जेबकतरा (jebkatraa)

noun A compound noun literally meaning 'pocket-cutter' -- a pickpocket. One sense only.
Sense 1 : pickpocket
noun, masculine
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You will hear this word shouted as a warning in crowded markets and on buses and metros in Delhi -- जेबकतरों से सावधान (jebkatron se saavdhaan, 'beware of pickpockets') is a common sign in public transport. It pairs naturally with जेब (jeb, 'pocket'), the body part it targets, much like Hindi's other agent-nouns built on a verb root plus its typical object.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes try to use this as a verb or verb phrase ("to pickpocket"); it is only a noun naming the person -- the action itself is expressed with separate verbs like चोरी करना (chorii karnaa, 'to commit theft') or काटना (kaatnaa, 'to cut/slit,' as in जेब काटना (jeb kaatnaa, 'to slit a pocket')). 2) The word is built from जेब (jeb, 'pocket') + कतरा (katraa, 'cutter,' from कतरना (katarnaa, 'to snip/trim') -- learners who know जेब often miss the connection to कतरना and treat जेबकतरा as an unanalyzable whole.
Sample Sentences:
भीड़ भरी बस में जेबकतरों से सावधान रहो। Be careful of pickpockets in the crowded bus.
(bhiid bharii bas men jebkatron se saavdhaan raho।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
मेट्रो स्टेशन पर एक बोर्ड लगा है, जिस पर लिखा है, "जेबकतरों से सावधान।" There is a board put up at the metro station that says, "Beware of pickpockets."
(metro steshan par ek bord lagaa hai, jis par likhaa hai, "jebkatron se saavdhaan।")
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
एक जेबकतरे ने भीड़ में उसकी जेब से मोबाइल निकाल लिया। A pickpocket took the mobile out of his pocket in the crowd.
(ek jebkatre ne bhiid men uskii jeb se mobaail nikaal liyaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
बाजार में इतनी भीड़ थी कि जेबकतरे आसानी से घूम रहे थे। The market was so crowded that pickpockets were roaming around easily.
(baajaar men itnii bhiid thii ki jebkatre aasaanii se ghoom rahe the।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
पुलिस ने चांदनी चौक से तीन जेबकतरों को पकड़ा। The police caught three pickpockets from Chandni Chowk.
(pulis ne chaandnii chauk se tiin jebkatron ko pakdaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगर तुम अपना बैग खुला रखोगे तो जेबकतरे उसे ज़रूर निशाना बनाएँगे। If you keep your bag open, pickpockets will surely target it.
(agar tum apnaa baig khulaa rakhoge to jebkatre use zaroor nishaanaa banaaenge।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
अगर वह जेबकतरा न होता, तो शायद ईमानदारी से मज़दूरी करके गुज़ारा कर लेता। If he weren't a pickpocket, he might have earned a living honestly through labor.
(agar vah jebkatraa n hotaa, to shaayad iimaandaarii se mazdoorii karke guzaaraa kar letaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
इस इलाके में जेबकतरों का गैंग सक्रिय है, इसलिए सावधान रहना ज़रूरी है। A gang of pickpockets is active in this area, so it's necessary to stay careful.
(is ilaake men jebkatron kaa gaing sakriy hai, islie saavdhaan rahnaa zaroorii hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
शायद वह आदमी जेबकतरा हो, उसे इतने ध्यान से मत देखो। That man might be a pickpocket, don't stare at him so much.
(shaayad vah aadmii jebkatraa ho, use itne dhyaan se mat dekho।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
पुरानी दिल्ली की तंग गलियों में जेबकतरे अक्सर सैलानियों को निशाना बनाते हैं। In the narrow lanes of Old Delhi, pickpockets often target tourists.
(puraanii dillii kii tang galiyon men jebkatre aksar sailaaniyon ko nishaanaa banaate hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): जेबकतरा (jebkatraa)
(sg.m.oblique): जेबकतरे (jebkatre)
(pl.m.direct): जेबकतरे (jebkatre)
(pl.m.oblique): जेबकतरों (jebkatron)