चहाबिहा
Echo Words
Echo words belong to friendly talk and chats.
How It Works
Take the word, then repeat it with बि- in place of its first syllable. चहा becomes बिहा, so चहाबिहा घेणार का? means "Will you have tea or something?"
| Word | Echo word |
|---|---|
| चहा | चहाबिहा |
| पाणी | पाणीबिणी |
| फोन | फोनबिन |
| जेवण | जेवणबिवण |
| पुस्तक | पुस्तकबिस्तक |
The first syllable is the first letter with its vowel sign: च in चहा, पु in पुस्तक and जे in जेवण are replaced by बि. The rest of the word stays as it is.
Write the echo word as one word. The meaning is "and things of that kind", so use it when you do not name everything: घरात पाणीबिणी आहे ना? (There is water or something at home, right?)
A woman might say मी जेवणबिवण करून येते. A man might say मी फोनबिन करून सांगतो. Both mean the speaker will do that kind of thing and come back.
The verb agrees with the gender of the original word. चहा is masculine, so चहाबिहा घेतला. भाजी is feminine, so मी भाजीबिजी आणली.
Put the echo word where the original noun stood, and give it the same endings: त्याला चहाबिहा लागतो.
Do not use echo words in a notice, a news report or a formal letter. There the full noun stays: तिकीट, not तिकीटबिकीट.
Examples (5)
- चहाबिहा घेणार का?
Will you have tea or something?
चहाबिहा means tea or anything like it.
- घरात पाणीबिणी आहे ना?
There is water or something at home, right?
पाणीबिणी adds the sense of "things like it".
- मी जेवणबिवण करून येते.
I will have a meal or something and come back. A woman is speaking.
जेवणबिवण keeps the plan loose.
- मी फोनबिन करून सांगतो.
I will call or something and let you know. A man is speaking.
फोनबिन softens the plan.
- त्याला पुस्तकबिस्तक वाचायला आवडत नाही.
He does not like reading books and that sort of thing.
पुस्तकबिस्तक covers books and similar things.
Common Mistakes
Writing the echo word apart.
चहा बिहा घेणार का?चहाबिहा घेणार का?The echo word is written as one word with the noun.
Using an echo word in formal writing.
प्रवाशांनी तिकीटबिकीट जवळ बाळगावे.प्रवाशांनी तिकीट जवळ बाळगावे.Notices keep the plain noun. Echo words belong to friendly talk.
Related Patterns
- हळूहळू / पुन्हा पुन्हाRepeating Words
Another repeating pattern, with a new meaning.
Level 4 - ना / हो नाChecking and Softening with ना
ना is another small word of friendly talk.
Level 2 - कोणीतरी / काहीतरीSomeone and Something
काहीतरी means "something", without a list.
Level 3 - कोणीही / काहीही / कुठेहीAnyone, Anything and Anywhere
काहीही means "anything".
Level 3
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