का (kaa)
postposition
The genitive postposition marking possession or relation ('of'), inflecting to की (kii) and के (ke) to agree with the following noun; it also has a distinct use as the oblique/masculine form appearing in certain fixed patterns. Its interrogative cousin क्या (kyaa) is a separate lemma.
Sense
1
:
possession/relation marker ('of')
postposition Agrees in gender/number/case with the noun that follows it (the possessed noun), not with the possessor: राम का घर (raam kaa ghar, 'Ram's house') but राम की किताब (raam kii kitaab, 'Ram's book'). का (kaa) is the base masculine singular direct form; की (kii) is feminine; के (ke) is masculine plural/oblique.
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This little word does enormous work in Hindi -- it is how you build almost every possessive phrase, from मेरे पापा का घर (mere paapaa kaa ghar, 'my father's house') to हिन्दुस्तान का दिल (hindustaan kaa dil, 'the heart of India'). Once you internalize that it agrees with what comes after it, not before, this word stops being tricky.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often make का (kaa) agree with the possessor instead of the possessed noun -- सीता का भाई (siitaa kaa bhaaii, 'Sita's brother') is correct even though सीता (siitaa) is feminine, because भाई (bhaaii) is masculine. 2) Before a postposition, the possessor noun goes into the oblique case, and का (kaa) itself changes to के (ke) when followed by another postposition, as in लड़के के पास (ladke ke paas, 'near the boy') -- learners sometimes leave it as का (kaa) here.
Sample Sentences:
यह मेरे पापा का घर है।
This is my father's house.
(yah mere paapaa kaa ghar hai।)
दिल्ली भारत की राजधानी है।
Delhi is the capital of India.
(dillii bhaarat kii raajdhaanii hai।)
यह किताब मेरी बहन की है।
This book belongs to my sister.
(yah kitaab merii bahan kii hai।)
मुंबई को हिन्दुस्तान का दिल कहा जाता है।
Mumbai is called the heart of India.
(mumbaii ko hindustaan kaa dil kahaa jaataa hai।)
उसके पिता का नाम रमेश था।
His father's name was Ramesh.
(uske pitaa kaa naam ramesh thaa।)
काश यह मेरे सपनों का घर होता।
If only this were the house of my dreams.
(kaash yah mere sapnon kaa ghar hotaa।)
कृपया अपने माता-पिता का पूरा नाम लिखें।
Please write the full name of your parents.
(kripyaa apne maataa-pitaa kaa pooraa naam likhen।)
हो सकता है कि यह किसी और का बैग हो।
It's possible this is someone else's bag.
(ho saktaa hai ki yah kisii aur kaa baig ho।)
इस कंपनी का मालिक विदेश में रहता है।
The owner of this company lives abroad.
(is kampnii kaa maalik videsh men rahtaa hai।)
देश का भविष्य बच्चों के हाथों में है।
The country's future is in the hands of children.
(desh kaa bhavishy bachchon ke haathon men hai।)
क्या यह उसकी माँ का फोन नंबर है?
Is this his mother's phone number?
(kyaa yah uskii maan kaa phon nambar hai?)
Sense
2
:
made of / composed of
postposition Used between a noun and the material or substance it is made from, e.g. सोने का हार (sone kaa haar, 'a gold necklace', lit. 'a necklace of gold').
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Think of jewelers in Chandni Chowk describing their wares: सोने का (sone kaa, 'of gold'), चांदी की (chaandii kii, 'of silver') -- the same possessive postposition slides naturally into describing material, which is a very common everyday pattern.
Sample Sentences:
यह अंगूठी सोने की है।
This ring is made of gold.
(yah angoothii sone kii hai।)
मुझे लकड़ी की मेज़ पसंद है।
I like the wooden table.
(mujhe lakdii kii mez pasand hai।)
चांदी का गिलास बहुत महंगा था।
The silver glass was very expensive.
(chaandii kaa gilaas bahut mahangaa thaa।)
क्या यह मूर्ति पत्थर की बनी है?
Is this statue made of stone?
(kyaa yah moorti patthar kii banii hai?)
अगर घर मिट्टी का होता, तो बारिश में गिर जाता।
If the house were made of mud, it would collapse in the rain.
(agar ghar mittii kaa hotaa, to baarish men gir jaataa।)
काश यह हार सोने का होता।
I wish this necklace were made of gold.
(kaash yah haar sone kaa hotaa।)
पुराने ज़माने में बर्तन ज़्यादातर मिट्टी के बनते थे।
In olden times, pots were mostly made of clay.
(puraane zamaane men bartan zyaadaatar mittii ke bante the।)
देखना, यह पुल लोहे का बना है, इस पर भरोसा कर सकते हो।
Look, this bridge is made of iron, you can trust it.
(dekhnaa, yah pul lohe kaa banaa hai, is par bharosaa kar sakte ho।)
चांदनी चौक के जौहरी अक्सर कहते हैं, 'यह चांदी का है, इसे परखिए।'
Jewelers in Chandni Chowk often say, 'This is made of silver, test it.'
(chaandnii chauk ke jauhrii aksar kahte hain, 'yah chaandii kaa hai, ise parkhie।')
यह मुकुट शुद्ध सोने का बना हुआ है।
This crown is made of pure gold.
(yah mukut shuddh sone kaa banaa huaa hai।)
संसार माया का है, यह ज्ञान सदा याद रखो।
The world is made of illusion, always remember this wisdom.
(sansaar maayaa kaa hai, yah gyaan sadaa yaad rakho।)
Sense
3
:
measurement, price, or quantity marker
postposition Links a quantity, price, or duration to a noun: दस रुपये का सामान (das rupye kaa saamaan, 'ten rupees' worth of goods'), दो घंटे का सफ़र (do ghante kaa safar, 'a two-hour journey').
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will hear this constantly at a sabzi mandi or with an auto-rickshaw driver: सौ रुपये का पेट्रोल (sau rupye kaa petrol, 'a hundred rupees' worth of petrol'). It is the natural way Hindi ties an amount to what it buys or measures.
Sample Sentences:
सौ रुपये का पेट्रोल डाल दो।
Put in a hundred rupees' worth of petrol.
(sau rupye kaa petrol daal do।)
मुझे बीस रुपये का धनिया चाहिए।
I need twenty rupees' worth of coriander.
(mujhe biis rupye kaa dhaniyaa chaahie।)
उसने पाँच किलो का आटा खरीदा।
He bought five kilos' worth of flour.
(usne paanch kilo kaa aataa khariidaa।)
हम रोज़ दस रुपये का दूध लाते हैं।
We bring ten rupees' worth of milk every day.
(ham roz das rupye kaa doodh laate hain।)
क्या तुम एक लीटर का तेल दे सकते हो?
Can you give me a liter's worth of oil?
(kyaa tum ek liitar kaa tel de sakte ho?)
अगर तुम्हारे पास खुल्ले होते तो मैं पचास रुपये का सामान ले लेता।
If you had had change, I would have taken fifty rupees' worth of stuff.
(agar tumhaare paas khulle hote to main pachaas rupye kaa saamaan le letaa।)
दुकानदार ने कहा कि दो सौ रुपये का सामान बच गया है।
The shopkeeper said that two hundred rupees' worth of goods are left.
(dukaandaar ne kahaa ki do sau rupye kaa saamaan bach gayaa hai।)
इतना कम पैसा है कि बीस रुपये का ही सामान आएगा।
There's so little money that only twenty rupees' worth of goods will come.
(itnaa kam paisaa hai ki biis rupye kaa hii saamaan aaegaa।)
बाज़ार में तीन सौ रुपये का सामान चोरी हो गया।
Three hundred rupees' worth of goods got stolen in the market.
(baazaar men tiin sau rupye kaa saamaan chorii ho gayaa।)
कृपया पचास रुपये का टिकट काट दीजिए।
Please cut a ticket worth fifty rupees.
(kripyaa pachaas rupye kaa tikat kaat diijie।)
शायद सौ रुपये का ईंधन काफी हो।
Perhaps a hundred rupees' worth of fuel will be enough.
(shaayad sau rupye kaa iindhan kaaphii ho।)