चिट्ठी (chitthii)

noun A simple, homey word for a letter -- the kind you write by hand and post, or that a family member sends from another town. Single sense.
Sense 1 : letter (written correspondence)
noun, feminine
Synonyms: पत्र (patr, formal), खत (khat)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Think of a grandmother waiting by the door for the postman (daakiyaa) with a चिट्ठी (chitthii) from a son working in another city -- this word carries a lot of nostalgia in India, from the days before phone calls were common. Even now, in songs and old films, चिट्ठी (chitthii) evokes longing and distance in a way 'letter' in English doesn't quite match.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes reach for पत्र (patr) in casual speech -- चिट्ठी (chitthii) is the word people actually use at home and in everyday conversation, while पत्र (patr) sounds more like something used in an office, application, or news report. 2) चिट्ठी (chitthii) refers to the physical/written letter itself, not to 'mail' as an abstract concept -- for that, डाक (daak) is used instead.
Sample Sentences:
माँ हर हफ्ते बेटे को चिट्ठी लिखती थी। Mother used to write a letter to her son every week.
(maan har haphte bete ko chitthii likhtii thii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
डाकिया आज एक चिट्ठी लेकर आया है। The postman has come with a letter today.
(daakiyaa aaj ek chitthii lekar aayaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
वह दरवाज़े पर बैठी चिट्ठी का इंतज़ार कर रही थी। She sat at the door, waiting for a letter.
(vah darvaaze par baithii chitthii kaa intzaar kar rahii thii।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
कृपया मुझे अपना पता बताइए ताकि मैं आपको चिट्ठी भेज सकूँ। Please tell me your address so that I can send you a letter.
(kripyaa mujhe apnaa pataa bataaie taaki main aapko chitthii bhej sakoon।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
अगर उसने चिट्ठी भेजी होती तो हमें इतनी चिंता न होती। If he had sent a letter, we wouldn't have worried so much.
(agar usne chitthii bhejii hotii to hamen itnii chintaa n hotii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Perfective -- Voice: Active
यह चिट्ठी सैनिक के परिवार को भेजी गई थी। This letter was sent to the soldier's family.
(yah chitthii sainik ke parivaar ko bhejii gaii thii।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
बेटा, घर पहुँचकर एक चिट्ठी ज़रूर लिख देना। Son, make sure to write a letter once you reach home.
(betaa, ghar pahunchkar ek chitthii zaroor likh denaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
पुरानी चिट्ठियाँ पढ़कर उसकी आँखों में आँसू आ गए। Reading the old letters, tears welled up in his eyes.
(puraanii chitthiyaan padhkar uskii aankhon men aansoo aa gae।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
उन दिनों प्रेमी-प्रेमिका सिर्फ़ चिट्ठियों के सहारे बात करते थे। In those days, lovers used to talk only through letters.
(un dinon premii-premikaa sirf chitthiyon ke sahaare baat karte the।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
क्या तुमने वह चिट्ठी अभी तक पोस्ट की? Did you post that letter yet?
(kyaa tumne vah chitthii abhii tak post kii?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
फ़ौज में गए बेटे की चिट्ठी आते ही सारा घर खुश हो जाता है। As soon as a letter comes from the son who went to the army, the whole house becomes happy.
(fauj men gae bete kii chitthii aate hii saaraa ghar khush ho jaataa hai।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): चिट्ठी (chitthii)
(sg.f.oblique): चिट्ठी (chitthii)
(pl.f.direct): चिट्ठियाँ (chitthiyaan)
(pl.f.oblique): चिट्ठियों (chitthiyon)