कोठी (kothii)
noun
Primarily means a large house or bungalow, especially one belonging to someone wealthy; also has an older commercial sense referring to a trading firm or bank/exchange house.
Sense
1
:
large house, mansion, bungalow
noun, feminine
Synonyms: बंगला (banglaa), हवेली (havelii, older, grander connotation), मकान (makaan, plain house, less grand)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: In Delhi-NCR you will hear people describe someone as रहते हैं बड़ी कोठी में (rahte hain badii kothii men, 'they live in a big mansion') as a shorthand for wealth and status -- think of the sprawling farmhouse-style homes in South Delhi or parts of Punjab. It carries a slightly old-money or landowning flavor, distinct from the more modern-sounding बंगला (banglaa).
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes use कोठी (kothii) for any house, but it specifically implies size and wealth -- an ordinary flat or small house is मकान (makaan) or घर (ghar), not कोठी (kothii). 2) Do not confuse with कोठा (kothaa), which has a different (and sometimes indelicate) set of connotations in some contexts.
Sample Sentences:
वे लोग बहुत बड़ी कोठी में रहते हैं।
Those people live in a very big mansion.
(ve log bahut badii kothii men rahte hain।)
उसके दादा जी ने यह कोठी अंग्रेज़ों के ज़माने में बनवाई थी।
His grandfather had this mansion built during the British era.
(uske daadaa jii ne yah kothii angrezon ke zamaane men banvaaii thii।)
यह कोठी तो हवेली जैसी लगती है, इतनी बड़ी है।
This mansion looks just like a haveli, it's so huge.
(yah kothii to havelii jaisii lagtii hai, itnii badii hai।)
पुरानी दिल्ली में कुछ ज़मींदारों की कोठियाँ अब भी खड़ी हैं।
In Old Delhi, some landowners' mansions are still standing.
(puraanii dillii men kuchh zamiindaaron kii kothiyaan ab bhii khadii hain।)
अगर मेरे पास इतना पैसा होता तो मैं भी एक कोठी बनवाता।
If I had that much money, I would have a mansion built too.
(agar mere paas itnaa paisaa hotaa to main bhii ek kothii banvaataa।)
क्या तुमने वह कोठी देखी जो चौराहे के पास है?
Did you see that mansion near the crossing?
(kyaa tumne vah kothii dekhii jo chauraahe ke paas hai?)
इतनी बड़ी कोठी बनाने में करोड़ों रुपये लगेंगे।
Building such a huge mansion will cost crores of rupees.
(itnii badii kothii banaane men karodon rupye lagenge।)
सुना है वह अपनी कोठी बेचकर विदेश जा रहा है।
I hear he's selling his mansion and moving abroad.
(sunaa hai vah apnii kothii bechkar videsh jaa rahaa hai।)
यह कोठी उस पुराने ज़मींदार परिवार की विरासत है, इसे मत तोड़ो।
This mansion is the legacy of that old landowning family; don't tear it down.
(yah kothii us puraane zamiindaar parivaar kii viraasat hai, ise mat todo।)
मुझे लगता है यह कोठी सौ साल से भी पुरानी होगी।
I think this mansion must be more than a hundred years old.
(mujhe lagtaa hai yah kothii sau saal se bhii puraanii hogii।)
Sense
2
:
trading firm, commercial house, exchange house (older usage)
noun, feminine
Synonyms: फर्म (pharm), दुकान (dukaan, much narrower, everyday shop)
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: This older, mercantile sense of कोठी (kothii) survives mainly in historical or business-history contexts -- old trading families were said to run their कोठी (kothii) much like a bank or trading post. A modern learner will meet the mansion sense far more often in daily conversation.
Sample Sentences:
पुराने समय में सेठ की कोठी हुंडी का काम भी करती थी।
In the old days, the merchant's trading firm also handled bills of exchange.
(puraane samay men seth kii kothii hundii kaa kaam bhii kartii thii।)
यह कोठी तीन पीढ़ियों से जौहरियों का व्यापार चला रही है।
This trading house has been running the jewelers' business for three generations.
(yah kothii tiin piidhiyon se jauhriyon kaa vyaapaar chalaa rahii hai।)
उस कोठी ने अंग्रेजों के जमाने में अफीम का व्यापार किया था।
That trading firm had dealt in opium during the British era.
(us kothii ne angrejon ke jamaane men aphiim kaa vyaapaar kiyaa thaa।)
अगर उस कोठी का हिसाब-किताब सही होता, तो वह आज भी चल रही होती।
If that trading firm's accounts had been in order, it would still be running today.
(agar us kothii kaa hisaab-kitaab sahii hotaa, to vah aaj bhii chal rahii hotii।)
इतिहासकारों का मानना है कि उस कोठी ने पूरे शहर की अर्थव्यवस्था को प्रभावित किया।
Historians believe that firm influenced the economy of the entire city.
(itihaaskaaron kaa maannaa hai ki us kothii ne poore shahar kii arthavyvasthaa ko prabhaavit kiyaa।)
उस कोठी का हुंडी-व्यवसाय आज भी पुराने बाजार में याद किया जाता है।
That firm's bill-of-exchange business is still remembered in the old market.
(us kothii kaa hundii-vyavsaay aaj bhii puraane baajaar men yaad kiyaa jaataa hai।)
काश उस कोठी के पुराने बहीखाते अब भी मिल जाते।
If only that trading firm's old ledgers could still be found.
(kaash us kothii ke puraane bahiikhaate ab bhii mil jaate।)
कहा जाता है कि उस कोठी ने कई बार साहूकारों को उधार दिया।
It is said that the trading firm lent money to moneylenders several times.
(kahaa jaataa hai ki us kothii ne kaii baar saahookaaron ko udhaar diyaa।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
कोठी
(kothii)
(sg.f.oblique):
कोठी
(kothii)
(pl.f.direct):
कोठियाँ
(kothiyaan)
(pl.f.oblique):
कोठियों
(kothiyon)