)
(pl.m.direct):
चौथे
(chauthe)
(pl.m.oblique):
चौथों
(chauthon)