कथा (kathaa)

noun A noun centered on 'story/narrative,' ranging from an everyday tale to a formal religious discourse or recitation (kathaa).

Sense 1 : story, tale, narrative

noun, feminine

Synonyms: कहानी (kahaanii), किस्सा (kissaa), दास्तान (daastaan, literary)

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: Think of कथा (kathaa) as the word you'd use for a story with a lesson or a traditional flavor -- panchatantra-style animal fables, moral tales grandparents tell, or stories with a spiritual undertone. For a bedtime story or a Bollywood plot, कहानी (kahaanii) is what you'll actually hear.

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often treat कथा (kathaa) and कहानी (kahaanii) as fully interchangeable; कथा (kathaa) leans more formal or moral/instructive, while कहानी (kahaanii) is the default word for a story told casually, in books, or to children.

Sample Sentences:

दादी हमें हर रात एक नई कथा सुनाती थीं। Grandmother used to tell us a new story every night.

(daadii hamen har raat ek naii kathaa sunaatii thiin।)

यह कथा एक चालाक लोमड़ी और एक अंगूर के बाग की है। This story is about a clever fox and a vineyard.

(yah kathaa ek chaalaak lomdii aur ek angoor ke baag kii hai।)

पंचतंत्र की कथाएँ बच्चों को अच्छे संस्कार सिखाती हैं। The Panchatantra stories teach children good values.

(panchtantr kii kathaaen bachchon ko achchhe sanskaar sikhaatii hain।)

उस साधु ने एक कथा के ज़रिए जीवन का सार समझाया। That sage explained the essence of life through a story.

(us saadhu ne ek kathaa ke zarie jiivan kaa saar samjhaayaa।)

मुझे बचपन में सुनी वह कथा आज भी याद है। I still remember that story I heard in my childhood.

(mujhe bachpan men sunii vah kathaa aaj bhii yaad hai।)

काश कोई मुझे भी उतनी सुंदर कथा सुनाता जितनी नानी सुनाया करती थीं। I wish someone would tell me as beautiful a story as my grandmother used to.

(kaash koii mujhe bhii utnii sundar kathaa sunaataa jitnii naanii sunaayaa kartii thiin।)

अगर तुम ध्यान से सुनते तो इस कथा का असली अर्थ समझ जाते। If you had listened carefully, you would have understood the real meaning of this story.

(agar tum dhyaan se sunte to is kathaa kaa aslii arth samajh jaate।)

कृपया बच्चों को कोई अच्छी कथा सुनाइए। Please tell the children a good story.

(kripyaa bachchon ko koii achchhii kathaa sunaaie।)

यह कथा सदियों से पीढ़ी दर पीढ़ी सुनाई जाती रही है। This story has been told from generation to generation for centuries.

(yah kathaa sadiyon se piidhii dar piidhii sunaaii jaatii rahii hai।)

शिक्षक चाहते हैं कि हर छात्र इस कथा से कोई सीख ले। The teacher wants every student to take some lesson from this story.

(shikshak chaahte hain ki har chhaatr is kathaa se koii siikh le।)

लेखक इस उपन्यास में एक पुरानी लोककथा को नए अंदाज़ में पेश करेगा। The author will present an old folk tale in a new style in this novel.

(lekhak is upanyaas men ek puraanii lokakthaa ko nae andaaz men pesh karegaa।)

Sense 2 : religious discourse, ritual recitation/narration (e.g. Satyanarayan katha)

noun, feminine

Synonyms: प्रवचन (pravchan, formal)

Frequency: devotional

Cultural Note: This is the कथा (kathaa) you hear about at home when someone says 'आज घर में कथा है' (aaj ghar men kathaa hai, 'there's a katha at home today') -- a priest or elder narrates stories of a deity's deeds, often tied to a vrat (vrat, fast) like सत्यनारायण कथा (satynaaraayan kathaa). It's a social and devotional event, not just a reading.

Common Mistakes: 1) This sense usually appears with verbs like सुनना (sunnaa) and कहना/करना (kahnaa/karnaa) -- लोग कथा सुनते हैं (log kathaa sunte hain, 'people listen to the katha') rather than पढ़ना (padhnaa), since it is traditionally recited aloud, not silently read.

Sample Sentences:

आज हमारे घर में कथा है। There's a katha at our house today.

(aaj hamaare ghar men kathaa hai।)

पंडित जी हर रविवार को सत्यनारायण की कथा करते हैं। The priest performs the Satyanarayan katha every Sunday.

(pandit jii har ravivaar ko satynaaraayan kii kathaa karte hain।)

कल शाम को हमने पूरे मन से कथा सुनी। Yesterday evening we listened to the katha with full devotion.

(kal shaam ko hamne poore man se kathaa sunii।)

व्रत के बाद कथा सुनना बहुत ज़रूरी माना जाता है। Listening to the katha after the fast is considered very important.

(vrat ke baad kathaa sunnaa bahut zaroorii maanaa jaataa hai।)

कथा शुरू होने से पहले सब लोग आसन पर बैठ जाएँ। Everyone should sit on their mats before the katha begins.

(kathaa shuroo hone se pahle sab log aasan par baith jaaen।)

अगर मौसी घर आएँगी, तो शुक्रवार को कथा रखी जाएगी। If aunt comes home, the katha will be held on Friday.

(agar mausii ghar aaengii, to shukrvaar ko kathaa rakhii jaaegii।)

मुझे लगता है कि कथा में इतना प्रसाद बाँटा जाना चाहिए कि सबको मिल जाए। I think enough prasad should be distributed at the katha so that everyone gets some.

(mujhe lagtaa hai ki kathaa men itnaa prasaad baantaa jaanaa chaahie ki sabko mil jaae।)

अगर हम पहले से तैयारी करते, तो कथा इतनी अच्छी तरह हो पाती। If we had prepared in advance, the katha would have gone this well.

(agar ham pahle se taiyaarii karte, to kathaa itnii achchhii tarah ho paatii।)

दादी जी बरसों से हर साल यह कथा करवाती रही हैं। Grandma has been having this katha performed every year for decades.

(daadii jii barson se har saal yah kathaa karvaatii rahii hain।)

पूरे मुहल्ले को कथा में बुलाया गया था। The whole neighborhood was invited to the katha.

(poore muhalle ko kathaa men bulaayaa gayaa thaa।)

Morphology

Noun

(sg.f.direct): कथा (kathaa)

(sg.f.oblique): कथा (kathaa)

(pl.f.direct): कथाएँ (kathaaen)

(pl.f.oblique): कथाओं (kathaaon)