Let's dream big! In this final lesson of Unit 7, you'll learn to talk about your dream home — how big it should be, how much light it needs, whether it has a garden. You'll master the verb चाहना [cāhnā] (to want) and the difference between 'wanting something' and 'needing something' in Hindi. From PG rooms to palatial कोठी [koṭhī] houses — let's explore the full range of Indian housing!
Learning tips
- चाहना [cāhnā] (to want) changes with gender: चाहता हूँ [cāhtā hū̃] (male speaker), चाहती हूँ [cāhtī hū̃] (female speaker). But चाहिए [cāhie] (need/should) NEVER changes.
- To want TO DO something: Subject + Verb-ना + चाहना. Example: मैं ख़रीदना चाहता हूँ [maĩ xarīdnā cāhtā hū̃] = I want to buy.
- Delhi housing has a clear hierarchy: PG < रूम [rūm] < फ़्लैट [flaiṭ] < मकान [makān] < कोठी [koṭhī]. Prices increase accordingly!
- ख़ [xā] in ख़रीदना is a throaty sound from Urdu/Persian. Many Hindi speakers say 'kh' instead — both are understood.
Warm-up & Active Recall
Recap: In Lesson 7.5, you learned household chore words and obligation constructions (चाहिए, होगा, पड़ेगा). Now let's use चाहना [cāhnā] to express what we WANT!
| Word | Romanization | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| सफ़ाई [safāī] | cleaning | |
| झाड़ू [jhāṛū] | broom | |
| पोछा [pochā] | mop | |
| बर्तन [bartan] | dishes | |
| कपड़े [kapṛe] | clothes | |
| धोना [dhonā] | to wash | |
| सुखाना [sukhānā] | to dry | |
| रखना [rakhnā] | to keep / put | |
| हटाना [haṭānā] | to remove | |
| बाँटना [bā̃ṭnā] | to divide / share |
Dialog
Sita and Ravi sit on the rooftop at sunset, dreaming about their ideal homes. Sita wants a big, airy house with lots of light and a garden. Ravi wants a bright flat. But Delhi real estate is expensive — ज़मीन [zamīn] (land) costs a fortune and किराया [kirāyā] (rent) is high. They discuss the reality of buying vs. renting, EMIs and loans, but end on an optimistic note: dreams should be big! Notice how चाहना [cāhnā] (want) and चाहिए [cāhie] (need) are used throughout.
☕ शाम — छत पर, चाय पीते हुए, सूरज डूब रहा है
śām — chat par, cāy pīte hue, sūraj ḍūb rahā hai
Sita
रवि भैया, मेरा एक सपना है — एक बड़ा घर!
ravī bhaiyā, merā ek sapnā hai — ek baṛā ghar!
(Ravi brother, my one dream is — one big house!)
Ravi bhaiya, I have a dream — a big house!
Ravi
कैसा घर चाहती हो? फ़्लैट या मकान?
kaisā ghar cāhtī ho? flaiṭ yā makān?
(What-kind house want? Flat or house?)
What kind of house do you want? A flat or a house?
Sita
हवादार मकान चाहिए। बड़ी खिड़कियाँ, ख़ूब रोशनी!
havādār makān cāhie. baṛī khiṛkiyā̃, xūb rośnī!
(Airy house needed. Big windows, plenty light!)
I need an airy house. Big windows, lots of light!
Ravi
बग़ीचा भी होगा? मुझे बग़ीचा बहुत पसंद है।
bagīcā bhī hogā? mujhe bagīcā bahut pasand hai.
(Garden also will-be? Me-to garden very like is.)
Will there be a garden too? I love gardens.
Sita
ज़रूर! बग़ीचा चाहिए, और दो मंज़िल का मकान!
zarūr! bagīcā cāhie, aur do manzil kā makān!
(Surely! Garden needed, and two floor's house!)
Of course! I need a garden, and a two-storey house!
🏗️ ज़मीन की बात — सपने और हक़ीक़त
zamīn kī bāt — sapne aur haqīqat
Ravi
दिल्ली में ज़मीन बहुत महँगी है। किराया भी बहुत है।
dillī mẽ zamīn bahut mahãgī hai. kirāyā bhī bahut hai.
(Delhi in land very expensive is. Rent also very is.)
Land in Delhi is very expensive. Rent is also very high.
Sita
हाँ, पर सपना तो बड़ा रखना चाहिए! ख़रीदना मुश्किल है, पर नामुमकिन नहीं।
hā̃, par sapnā to baṛā rakhnā cāhie! xarīdnā muśkil hai, par nāmumkin nahī̃.
(Yes, but dream then big keep should! Buying difficult is, but impossible not.)
Yes, but dreams should be big! Buying is difficult, but not impossible.
🌙 रात — सपनों की बातें जारी हैं
rāt — sapnõ kī bātẽ jārī haĩ
Ravi
मैं भी एक हवादार फ़्लैट चाहता हूँ। रोशनी वाला।
maĩ bhī ek havādār flaiṭ cāhtā hū̃. rośnī vālā.
(I also one airy flat want. Light having.)
I also want an airy flat. One with lots of light.
Sita
पहले पैसे बचाओ, फिर ख़रीदना! EMI से भी ख़रीद सकते हैं।
pahle paise bacāo, phir xarīdnā! EMI se bhī xarīd sakte haĩ.
(First money save, then buy! EMI from also buy can!)
Save money first, then buy! You can also buy with EMI.
Ravi
सपना बड़ा है, पर मेहनत से सब हो सकता है!
sapnā baṛā hai, par mehnat se sab ho saktā hai!
(Dream big is, but hard-work from all be can!)
The dream is big, but with hard work, everything is possible!
Vocabulary
Active words
| Word | Romanization | IPA | Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| सपना | sapnā | /səp.naː/ | dream | Masculine noun. सपना देखना [sapnā dekhnā] = to dream (literally: 'to see a dream'). Very poetic word. |
| बड़ा | baṛā | /bə.ɽaː/ | big, large | Changes for gender: बड़ा [baṛā] (masc.), बड़ी [baṛī] (fem.), बड़े [baṛe] (masc. plural/oblique). |
| हवादार | havādār | /hə.vaː.d̪aːr/ | airy, well-ventilated | From हवा [havā] (air/wind) + दार [dār] (having). A हवादार [havādār] room has good air circulation. |
| रोशनी | rośnī | /roːʃ.niː/ | light, brightness | Feminine noun. From Urdu/Persian. रोशनी वाला = having light / well-lit. |
| बग़ीचा | bagīcā | /bə.giː.t͡ʃaː/ | garden | Masculine noun. Persian origin. Having a बग़ीचा is a luxury in dense Delhi. |
| ज़मीन | zamīn | /zə.miːn/ | land, ground | Feminine noun. Persian/Urdu origin. ज़मीन ख़रीदना = to buy land. Very expensive in Delhi NCR. |
| मंज़िल | manzil | /mən.zɪl/ | floor, storey | Feminine noun. Arabic origin. दो मंज़िल = two storeys. Also means 'destination' in Urdu poetry! |
| किराया | kirāyā | /kɪ.raː.jaː/ | rent | Masculine noun. Arabic origin. किराया देना [kirāyā denā] = to pay rent. Delhi rents have been rising sharply. |
| ख़रीदना | xarīdnā | /xə.riːd̪.naː/ | to buy, to purchase | The ख़ [xa] is a throaty sound. ख़रीदना [xarīdnā] vs. बेचना [becnā] (to sell). |
| चाहना | cāhnā | /t͡ʃaːh.naː/ | to want, to desire | The main verb for wanting. Changes with gender: चाहता [cāhtā] (m.), चाहती [cāhtī] (f.). Different from चाहिए [cāhie] (need/should). |
Passive words
| Word | Romanization | IPA | Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| फ़्लैट | flaiṭ | /flɛːʈ/ | flat, apartment | English loanword. The standard modern urban housing unit in Delhi NCR. |
| मकान | makān | /mə.kaːn/ | house, building | Masculine noun. Arabic origin. Refers to an independent house, as opposed to a flat. |
| कोठी | koṭhī | /koː.ʈʰiː/ | bungalow, mansion | Urdu origin. A large independent house — the dream home for many Indians. Found in posh Delhi areas. |
| बिल्डर | bilḍar | /bɪl.ɖər/ | builder, real estate developer | English loanword. Builders develop residential projects in Delhi NCR. |
| EMI | ī-em-āī | /iː.em.aːiː/ | EMI (Equated Monthly Installment) | English abbreviation used as-is. The standard way Indians buy property — through bank EMIs. |
| लोन | lon | /loːn/ | loan | English loanword. होम लोन [hom lon] = home loan. Very common way to buy property in India. |
Useful chunks
| Word | Romanization | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| मुझे...चाहिए | mujhe...cāhie | I need... (followed by object) |
| सपना देखना | sapnā dekhnā | To dream / to have a dream |
| घर ख़रीदना | ghar xarīdnā | To buy a house |
Pronunciation: ख़रीदना [xarīdnā] starts with ख़ [xa] — a sound made deep in the throat, like clearing your throat gently. It's different from ख [kha] (aspirated 'k'). Many Hindi speakers use ख [kha] instead, and that's perfectly fine. Also practice: हवादार [havādār] — the stress falls on the third syllable: ha-vā-DĀR. And ज़मीन [zamīn] — the ज़ [za] is 'z', with stress on the second syllable: za-MĪN.
Grammar: चाहना [cāhnā] with objects and infinitives — expressing wants and future desires
| Hindi | IAST | English | Pattern |
|---|---|---|---|
| मैं घर चाहता हूँ | maĩ ghar cāhtā hū̃ | I want a house | Subject + Object + चाहना (masc.) |
| मैं घर चाहती हूँ | maĩ ghar cāhtī hū̃ | I want a house | Subject + Object + चाहना (fem.) |
| मैं ख़रीदना चाहता हूँ | maĩ xarīdnā cāhtā hū̃ | I want to buy | Subject + Verb-ना + चाहना |
| मुझे बड़ा घर चाहिए | mujhe baṛā ghar cāhie | I need a big house | मुझे + Object + चाहिए |
| हवादार और बड़ा मकान | havādār aur baṛā makān | An airy and big house | Compound adjectives |
चाहना [cāhnā] — to want:
This verb works in two patterns:
1. Wanting a THING (noun):
- मैं घर चाहता हूँ [maĩ ghar cāhtā hū̃] = I want a house (male speaker)
- मैं घर चाहती हूँ [maĩ ghar cāhtī hū̃] = I want a house (female speaker)
- The verb changes for gender of the SPEAKER (not the object)
2. Wanting to DO something (verb + infinitive):
- मैं ख़रीदना चाहता हूँ [maĩ xarīdnā cāhtā hū̃] = I want to buy
- Pattern: Subject + Verb-ना + चाहना
चाहिए [cāhie] — need/should (DIFFERENT!):
- मुझे बड़ा घर चाहिए [mujhe baṛā ghar cāhie] = I need a big house
- Note: मुझे (not मैं), and चाहिए NEVER changes form
Compound adjectives:
- हवादार और बड़ा मकान = an airy and big house
- रोशनी वाला घर = a house with light (having-light house)
- दो मंज़िल का मकान = a two-storey house
Exercises
Fill in the Blanks
Complete each sentence with the missing Hindi word.
- मेरा एक है — बड़ा घर!(something you see while sleeping)
- मुझे मकान चाहिए।(well-ventilated)
- घर में बहुत ज़रूरी है।(opposite of darkness)
- दिल्ली में बहुत महँगा है।(monthly payment for housing)
- मैं घर चाहता हूँ।(to obtain by paying money)
Grammar Application
Complete each sentence with the correct form of चाहना or चाहिए.
- 'I want a garden' → मैं हूँ। (masc.)(male speaker wanting a noun)
- 'I need a big house' → मुझे बड़ा घर ।(need construction with मुझे)
- 'She wants to buy' → वो है।(female speaker wanting to do something)
- 'An airy and bright house' → और रोशनी वाला घर(compound adjective for house description)
- 'The rent is expensive' → महँगा है।(what costs money every month)
Translation (English → Hindi)
Translate each sentence into Hindi.
- My dream is a big house.
- I need an airy house.
- Land in Delhi is expensive.
- I want to buy a house.
- A two-storey house, with a garden too.
Creative Construction
Describe your dream home using at least 4 words from this lesson. Use चाहना or चाहिए!
Writing: Review — reading full sentences in Devanagari
Practice words
| Word | Romanization |
|---|---|
| मेरा सपना बड़ा है | merā sapnā baṛā hai |
| हवादार मकान चाहिए | havādār makān cāhie |
| ज़मीन ख़रीदना है | zamīn xarīdnā hai |
अब तुम पूरे वाक्य पढ़ सकते हो! शिरोरेखा, मात्राएँ, नुक़्ता, अनुस्वार — सब मिलाकर पढ़ने का अभ्यास करो। धीरे-धीरे गति बढ़ेगी।
ab tum pūre vākya paṛh sakte ho! śirorekha, mātrāẽ, nuqtā, anusvār — sab milākar paṛhne kā abhyās karo. dhīre-dhīre gati baṛhegī.
Congratulations — you can now read full Hindi sentences in Devanagari! Over this unit, you've learned:
- Conjuncts with र [ra]: रेफ above (दर्वाज़ा) and diagonal below (प्र)
- Nasals: अनुस्वार (ं) and चंद्रबिंदु (ँ)
- Nuqta (़): for Perso-Arabic sounds (फ़, ज़, क़, ख़, ग़)
- Half-letters and conjuncts: क्य, त्य, etc.
- Visarga (ः): rare but recognized
Now practice reading complete sentences without looking at the IAST romanization. Start with short phrases, then build up to full dialog lines. Speed will come with practice — read a little Devanagari every day!
Takeaway
चाहना [cāhnā] = to want (the verb changes with gender: चाहता/चाहती), while चाहिए [cāhie] = need/should (NEVER changes). This distinction is crucial!
Culture note: Owning a home (अपना घर [apnā ghar]) is one of the biggest aspirations in Indian culture — renting is seen as temporary. In Delhi-NCR, property ranges from modest flats in Noida/Gurgaon to grand कोठी [koṭhī] bungalows in Lutyens' Delhi. Joint families (where grandparents, parents, and children all live together) traditionally need large houses. EMIs (Equated Monthly Installments) through home loans are the most common way Indians buy property. The phrase 'सपनों का घर' [sapnõ kā ghar] (dream home) appears in countless real estate advertisements!
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