मतलब (matlab)

noun/conjunction Mainly a noun meaning 'meaning/point/purpose', but also used constantly as a conversational filler meaning 'I mean...' and in the fixed pattern मतलब यह है कि (matlab yah hai ki) 'the point is that'.

Sense 1 : meaning, sense (of a word or statement)

noun, masculine

Synonyms: अर्थ (arth), मायने (maayne, often used in plural form)

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: This is one of the most useful nouns in the language because it also becomes a verb-like construction: X का मतलब है (X kaa matlab hai, 'X means...') is the everyday way to ask or explain meaning, much more common than अर्थ (arth) in spoken Hindi.

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often ask क्या मतलब है? (kyaa matlab hai?, 'what does it mean?') without किसका (kiskaa) or इसका (iskaa) to specify what is being asked about; native speakers usually say इसका क्या मतलब है? (iskaa kyaa matlab hai?, 'what does this mean?').

Sample Sentences:

इस शब्द का मतलब क्या है? What is the meaning of this word?

(is shabd kaa matlab hai?)

इस वाक्य का मतलब मुझे समझ नहीं आया। I did not understand the meaning of this sentence.

(is vaaky kaa matlab mujhe samajh nahiin aayaa।)

क्या तुम मुझे इस मुहावरे का मतलब समझा सकते हो? Can you explain the meaning of this idiom to me?

(kyaa tum mujhe is muhaavre kaa matlab samjhaa sakte ho?)

अगर तुम्हें किसी शब्द का मतलब न पता हो, तो डिक्शनरी देख लो। If you don't know the meaning of a word, look it up in the dictionary.

(agar tumhen kisii shabd kaa matlab n pataa ho, to dikshanrii dekh lo।)

इस कविता की हर पंक्ति का अलग मतलब निकाला जा सकता है। A different meaning can be drawn from every line of this poem.

(is kavitaa kii har pankti kaa alag matlab nikaalaa jaa saktaa hai।)

अगर उस समय शिक्षक ने शब्द का मतलब समझाया होता, तो बच्चे कभी गलती न करते। If the teacher had explained the meaning of the word at that time, the children would never have made the mistake.

(agar us samay shikshak ne shabd kaa matlab samjhaayaa hotaa, to bachche kabhii galtii n karte।)

इस पुराने शब्द का मतलब समय के साथ बदल गया है। The meaning of this old word has changed over time.

(is puraane shabd kaa matlab samay ke saath badal gayaa hai।)

पहले यह जान लीजिए कि इस शब्द का असली मतलब क्या है। First find out what the real meaning of this word is.

(pahle yah jaan liijie ki is shabd kaa aslii matlab kyaa hai।)

संस्कृत के कई शब्दों का मतलब हिंदी में बिल्कुल अलग हो जाता है। The meaning of many Sanskrit words becomes completely different in Hindi.

(sanskrit ke kaii shabdon kaa matlab hindii men bilkul alag ho jaataa hai।)

उसने पूछा कि इस पंक्ति का मतलब क्या हो सकता है। He asked what the meaning of this line could be.

(usne poochhaa ki is pankti kaa matlab kyaa ho saktaa hai।)

शायद इस शब्द का मतलब वही हो जो मैंने सोचा था। Perhaps the meaning of this word is exactly what I thought.

(shaayad is shabd kaa matlab vahii ho jo mainne sochaa thaa।)

Sense 2 : purpose, intention, motive (often self-interested)

noun, masculine

Synonyms: इरादा (iraadaa), उद्देश्य (uddeshy, formal), स्वार्थ (svaarth, self-interest specifically)

Frequency: medium

Cultural Note: You'll hear उसका मतलब क्या है? (uskaa matlab kyaa hai?, 'what's his angle?') used suspiciously about someone's real intentions -- Hindi leans on मतलब (matlab) the way English leans on 'angle' or 'agenda' in this sense.

Common Mistakes: 1) मतलबी (matalbii, 'selfish, self-serving') is a common derived adjective learners meet separately -- it builds on this sense of मतलब (matlab) as 'personal motive', not the 'meaning' sense.

Sample Sentences:

उसका मतलब क्या है? What's his angle?

(uskaa matlab kyaa hai?)

मुझे उसकी बातों में कोई मतलब नज़र नहीं आता। I don't see any real motive behind what he's saying.

(mujhe uskii baaton men koii matlab nazar nahiin aataa।)

वह बिना किसी मतलब के इतनी मेहरबानी नहीं करता। He doesn't do such favors without some hidden motive.

(vah binaa kisii matlab ke itnii meharbaanii nahiin kartaa।)

उसका असली मतलब समझने में मुझे काफी वक़्त लगा। It took me quite a while to understand his real motive.

(uskaa aslii matlab samajhne men mujhe kaaphii vaqt lagaa।)

अगर उसका मतलब साफ होता, तो वह इतना घुमा-फिराकर बात न करता। If his intentions were straightforward, he wouldn't beat around the bush so much.

(agar uskaa matlab saaph hotaa, to vah itnaa ghumaa-phiraakar baat n kartaa।)

पहले उसका मतलब समझ लो, फिर कोई फैसला करना। First figure out his angle, then make any decision.

(pahle uskaa matlab samajh lo, phir koii phaislaa karnaa।)

हो सकता है कि उसका मतलब पैसे उधार लेना हो। It's possible his real intention is to borrow money.

(ho saktaa hai ki uskaa matlab paise udhaar lenaa ho।)

सबको पता था कि उसका मतलब सिर्फ अपना फायदा उठाना था। Everyone knew his only motive was to gain some personal advantage.

(sabko pataa thaa ki uskaa matlab sirph apnaa phaaydaa uthaanaa thaa।)

क्या तुम्हें नहीं लगता कि उसकी तारीफ के पीछे कोई मतलब छिपा है? Don't you think there's some hidden motive behind his compliments?

(kyaa tumhen nahiin lagtaa ki uskii taariiph ke piichhe koii matlab chhipaa hai?)

अफ़सर के इस अचानक बदलाव का मतलब सबको संदेह में डाल गया। The motive behind the officer's sudden change left everyone suspicious.

(afsar ke is achaanak badlaav kaa matlab sabko sandeh men daal gayaa।)

Sense 3 : conversational filler / clarifier: 'I mean', 'that is'

conjunction Used mid-sentence to pause, rephrase, or clarify, much like English 'I mean' -- functions as discourse filler rather than a true grammatical connector.

Synonyms: यानी (yaanii), मेरा मतलब है (meraa matlab hai, fuller phrase version)

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: Listen for मतलब (matlab) sprinkled through casual Delhi speech almost like a verbal tic -- it buys thinking time the same way English speakers say 'like' or 'I mean'.

Common Mistakes: 1) Overusing this as a direct translation of English 'I mean' in formal writing sounds too casual; it belongs in speech. 2) Learners sometimes confuse this filler use with यानी (yaanii), which is more for restating/defining something precisely rather than casually backtracking mid-thought.

Sample Sentences:

वो, मतलब, मुझे लगता है हमें अभी निकलना चाहिए। That, I mean, I think we should leave now.

(vo, matlab, mujhe lagtaa hai hamen abhii nikalnaa chaahie।)

मतलब, वो आदमी कल पार्टी में नहीं आया था। I mean, that guy didn't come to the party yesterday.

(matlab, vo aadmii kal paartii men nahiin aayaa thaa।)

यार, मतलब, तुझे समझ नहीं आया क्या? Dude, I mean, didn't you get it?

(yaar, matlab, tujhe samajh nahiin aayaa kyaa?)

मतलब मैं ये कह रहा था कि हमें प्लान बदलना पड़ेगा। I mean, I was saying that we'll have to change the plan.

(matlab main ye kah rahaa thaa ki hamen plaan badalnaa padegaa।)

अगर वो नहीं आता, मतलब, हमें दूसरा इंतज़ाम करना होगा। If he doesn't come, I mean, we'll have to make another arrangement.

(agar vo nahiin aataa, matlab, hamen doosraa intzaam karnaa hogaa।)

मतलब, अगर तुम पहले बता देते तो मैं तैयार रहता। I mean, if you had told me earlier, I would have been ready.

(matlab, agar tum pahle bataa dete to main taiyaar rahtaa।)

देख, मतलब, तू बस चुप रह, ठीक है? Look, I mean, just stay quiet, okay?

(dekh, matlab, too bas chup rah, thiik hai?)

मतलब, ये चीज़ें बाज़ार में हर जगह मिलती हैं। I mean, these things are available everywhere in the market.

(matlab, ye chiizen baazaar men har jagah miltii hain।)

मतलब क्या हुआ, वो नौकरी छोड़ चुका है? I mean, what happened, has he already left the job?

(matlab kyaa huaa, vo naukrii chhod chukaa hai?)

मतलब, शायद वो सही कह रहा हो, पता नहीं। I mean, maybe he's saying the right thing, who knows.

(matlab, shaayad vo sahii kah rahaa ho, pataa nahiin।)

उसने कहा कि वो, मतलब, थोड़ा लेट हो जाएगा। He said that he, I mean, would be a bit late.

(usne kahaa ki vo, matlab, thodaa let ho jaaegaa।)

Morphology

Noun

(sg.m.direct): मतलब (matlab)

(sg.m.oblique): मतलब (matlab)

(pl.m.direct): मतलब (matlab)

(pl.m.oblique): मतलबों (matalbon)