क़ीमती (qiimtii)

adjective An adjective meaning 'valuable, precious, expensive' -- used both for literal price and figurative worth (e.g., time, advice, relationships). Related to क़ीमत (qiimat, 'price/value').

Sense 1 : expensive, costly (high monetary value)

adjective

Synonyms: महंगा (mahangaa)

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: You will hear this word constantly in markets and jewelry shops in Delhi -- a shopkeeper might proudly call a necklace क़ीमती हार (qiimtii haar, 'a precious/valuable necklace') to emphasize quality and worth, not just price.

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes confuse क़ीमती (qiimtii) with महंगा (mahangaa): महंगा (mahangaa) simply means the price is high, while क़ीमती (qiimtii) implies the item is inherently valuable or precious -- a cheap plastic toy can be महंगा (mahangaa) if overpriced, but calling it क़ीमती (qiimtii) would sound odd. 2) The nuqta under क़ (q) is often dropped in casual writing (कीमती), which is acceptable in informal contexts but not the standard spelling.

Sample Sentences:

यह हार बहुत क़ीमती है। This necklace is very expensive.

(yah haar bahut qiimtii hai।)

दुकानदार ने कहा कि यह हार बहुत क़ीमती है। The shopkeeper said that this necklace is very expensive.

(dukaandaar ne kahaa ki yah haar bahut qiimtii hai।)

पहले ये घड़ियाँ इतनी क़ीमती नहीं होती थीं। These watches did not use to be this expensive before.

(pahle ye ghadiyaan itnii qiimtii nahiin hotii thiin।)

अगले साल तक ये फ़्लैट और भी क़ीमती हो जाएँगे। By next year, these flats will become even more expensive.

(agle saal tak ye flait aur bhii qiimtii ho jaaenge।)

अगर पेट्रोल इतना क़ीमती न होता, तो हम रोज़ गाड़ी चलाते। If petrol weren't so expensive, we would drive every day.

(agar petrol itnaa qiimtii n hotaa, to ham roz gaadii chalaate।)

इतना क़ीमती सामान यहाँ मत रखो! Don't keep such expensive stuff here!

(itnaa qiimtii saamaan yahaan mat rakho!)

हो सकता है कि यह पेंटिंग बहुत क़ीमती हो। It's possible that this painting is very expensive.

(ho saktaa hai ki yah penting bahut qiimtii ho।)

बाज़ार में सोना पहले से कहीं ज़्यादा क़ीमती हो गया है। Gold has become far more expensive in the market than before.

(baazaar men sonaa pahle se kahiin zyaadaa qiimtii ho gayaa hai।)

इस शोरूम में सबसे क़ीमती गाड़ियाँ बेची जाती हैं। The most expensive cars are sold in this showroom.

(is shoroom men sabse qiimtii gaadiyaan bechii jaatii hain।)

क्या यह घड़ी सच में इतनी क़ीमती है जितनी दिखती है? Is this watch really as expensive as it looks?

(kyaa yah ghadii sach men itnii qiimtii hai jitnii dikhtii hai?)

महंगाई के इस दौर में ज़मीन बहुत क़ीमती हो गई है। In this era of inflation, land has become very expensive.

(mahangaaii ke is daur men zamiin bahut qiimtii ho gaii hai।)

Sense 2 : precious, valuable (figurative worth, non-monetary)

adjective

Synonyms: बहुमूल्य (bahumooly, formal), अनमोल (anmol, 'priceless, invaluable')

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: This is the word Delhi parents and teachers use when telling children कीमती समय बर्बाद मत करो (kiimtii samay barbaad mat karo, 'don't waste precious time') -- applying a market word (price) to something that can't actually be bought, which is a very natural move in Hindi.

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for अनमोल (anmol) and क़ीमती (qiimtii) interchangeably, but अनमोल (anmol) means literally 'without price' (priceless, beyond value), while क़ीमती (qiimtii) still implies a value, just a high one -- so a mother's love is usually called अनमोल (anmol), not क़ीमती (qiimtii).

Sample Sentences:

समय सबसे कीमती चीज़ है। Time is the most precious thing.

(samay sabse kiimtii chiiz hai।)

कीमती समय बर्बाद मत करो, पढ़ाई पर ध्यान दो। Don't waste precious time, focus on your studies.

(kiimtii samay barbaad mat karo, padhaaii par dhyaan do।)

उसने मुझे कुछ बहुत कीमती सलाह दी। He gave me some very precious advice.

(usne mujhe kuchh bahut kiimtii salaah dii।)

एक सच्चा दोस्त ज़िंदगी की सबसे कीमती चीज़ों में से एक है। A true friend is one of the most precious things in life.

(ek sachchaa dost zindgii kii sabse kiimtii chiizon men se ek hai।)

अगर हमें अपना कीमती समय नहीं बचाना होता, तो हम इतनी जल्दी नहीं करते। If we didn't need to save our precious time, we wouldn't be in such a hurry.

(agar hamen apnaa kiimtii samay nahiin bachaanaa hotaa, to ham itnii jaldii nahiin karte।)

माँ हमेशा कहती थी कि सेहत सबसे कीमती धन है। Mom always used to say that health is the most precious wealth.

(maan hameshaa kahtii thii ki sehat sabse kiimtii dhan hai।)

काश मैं समझ पाता कि जवानी कितनी कीमती है। I wish I had understood how precious youth is.

(kaash main samajh paataa ki javaanii kitnii kiimtii hai।)

गुरुजनों का आशीर्वाद अत्यंत कीमती माना जाता है। The blessing of one's elders/teachers is considered extremely precious.

(gurujnon kaa aashiirvaad atyant kiimtii maanaa jaataa hai।)

बच्चों के साथ बिताए वो पल मेरे लिए बहुत कीमती हैं। Those moments spent with the children are very precious to me.

(bachchon ke saath bitaae vo pal mere lie bahut kiimtii hain।)

टीचर ने कहा कि हर मिनट कीमती है, इसे व्यर्थ मत जाने दो। The teacher said that every minute is precious, don't let it go to waste.

(tiichar ne kahaa ki har minat kiimtii hai, ise vyarth mat jaane do।)

क्या इससे भी कोई ज़्यादा कीमती तोहफ़ा हो सकता है? Can there be any gift more precious than this?

(kyaa isse bhii koii zyaadaa kiimtii tohfaa ho saktaa hai?)

Morphology

Adjective (invariant)

invariant: क़ीमती (qiimtii)