नाश्ता (naashtaa)

noun A single, everyday sense: the morning meal, breakfast, or a light snack eaten between meals.
Sense 1 : breakfast / light snack
noun, masculine
Synonyms: जलपान (jalpaan, formal)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: In most Delhi-NCR homes नाश्ता (naashtaa) is not toast-and-cereal but something hot and savory -- परांठे (paraanthe), पोहा (pohaa), or इडली-सांबर (idlii-saambar) -- and skipping it is treated as a minor domestic crime by most mothers. The word is also flexible enough to cover a mid-afternoon snack at the office, not just the first meal of the day.
Common Mistakes: 1) नाश्ता (naashtaa) is often paired with the verb करना (karnaa) as in नाश्ता करना (naashtaa karnaa, 'to have breakfast') rather than खाना (khaanaa, 'to eat') -- both are heard, but करना (karnaa) is the more natural default. 2) Learners sometimes assume नाश्ता (naashtaa) means only the morning meal, but it is used any time of day for a light snack, e.g. शाम का नाश्ता (shaam kaa naashtaa, 'evening snack').
Sample Sentences:
सुबह मैं आम तौर पर नाश्ते में परांठा खाता हूँ। In the morning I usually eat a paratha for breakfast.
(subah main aam taur par naashte men paraanthaa khaataa hoon।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
माँ रसोई में नाश्ता बना रही है। Mom is making breakfast in the kitchen.
(maan rasoii men naashtaa banaa rahii hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
क्या तुमने नाश्ता कर लिया? Have you had breakfast yet?
(kyaa tumne naashtaa kar liyaa?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
बिना नाश्ता किए घर से मत निकलो। Don't leave the house without having breakfast.
(binaa naashtaa kie ghar se mat niklo।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
अगर तुम नाश्ता कर लेते तो अभी इतनी भूख नहीं लगती। If you had had breakfast, you wouldn't be this hungry right now.
(agar tum naashtaa kar lete to abhii itnii bhookh nahiin lagtii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Perfective -- Voice: Active
दफ़्तर में दोपहर से पहले सब लोग हल्का नाश्ता करते हैं। Everyone at the office has a light snack before noon.
(daftar men dopahar se pahle sab log halkaa naashtaa karte hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
नाश्ता कभी मत छोड़ो, यह दिन का सबसे ज़रूरी खाना है। Never skip breakfast, it's the most important meal of the day.
(naashtaa kabhii mat chhodo, yah din kaa sabse zaroorii khaanaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
कल सुबह हमने होटल में इडली-सांबर का नाश्ता किया। Yesterday morning we had idli-sambar for breakfast at the hotel.
(kal subah hamne hotal men idlii-saambar kaa naashtaa kiyaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
मेहमानों के लिए नाश्ता तैयार किया जा रहा है। Breakfast is being prepared for the guests.
(mehmaanon ke lie naashtaa taiyaar kiyaa jaa rahaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
कृपया सुबह आठ बजे तक नाश्ता कर लीजिए, गाड़ी नौ बजे निकलेगी। Please finish breakfast by eight in the morning, the car will leave at nine.
(kripyaa subah aath baje tak naashtaa kar liijie, gaadii nau baje niklegii।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
शायद वह जल्दी में था, इसलिए नाश्ता किए बिना निकल गया। Maybe he was in a hurry, so he left without having breakfast.
(shaayad vah jaldii men thaa, islie naashtaa kie binaa nikal gayaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): नाश्ता (naashtaa)
(sg.m.oblique): नाश्ता (naashtaa)
(pl.m.direct): नाश्ता (naashtaa)
(pl.m.oblique): नाश्ताओं (naashtaaon)