बस्ती (bastii)
noun
Mainly a noun meaning a settlement or inhabited area, most often used for a poor or informal neighborhood/slum; related to the verb बसना (basnaa, 'to settle/inhabit').
Sense
1
:
settlement, neighborhood (often a poor or informal one)
noun, feminine
Synonyms: मुहल्ला (muhallaa), झोपड़पट्टी (jhopadpattii, slum specifically), कॉलोनी (kolonii, more neutral/formal colony)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: In Delhi, बस्ती (bastii) is the word you hear on the news or from an auto driver pointing out a jhuggi cluster along the railway tracks -- it carries a strong association with informal, low-income housing, not just any residential area. It shares its root with बसना (basnaa, 'to settle') and आबादी (aabaadii, 'population'), both painting the idea of people making a place their home.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes treat बस्ती (bastii) as a neutral synonym for 'town' or 'city area', but in everyday Delhi-NCR usage it usually implies a poorer or unplanned settlement, unlike कॉलोनी (kolonii) or इलाका (ilaakaa) which are more neutral. 2) Do not confuse with बस्ती (bastii) the city name (a place in Uttar Pradesh) -- context makes clear which is meant, but learners sometimes assume it is always a common noun.
Sample Sentences:
रेलवे लाइन के पास एक बड़ी बस्ती है।
There is a big slum settlement near the railway line.
(relve laain ke paas ek badii bastii hai।)
इस बस्ती में बिजली और पानी की बहुत दिक्कत है।
In this settlement there is a lot of trouble with electricity and water.
(is bastii men bijlii aur paanii kii bahut dikkat hai।)
नगर निगम ने बस्ती के कुछ हिस्से को हटा दिया।
The municipal corporation removed some part of the settlement.
(nagar nigam ne bastii ke kuchh hisse ko hataa diyaa।)
ऑटो वाले ने कहा, "वो सामने वाली बस्ती में उतार दूँगा।"
The auto driver said, "I'll drop you at that settlement over there."
(oto vaale ne kahaa, "vo saamne vaalii bastii men utaar doongaa।")
बस्ती के बच्चे स्कूल जाने के बजाय गलियों में खेलते रहते हैं।
Instead of going to school, the settlement's children keep playing in the lanes.
(bastii ke bachche skool jaane ke bajaay galiyon men khelte rahte hain।)
अगर सरकार ध्यान देती तो यह बस्ती इतनी बदहाल न होती।
If the government had paid attention, this settlement wouldn't be in such a bad state.
(agar sarkaar dhyaan detii to yah bastii itnii badahaal n hotii।)
बस्ती की गलियाँ इतनी तंग हैं कि एम्बुलेंस भी अंदर नहीं जा पाती।
The settlement's lanes are so narrow that even an ambulance can't go inside.
(bastii kii galiyaan itnii tang hain ki embulens bhii andar nahiin jaa paatii।)
उस बस्ती को कच्ची बस्ती कहा जाता है क्योंकि वहाँ ज़्यादातर घर टीन और तिरपाल के बने हैं।
That settlement is called a 'kaccha basti' because most of the houses there are made of tin and tarpaulin.
(us bastii ko kachchii bastii kahaa jaataa hai kyonki vahaan zyaadaatar ghar tiin aur tirpaal ke bane hain।)
क्या तुमने कभी उस बस्ती में जाकर देखा है कि लोग कैसे रहते हैं?
Have you ever gone and seen how people live in that settlement?
(kyaa tumne kabhii us bastii men jaakar dekhaa hai ki log kaise rahte hain?)
एनजीओ चाहता है कि बस्ती के बच्चों को भी अच्छी शिक्षा मिले।
The NGO wants the settlement's children to get a good education too.
(enjiio chaahtaa hai ki bastii ke bachchon ko bhii achchhii shikshaa mile।)
बरसात में पूरी बस्ती पानी में डूब जाती है।
During the monsoon, the entire settlement gets flooded with water.
(barsaat men poorii bastii paanii men doob jaatii hai।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
बस्ती
(bastii)
(sg.f.oblique):
बस्ती
(bastii)
(pl.f.direct):
बस्तियाँ
(bastiyaan)
(pl.f.oblique):
बस्तियों
(bastiyon)