कविता (kavitaa)
noun
A single-sense everyday noun meaning 'poem' or 'poetry' -- the word a schoolchild uses for a class recitation piece just as much as a literary critic uses it for verse in general.
Sense
1
:
poem / poetry
noun, feminine
Synonyms: कविता (kavitaa), पद्य (pady, literary, more technical term for verse), शायरी (shaayrii, usually Urdu-style poetry, especially ghazals)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Every Hindi-medium schoolkid in Delhi-NCR has stood up in class to do कविता सुनाना (kavitaa sunaanaa), reciting a poem from the Hindi textbook -- the word has a warm, slightly nostalgic schoolroom association for most Indians. It contrasts with शायरी (shaayrii), which evokes mehfils, Urdu couplets, and often love or longing rather than the classroom.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes reach for शायरी (shaayrii) as a direct synonym, but it carries a specific flavor of Urdu-style romantic/ghazal poetry, while कविता (kavitaa) is the neutral, general word used in schools and everyday speech for any poem. 2) कविता लिखना (kavitaa likhnaa, 'to write a poem') and कविता सुनाना (kavitaa sunaanaa, 'to recite a poem') are the two verbs learners need most; कविता पढ़ना (kavitaa padhnaa) covers both 'reading' and, loosely, 'reciting' depending on context.
Sample Sentences:
मुझे बचपन में यह कविता याद थी।
I remembered this poem by heart when I was a child.
(mujhe bachpan men yah kavitaa yaad thii।)
वह हर सुबह एक नई कविता लिखता है।
He writes a new poem every morning.
(vah har subah ek naii kavitaa likhtaa hai।)
टीचर ने कहा, "कल क्लास में कविता सुनाना है।"
The teacher said, "Tomorrow you have to recite a poem in class."
(tiichar ne kahaa, "kal klaas men kavitaa sunaanaa hai।")
बच्चा मंच पर खड़ा होकर कविता सुना रहा है।
The child is standing on the stage reciting a poem.
(bachchaa manch par khadaa hokar kavitaa sunaa rahaa hai।)
यह कविता महान कवि निराला ने लिखी थी।
This poem was written by the great poet Nirala.
(yah kavitaa mahaan kavi niraalaa ne likhii thii।)
कृपया अपनी कविता ध्यान से पढ़िए, जल्दी मत कीजिए।
Please read your poem carefully, don't rush.
(kripyaa apnii kavitaa dhyaan se padhie, jaldii mat kiijie।)
अगर मुझे समय मिलता तो मैं भी एक कविता लिख देता।
If I had time, I would have written a poem too.
(agar mujhe samay miltaa to main bhii ek kavitaa likh detaa।)
काश मुझे वह पूरी कविता याद होती।
I wish I remembered that entire poem.
(kaash mujhe vah poorii kavitaa yaad hotii।)
शायद वह अपनी नई कविता कल पढ़े।
Perhaps he will read his new poem tomorrow.
(shaayad vah apnii naii kavitaa kal padhe।)
स्कूल की किताब में एक बहुत अच्छी कविता है।
There is a very nice poem in the school textbook.
(skool kii kitaab men ek bahut achchhii kavitaa hai।)
उस समारोह में कई कविताएँ सुनाई जाएँगी।
Several poems will be recited at that ceremony.
(us samaaroh men kaii kavitaaen sunaaii jaaengii।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
कविता
(kavitaa)
(sg.f.oblique):
कविता
(kavitaa)
(pl.f.direct):
कविताएँ
(kavitaaen)
(pl.f.oblique):
कविताओं
(kavitaaon)