पाठक (paathak)

noun A single-sense agent noun meaning 'reader' -- someone who reads, as in a reader of books, newspapers, or a magazine's readership.
Sense 1 : reader (person who reads)
noun, masculine
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You will see पाठक (paathak) constantly in newspaper mastheads and editorial columns -- पाठकों के पत्र (paathkon ke patr, 'letters to readers/editor') is a standard section name. It shares its root पाठ (paath, 'text, lesson, recitation') with पढ़ना (padhnaa, 'to read'), so once you know one you can guess the other.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes confuse पाठक (paathak) with पाठ्यक्रम (paathyakram, 'syllabus/course') because both share the root पाठ (paath, 'lesson/text') -- they are unrelated in day-to-day use. 2) पाठक (paathak) refers to a person who reads, not to reading as an activity -- for that, use पढ़ना (padhnaa) or पठन (pathan).
Sample Sentences:
इस अखबार के पाठक बहुत ज़्यादा हैं। This newspaper has a very large readership.
(is akhbaar ke paathak bahut zyaadaa hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
पाठकों के पत्र वाला पन्ना मुझे सबसे दिलचस्प लगता है। The letters-to-readers page seems the most interesting to me.
(paathkon ke patr vaalaa pannaa mujhe sabse dilchasp lagtaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
एक पाठक ने संपादक को शिकायत भरी चिट्ठी लिखी। A reader wrote a complaint-filled letter to the editor.
(ek paathak ne sampaadak ko shikaayat bharii chitthii likhii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
इस उपन्यास के पाठक हर साल बढ़ते जा रहे हैं। The readers of this novel keep increasing every year.
(is upanyaas ke paathak har saal badhte jaa rahe hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
कृपया अपनी राय हमारे पाठकों के साथ साझा करें। Please share your opinion with our readers.
(kripyaa apnii raay hamaare paathkon ke saath saajhaa karen।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
अगर लेख उबाऊ न होता, तो पाठक इसे ज़रूर पूरा पढ़ते। If the article weren't boring, readers would surely have read it in full.
(agar lekh ubaaoo n hotaa, to paathak ise zaroor pooraa padhte।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
लेखक चाहता है कि उसके पाठक कहानी के अंत से चौंक जाएँ। The author wants his readers to be startled by the story's ending.
(lekhak chaahtaa hai ki uske paathak kahaanii ke ant se chaunk jaaen।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
पत्रिका का यह अंक पाठकों द्वारा बहुत सराहा गया। This issue of the magazine was highly praised by readers.
(patrikaa kaa yah ank paathkon dvaaraa bahut saraahaa gayaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
प्रिय पाठकों, आपके स्नेह के लिए हृदय से धन्यवाद। Dear readers, heartfelt thanks for your affection.
(priy paathkon, aapke sneh ke lie hriday se dhanyvaad।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Voice: Active
यार, तू तो किताबों का पक्का पाठक निकला। Dude, turns out you're a proper bookworm reader.
(yaar, too to kitaabon kaa pakkaa paathak niklaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): पाठक (paathak)
(sg.m.oblique): पाठक (paathak)
(pl.m.direct): पाठक (paathak)
(pl.m.oblique): पाठकों (paathkon)