कमी (kamii)
noun
Mainly a noun meaning 'shortage, lack, deficiency' -- covers both quantity (not enough of something) and quality (a flaw or shortcoming in someone/something).
Sense
1
:
shortage, lack, deficiency (of something needed)
noun, feminine Commonly used with होना (honaa) in the pattern X की कमी होना (X kii kamii honaa), 'there to be a lack of X', and with पूरी करना (poorii karnaa) meaning 'to make up/fulfill' a shortfall.
Synonyms: अभाव (abhaav), कमज़ोरी (kamzorii, leans toward 'weakness' rather than 'shortage')
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You'll hear this constantly in everyday complaints: पानी की कमी (paanii kii kamii, 'water shortage'), समय की कमी (samay kii kamii, 'lack of time'), पैसों की कमी (paison kii kamii, 'shortage of money'). It's the go-to word for 'not enough' in a way that feels less abstract than अभाव (abhaav), which leans slightly more formal/written.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often say पानी नहीं है (paanii nahiin hai) when they mean there's a shortage rather than a total absence -- पानी की कमी है (paanii kii kamii hai, 'there's a water shortage') is the more natural way to express a partial or ongoing lack. 2) The thing lacking is marked with की/का/के (kii/kaa/ke) before कमी (kamii), not with को (ko) -- पैसों की कमी (paison kii kamii, 'shortage of money'), not पैसों को कमी.
Sample Sentences:
इस शहर में पानी की बहुत कमी है।
There is a severe water shortage in this city.
(is shahar men paanii kii bahut kamii hai।)
मुझे हमेशा समय की कमी रहती है।
I always have a lack of time.
(mujhe hameshaa samay kii kamii rahtii hai।)
पैसों की कमी की वजह से हम छुट्टियों पर नहीं जा पाए।
Because of a shortage of money, we couldn't go on vacation.
(paison kii kamii kii vajah se ham chhuttiyon par nahiin jaa paae।)
अगर संसाधनों की कमी न होती, तो काम कब का पूरा हो गया होता।
If there hadn't been a shortage of resources, the work would have been finished long ago.
(agar sansaadhnon kii kamii n hotii, to kaam kab kaa pooraa ho gayaa hotaa।)
कृपया इस कमी को जल्द से जल्द पूरा करें।
Please make up for this shortage as soon as possible.
(kripyaa is kamii ko jald se jald pooraa karen।)
सरकार चाहती है कि अनाज की कमी न हो।
The government wants there to be no shortage of grain.
(sarkaar chaahtii hai ki anaaj kii kamii n ho।)
अस्पताल में डॉक्टरों की भारी कमी महसूस की जा रही है।
A severe shortage of doctors is being felt in the hospital.
(asptaal men doktron kii bhaarii kamii mahsoos kii jaa rahii hai।)
अगले महीने से बिजली की कमी और बढ़ जाएगी।
From next month, the electricity shortage will increase even more.
(agle mahiine se bijlii kii kamii aur badh jaaegii।)
पिछले साल गाँव में खाने की बहुत कमी थी।
Last year there was a great shortage of food in the village.
(pichhle saal gaanv men khaane kii bahut kamii thii।)
यहाँ किसी चीज़ की कमी नहीं है, बस मेहनत की कमी है।
There's no shortage of anything here, just a shortage of hard work.
(yahaan kisii chiiz kii kamii nahiin hai, bas mehnat kii kamii hai।)
स्टाफ की कमी के कारण दुकान जल्दी बंद कर दी जाती है।
Because of the staff shortage, the shop is closed early.
(staaph kii kamii ke kaaran dukaan jaldii band kar dii jaatii hai।)
Sense
2
:
a flaw, shortcoming, or defect (in a person or thing)
noun, feminine Used with निकालना (nikaalnaa) in the common phrase कमी निकालना (kamii nikaalnaa, 'to find fault/pick out flaws'), and with होना (honaa) to say someone/something has a shortcoming.
Synonyms: खामी (khaamii), दोष (dosh, leans more formal/moral)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This sense turns up in self-reflection and relationship talk: मुझमें क्या कमी है? (mujhmen kyaa kamii hai?, 'what flaw do I have?') is a classic line of hurt or self-doubt, often heard in Hindi film dialogue and everyday arguments alike -- it's the natural way to ask 'what's wrong with me' when comparing yourself to someone else.
Common Mistakes: 1) कमी निकालना (kamii nikaalnaa) specifically means 'to nitpick/find fault,' often with a critical or nagging tone -- it's stronger than neutrally 'noticing' something is wrong. 2) Don't confuse this sense with the 'shortage' sense: मुझमें कमी है (mujhmen kamii hai) means 'I have a flaw/shortcoming,' not 'I am in short supply.'
Sample Sentences:
मुझमें क्या कमी है?
What flaw do I have?
(mujhmen kyaa kamii hai?)
हर इंसान में कोई न कोई कमी होती है।
Every person has some flaw or the other.
(har insaan men koii n koii kamii hotii hai।)
उसने अपनी सारी कमियाँ मान लीं।
He accepted all his flaws.
(usne apnii saarii kamiyaan maan liin।)
अगर मुझमें इतनी कमियाँ न होतीं, तो शायद वह मुझे छोड़कर न जाता।
If I didn't have so many flaws, maybe he wouldn't have left me.
(agar mujhmen itnii kamiyaan n hotiin, to shaayad vah mujhe chhodkar n jaataa।)
अपनी कमियों को पहचानो और उन्हें सुधारो।
Recognize your flaws and correct them.
(apnii kamiyon ko pahchaano aur unhen sudhaaro।)
क्या तुम मुझे बताओगे कि मुझमें कौन सी कमी है?
Will you tell me what flaw I have?
(kyaa tum mujhe bataaoge ki mujhmen kaun sii kamii hai?)
इस रिपोर्ट में कई कमियाँ पाई गई हैं।
Several flaws have been found in this report.
(is riport men kaii kamiyaan paaii gaii hain।)
शायद मुझमें ही कोई कमी हो, इसलिए वह नाराज़ रहती है।
Maybe I'm the one with some flaw, that's why she stays upset.
(shaayad mujhmen hii koii kamii ho, islie vah naaraaz rahtii hai।)
उसकी सबसे बड़ी कमी उसका गुस्सा है।
His biggest flaw is his temper.
(uskii sabse badii kamii uskaa gussaa hai।)
काश मुझमें यह कमी न होती।
I wish I didn't have this flaw.
(kaash mujhmen yah kamii n hotii।)
समीक्षकों ने फ़िल्म की कमियाँ गिनाई थीं।
The critics had pointed out the film's flaws.
(samiikshkon ne film kii kamiyaan ginaaii thiin।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
कमी
(kamii)
(sg.f.oblique):
कमी
(kamii)
(pl.f.direct):
कमियाँ
(kamiyaan)
(pl.f.oblique):
कमियों
(kamiyon)