मोटा (motaa)
adjective/noun
Primarily a physical-description adjective covering 'fat/overweight,' 'thick,' and 'coarse/crude,' plus a figurative extension to 'rough/approximate' and a colloquial noun-ish use for 'big money.' All senses share the core idea of bulk or lack of fineness.
Sense
1
:
fat, overweight (of a person or animal)
adjective
Synonyms: मोटा-ताज़ा (motaa-taazaa, describes a person as healthily plump), भारी (bhaarii, heavy-set), फूला हुआ (phoolaa huaa, puffed up/bloated)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: In many Indian families, especially with elders, commenting directly on someone's weight -- 'तू तो मोटा हो गया है' (too to motaa ho gayaa hai, 'you have gotten fat') -- is treated as ordinary conversation rather than an insult, which often surprises Western learners used to avoiding the topic entirely.
Common Mistakes: 1) Calling someone मोटा (motaa) to their face is much blunter in Hindi than 'chubby' in English -- among family it can be affectionate, but with strangers or acquaintances it usually reads as rude, so learners should be careful about tone. 2) For a softer, more polite way to describe someone as pleasantly plump, मोटा-ताज़ा (motaa-taazaa) is often preferred over plain मोटा (motaa).
Sample Sentences:
वह बचपन में बहुत मोटा था।
He was very fat as a child.
(vah bachpan men bahut motaa thaa।)
तू तो मोटा हो गया है!
You've really gotten fat!
(too to motaa ho gayaa hai!)
हमारा कुत्ता बहुत मोटा है, उसे थोड़ा घुमाना चाहिए।
Our dog is really fat, we should walk him a bit.
(hamaaraa kuttaa bahut motaa hai, use thodaa ghumaanaa chaahie।)
अगर वह इतना ज़्यादा खाता रहा तो और मोटा हो जाएगा।
If he keeps eating this much, he'll get even fatter.
(agar vah itnaa zyaadaa khaataa rahaa to aur motaa ho jaaegaa।)
डॉक्टर ने कहा कि मरीज़ थोड़ा मोटा है और उसे वज़न कम करना चाहिए।
The doctor said the patient is a bit overweight and should lose some weight.
(doktar ne kahaa ki mariiz thodaa motaa hai aur use vazan kam karnaa chaahie।)
काश मैं इतना मोटा न होता, तो दौड़ना आसान होता।
If only I weren't so fat, running would be easier.
(kaash main itnaa motaa n hotaa, to daudnaa aasaan hotaa।)
अरे मोटू, ज़रा साइड हो जा!
Hey fatty, move aside a bit!
(are motoo, zaraa saaid ho jaa!)
शादी के बाद वह काफ़ी मोटी हो गई थी।
She had become quite fat after her marriage.
(shaadii ke baad vah kaafii motii ho gaii thii।)
मुझे नहीं लगता कि वह इतना मोटा है जितना लोग कहते हैं।
I don't think he is as fat as people say.
(mujhe nahiin lagtaa ki vah itnaa motaa hai jitnaa log kahte hain।)
बुज़ुर्गों के सामने किसी को मोटा कहना यहाँ बुरा नहीं माना जाता।
Calling someone fat in front of elders isn't considered rude here.
(buzurgon ke saamne kisii ko motaa kahnaa yahaan buraa nahiin maanaa jaataa।)
गाँव में मोटी भैंसों को सबसे कीमती माना जाता है।
In the village, fat buffaloes are considered the most valuable.
(gaanv men motii bhainson ko sabse kiimtii maanaa jaataa hai।)
Sense
2
:
thick (of an object, book, rope, wall, etc.)
adjective
Synonyms: गाढ़ा (gaadhaa, of liquids/consistency), चौड़ा (chaudaa, wide, partial overlap)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will hear this constantly in everyday shopping talk -- मोटी रोटी (motii rotii, 'a thick roti') versus पतली रोटी (patlii rotii, 'a thin roti') is a real point of preference at the dinner table in North Indian homes.
Common Mistakes: 1) मोटा (motaa) describes physical thickness of an object (a rope, a book, a wall), while गाढ़ा (gaadhaa) is used for the thickness/consistency of a liquid like milk or gravy -- learners often reach for मोटा (motaa) in both contexts by analogy with English 'thick.'
Sample Sentences:
मुझे मोटी रोटी पसंद है, पतली नहीं।
I like thick rotis, not thin ones.
(mujhe motii rotii pasand hai, patlii nahiin।)
यह किताब बहुत मोटी है, इसे पढ़ने में हफ्तों लगेंगे।
This book is very thick, it'll take weeks to read.
(yah kitaab bahut motii hai, ise padhne men haphton lagenge।)
दीवार इतनी मोटी थी कि गोली भी आर-पार नहीं हो सकती थी।
The wall was so thick that even a bullet couldn't pass through it.
(diivaar itnii motii thii ki golii bhii aar-paar nahiin ho saktii thii।)
दुकानदार ने मुझे एक मोटी रस्सी दी ताकि वह टूटे नहीं।
The shopkeeper gave me a thick rope so that it wouldn't break.
(dukaandaar ne mujhe ek motii rassii dii taaki vah toote nahiin।)
सर्दियों में हम मोटा कंबल ओढ़ते हैं।
In winter we cover ourselves with a thick blanket.
(sardiyon men ham motaa kambal odhte hain।)
अगर दीवार और मोटी होती, तो कमरा ज़्यादा सुरक्षित होता।
If the wall had been thicker, the room would have been safer.
(agar diivaar aur motii hotii, to kamraa zyaadaa surakshit hotaa।)
इस केक पर मोटी परत में क्रीम लगाओ।
Spread a thick layer of cream on this cake.
(is kek par motii parat men kriim lagaao।)
पुराने ज़माने में किताबों के कवर बहुत मोटे बनाए जाते थे।
In olden times, book covers used to be made very thick.
(puraane zamaane men kitaabon ke kavar bahut mote banaae jaate the।)
शायद यह तार बिजली के काम के लिए बहुत मोटा हो।
Perhaps this wire is too thick for electrical work.
(shaayad yah taar bijlii ke kaam ke lie bahut motaa ho।)
मोटी जिल्द वाली यह डिक्शनरी बरसों चलेगी।
This dictionary with a thick binding will last for years.
(motii jild vaalii yah dikshanrii barson chalegii।)
बढ़ई ने खिड़की के लिए मोटा शीशा लगवाया।
The carpenter had thick glass fitted for the window.
(badhaii ne khidkii ke lie motaa shiishaa lagvaayaa।)
Sense
3
:
coarse, crude, unrefined (of texture, cloth, grain, or manners)
adjective
Synonyms: भद्दा (bhaddaa, crude/unsightly), खुरदरा (khuradraa, rough-textured)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: मोटा कपड़ा (motaa kapdaa, 'coarse cloth') or मोटा अनाज (motaa anaaj, 'coarse grain,' i.e. millets like बाजरा) both carry a whiff of 'basic, unrefined, everyday-people's stuff' as opposed to fine or refined -- useful cultural shorthand when discussing food or fabric quality.
Sample Sentences:
यह कपड़ा बहुत मोटा और खुरदरा है।
This cloth is very coarse and rough.
(yah kapdaa bahut motaa aur khuradraa hai।)
गरीब घर में लोग मोटा अनाज खाकर गुज़ारा करते थे।
In poor households, people used to get by eating coarse grains.
(gariib ghar men log motaa anaaj khaakar guzaaraa karte the।)
दादी हमेशा कहती हैं कि मोटा अनाज सेहत के लिए अच्छा होता है।
Grandmother always says that coarse grain is good for health.
(daadii hameshaa kahtii hain ki motaa anaaj sehat ke lie achchhaa hotaa hai।)
बाज़ार से मोटा कपड़ा ले आना, बारिश के मौसम के लिए चलेगा।
Bring some coarse cloth from the market, it'll do for the rainy season.
(baazaar se motaa kapdaa le aanaa, baarish ke mausam ke lie chalegaa।)
अगर सूत मोटा होता, तो कपड़ा इतना महीन नहीं बनता।
If the thread had been coarse, the cloth wouldn't have turned out so fine.
(agar soot motaa hotaa, to kapdaa itnaa mahiin nahiin bantaa।)
उसकी भाषा और तौर-तरीके दोनों ही कुछ मोटे लगते हैं।
Both his language and his manners seem a bit crude.
(uskii bhaashaa aur taur-tariike donon hii kuchh mote lagte hain।)
दुकानदार ने बताया कि यह सबसे मोटा कपड़ा है जो उसके पास है।
The shopkeeper said this is the coarsest cloth he has.
(dukaandaar ne bataayaa ki yah sabse motaa kapdaa hai jo uske paas hai।)
पुराने ज़माने में मज़दूर मोटा अनाज और मोटा कपड़ा ही इस्तेमाल करते थे।
In olden times, laborers used only coarse grain and coarse cloth.
(puraane zamaane men mazdoor motaa anaaj aur motaa kapdaa hii istemaal karte the।)
यह सलवार मोटे कपड़े की बनी है, इसलिए सर्दियों में पहनने लायक है।
This salwar is made of coarse cloth, so it's suitable for wearing in winter.
(yah salvaar mote kapde kii banii hai, islie sardiyon men pahanne laayak hai।)
Sense
4
:
rough, approximate (of an estimate, calculation, or understanding)
adjective Common in the fixed phrase मोटा-मोटा हिसाब (motaa-motaa hisaab, 'a rough calculation') or मोटे तौर पर (mote taur par, 'roughly speaking'), where मोटा (motaa) extends from physical coarseness to conceptual coarseness.
Synonyms: अनुमानित (anumaanit, estimated), लगभग (lagbhag, approximately, adverb not adjective)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This is the same mental leap English makes with 'rough' -- something physically coarse becomes something conceptually imprecise. मोटे तौर पर (mote taur par) is extremely common in spoken explanations, meetings, and news commentary when someone gives a ballpark figure.
Common Mistakes: 1) मोटे तौर पर (mote taur par) is a fixed adverbial phrase meaning 'broadly speaking' -- learners sometimes try to build it with other case endings, but it is best learned as a set chunk.
Sample Sentences:
मोटे तौर पर हमें बीस हज़ार रुपये चाहिए होंगे।
Roughly speaking, we will need about twenty thousand rupees.
(mote taur par hamen biis hazaar rupye chaahie honge।)
मुझे इस काम का एक मोटा अंदाज़ा दे दो।
Give me a rough estimate of this work.
(mujhe is kaam kaa ek motaa andaazaa de do।)
उसने मोटे तौर पर बता दिया कि प्रोजेक्ट में कितना समय लगेगा।
He gave a rough idea of how long the project would take.
(usne mote taur par bataa diyaa ki projekt men kitnaa samay lagegaa।)
मोटे हिसाब से हर महीने पचास हज़ार खर्च हो जाते हैं।
By rough calculation, fifty thousand gets spent every month.
(mote hisaab se har mahiine pachaas hazaar kharch ho jaate hain।)
अगर मुझे मोटी जानकारी भी मिल जाती, तो मैं फ़ैसला ले लेता।
If I had even gotten a rough idea, I would have made a decision.
(agar mujhe motii jaankaarii bhii mil jaatii, to main faislaa le letaa।)
मंत्री जी ने मोटे तौर पर योजना की रूपरेखा पेश की।
The minister presented a rough outline of the plan.
(mantrii jii ne mote taur par yojnaa kii rooprekhaa pesh kii।)
क्या तुम मुझे इसका मोटा सा अंदाज़ा दे सकते हो?
Can you give me a rough sort of estimate of this?
(kyaa tum mujhe iskaa motaa saa andaazaa de sakte ho?)
रिपोर्ट में केवल मोटे आँकड़े दिए गए हैं, सटीक संख्या नहीं।
Only rough figures have been given in the report, not exact numbers.
(riport men keval mote aankde die gae hain, satiik sankhyaa nahiin।)
मोटे तौर पर समझ लो कि आधे लोग इस बात से राज़ी हैं।
Roughly understand it this way -- about half the people agree with this.
(mote taur par samajh lo ki aadhe log is baat se raazii hain।)
शायद कोई मोटा अनुमान लगा सके कि नुकसान कितना हुआ है।
Perhaps someone could make a rough estimate of how much damage has occurred.
(shaayad koii motaa anumaan lagaa sake ki nuksaan kitnaa huaa hai।)
Sense
5
:
big money, a large sum (colloquial)
noun, masculine Used almost always in the phrase मोटा पैसा (motaa paisaa, 'big/fat money') or मोटी कमाई (motii kamaaii, 'fat earnings') -- functions adjectivally before पैसा (paisaa) or कमाई (kamaaii) rather than standing alone as a noun.
Synonyms: बड़ी रकम (badii rakam, large sum, neutral register), मालामाल (maalaamaal, loaded with money, adjective not noun)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: मोटा पैसा कमाना (motaa paisaa kamaanaa, 'to earn big money') is a very common colloquial phrase in business and career talk, echoing English 'fat paycheck' -- the same bigness-equals-wealth metaphor shows up in both languages.
Common Mistakes: 1) This sense almost never appears as a bare noun; it is really the adjective मोटा (motaa) modifying पैसा (paisaa) or कमाई (kamaaii) -- learners should not expect to use मोटा (motaa) alone to mean 'wealth.'
Sample Sentences:
इस धंधे में मोटा पैसा है।
There's big money in this business.
(is dhandhe men motaa paisaa hai।)
वह शेयर बाज़ार में मोटा पैसा कमाता है।
He earns big money in the stock market.
(vah sheyar baazaar men motaa paisaa kamaataa hai।)
पिछले साल उसने इस डील से मोटा पैसा कमाया।
Last year he earned big money from this deal.
(pichhle saal usne is diil se motaa paisaa kamaayaa।)
अगर यह प्रोजेक्ट चल गया तो हम मोटा पैसा कमाएंगे।
If this project takes off, we'll make big money.
(agar yah projekt chal gayaa to ham motaa paisaa kamaaenge।)
काश मैंने भी उस समय शेयर खरीदे होते, आज मोटा पैसा होता।
If only I had bought those shares back then, I'd have big money today.
(kaash mainne bhii us samay sheyar khariide hote, aaj motaa paisaa hotaa।)
उस डॉक्टर के पास इतने मरीज़ आते हैं कि वह मोटा पैसा बना रहा है।
That doctor gets so many patients that he's raking in big money.
(us doktar ke paas itne mariiz aate hain ki vah motaa paisaa banaa rahaa hai।)
इस कंपनी में मोटा पैसा कमाना आसान नहीं है।
Making big money at this company isn't easy.
(is kampnii men motaa paisaa kamaanaa aasaan nahiin hai।)
सुना है इस बार बोनस में उसे मोटा पैसा मिला।
I heard he got a fat sum this time in his bonus.
(sunaa hai is baar bonas men use motaa paisaa milaa।)
इतना मोटा पैसा कमाने के लिए बहुत मेहनत करनी पड़ती है।
You have to work very hard to earn such big money.
(itnaa motaa paisaa kamaane ke lie bahut mehnat karnii padtii hai।)
उसे उम्मीद है कि इस सौदे में मोटा पैसा मिले।
He's hoping he gets big money from this deal.
(use ummiid hai ki is saude men motaa paisaa mile।)
Morphology
Adjective (variable)
(sg.m):
मोटा
(motaa)
(pl.m):
मोटे
(mote)
(sg.f):
मोटी
(motii)
(pl.f):
मोटी
(motii)
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
मोटा
(motaa)
(sg.m.oblique):
मोटे
(mote)
(pl.m.direct):
मोटे
(mote)
(pl.m.oblique):
मोटों
(moton)