पत्ता (pattaa)
noun
Mainly 'leaf' as a plant part, but also used for a thin flat sheet-like piece (like a playing card) and in a couple of common idioms about someone disappearing or someone's fortune/game being decided.
Sense
1
:
leaf (of a plant or tree)
noun, masculine
Synonyms: पत्ती (pattii, more common for small/tea leaves)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Picture the neem or peepal tree outside a Delhi house shedding पत्ते (patte, 'leaves') all over the courtyard in winter -- this is the everyday image behind the word. It also shows up in common expressions like पत्ता खड़कना (pattaa khadaknaa, 'a leaf to rustle'), used for the slightest sound or movement.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes confuse पत्ता (pattaa) with पत्ती (pattii) -- पत्ता (pattaa) is used for a whole leaf on a tree, while पत्ती (pattii) is common for small leaves like tea leaves (चाय की पत्ती (chaay kii pattii, 'tea leaves')) or leafy bits in cooking.
Sample Sentences:
सर्दियों में पेड़ों के पत्ते गिर जाते हैं।
In winter, the leaves fall from the trees.
(sardiyon men pedon ke patte gir jaate hain।)
आँगन में नीम के पत्ते बिखरे पड़े थे।
Neem leaves lay scattered all over the courtyard.
(aangan men niim ke patte bikhre pade the।)
इतनी शांति थी कि एक पत्ता भी नहीं खड़का।
It was so quiet that not even a leaf rustled.
(itnii shaanti thii ki ek pattaa bhii nahiin khadkaa।)
पेड़ से एक पत्ता टूटकर उसके सिर पर आ गिरा।
A leaf broke off from the tree and fell right on his head.
(ped se ek pattaa tootkar uske sir par aa giraa।)
क्या तुम पत्तों को इकट्ठा करके एक ढेर बना सकते हो?
Can you gather up the leaves and make a pile?
(kyaa tum patton ko ikatthaa karke ek dher banaa sakte ho?)
इस पौधे की पत्तियों का रंग हल्के हरे से गहरे हरे में बदल जाता है।
This plant's leaves change color from light green to dark green.
(is paudhe kii pattiyon kaa rang halke hare se gahre hare men badal jaataa hai।)
अगर हवा तेज़ न होती तो पत्ते इतने न उड़ते।
If the wind hadn't been so strong, the leaves wouldn't have blown around so much.
(agar havaa tez n hotii to patte itne n udte।)
माली से कहो कि सूखे पत्ते साफ़ कर दे।
Tell the gardener to clean up the dry leaves.
(maalii se kaho ki sookhe patte saaf kar de।)
इस पेड़ के पत्तों से एक खास तरह की चाय बनाई जाती है।
A special kind of tea is made from this tree's leaves.
(is ped ke patton se ek khaas tarah kii chaay banaaii jaatii hai।)
पीपल का हर पत्ता ऐसा हिलता है जैसे कोई उसे छेड़ रहा हो।
Every leaf of the peepal tree trembles as if someone is teasing it.
(piipal kaa har pattaa aisaa hiltaa hai jaise koii use chhed rahaa ho।)
बारिश के बाद ज़मीन पर गीले पत्ते चिपक गए थे।
After the rain, the wet leaves had stuck to the ground.
(baarish ke baad zamiin par giile patte chipak gae the।)
Sense
2
:
playing card
noun, masculine Used especially in the plural, पत्ते (patte), for a deck or hand of cards in games like तीन पत्ती (tiin pattii) or रम्मी (rammii).
Synonyms: कार्ड (kaard)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: Card games are a huge part of festival gatherings, especially पत्ते खेलना (patte khelnaa, 'to play cards') during Diwali nights with family. The game तीन पत्ती (tiin pattii, 'three cards') literally takes its name from this sense of the word.
Sample Sentences:
दिवाली की रात हम पत्ते खेलते हैं।
We play cards on Diwali night.
(divaalii kii raat ham patte khelte hain।)
उसने अपना पत्ता मेज़ पर फेंक दिया।
He threw his card on the table.
(usne apnaa pattaa mez par phenk diyaa।)
पत्ते बाँटो, खेल शुरू करते हैं।
Deal the cards, let's start the game.
(patte baanto, khel shuroo karte hain।)
हम रात भर तीन पत्ती खेलते रहे।
We kept playing teen patti all night.
(ham raat bhar tiin pattii khelte rahe।)
अगर उसके पास अच्छे पत्ते होते तो वह हार ही नहीं जाता।
If he had had good cards, he wouldn't have lost at all.
(agar uske paas achchhe patte hote to vah haar hii nahiin jaataa।)
क्या तुम्हारे पास इक्के का पत्ता है?
Do you have the ace card?
(kyaa tumhaare paas ikke kaa pattaa hai?)
पत्ते इस तरह फेंटे जाते हैं कि कोई नकल न कर सके।
The cards are shuffled in such a way that no one can cheat.
(patte is tarah phente jaate hain ki koii nakal n kar sake।)
शायद उसके पास बादशाह का पत्ता हो।
Maybe he has the king card.
(shaayad uske paas baadshaah kaa pattaa ho।)
पापा, थोड़ा धीरे बोलिए, दादी को अपने पत्ते नहीं दिखाना चाहती।
Papa, speak a bit softer, Grandma doesn't want to show her cards.
(paapaa, thodaa dhiire bolie, daadii ko apne patte nahiin dikhaanaa chaahtii।)
नए पत्तों का एक पैकेट लाइए, पुराने घिस गए हैं।
Please bring a new pack of cards, the old ones are worn out.
(nae patton kaa ek paiket laaie, puraane ghis gae hain।)
Sense
3
:
whereabouts, trace (idiomatic, usually with negation)
noun, masculine Almost always appears in the fixed idiom पत्ता न होना (pattaa n honaa, 'to have no trace/clue of') or पत्ता नहीं (pattaa nahiin, 'no idea/no sign'), often about a person's whereabouts.
Synonyms: निशान (nishaan)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You'll hear this when someone vanishes without a word -- a friend says उसका कोई पत्ता नहीं है (uskaa koii pattaa nahiin hai, 'there's no trace of him'), the same everyday frustration as saying someone 'dropped off the map' in English.
Common Mistakes: 1) This idiomatic sense only works in negative constructions like किसी का पत्ता न होना (kisii kaa pattaa n honaa, 'to have no trace of someone') -- learners sometimes try to use पत्ता (pattaa) alone to mean 'trace' in a positive sentence, which doesn't sound natural.
Sample Sentences:
उसका कोई पत्ता नहीं है।
There's no trace of him.
(uskaa koii pattaa nahiin hai।)
कल से उसका पत्ता नहीं है, फ़ोन भी नहीं उठा रहा।
There's been no trace of him since yesterday -- he's not even picking up the phone.
(kal se uskaa pattaa nahiin hai, fon bhii nahiin uthaa rahaa।)
पुलिस ने बहुत ढूँढा पर चोर का कोई पत्ता नहीं चला।
The police searched a lot, but no trace of the thief turned up.
(pulis ne bahut dhoondhaa par chor kaa koii pattaa nahiin chalaa।)
जब से वह गाँव गया है, उसका पत्ता नहीं लग रहा।
Ever since he went to the village, there's been no trace of him.
(jab se vah gaanv gayaa hai, uskaa pattaa nahiin lag rahaa।)
अगर उसका पत्ता चल जाए तो मुझे ज़रूर बताना।
If you get any trace of him, be sure to tell me.
(agar uskaa pattaa chal jaae to mujhe zaroor bataanaa।)
इतने सालों बाद भी उसका पत्ता नहीं मिला।
Even after so many years, no trace of him was found.
(itne saalon baad bhii uskaa pattaa nahiin milaa।)
अगर वह ठीक से बता कर जाता तो उसका पत्ता न खोता।
If he had left with a proper word, his trace wouldn't have been lost.
(agar vah thiik se bataa kar jaataa to uskaa pattaa n khotaa।)
महीनों की तलाश के बाद भी लापता व्यापारी का पत्ता नहीं चल सका।
Even after months of searching, no trace of the missing businessman could be found.
(mahiinon kii talaash ke baad bhii laaptaa vyaapaarii kaa pattaa nahiin chal sakaa।)
वह अचानक ऐसे गायब हुआ कि किसी को उसका पत्ता ही नहीं।
He vanished so suddenly that nobody has any trace of him at all.
(vah achaanak aise gaayab huaa ki kisii ko uskaa pattaa hii nahiin।)
Sense
4
:
clue, address/contact information
noun, masculine
Synonyms: पता (pataa, often confused but distinct word for 'address/information')
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: This sense overlaps closely with the separate word पता (pataa), and in fast casual speech the vowel length distinction can blur -- but in writing and careful speech they stay distinct, so it's worth training your ear early.
Common Mistakes: 1) Do not confuse पत्ता (pattaa, 'leaf/card') with the very similar-sounding पता (pataa, 'address, information') -- they are different words with different spellings and meanings, though beginners often mix them up in speech.
Sample Sentences:
मुझे उस आदमी का पत्ता नहीं मिला।
I didn't get that man's address.
(mujhe us aadmii kaa pattaa nahiin milaa।)
क्या तुम्हें उसका पत्ता मालूम है?
Do you know his address?
(kyaa tumhen uskaa pattaa maaloom hai?)
कृपया अपना नाम और पत्ता यहाँ लिखिए।
Please write your name and address here.
(kripyaa apnaa naam aur pattaa yahaan likhie।)
अगर मुझे उसका पत्ता पता होता, तो मैं उसे चिट्ठी भेज देता।
If I had known his address, I would have sent him a letter.
(agar mujhe uskaa pattaa pataa hotaa, to main use chitthii bhej detaa।)
पुलिस को अपराधी का पत्ता किसी मुखबिर से मिला।
The police got a clue to the criminal's whereabouts from an informant.
(pulis ko apraadhii kaa pattaa kisii mukhbir se milaa।)
पत्ता बदलने के बाद उसे सबको फिर से बताना पड़ा।
After changing his address, he had to tell everyone again.
(pattaa badalne ke baad use sabko phir se bataanaa padaa।)
शायद दुकानदार के पास उस फैक्ट्री का पत्ता हो।
Maybe the shopkeeper has the address of that factory.
(shaayad dukaandaar ke paas us phaiktrii kaa pattaa ho।)
फॉर्म में स्थायी पत्ता और वर्तमान पत्ता दोनों माँगे गए हैं।
The form has asked for both the permanent address and the current address.
(phorm men sthaayii pattaa aur vartmaan pattaa donon maange gae hain।)
उसने अपना पत्ता बताने से इनकार कर दिया।
He refused to give his address.
(usne apnaa pattaa bataane se inkaar kar diyaa।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
पत्ता
(pattaa)
(sg.m.oblique):
पत्ता
(pattaa)
(pl.m.direct):
पत्ता
(pattaa)
(pl.m.oblique):
पत्ताओं
(pattaaon)