कम (kam)

adjective/adverb/postposition Mainly an adjective/adverb meaning 'less/little/few', with a common idiomatic use in से कम (se kam) 'no less than' and a few fixed expressions built around scarcity or insufficiency.

Sense 1 : little in quantity, few, insufficient

adjective

Synonyms: थोड़ा (thodaa), न्यून (nyoon, literary)

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: You will hear this constantly in markets and kitchens: नमक कम है (namak kam hai, 'there's not enough salt') or थोड़ा कम कर दो (thodaa kam kar do, 'turn it down a bit,' e.g. a stove flame or the TV volume). Its opposite ज़्यादा (zyaadaa) is its constant conversational partner -- Hindi speakers love pairing them, as in कम या ज़्यादा (kam yaa zyaadaa, 'more or less').

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often try to inflect कम (kam) like a regular -आ adjective (कमा, कमे, कमी); it never changes form regardless of the noun's gender or number -- कम रोटियाँ (kam rotiyaan, 'few rotis'), कम पैसे (kam paise, 'little money'). 2) कम से कम (kam se kam) means 'at least,' not 'less than less' -- learners sometimes misparse it literally.

Sample Sentences:

आज खाने में नमक कम है। There's not enough salt in the food today.

(aaj khaane men namak kam hai।)

थोड़ा टीवी की आवाज़ कम कर दो। Turn the TV volume down a bit.

(thodaa tiivii kii aavaaz kam kar do।)

इस महीने बारिश बहुत कम हुई है। There has been very little rain this month.

(is mahiine baarish bahut kam huii hai।)

अगर मेहमान कम होते तो खाना काफ़ी होता। If there had been fewer guests, the food would have been enough.

(agar mehmaan kam hote to khaanaa kaafii hotaa।)

सर, कृपया आँच थोड़ी कम रखें। Sir, please keep the flame a little low.

(sar, kripyaa aanch thodii kam rakhen।)

हो सकता है कि इस बार बजट थोड़ा कम हो। It's possible that the budget will be a little low this time.

(ho saktaa hai ki is baar bajat thodaa kam ho।)

चीनी कम या ज़्यादा, जैसा तुम्हें पसंद हो डाल लेना। Sugar less or more, add it however you like.

(chiinii kam yaa zyaadaa, jaisaa tumhen pasand ho daal lenaa।)

पिछले साल फ़सल कम थी, इस साल अच्छी हुई है। The harvest was poor last year; this year it has been good.

(pichhle saal fasal kam thii, is saal achchhii huii hai।)

संसाधन इतने कम हैं कि सबको बाँटना मुश्किल है। The resources are so scarce that it is difficult to distribute them to everyone.

(sansaadhan itne kam hain ki sabko baantnaa mushkil hai।)

जब भी पैसे कम होते हैं, वह उधार माँग लेता है। Whenever money is short, he asks for a loan.

(jab bhii paise kam hote hain, vah udhaar maang letaa hai।)

आय कम होने के कारण परिवार को कठिनाई हो रही थी। Because the income was insufficient, the family was facing hardship.

(aay kam hone ke kaaran parivaar ko kathinaaii ho rahii thii।)

Sense 2 : not much, rarely, to a small degree

adverb Modifies verbs and adjectives directly, e.g. कम खाओ (kam khaao, 'eat less') or कम अच्छा (kam achchhaa, 'less good').

Synonyms: थोड़ा (thodaa), शायद ही (shaayad hii, meaning scope: 'hardly ever')

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: Used to describe a quiet or reserved person: वह कम बोलता है (vah kam boltaa hai, 'he doesn't talk much') is a very common way Indians describe someone shy or introverted, often said approvingly about a well-behaved child or respectfully about a serious adult.

Common Mistakes: 1) वह कम बोलता है (vah kam boltaa hai, 'he speaks little/rarely') can sound to learners like it needs से (se) for comparison, but on its own कम (kam) just means 'rarely/not much' with no comparison implied.

Sample Sentences:

वह कम बोलता है। He doesn't talk much.

(vah kam boltaa hai।)

मैं कम सोता हूँ, इसलिए दिन में थकान रहती है। I sleep very little, so I feel tired during the day.

(main kam sotaa hoon, islie din men thakaan rahtii hai।)

वह लड़की बहुत शर्मीली है, लोगों से कम मिलती है। That girl is very shy, she rarely meets people.

(vah ladkii bahut sharmiilii hai, logon se kam miltii hai।)

आजकल हम एक-दूसरे से कम बात कर रहे हैं। These days we're talking to each other rarely.

(aajkal ham ek-doosre se kam baat kar rahe hain।)

पहले वह बहुत हँसता था, अब कम हँसता है। He used to laugh a lot before, now he laughs rarely.

(pahle vah bahut hanstaa thaa, ab kam hanstaa hai।)

कृपया थोड़ा कम बोलिए, यहाँ किताबें पढ़ी जा रही हैं। Please talk a little less, people are reading books here.

(kripyaa thodaa kam bolie, yahaan kitaaben padhii jaa rahii hain।)

अगर वह कम बोलता, तो शायद उसे इतनी परेशानी नहीं होती। If he spoke less, he probably wouldn't be in so much trouble.

(agar vah kam boltaa, to shaayad use itnii pareshaanii nahiin hotii।)

अच्छा होगा कि तुम बाहर कम निकलो, सर्दी बढ़ रही है। It would be good if you went out rarely, the cold is increasing.

(achchhaa hogaa ki tum baahar kam niklo, sardii badh rahii hai।)

नए मैनेजर को कम पसंद किया जाता है क्योंकि वह कम बोलता है और सबसे दूरी रखता है। The new manager isn't liked much because he talks little and keeps his distance from everyone.

(nae mainejar ko kam pasand kiyaa jaataa hai kyonki vah kam boltaa hai aur sabse doorii rakhtaa hai।)

मुनि कम बोलते हैं, अधिक मौन में रहते हैं। The sage speaks rarely, remaining mostly in silence.

(muni kam bolte hain, adhik maun men rahte hain।)

दादाजी कम बोलते हैं, पर जो कहते हैं वह सुनने लायक होता है। Grandfather doesn't talk much, but what he says is worth listening to.

(daadaajii kam bolte hain, par jo kahte hain vah sunne laayak hotaa hai।)

Sense 3 : less than (in comparisons of quantity)

postposition Occurs in the frame X से कम (X se kam), 'less than X' -- the से-marked noun is the standard of comparison.

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: You'll see this on shop signs and price boards constantly: दो सौ रुपये से कम में (do sau rupye se kam men, 'for less than two hundred rupees') is classic bargaining language in Delhi markets.

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes drop से (se) and just say दस कम (das kam) intending 'less than ten' -- the से (se) is required: दस से कम (das se kam).

Sample Sentences:

यह कुर्ता दो सौ रुपये से कम में मिल जाएगा। This kurta will be available for less than two hundred rupees.

(yah kurtaa do sau rupye se kam men mil jaaegaa।)

मेरी उम्र उससे कम है। My age is less than his.

(merii umr usse kam hai।)

पाँच सौ रुपये से कम में मत बेचो। Don't sell it for less than five hundred rupees.

(paanch sau rupye se kam men mat becho।)

इस साल बारिश पिछले साल से कम हुई है। This year's rainfall has been less than last year's.

(is saal baarish pichhle saal se kam huii hai।)

काश उसकी तनख्वाह मेरी तनख्वाह से कम होती, तो मुझे इतनी जलन न होती। If only his salary were less than mine, I wouldn't feel so jealous.

(kaash uskii tanakhvaah merii tanakhvaah se kam hotii, to mujhe itnii jalan n hotii।)

सुनिश्चित करें कि कीमत बजट से कम रहे। Make sure the price stays less than the budget.

(sunishchit karen ki kiimat bajat se kam rahe।)

अठारह साल से कम उम्र के बच्चों को टिकट नहीं दिया जाता। Tickets are not given to children less than eighteen years of age.

(athaarah saal se kam umr ke bachchon ko tikat nahiin diyaa jaataa।)

मुझे लगता है यह सामान असली कीमत से कम में बिक रहा है। I think this stuff is selling for less than its real price.

(mujhe lagtaa hai yah saamaan aslii kiimat se kam men bik rahaa hai।)

व्यय आय से कम होना चाहिए, वरना बचत कैसे होगी? Expenditure should be less than income, otherwise how will there be savings?

(vyay aay se kam honaa chaahie, varnaa bachat kaise hogii?)

क्या दिल्ली में मकान का किराया मुंबई से कम है? Is house rent in Delhi less than in Mumbai?

(kyaa dillii men makaan kaa kiraayaa mumbaii se kam hai?)

दस मिनट से कम समय में यह काम पूरा हो जाएगा। This work will be completed in less than ten minutes.

(das minat se kam samay men yah kaam pooraa ho jaaegaa।)

Morphology

Adjective (invariant)

invariant: कम (kam)