मत (mat)
particle/noun
Two distinct words sharing this spelling: a negative particle used to form prohibitions ('don't'), and a noun meaning 'opinion' or 'vote/doctrine'.
Sense
1
:
negative prohibitive particle ('don't')
particle Placed directly before the verb, typically with the imperative stem: मत जाओ (mat jaao, 'don't go'). Cannot be used to negate a statement of fact -- that job belongs to नहीं (nahiin).
Synonyms: न (n, more formal/literary in prohibitions), नहीं (nahiin, used differently -- see CommonMistakes)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: A parent telling a child मत करो (mat karo, 'don't do that') is one of the most-heard phrases in any Indian household -- मत (mat) is the everyday word for 'don't' in speech, direct and immediate, while न (n) tends to feel a notch more formal or literary in the same role.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes reach for नहीं (nahiin) to form a command, producing नहीं जाओ (nahiin jaao), which sounds wrong to a native ear -- मत (mat) is the word Hindi actually reserves for negative commands. 2) मत (mat) pairs naturally with the plain imperative (जाओ (jaao)) or subjunctive-flavored forms, not with the past tense -- you cannot use it to say 'you didn't go.'
Sample Sentences:
बच्चे को मत डराओ, वह पहले से ही घबराया हुआ है।
Don't scare the child, he's already frightened.
(bachche ko mat daraao, vah pahle se hii ghabraayaa huaa hai।)
Listen: M85
कृपया यहाँ गाड़ी मत खड़ी कीजिए।
Please don't park your car here.
(kripyaa yahaan gaadii mat khadii kiijie।)
Listen: F85
मैंने उससे कहा कि वह चिंता मत करे।
I told her not to worry.
(mainne usse kahaa ki vah chintaa mat kare।)
Listen: M85
देर मत होने पाए, इसलिए हम जल्दी निकल पड़े।
So that there wouldn't be a delay, we set off early.
(der mat hone paae, islie ham jaldii nikal pade।)
Listen: M85
अगर तुमने मुझे मत रोका होता, तो मैं अब तक वहाँ पहुँच गया होता।
If you hadn't stopped me, I would have reached there by now.
(agar tumne mujhe mat rokaa hotaa, to main ab tak vahaan pahunch gayaa hotaa।)
Listen: M85
प्लीज़ अभी मत बोलो, मीटिंग चल रही है।
Please don't talk right now, the meeting is going on.
(pliiz abhii mat bolo, miiting chal rahii hai।)
Listen: F85
उसने ताकीद की कि यह बात किसी और से मत कहा जाए।
He warned that this matter should not be told to anyone else.
(usne taakiid kii ki yah baat kisii aur se mat kahaa jaae।)
Listen: M85
मत रो, सब ठीक हो जाएगा।
Don't cry, everything will be fine.
(mat ro, sab thiik ho jaaegaa।)
Listen: M85
यह राज़ किसी को मत बताना, वरना मुसीबत हो जाएगी।
Don't tell this secret to anyone, or there will be trouble.
(yah raaz kisii ko mat bataanaa, varnaa musiibat ho jaaegii।)
Listen: M85
Sense
2
:
opinion, view, doctrine, vote
noun, masculine
Synonyms: राय (raay), विचार (vichaar, slightly more formal), सम्मति (sammti, literary)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This noun shows up constantly in civic and political vocabulary -- मतदान (matdaan, 'voting') and मतदाता (matdaataa, 'voter') build directly on this मत (mat, 'vote/opinion'), so recognizing it here unlocks a whole family of election-season words.
Common Mistakes: 1) मत (mat) in the sense of 'opinion' is largely a written/formal-register word; in casual speech राय (raay) is far more natural for 'what do you think?' -- मेरी राय में (merii raay men, 'in my opinion') is much more common than मेरे मत में (mere mat men).
Sample Sentences:
मेरे मत में यह फ़िल्म बहुत अच्छी है।
In my opinion, this film is very good.
(mere mat men yah film bahut achchhii hai।)
Listen: F85
इस मुद्दे पर सबके अलग-अलग मत हैं।
Everyone has different opinions on this issue.
(is mudde par sabke alag-alag mat hain।)
Listen: M85
कृपया अपना मत खुलकर व्यक्त करें।
Please express your opinion openly.
(kripyaa apnaa mat khulkar vyakt karen।)
Listen: M85
अगर सबका मत एक होता, तो फ़ैसला आसान होता।
If everyone's opinion were the same, the decision would be easy.
(agar sabkaa mat ek hotaa, to faislaa aasaan hotaa।)
Listen: M85
विद्वानों का मत है कि यह ग्रंथ बहुत प्राचीन है।
It is the scholars' view that this text is very ancient.
(vidvaanon kaa mat hai ki yah granth bahut praachiin hai।)
Listen: M85
मुझे लगता है कि उसका मत गलत है, हालाँकि मैं उसकी इज़्ज़त करता हूँ।
I think his opinion is wrong, although I respect him.
(mujhe lagtaa hai ki uskaa mat galat hai, haalaanki main uskii izzat kartaa hoon।)
Listen: M85
इस विषय पर मेरा कोई मत नहीं है।
I don't have any opinion on this subject.
(is vishay par meraa koii mat nahiin hai।)
Listen: F85
बैठक में हर सदस्य से मत माँगा जाएगा।
In the meeting, every member's opinion will be asked for.
(baithak men har sadasy se mat maangaa jaaegaa।)
Listen: F85
शायद उसका मत भी सही हो।
Perhaps his opinion is right too.
(shaayad uskaa mat bhii sahii ho।)
Listen: F85
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
मत
(mat)
(sg.m.oblique):
मत
(mat)
(pl.m.direct):
मत
(mat)
(pl.m.oblique):
मतों
(maton)