टोकरी (tokrii)

noun A basket, usually the small-to-medium hand-carried kind used for produce, flowers, or household goods.
Sense 1 : basket
noun, feminine
Synonyms: टोकना (toknaa, larger/coarser basket), डलिया (daliyaa, small shallow basket)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Picture a sabzi-waali (sabzii vaalii) balancing a टोकरी (tokrii) of tomatoes and onions on her head as she walks through a Delhi colony calling out prices -- this is the classic image the word evokes for most Hindi speakers. It is also the word used for the basket a bride's family sends with gifts, or the little basket kids use to collect flowers for puja (poojaa).
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes use टोकरी (tokrii) and टोकना (toknaa) interchangeably, but टोकना (toknaa) is typically bigger and often made of coarser material like bamboo, while टोकरी (tokrii) is the everyday, smaller, more general word.
Sample Sentences:
सब्ज़ी वाली सिर पर टोकरी रखकर गली में आवाज़ लगा रही थी। The vegetable seller was walking through the lane with a basket on her head, calling out prices.
(sabzii vaalii sir par tokrii rakhkar galii men aavaaz lagaa rahii thii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
इस टोकरी में कितने आम आ जाएँगे? How many mangoes will fit in this basket?
(is tokrii men kitne aam aa jaaenge?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
बच्चे बगीचे से फूल तोड़कर टोकरी में डाल रहे हैं। The kids are plucking flowers from the garden and putting them in the basket.
(bachche bagiiche se phool todkar tokrii men daal rahe hain।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
पूजा के लिए फूलों की टोकरी तैयार कर लो। Get the basket of flowers ready for the puja.
(poojaa ke lie phoolon kii tokrii taiyaar kar lo।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
दुल्हन के घर वालों ने मिठाइयों और कपड़ों की टोकरियाँ भेजीं। The bride's family sent baskets of sweets and clothes.
(dulhan ke ghar vaalon ne mithaaiyon aur kapdon kii tokriyaan bhejiin।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगर टोकरी थोड़ी बड़ी होती तो सारा सामान आ जाता। If the basket were a bit bigger, all the stuff would have fit.
(agar tokrii thodii badii hotii to saaraa saamaan aa jaataa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
बाज़ार से एक मज़बूत टोकरी खरीद लाना। Bring a sturdy basket from the market.
(baazaar se ek mazboot tokrii khariid laanaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
टोकरी में रखे टमाटर धूप में सूख रहे थे। The tomatoes kept in the basket were drying in the sun.
(tokrii men rakhe tamaatar dhoop men sookh rahe the।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
हो सकता है टोकरी छत पर पड़ी हो। It's possible the basket is lying on the roof.
(ho saktaa hai tokrii chhat par padii ho।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
सब्ज़ी की टोकरी हर रोज़ सुबह उसी नुक्कड़ पर बिकती है। The basket of vegetables gets sold every morning at that same corner.
(sabzii kii tokrii har roz subah usii nukkad par biktii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
टोकरी बुनने वाले कारीगर अब गाँव में कम ही बचे हैं। The craftsmen who weave baskets are now rarely left in the village.
(tokrii bunne vaale kaariigar ab gaanv men kam hii bache hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): टोकरी (tokrii)
(sg.f.oblique): टोकरी (tokrii)
(pl.f.direct): टोकरियाँ (tokriyaan)
(pl.f.oblique): टोकरियों (tokriyon)