बल्कि

Rather

Level 4Sounds Like balki

बल्कि means but rather. It follows a negative and puts the right idea in place of the wrong one.

How It Works

बल्कि replaces a wrong idea with the right one. The first part has नहीं, and बल्कि introduces the correct version: यह चाय नहीं, बल्कि कॉफ़ी है। (This isn't tea; it's coffee.)

The two parts are usually parallel: two nouns (चाय नहीं, बल्कि कॉफ़ी), two ways of doing something (बस से नहीं, बल्कि ट्रेन से) or two actions (डाँटा नहीं, बल्कि समझाया). Words the parts share, like है or जाएँगे, are usually said only once, at the end.

Use बल्कि, not लेकिन, for this correction. लेकिन keeps both statements and adds a contrast:

  • वह अमीर नहीं है, लेकिन ख़ुश है। He isn't rich, but he is happy.
  • वह अमीर नहीं, बल्कि ग़रीब है। He isn't rich; in fact he's poor.

बल्कि can also mean instead or in fact, when the second part is something you would not expect: वह नाराज़ नहीं हुई, बल्कि हँसने लगी (She didn't get angry; instead she started laughing).

In the longer pattern न केवल ... बल्कि ... भी, it means not only ... but also.

Examples (4)

  1. रीमा टीचर नहीं, बल्कि डॉक्टर है।

    Reema isn't a teacher; she's a doctor.

    बल्कि replaces टीचर with the correct word.

  2. हम बस से नहीं, बल्कि ट्रेन से जाएँगे।

    We're going by train, not by bus.

    The two parts are parallel: बस से and ट्रेन से.

  3. मैंने उसे डाँटा नहीं, बल्कि प्यार से समझाया।

    I didn't scold him; I explained things to him gently.

    Here बल्कि corrects an action.

  4. यह सुनकर वह नाराज़ नहीं हुई, बल्कि हँसने लगी।

    When she heard this, she didn't get angry; instead she started laughing.

    बल्कि introduces something different from what you would expect.

Common Mistakes

  • Using लेकिन to correct a wrong idea.

    वह डॉक्टर नहीं है, लेकिन इंजीनियर है।
    वह डॉक्टर नहीं, बल्कि इंजीनियर है।

    With लेकिन the sentence sounds like he isn't a doctor, but at least he's an engineer. बल्कि gives the plain correction.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

बल्किLevel 4Rather

Learn This First

Rather corrects a negative statement, building on but.

Words in This Pattern

बल्कि