कमाई (kamaaii)
noun
A noun meaning 'earnings' or 'income', derived from the verb कमाना (kamaanaa, 'to earn'); it also carries an extended sense of 'gain, reward' for effort more broadly.
Sense
1
:
earnings, income
noun, feminine
Synonyms: आमदनी (aamadnii), आय (aay, formal)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will hear this word constantly in everyday talk about jobs and money -- अच्छी कमाई है (achchhii kamaaii hai, 'there's good earning [in this]') is a classic way Delhi shopkeepers and auto drivers size up a line of work. It carries a slightly more colloquial, everyday feel than the more formal आय (aay) used in tax forms and news reports.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes confuse कमाई (kamaaii) with तनख्वाह (tanakhvaah, 'salary'); कमाई (kamaaii) is broader and covers any money earned, not just a fixed monthly wage. 2) The verb often paired with this noun is होना (honaa) or करना (karnaa) -- e.g. कमाई होना (kamaaii honaa, 'to earn/generate income') vs. कमाई करना (kamaaii karnaa, 'to do earning'), and learners sometimes force the wrong one into a sentence.
Sample Sentences:
इस काम में अच्छी कमाई है।
There's good earning in this work.
(is kaam men achchhii kamaaii hai।)
उसकी महीने की कमाई कितनी है?
What are his monthly earnings?
(uskii mahiine kii kamaaii kitnii hai?)
पिछले साल हमारी कमाई बहुत बढ़ गई थी।
Last year our earnings increased a lot.
(pichhle saal hamaarii kamaaii bahut badh gaii thii।)
ऑटो चलाकर वह रोज़ की कमाई करता है।
He earns his daily income by driving an auto.
(oto chalaakar vah roz kii kamaaii kartaa hai।)
अगर मौसम अच्छा रहा तो कमाई भी अच्छी होगी।
If the weather stays good, the earnings will be good too.
(agar mausam achchhaa rahaa to kamaaii bhii achchhii hogii।)
काश उसकी कमाई थोड़ी और होती।
If only his earnings were a little more.
(kaash uskii kamaaii thodii aur hotii।)
पूरे परिवार की कमाई मिलाकर घर चल रहा है।
The household is running by pooling the whole family's earnings.
(poore parivaar kii kamaaii milaakar ghar chal rahaa hai।)
त्योहारों के मौसम में दुकानदारों की कमाई कई गुना बढ़ जाती है।
During festival season, shopkeepers' earnings multiply several times over.
(tyohaaron ke mausam men dukaandaaron kii kamaaii kaii gunaa badh jaatii hai।)
अपनी कमाई का हिसाब ठीक से रखो, वरना बाद में मुश्किल होगी।
Keep proper track of your earnings, or you'll have trouble later.
(apnii kamaaii kaa hisaab thiik se rakho, varnaa baad men mushkil hogii।)
कंपनी की सालाना कमाई का ब्यौरा रिपोर्ट में दिया गया है।
The details of the company's annual earnings have been given in the report.
(kampnii kii saalaanaa kamaaii kaa byauraa riport men diyaa gayaa hai।)
शायद इस बार की कमाई पिछली बार से कम हो।
Perhaps this time's earnings might be less than last time.
(shaayad is baar kii kamaaii pichhlii baar se kam ho।)
Sense
2
:
gain, reward, fruit of effort (figurative)
noun, feminine
Synonyms: फ़ायदा (faaydaa), हासिल (haasil, gain/achievement)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: Beyond literal money, कमाई (kamaaii) extends to any hard-won reward -- as in पुण्य की कमाई (puny kii kamaaii, 'the earnings/merit of virtue'), a common phrase in religious and moral talk that treats good deeds like a kind of spiritual income.
Sample Sentences:
यह इज्जत उसकी सालों की कमाई है।
This respect is the reward of his years of effort.
(yah ijjat uskii saalon kii kamaaii hai।)
दान करना पुण्य की कमाई है।
Giving charity is the earning of virtue.
(daan karnaa puny kii kamaaii hai।)
उसकी सच्चाई ही उसकी असली कमाई थी।
His honesty itself was his real reward.
(uskii sachchaaii hii uskii aslii kamaaii thii।)
काश उसकी मेहनत की कोई कमाई होती।
If only there had been some reward for his hard work.
(kaash uskii mehnat kii koii kamaaii hotii।)
अच्छे कर्मों की कमाई कभी बेकार नहीं जाती।
The fruit of good deeds never goes to waste.
(achchhe karmon kii kamaaii kabhii bekaar nahiin jaatii।)
यह जीत उसकी बरसों की तपस्या की कमाई है।
This victory is the payoff of his years of dedication.
(yah jiit uskii barson kii tapasyaa kii kamaaii hai।)
सच बोलने की कमाई शायद यहीं ना मिले, पर ऊपर मिलेगी।
The reward for speaking the truth might not come here, but it will above.
(sach bolne kii kamaaii shaayad yahiin naa mile, par oopar milegii।)
उसकी सारी तपस्या की कमाई एक पल में बर्बाद हो गई।
The reward of all his penance was ruined in a single moment.
(uskii saarii tapasyaa kii kamaaii ek pal men barbaad ho gaii।)
बच्चों की खुशी ही माँ-बाप की सबसे बड़ी कमाई होती है।
Children's happiness is the greatest reward for parents.
(bachchon kii khushii hii maan-baap kii sabse badii kamaaii hotii hai।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
कमाई
(kamaaii)
(sg.f.oblique):
कमाई
(kamaaii)
(pl.f.direct):
कमाईएँ
(kamaaiien)
(pl.f.oblique):
कमाईओं
(kamaaiion)