बाज़ार में
Chapter Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Identify common shopping items, clothing, and market goods in Devanagari.
- Ask for an item and ask its price using कितना and कितनी.
- State simple quantities using numbers with familiar nouns.
- Describe color, size, and quality using adjective agreement in scheduled noun phrases.
- Make polite shopping requests with दीजिए, बताइए, and दिखाइए.
- Accept, decline, or complete a simple purchase politely.
- Recognize nukta letters in common shopping vocabulary.
- Read a short advertisement, receipt, or shop sign in Devanagari.
- Write a short shopping list or simple product comparison.
Communication Scenario
Priya goes to a neighborhood market to buy a few things for her home. She stops at a clothing stall to ask about a kurta, then at a general store to ask the price of a few household items. The shopkeeper shows her items, states prices, and helps her complete a small purchase.
- This chapter introduces कितना and कितनी for asking about price and quantity, following the adjective-agreement pattern you began noticing with अच्छा/अच्छी/अच्छे in Chapter 3.
- You will also see your first nukta letters, such as ज़ and फ़, in familiar shopping words. For now, you only need to recognize these letters and understand why they look slightly different from their non-nukta counterparts.
Where This Chapter Fits
Chapter 8 continues Unit II, रोज़मर्रा की ज़िंदगी. It builds on the home and location language of Chapter 7 and introduces shopping, prices, and quantities.
Coming Into This Chapter
You can describe rooms and belongings, locate things with में, पर, and के पास, and expand मेरे पास ... है/नहीं है. You also know numbers up to 50 from Chapter 4.
New in This Chapter
Shopping and clothing vocabulary, colors, sizes, and prices; कितना/कितनी questions; numeral-noun quantity patterns; adjective agreement with color and size words; formulaic को in time/date contexts; polite requests with दीजिए, बताइए, and दिखाइए; and nukta letter recognition.
Looking Forward
Chapter 9, मेरा दिन, introduces the habitual present, daily routines, clock time, and your first negation with नहीं in fuller productive use.
Core Vocabulary
These words are productive for this chapter. Devanagari is the primary form; romanization is given only for new or difficult items, following the reduced-romanization policy for Chapters 5–10.
8.1 Shopping items and clothing
| Devanagari | Romanization | English | Gender |
|---|---|---|---|
| कपड़े | kapḍe | clothes | m. pl. |
| कुर्ता | kurtaa | kurta (long shirt) | m. |
| साड़ी | saaḍee | sari | f. |
| जूते | joote | shoes | m. pl. |
| बैग | baig | bag | m. |
| घड़ी | ghaḍee | watch, clock | f. |
| चीज़ | cheez | thing, item | f. |
| सामान | saamaan | goods, belongings | m. |
8.2 Money, price, and quantity
| Devanagari | Romanization | English |
|---|---|---|
| पैसा / पैसे | paisaa / paise | money |
| रुपया / रुपये | rupayaa / rupaye | rupee(s) |
| कीमत | keemat | price |
| सस्ता / सस्ती | sastaa / sastee | cheap |
| महँगा / महँगी | mahँgaa / mahँgee | expensive |
| कितना / कितनी | kitnaa / kitnee | how much/many |
| थोड़ा / थोड़ी | thoḍaa / thoḍee | a little, a few |
| बहुत | bahut | a lot, very |
8.3 Colors, sizes, and qualities
| Devanagari | Romanization | English |
|---|---|---|
| लाल | laal | red |
| नीला / नीली | neelaa / neelee | blue |
| पीला / पीली | peelaa / peelee | yellow |
| सफ़ेद | safed | white |
| काला / काली | kaalaa / kaalee | black |
| बड़ा / बड़ी | baḍaa / baḍee | big |
| छोटा / छोटी | chhotaa / chhotee | small |
| अच्छा / अच्छी | achchhaa / achchhee | good |
8.4 Polite transaction expressions
| Devanagari | Romanization | English |
|---|---|---|
| दीजिए | deejie | please give |
| बताइए | bataaie | please tell |
| दिखाइए | dikhaaie | please show |
| ठीक है | ṭheek hai | okay, that's fine |
Reference support (numbers 51–100): इक्यावन (51), साठ (60), सत्तर (70), अस्सी (80), नब्बे (90), सौ (100). These numbers support price reading; you are not required to produce every number in this range independently.
Receptive only: bargaining expressions, mobile-payment terms, and common Perso-Arabic or Urdu-associated marketplace words such as दुकानदार variants heard in different regions. These are not required for production in this chapter.
Devanagari and Pronunciation
Chapter 8 introduces no new independent vowels or matras. It introduces nukta letters for the first time and continues building schwa deletion awareness through shopping vocabulary.
8.5 First look at nukta letters
A nukta is a small dot placed under certain Devanagari consonants to represent a sound not found in the original set of Hindi letters, often borrowed from Persian, Arabic, or English. You have already seen फ़ोन in Chapter 7. This chapter introduces ज़ (as in ज़्यादा) and reviews फ़ (as in फ़ोन). For now, simply recognize that the dot changes the sound: ज sounds like English "j," while ज़ sounds like English "z." A fuller set of nukta letters continues to develop across Chapters 9–18.
Notice that ज/ज़ and फ/फ़ are written almost identically, differing only by the small dot. This chapter asks only for recognition of the difference, not full independent production of every nukta letter.
Notice schwa deletion in familiar-looking words again: सस्ता is pronounced closer to "sastaa," and कितना keeps a light final vowel sound rather than a full extra syllable. This remains an awareness system built up gradually since Chapter 6, not a complete rule.
Hindi numbers above twenty are not always predictable from their parts, and their rhythm can differ from English number pronunciation. Practice reading साठ, सत्तर, अस्सी, and नब्बे aloud slowly before using them in a price context.
Grammar and Sentence Patterns
This chapter introduces price and quantity questions, adjective agreement with color and size words, a formulaic use of को, and polite request forms for shopping. You are not yet expected to control every function of को — only the controlled pattern shown here.
8.6 Asking price and quantity with कितना/कितनी
कितना changes form to agree with the noun it describes, the same way अच्छा/अच्छी/अच्छे did in Chapter 3: कितना (m.), कितनी (f.), कितने (m. pl. or before some postpositions). Use कितने का/कितने की for price questions and plain कितना/कितनी for quantity questions such as आपको कितना दूध चाहिए? ("How much milk do you need?").
8.7 Numbers with nouns
Place the number directly before the noun, as in English. Continue using मुझे ... चाहिए from Chapter 6 to request items by quantity.
8.8 Describing color and size
Some color and size words change with gender and number, like बड़ा/बड़ी/बड़े and नीला/नीली/नीले. Others do not change at all, such as लाल and सफ़ेद. Compare बड़ा बैग (m.) with बड़ी घड़ी (f.), but notice लाल बैग and लाल घड़ी stay the same. This distinction was introduced generally in Chapter 3 and continues to develop here with shopping vocabulary.
8.9 A formulaic look at को
को is a postposition with several important functions in Hindi, most of which are developed in later chapters. For now, learn आपको and मुझको/मुझे as formulaic patterns in quantity questions and requests, such as आपको कितने चाहिए? ("How many do you need?"). Do not attempt to apply को productively beyond these controlled patterns yet; its fuller range of uses begins in Chapter 12.
8.10 Polite shopping requests
Learn these as complete polite formulas for now, following the same pattern as कृपया from Chapter 1. Full imperative-level analysis continues to develop in later chapters.
Model Dialogue
Setting: Priya stops at a clothing stall in the market and speaks with the shopkeeper.
समझ के प्रश्न — Comprehension questions:
- कुर्ता कितने का है? (How much is the kurta?)
- घड़ी कितने की है? (How much is the watch?)
- प्रिया क्या खरीदती है? (What does Priya buy?)
Listening Practice
Ask your instructor, a study partner, or a fluent Hindi speaker to read the model dialogue aloud twice. On the first listen, notice only which items are mentioned. On the second listen, complete the table below.
If no speaker is available, this is a Listening Script for Independent Use. Read the passage slowly at first, then at a natural pace. Any spoken model should be verified by a fluent Hindi speaker before being treated as a pronunciation standard.
बाज़ार में सीमा — Seema at the Market:
"मुझे एक बड़ा बैग चाहिए। यह काला बैग कितने का है? — यह दो सौ रुपये का है। मुझे यह पसंद है। सस्ता भी है और अच्छा भी है।"
सुनने का काम — Listening task:
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| सीमा को क्या चाहिए? (What does Seema want?) | ______ |
| बैग कितने का है? (How much is the bag?) | ______ |
| सीमा को बैग कैसा लगता है? (How does Seema feel about the bag?) | ______ |
Reading Practice
Read the short advertisement below aloud, sounding out each Devanagari word carefully, then answer the questions.
कुर्ता — दो सौ रुपये
साड़ी — चार सौ रुपये
जूते — तीन सौ रुपये
बड़ा बैग — डेढ़ सौ रुपये
समझ के प्रश्न — Comprehension questions:
- Which item costs the most in the advertisement?
- Which item costs the least?
- How much does the sari cost?
Writing Workshop
Write a short shopping list or product comparison, combining this chapter's shopping language with vocabulary and patterns from earlier chapters.
लेखन कार्य — Writing task: Write four to six sentences in Devanagari listing what you want to buy, describing color or size, and comparing prices of two items.
- State what you want. Use मुझे ... चाहिए from Chapter 6.
- Describe one item's color or size. Use an agreement pattern such as बड़ा/बड़ी or नीला/नीली.
- Ask or state a price. Use कितने का/की है? or a price statement such as ... रुपये का/की है.
- Compare two items. Use सस्ता/सस्ती and महँगा/महँगी.
- Check your Devanagari. Compare your spelling of shopping words against the vocabulary tables above, and check any nukta letters like ज़ and फ़.
संपादन सूची — Editing checklist:
- कितना/कितनी appears at least once, correctly agreeing with its noun.
- At least one color or size word agrees correctly with its noun.
- मुझे ... चाहिए appears at least once.
- Shopping and price vocabulary is spelled correctly in Devanagari, including nukta letters where needed.
- A danda (।) ends each sentence.
Speaking Practice
नियंत्रित अभ्यास — Controlled practice: reading the model dialogue aloud
Read the model dialogue above aloud twice: once slowly, sounding out each word, and once at a more natural pace. Pay attention to the nukta sound in सिर्फ़ and to number rhythm in तीन सौ and पाँच सौ.
संचार कार्य — Communicative task: shopping role-play
With a partner, act out a shopping exchange. One person plays the customer and asks for an item, its price, and a color or size preference. The other plays the shopkeeper and answers with a price, using at least one polite expression such as दिखाइए or बताइए.
अकेले अभ्यास — Solo alternative
Record yourself reading the advertisement in the Reading Practice section aloud, then describe which item you would buy and why, using at least one price comparison with सस्ता or महँगा.
Culture and Communication
Shopping customs differ widely across Hindi-speaking communities. Some shops use fixed prices, while informal markets may allow some negotiation. This varies by city, region, store type, and relationship with the shopkeeper. This chapter does not assume that bargaining is universal or expected everywhere.
Using polite forms such as दीजिए and बताइए rather than blunt commands is generally expected in shops, markets, and other service interactions, regardless of the customer's familiarity with the shopkeeper.
Common Mistakes
Error: Saying यह साड़ी कितना का है? instead of यह साड़ी कितने की है?
Correction: कितना agrees with the noun's gender, just like अच्छा/अच्छी. Since साड़ी is feminine, use कितने की.
Error: Reading ज़्यादा as if it were spelled with a plain ज.
Correction: The dot under ज़ changes the sound from English "j" to English "z." Look carefully for the nukta dot in shopping and quantity words.
Error: Saying बैग नीला for "blue bag" as if it were a full sentence.
Correction: As a noun-phrase description, place the adjective before the noun: नीला बैग. Use बैग नीला है only when making a complete sentence, "The bag is blue."
Chapter Review
भाग A — समझ (Comprehension)
1. Return to the model dialogue and answer in English:
- What two items does the shopkeeper mention prices for?
- Which item does Priya decide to buy?
भाग B — व्याकरण (Grammar)
1. Complete with कितना or कितनी:
- यह घड़ी ______ की है? (how much is this watch)
- यह कुर्ता ______ का है? (how much is this kurta)
2. Give the correct agreeing form: बड़ा + घड़ी → ______ घड़ी.
3. Write one polite sentence asking a shopkeeper to show you a bag, using दिखाइए.
भाग C — पठन (Reading)
1. Return to the advertisement above and answer:
- How much do the shoes cost?
- Which costs more, the kurta or the bag?
भाग D — लेखन (Writing)
1. Write a short shopping list or product comparison of four to six sentences, following the Writing Workshop steps above.
भाग E — वाचन (Speaking)
1. With a partner, complete a shopping role-play without reading from a script, including at least one price question and one polite request.
Cumulative Review — Chapters 1–7
This chapter recycles greetings and courtesy (Chapter 1), adjective agreement (Chapter 3), numbers (Chapter 4), मुझे ... चाहिए (Chapter 6), and postpositions and possession (Chapter 7), alongside the new shopping and price language above.
Practical Performance Task
बाज़ार में — Completing a Shopping Exchange
Complete the following four connected tasks in order.
- Listen to the model dialogue or listening passage above and complete the listening table.
- Speak by role-playing a shopping exchange with a partner, including at least one price question and one polite request.
- Read the market advertisement and identify item prices.
- Write a short shopping list or product comparison of four to six sentences in Devanagari, following the Writing Workshop checklist.
| Criterion | What is assessed |
|---|---|
| Price and quantity questions | Correct agreement of कितना/कितनी with the noun. |
| Color and size description | Correct agreement of at least one color or size word. |
| Polite request | Correct use of at least one of दीजिए, बताइए, or दिखाइए. |
| Number reading | Recognizable, correct reading of prices using numbers above twenty. |
| Devanagari reading and writing | Shopping vocabulary and nukta letters are read and written accurately, without unnecessary romanization. |
This task evaluates only what Chapter 8 has taught. It does not require mastery of every number irregularity, the full range of को functions, or extended bargaining strategy — these remain outside this chapter's scope.
Answer Key
Model Dialogue — Comprehension
- The kurta costs three hundred rupees (तीन सौ रुपये); the watch costs five hundred rupees (पाँच सौ रुपये).
- The watch costs more.
- Priya buys the (small blue) kurta (कुर्ता).
Listening
- Seema wants a big bag (एक बड़ा बैग).
- The bag costs two hundred rupees (दो सौ रुपये).
- Seema likes it — she finds it cheap and good (सस्ता भी है और अच्छा भी है).
Reading — Comprehension
- The shoes cost three hundred rupees.
- The kurta (two hundred rupees) costs less than the bag is not correct — the bag (one hundred fifty rupees) costs less than the kurta.
- The sari costs four hundred rupees.
Chapter Review — भाग B
- (a) कितनी (b) कितना
- बड़ी घड़ी
- Sample answer: कृपया वह बैग दिखाइए।
Chapter Review — भाग C
- (a) Three hundred rupees. (b) The kurta costs more than the bag.
Looking Ahead
अब आप क्या कर सकते हैं — What you can do now
You can ask for an item, ask and understand its price using कितना/कितनी, state simple quantities, describe color and size with correct agreement, make polite shopping requests, and recognize your first nukta letters.