बैठक (baithak)
noun
Primarily a noun meaning either a formal meeting/session or a sitting room/living room in a house; both senses come from the verb बैठना (baithnaa, 'to sit').
Sense
1
:
meeting, session
noun, feminine
Synonyms: सभा (sabhaa, formal), मीटिंग (miiting)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You'll see this word constantly in Indian news reports -- संसद की बैठक (sansad kii baithak, 'parliament session'), आपात बैठक (aapaat baithak, 'emergency meeting') -- it's the standard bureaucratic and political term for a meeting, more common in that register than मीटिंग (miiting).
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes reach for मीटिंग (miiting) by default; बैठक (baithak) is the word you'll actually hear in government, office, and society contexts in India, e.g. कैबिनेट की बैठक (kaibinet kii baithak, 'cabinet meeting'). 2) The verb pairing is होना (honaa) or बुलाना (bulaanaa) -- बैठक होती है (baithak hotii hai, 'a meeting takes place'), बैठक बुलाना (baithak bulaanaa, 'to call a meeting') -- not करना (karnaa).
Sample Sentences:
आज शाम को मंत्रियों की बैठक है।
There is a ministers' meeting this evening.
(aaj shaam ko mantriyon kii baithak hai।)
संसद की बैठक कल शुरू होगी।
The parliament session will begin tomorrow.
(sansad kii baithak kal shuroo hogii।)
प्रधानमंत्री ने आपात बैठक बुलाई।
The prime minister called an emergency meeting.
(pradhaanmantrii ne aapaat baithak bulaaii।)
हर सोमवार को दफ्तर में बैठक होती है।
There is a meeting at the office every Monday.
(har somvaar ko daphtar men baithak hotii hai।)
बैठक अभी चल रही है, कृपया बाद में फोन करें।
The meeting is going on right now, please call later.
(baithak abhii chal rahii hai, kripyaa baad men phon karen।)
कृपया कल की बैठक के लिए रिपोर्ट तैयार रखें।
Please keep the report ready for tomorrow's meeting.
(kripyaa kal kii baithak ke lie riport taiyaar rakhen।)
अगर सभी सदस्य आ जाते, तो बैठक समय पर शुरू होती।
If all the members had come, the meeting would have started on time.
(agar sabhii sadasy aa jaate, to baithak samay par shuroo hotii।)
मुझे नहीं पता कि बैठक कब बुलाई जाएगी।
I don't know when the meeting will be called.
(mujhe nahiin pataa ki baithak kab bulaaii jaaegii।)
शायद यह बैठक अगले हफ्ते हो।
Perhaps this meeting will take place next week.
(shaayad yah baithak agle haphte ho।)
सुरक्षा परिषद की बैठक संयुक्त राष्ट्र में बुलाई गई।
A Security Council meeting was called at the United Nations.
(surakshaa parishad kii baithak sanyukt raashtr men bulaaii gaii।)
बोर्ड की बैठक में बजट पर चर्चा हुई।
The budget was discussed in the board meeting.
(bord kii baithak men bajat par charchaa huii।)
Sense
2
:
sitting room, drawing room, living room
noun, feminine
Synonyms: ड्राइंग रूम (draaing room), दीवान-खाना (diivaan-khaanaa, somewhat dated)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: In many North Indian homes, especially older houses, the बैठक (baithak) is the front room reserved for guests -- separate from the family's more private inner rooms -- reflecting a traditional layout where hospitality and privacy occupy distinct spaces.
Common Mistakes: 1) Don't confuse with बेडरूम (bedroom) or रसोई (rasoii, 'kitchen') -- बैठक (baithak) specifically means the room where guests are received and the family sits together, closer to a living/drawing room than a bedroom.
Sample Sentences:
मेहमान बैठक में बैठे हैं।
The guests are sitting in the living room.
(mehmaan baithak men baithe hain।)
हमारे घर की बैठक बहुत बड़ी है।
Our house's living room is very big.
(hamaare ghar kii baithak bahut badii hai।)
कृपया मेहमानों को बैठक में बिठाइए।
Please seat the guests in the drawing room.
(kripyaa mehmaanon ko baithak men bithaaie।)
पुराने घरों में बैठक हमेशा सामने की तरफ बनाई जाती थी।
In old houses, the sitting room used to always be built facing the front.
(puraane gharon men baithak hameshaa saamne kii taraph banaaii jaatii thii।)
अगर बैठक साफ होती तो मैं मेहमानों को अभी अंदर बुला लेता।
If the living room were clean, I would call the guests inside right now.
(agar baithak saaph hotii to main mehmaanon ko abhii andar bulaa letaa।)
दादाजी की बैठक में एक पुरानी घड़ी टंगी हुई थी।
In grandfather's drawing room, an old clock was hanging.
(daadaajii kii baithak men ek puraanii ghadii tangii huii thii।)
क्या तुमने बैठक की सफाई कर दी है?
Have you cleaned the living room?
(kyaa tumne baithak kii saphaaii kar dii hai?)
शायद वे बैठक में सोफे की जगह गद्दे रखें।
Perhaps they will put cushioned seating instead of a sofa in the living room.
(shaayad ve baithak men sophe kii jagah gadde rakhen।)
नई बैठक अगले महीने तक तैयार हो जाएगी।
The new living room will be ready by next month.
(naii baithak agle mahiine tak taiyaar ho jaaegii।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
बैठक
(baithak)
(sg.f.oblique):
बैठक
(baithak)
(pl.f.direct):
बैठकें
(baithken)
(pl.f.oblique):
बैठकों
(baithkon)