पाठ (paath)
noun
Mainly a school/study word meaning 'lesson' or 'chapter' (from a textbook), and also the act of ritually reciting or reading aloud a sacred text; both senses share the root idea of 'text to be read.'
Sense
1
:
lesson, chapter (in a book)
noun, masculine
Synonyms: अध्याय (adhyaay, chapter, formal/bookish), भाग (bhaag, part/section)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Every Hindi textbook in Indian schools is divided into पाठ (paath) -- 'पाठ १' (paath 1, 'Lesson 1'), 'पाठ २' (paath 2, 'Lesson 2'), and so on -- so this is one of the first words a child (or a learner using school-style materials) meets on the very first page.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes confuse पाठ (paath) with पाठ्यक्रम (paathyakram, 'syllabus/curriculum') -- पाठ (paath) is just one lesson/chapter within that larger course. 2) With verbs like पढ़ना (padhnaa), the phrase is पाठ पढ़ना (paath padhnaa, 'to read/study a lesson'), not पाठ करना (paath karnaa) in this sense (करना (karnaa) is reserved for the recitation sense).
Sample Sentences:
आज हमें नया पाठ पढ़ना है।
Today we have to read a new lesson.
(aaj hamen nayaa paath padhnaa hai।)
यह किताब बारह पाठों में बँटी है।
This book is divided into twelve lessons.
(yah kitaab baarah paathon men bantii hai।)
टीचर ने कल पाँचवाँ पाठ पढ़ाया।
The teacher taught the fifth lesson yesterday.
(tiichar ne kal paanchvaan paath padhaayaa।)
बच्चे रोज़ शाम को अपना पाठ याद करते हैं।
The children memorize their lesson every evening.
(bachche roz shaam ko apnaa paath yaad karte hain।)
पहला पाठ खोलो और चुपचाप पढ़ो।
Open the first lesson and read quietly.
(pahlaa paath kholo aur chupchaap padho।)
अगले हफ़्ते हम छठा पाठ शुरू करेंगे।
Next week we will start the sixth lesson.
(agle hafte ham chhathaa paath shuroo karenge।)
अगर तुमने पिछला पाठ पढ़ा होता, तो यह सवाल आसान लगता।
If you had read the previous lesson, this question would have seemed easy.
(agar tumne pichhlaa paath padhaa hotaa, to yah savaal aasaan lagtaa।)
क्या तुमने आज का पाठ पूरा पढ़ लिया है?
Have you finished reading today's lesson completely?
(kyaa tumne aaj kaa paath pooraa padh liyaa hai?)
इस पाठ में स्वतंत्रता संग्राम के बारे में बताया गया है।
This lesson tells us about the freedom struggle.
(is paath men svatantrtaa sangraam ke baare men bataayaa gayaa hai।)
शायद परीक्षा में इसी पाठ से सवाल आए।
Perhaps the question in the exam will come from this very lesson.
(shaayad pariikshaa men isii paath se savaal aae।)
सर चाहते हैं कि हम अगला पाठ घर पर तैयार करें।
Sir wants us to prepare the next lesson at home.
(sar chaahte hain ki ham aglaa paath ghar par taiyaar karen।)
Sense
2
:
ritual recitation, reading aloud (of scripture/sacred text)
noun, masculine Typically appears in the collocation पाठ करना (paath karnaa, 'to recite/read scripture') or पाठ कराना (paath karaanaa, 'to have [a priest] recite'), often naming the text: रामायण का पाठ (raamaayan kaa paath, 'recitation of the Ramayana').
Synonyms: पारायण (paaraayan, literary, full ritual reading of a scripture), जाप (jaap, repeated chanting, esp. of a mantra/name)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: Families often arrange a पाठ (paath) at home -- for example हनुमान चालीसा का पाठ (hanumaan chaaliisaa kaa paath, 'recitation of the Hanuman Chalisa]') -- especially during festivals, illnesses, or new beginnings, sometimes inviting a पंडित (pandit, 'priest') to lead it.
Common Mistakes: 1) Do not use पढ़ना (padhnaa) here the way you would for a school lesson -- ritual recitation is expressed with पाठ करना (paath karnaa), not पाठ पढ़ना (paath padhnaa). 2) पाठ (paath) in this sense implies a somewhat formal or ritual reading, not casual reading of any text.
Sample Sentences:
हर सुबह दादी गीता का पाठ करती हैं।
Every morning grandmother recites the Gita.
(har subah daadii giitaa kaa paath kartii hain।)
मंगलवार को घर पर हनुमान चालीसा का पाठ रखा गया था।
A recitation of the Hanuman Chalisa was arranged at home on Tuesday.
(mangalvaar ko ghar par hanumaan chaaliisaa kaa paath rakhaa gayaa thaa।)
पंडित जी अभी दुर्गा सप्तशती का पाठ कर रहे हैं।
The priest is currently reciting the Durga Saptashati.
(pandit jii abhii durgaa saptashtii kaa paath kar rahe hain।)
बेटे की बीमारी में ठीक होने के लिए मैंने रामायण का पाठ करवाया।
For my son's recovery from illness, I had a recitation of the Ramayana performed.
(bete kii biimaarii men thiik hone ke lie mainne raamaayan kaa paath karvaayaa।)
नए घर में प्रवेश से पहले सत्यनारायण कथा का पाठ करवाना चाहिए।
Before moving into a new house, one should have a recitation of the Satyanarayan Katha performed.
(nae ghar men pravesh se pahle satynaaraayan kathaa kaa paath karvaanaa chaahie।)
अगर समय होता तो मैं रोज़ हनुमान चालीसा का पाठ करता।
If I had time, I would recite the Hanuman Chalisa daily.
(agar samay hotaa to main roz hanumaan chaaliisaa kaa paath kartaa।)
पाठ शुरू करने से पहले शंख बजाया जाता है।
Before the recitation begins, a conch shell is blown.
(paath shuroo karne se pahle shankh bajaayaa jaataa hai।)
कृपया पाठ के दौरान मोबाइल फ़ोन बंद रखें।
Please keep your mobile phones switched off during the recitation.
(kripyaa paath ke dauraan mobaail fon band rakhen।)
क्या तुम्हारे घर में नवरात्रि पर दुर्गा सप्तशती का पाठ होता है?
Does your family hold a recitation of the Durga Saptashati during Navratri?
(kyaa tumhaare ghar men navraatri par durgaa saptashtii kaa paath hotaa hai?)
पूजा के अंत में पंडित जी ने आरती से पहले संक्षिप्त पाठ किया।
At the end of the worship, the priest performed a brief recitation before the aarti.
(poojaa ke ant men pandit jii ne aartii se pahle sankshipt paath kiyaa।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
पाठ
(paath)
(sg.m.oblique):
पाठ
(paath)
(pl.m.direct):
पाठ
(paath)
(pl.m.oblique):
पाठों
(paathon)