बात (baat)
noun
One of the most versatile words in everyday Hindi: covers 'thing said,' 'matter/topic,' 'point/gist,' and lives inside a huge number of set phrases and idioms.
Sense
1
:
a thing said; remark, words
noun, feminine
Synonyms: कथन (kathan, formal), टिप्पणी (tippnii, remark)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: बात करना (baat karnaa, 'to talk') is the everyday verb for chatting or having a conversation, as in फ़ोन पर बात करना (fon par baat karnaa, 'to talk on the phone') -- you'll hear this constantly in daily life, far more than बातचीत करना (baatchiit karnaa) in casual speech.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for शब्द (shabd) when they mean बात (baat) -- शब्द (shabd) is an individual word, while बात (baat) is a whole remark, utterance, or piece of speech. 2) बात करना (baat karnaa) means 'to talk/converse,' not literally 'to do a thing' -- learners sometimes misparse it word-by-word.
Sample Sentences:
मैं उससे फ़ोन पर बात कर रहा था।
I was talking to him on the phone.
(main usse fon par baat kar rahaa thaa।)
वह हमेशा इतनी तेज़ आवाज़ में बात करती है।
She always talks in such a loud voice.
(vah hameshaa itnii tez aavaaz men baat kartii hai।)
उसने ऐसी बात कही जो किसी को पसंद नहीं आई।
He said something that nobody liked.
(usne aisii baat kahii jo kisii ko pasand nahiin aaii।)
ज़रा धीरे बात कीजिए, बच्चा सो रहा है।
Please speak a little softly, the child is sleeping.
(zaraa dhiire baat kiijie, bachchaa so rahaa hai।)
उसकी बातें सुनकर सब हैरान रह गए।
Hearing his words, everyone was left astonished.
(uskii baaten sunkar sab hairaan rah gae।)
काश वह अपनी बात इतनी रूखी तरह से न कहता।
If only he hadn't said his words so bluntly.
(kaash vah apnii baat itnii rookhii tarah se n kahtaa।)
मीटिंग में उसकी बातों पर सबने ध्यान दिया।
Everyone paid attention to his remarks in the meeting.
(miiting men uskii baaton par sabne dhyaan diyaa।)
उसकी बातें सुनी जा रही थीं जब बिजली चली गई।
His words were being listened to when the power went out.
(uskii baaten sunii jaa rahii thiin jab bijlii chalii gaii।)
क्या तुम मुझसे थोड़ी देर बात करोगे?
Will you talk to me for a little while?
(kyaa tum mujhse thodii der baat karoge?)
अगर उसकी बात सच होती, तो सब कुछ अलग होता।
If his words had been true, everything would have been different.
(agar uskii baat sach hotii, to sab kuchh alag hotaa।)
गुरुजी की बातें शिष्यों के हृदय में सदा गूंजती रहीं।
The guru's words always echoed in his disciples' hearts.
(gurujii kii baaten shishyon ke hriday men sadaa goonjtii rahiin।)
वह अक्सर बड़ी बड़ी बातें करता है, मगर करता कुछ नहीं।
He often talks big, but doesn't actually do anything.
(vah aksar badii badii baaten kartaa hai, magar kartaa kuchh nahiin।)
Sense
2
:
a matter, topic, or issue under discussion
noun, feminine
Synonyms: मामला (maamlaa), मसला (maslaa, formal), विषय (vishay, topic)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: कोई बात नहीं (koii baat nahiin, 'no problem, it's nothing') is one of the most reassuring phrases in Hindi -- said constantly to wave away an apology or a small mishap, much like 'no worries' in English.
Common Mistakes: 1) In questions like क्या बात है? (kyaa baat hai, 'what's the matter?'), learners sometimes translate too literally as 'what is the thing' instead of hearing it as the natural Hindi way to ask 'what's wrong?' or 'what's going on?'
Sample Sentences:
यह बहुत गंभीर बात है।
This is a very serious matter.
(yah bahut gambhiir baat hai।)
इस बात पर हम बाद में चर्चा करेंगे।
We will discuss this matter later.
(is baat par ham baad men charchaa karenge।)
कोई बात नहीं, ऐसा तो होता ही है।
No problem, these things happen.
(koii baat nahiin, aisaa to hotaa hii hai।)
मुझे माफ़ कर दो, कोई बात नहीं।
Forgive me -- no worries, it's nothing.
(mujhe maaf kar do, koii baat nahiin।)
क्या आप बता सकते हैं कि यह बात कब उठी थी?
Can you tell me when this issue first came up?
(kyaa aap bataa sakte hain ki yah baat kab uthii thii?)
अगर यह बात पहले पता होती, तो हम कुछ और सोचते।
If this matter had been known earlier, we would have thought differently.
(agar yah baat pahle pataa hotii, to ham kuchh aur sochte।)
बैठक में कई महत्वपूर्ण बातों पर विचार किया गया।
Several important matters were considered in the meeting.
(baithak men kaii mahatvpoorn baaton par vichaar kiyaa gayaa।)
यह बात शायद अगली बैठक में उठाई जाए।
Perhaps this matter should be raised at the next meeting.
(yah baat shaayad aglii baithak men uthaaii jaae।)
इतनी छोटी बात के लिए परेशान मत हो, कोई बात नहीं।
Don't worry over such a small matter, it's nothing.
(itnii chhotii baat ke lie pareshaan mat ho, koii baat nahiin।)
अदालत में यह बात साबित करना ज़रूरी था।
It was necessary to prove this matter in court.
(adaalat men yah baat saabit karnaa zaroorii thaa।)
देश की आर्थिक स्थिति एक जटिल बात है जिस पर विद्वान वर्षों से मंथन करते रहे हैं।
The country's economic condition is a complex matter that scholars have been deliberating over for years.
(desh kii aarthik sthiti ek jatil baat hai jis par vidvaan varshon se manthan karte rahe hain।)
Sense
3
:
the point, gist, or crux of something
noun, feminine Common in the frame बात यह है कि (baat yah hai ki, 'the point is that...') to introduce an explanation or excuse.
Synonyms: मुद्दा (muddaa, point/issue), सार (saar, literary)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You'll hear बात सुनो (baat suno, 'listen to this') used to grab someone's attention before making a point -- it works almost like 'listen' or 'look' in English, softening into a conversational opener rather than a literal command.
Common Mistakes: 1) बात तो यह है (baat to yah hai) and असल बात (asal baat, 'the real point') both signal 'here's the actual point' -- learners often miss that यह (yah) here refers forward to a clause, not to a physical thing.
Sample Sentences:
असली बात यह है कि हमारे पास समय नहीं है।
The real point is that we don't have time.
(aslii baat yah hai ki hamaare paas samay nahiin hai।)
तुम बात को समझ नहीं रहे हो।
You're not getting the point.
(tum baat ko samajh nahiin rahe ho।)
बात सुनो, पहले यह काम खत्म करो, फिर बाहर जाना।
Listen, finish this work first, then go out.
(baat suno, pahle yah kaam khatm karo, phir baahar jaanaa।)
उसने लंबा भाषण दिया, पर बात कुछ भी नहीं थी।
He gave a long speech, but there was no substance to it.
(usne lambaa bhaashan diyaa, par baat kuchh bhii nahiin thii।)
अगर तुम बात को सीधे कहो तो सबको जल्दी समझ आएगा।
If you state the point directly, everyone will understand quickly.
(agar tum baat ko siidhe kaho to sabko jaldii samajh aaegaa।)
काश वह बात को इतना घुमा-फिराकर न कहता।
If only he hadn't beaten around the bush about the point so much.
(kaash vah baat ko itnaa ghumaa-phiraakar n kahtaa।)
रिपोर्ट में मुख्य बात यह बताई गई है कि बिक्री कम हो रही है।
The main point stated in the report is that sales are declining.
(riport men mukhy baat yah bataaii gaii hai ki bikrii kam ho rahii hai।)
मुझे बात समझ में आ गई।
I got the point.
(mujhe baat samajh men aa gaii।)
आइए, बात को सीधे तरीके से समझते हैं।
Let's understand the crux of it in a straightforward way.
(aaie, baat ko siidhe tariike se samajhte hain।)
जब तक तुम बात नहीं पकड़ोगे, यह बहस यूँ ही चलती रहेगी।
Until you grasp the point, this argument will keep going on like this.
(jab tak tum baat nahiin pakdoge, yah bahas yoon hii chaltii rahegii।)
उसकी बात में दम था, इसलिए सब चुप हो गए।
There was substance to his point, so everyone fell silent.
(uskii baat men dam thaa, islie sab chup ho gae।)
Sense
4
:
an idiomatic core inside fixed expressions (e.g. self-respect, promise, no big deal)
noun, feminine This sense covers the many frozen idioms built on बात (baat) rather than one literal meaning: बात रखना (baat rakhnaa, 'to keep one's word/honor a promise'), बात मानना (baat maannaa, 'to heed/obey what someone says'), बात बनाना (baat banaanaa, 'to make excuses / spin a story'), and बातों में आना (baaton men aanaa, 'to be taken in by someone's talk').
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: बात रखना (baat rakhnaa) carries real social weight in Hindi-speaking culture -- refusing to 'keep someone's बात (baat)' can be read as a slight against their izzat (honor), so the phrase shows up often in family and community contexts, not just casual promises.
Common Mistakes: 1) बात रखना (baat rakhnaa) is not about 'placing a thing' -- it means to honor a commitment or someone's request, tied to izzat/self-respect; learners who parse it literally miss the emotional weight. 2) बातों में आना (baaton men aanaa) uses the plural oblique बातों (baaton) even though it describes being fooled by a single conversation's worth of sweet talk.
Sample Sentences:
मेरे पापा हमेशा अपनी बात रखते हैं।
My dad always keeps his word.
(mere paapaa hameshaa apnii baat rakhte hain।)
उसने अपने दोस्त की बात रख ली और पैसे लौटा दिए।
He kept his friend's word and returned the money.
(usne apne dost kii baat rakh lii aur paise lautaa die।)
अगर तुम मेरी बात नहीं रखोगे तो पूरे मोहल्ले में मेरी इज़्ज़त चली जाएगी।
If you don't keep my word, I'll lose face in front of the whole neighborhood.
(agar tum merii baat nahiin rakhoge to poore mohalle men merii izzat chalii jaaegii।)
प्लीज़ मेरी बात रख लो, इस बार तुम्हारे भरोसे ही मैंने सबसे वादा किया है।
Please keep my word for me, this time I've made a promise to everyone relying only on you.
(pliiz merii baat rakh lo, is baar tumhaare bharose hii mainne sabse vaadaa kiyaa hai।)
कोई बात नहीं, गिलास टूट गया तो टूट गया।
No big deal, if the glass broke, it broke.
(koii baat nahiin, gilaas toot gayaa to toot gayaa।)
बड़ों के सामने ऐसी बात करना उनकी बेइज़्ज़ती करना है।
Saying such a thing in front of elders is disrespecting their honor.
(badon ke saamne aisii baat karnaa unkii beizztii karnaa hai।)
काश वह अपने पिता की बात रख पाता।
I wish he could have kept his father's word.
(kaash vah apne pitaa kii baat rakh paataa।)
यह तो कोई बात ही नहीं, ऐसे मामूली काम के लिए माफ़ी क्यों माँगनी?
That's no big deal at all, why apologize for such a trivial thing?
(yah to koii baat hii nahiin, aise maamoolii kaam ke lie maafii kyon maangnii?)
समाज में इज़्ज़त बनाए रखने के लिए लोग अक्सर अपनी बात पर अड़े रहते हैं, चाहे नुक़सान ही क्यों न हो जाए।
To maintain their honor in society, people often stick to their word, even if it causes them loss.
(samaaj men izzat banaae rakhne ke lie log aksar apnii baat par ade rahte hain, chaahe nuqsaan hii kyon n ho jaae।)
अगर उसकी बात न रखी जाती, तो पूरे परिवार में झगड़ा हो जाता।
If his word had not been kept, there would have been a fight in the whole family.
(agar uskii baat n rakhii jaatii, to poore parivaar men jhagdaa ho jaataa।)
बेटा, तू चिंता मत कर, यह कोई बड़ी बात नहीं है, मैं संभाल लूँगा।
Son, don't worry, it's no big deal, I'll handle it.
(betaa, too chintaa mat kar, yah koii badii baat nahiin hai, main sambhaal loongaa।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
बात
(baat)
(sg.f.oblique):
बात
(baat)
(pl.f.direct):
बातें
(baaten)
(pl.f.oblique):
बातों
(baaton)