काग़ज़ (kaaghaz)
noun
Mainly a concrete noun meaning 'paper' or 'a document/piece of paper'; the document sense is very common in everyday bureaucratic and legal talk.
Sense
1
:
paper (the material)
noun, masculine
Synonyms: पत्र (patr, literary/formal)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Think of the stationery shop (स्टेशनरी की दुकान, steshanrii kii dukaan) where you ask for काग़ज़ (kaaghaz) by the sheet or the packet -- it is the everyday word a shopkeeper expects, not a bookish term.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often say पेपर (pepar) borrowed from English, which Hindi speakers do use casually, but काग़ज़ (kaaghaz) is the native word heard in markets, schools, and offices and sounds more natural in most sentences.
Sample Sentences:
मुझे एक काग़ज़ चाहिए।
I need a piece of paper.
(mujhe ek kaaghaz chaahie।)
दुकानदार ने काग़ज़ का एक पैकेट दिया।
The shopkeeper gave a packet of paper.
(dukaandaar ne kaaghaz kaa ek paiket diyaa।)
यह काग़ज़ बहुत पतला है, फट जाएगा।
This paper is very thin, it will tear.
(yah kaaghaz bahut patlaa hai, phat jaaegaa।)
बच्चे काग़ज़ की नाव बना रहे हैं।
The kids are making a paper boat.
(bachche kaaghaz kii naav banaa rahe hain।)
कृपया मुझे थोड़ा काग़ज़ दे दीजिए।
Please give me some paper.
(kripyaa mujhe thodaa kaaghaz de diijie।)
अगर काग़ज़ गीला होता, तो स्याही फैल जाती।
If the paper had been wet, the ink would have spread.
(agar kaaghaz giilaa hotaa, to syaahii phail jaatii।)
इस मेज़ पर काग़ज़ बिखरे पड़े हैं।
Papers are scattered all over this table.
(is mez par kaaghaz bikhre pade hain।)
पुराने ज़माने में काग़ज़ हाथ से बनाया जाता था।
In the old days, paper used to be made by hand.
(puraane zamaane men kaaghaz haath se banaayaa jaataa thaa।)
स्टेशनरी की दुकान से एक रीम काग़ज़ ले आना।
Bring a ream of paper from the stationery shop.
(steshanrii kii dukaan se ek riim kaaghaz le aanaa।)
शायद यह काग़ज़ रीसाइकिल किया हुआ हो।
This paper might be recycled.
(shaayad yah kaaghaz riisaaikil kiyaa huaa ho।)
मैंने काग़ज़ पर एक छोटी सी कविता लिखी।
I wrote a small poem on the paper.
(mainne kaaghaz par ek chhotii sii kavitaa likhii।)
Sense
2
:
document, official paper
noun, masculine Very often used in the plural काग़ज़ात (kaaghzaat) or काग़ज़ (kaaghaz) itself to mean 'papers/documents' collectively, as in identity or property papers.
Synonyms: दस्तावेज़ (dastaavez), प्रपत्र (prapatr, formal)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Ask any Delhi government office clerk about काग़ज़ (kaaghaz) and they mean your ID, address proof, and other paperwork -- this sense is deeply tied to India's document-heavy bureaucracy, where 'सारे काग़ज़ लाना' (saare kaaghaz laanaa, 'to bring all the documents') is a constant refrain.
Common Mistakes: 1) In bureaucratic contexts, काग़ज़ (kaaghaz) alone (without the plural आत ending) is still understood as 'documents' in the plural sense from context; learners sometimes over-insist on the plural form when the singular is already doing the job.
Sample Sentences:
सारे काग़ज़ साथ लाना, वरना काम नहीं होगा।
Bring all the documents with you, otherwise the work won't get done.
(saare kaaghaz saath laanaa, varnaa kaam nahiin hogaa।)
आधार कार्ड बनवाने के लिए कौन-कौन से काग़ज़ चाहिए?
Which documents are needed to get an Aadhaar card made?
(aadhaar kaard banvaane ke lie kaun-kaun se kaaghaz chaahie?)
मैंने अपने सारे काग़ज़ फ़ाइल में लगा दिए हैं।
I've put all my documents in the file.
(mainne apne saare kaaghaz faail men lagaa die hain।)
क्लर्क ने कहा कि पते का काग़ज़ बिना जमा किए फ़ॉर्म आगे नहीं बढ़ेगा।
The clerk said that without submitting the address proof document, the form won't move forward.
(klark ne kahaa ki pate kaa kaaghaz binaa jamaa kie form aage nahiin badhegaa।)
अगर मेरे पास सही काग़ज़ होते, तो अब तक पासपोर्ट बन गया होता।
If I had the right documents, my passport would have been made by now.
(agar mere paas sahii kaaghaz hote, to ab tak paasport ban gayaa hotaa।)
यह काग़ज़ सरकारी दफ़्तर में जमा किया जाएगा।
This document will be submitted at the government office.
(yah kaaghaz sarkaarii daftar men jamaa kiyaa jaaegaa।)
सर, कृपया अपने सभी काग़ज़ात की मूल प्रति और फ़ोटोकॉपी दोनों साथ लाइए।
Sir, please bring both the original copy and photocopy of all your documents.
(sar, kripyaa apne sabhii kaaghzaat kii mool prati aur fotokopii donon saath laaie।)
अरे यार, मेरे सारे काग़ज़ पिछले ऑफिस में ही रह गए!
Oh man, all my documents got left behind at the previous office!
(are yaar, mere saare kaaghaz pichhle ophis men hii rah gae!)
काश मेरे काग़ज़ पूरे होते, तो लाइन में इतनी देर न लगती।
I wish my documents were complete, then it wouldn't have taken so long in line.
(kaash mere kaaghaz poore hote, to laain men itnii der n lagtii।)
बैंक वाले चाहते हैं कि हर ग्राहक अपने पहचान के काग़ज़ अपडेट रखे।
The bank wants every customer to keep their identity documents updated.
(baink vaale chaahte hain ki har graahak apne pahchaan ke kaaghaz apdet rakhe।)
प्रॉपर्टी के काग़ज़ बिना वकील की सलाह के मत बदलिए।
Don't change the property documents without a lawyer's advice.
(propartii ke kaaghaz binaa vakiil kii salaah ke mat badlie।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
काग़ज़
(kaaghaz)
(sg.m.oblique):
काग़ज़
(kaaghaz)
(pl.m.direct):
काग़ज़
(kaaghaz)
(pl.m.oblique):
काग़ज़ों
(kaaghzon)