जाति (jaati)
noun
जाति (jaati) covers the social sense of 'caste'/'community' most learners encounter first, plus a broader classificatory sense of 'kind, species, type' used in biology, grammar, and general speech.
Sense
1
:
caste; social community defined by birth
noun, feminine
Synonyms: बिरादरी (biraadrii, community/kinship group), वर्ण (varn, varna, more classical/ritual framing)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is a heavy, real word in Indian social life -- it shows up on government forms, in matrimonial ads, and in political discourse around reservation (आरक्षण, aarakshan) policy. Native speakers navigate it carefully; a foreigner asking casually about someone's जाति (jaati) can land as intrusive, so it is good to know the weight this word carries even though textbooks often gloss it flatly as 'caste'.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes use जाति (jaati) interchangeably with धर्म (dharm, religion) -- they are separate categories on Indian forms and in conversation, so mixing them up confuses native listeners. 2) In casual speech जाति (jaati) can also mean someone's broader community or sub-group, not just the formal caste category studied in sociology, so context matters when someone asks जाति क्या है (jaati kyaa hai, 'what is [your] caste').
Sample Sentences:
भारत में जाति एक संवेदनशील मुद्दा है।
In India, caste is a sensitive issue.
(bhaarat men jaati ek sanvedanshiil muddaa hai।)
सरकारी फॉर्म में अक्सर जाति पूछी जाती है।
Government forms often ask about caste.
(sarkaarii phorm men aksar jaati poochhii jaatii hai।)
उसने अपनी जाति के बारे में कभी कुछ नहीं बताया।
She never said anything about her caste.
(usne apnii jaati ke baare men kabhii kuchh nahiin bataayaa।)
आरक्षण की नीति जाति पर आधारित है।
The reservation policy is based on caste.
(aarakshan kii niiti jaati par aadhaarit hai।)
किसी अजनबी से उसकी जाति मत पूछो, यह अच्छा नहीं लगता।
Don't ask a stranger about their caste, it doesn't come across well.
(kisii ajanbii se uskii jaati mat poochho, yah achchhaa nahiin lagtaa।)
अगर जाति का भेद न होता, तो समाज ज़्यादा बराबर होता।
If there were no caste distinctions, society would be more equal.
(agar jaati kaa bhed n hotaa, to samaaj zyaadaa baraabar hotaa।)
मैट्रिमोनियल विज्ञापन में जाति का उल्लेख अब भी आम है।
Mentioning caste in matrimonial ads is still common.
(maitrimoniyal vigyaapan men jaati kaa ullekh ab bhii aam hai।)
नेता जाति की राजनीति करके वोट बटोरते हैं।
Politicians garner votes by playing caste politics.
(netaa jaati kii raajniiti karke vot batorte hain।)
काश लोग जाति देखकर फ़ैसले न लें।
I wish people wouldn't make decisions based on caste.
(kaash log jaati dekhkar faisle n len।)
जाति व्यवस्था सदियों से भारतीय समाज का हिस्सा रही है।
The caste system has been part of Indian society for centuries.
(jaati vyavasthaa sadiyon se bhaartiiy samaaj kaa hissaa rahii hai।)
कई समाज सुधारकों ने जाति प्रथा के खिलाफ़ आवाज़ उठाई थी।
Many social reformers had raised their voice against the caste system.
(kaii samaaj sudhaarkon ne jaati prathaa ke khilaaf aavaaz uthaaii thii।)
Sense
2
:
kind, type, species, category
noun, feminine
Synonyms: प्रकार (prakaar), किस्म (kism), नस्ल (nasl, breed/species, often for animals)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This is the same root sense as the social meaning -- both come from the idea of 'birth-group' or 'that which one is born into/classified as' -- but in scientific and everyday classificatory talk (animal जाति (jaati), शब्द की जाति (shabd kii jaati, 'part of speech/word class')) it is entirely neutral, like English 'type' or 'species.'
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners familiar only with the caste meaning are often surprised to see जाति (jaati) in a biology or botany context, e.g. पौधों की जाति (paudhon kii jaati, 'a species of plants') -- here it simply means 'species/kind,' with no social connotation at all.
Sample Sentences:
बाघ बिल्ली की ही जाति का एक बड़ा जानवर है।
The tiger is a large animal of the same species as the cat.
(baagh billii kii hii jaati kaa ek badaa jaanvar hai।)
यह पौधा गुलाब की जाति से संबंधित है।
This plant belongs to the rose family.
(yah paudhaa gulaab kii jaati se sambandhit hai।)
व्याकरण में शब्द की जाति बताती है कि वह संज्ञा है, क्रिया है, या कुछ और।
In grammar, a word's category tells you whether it is a noun, a verb, or something else.
(vyaakran men shabd kii jaati bataatii hai ki vah sangyaa hai, kriyaa hai, yaa kuchh aur।)
वैज्ञानिकों ने इस कीड़े की एक नई जाति खोजी है।
Scientists have discovered a new species of this insect.
(vaigyaanikon ne is kiide kii ek naii jaati khojii hai।)
अगर यह मछली किसी दुर्लभ जाति की होती, तो इसे संग्रहालय में रखा जाता।
If this fish were of some rare species, it would have been kept in a museum.
(agar yah machhlii kisii durlabh jaati kii hotii, to ise sangrahaalay men rakhaa jaataa।)
कृपया बताइए कि यह पेड़ किस जाति का है।
Please tell me what type this tree is.
(kripyaa bataaie ki yah ped kis jaati kaa hai।)
हो सकता है कि यह सांप किसी जहरीली जाति का हो।
It's possible that this snake is of some poisonous species.
(ho saktaa hai ki yah saamp kisii jahriilii jaati kaa ho।)
प्राचीन काल में विद्वान पौधों और जानवरों को उनकी जाति के अनुसार वर्गीकृत करते थे।
In ancient times, scholars used to classify plants and animals according to their species.
(praachiin kaal men vidvaan paudhon aur jaanavron ko unkii jaati ke anusaar vargiikrit karte the।)
हर जाति के पक्षी की अपनी अलग बोली होती है।
Every species of bird has its own distinct call.
(har jaati ke pakshii kii apnii alag bolii hotii hai।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
जाति
(jaati)
(sg.f.oblique):
जाति
(jaati)
(pl.f.direct):
जातिएँ
(jaatien)
(pl.f.oblique):
जातिओं
(jaation)