कचरा
kacrā/kət͡ʃ.ɾɑː/
The English word "trash" is translated into Hindi as कचरा (kacrā).
कचरा is used to refer to things that are to be discarded.
Meaning: things to be discarded (noun)
Which one should you use?
While कचरा is the standard term, other words may be used depending on the context. Use raddi to refer informally to trash that is often recyclable, and use kooda as a common informal term for general trash. If you are specifically referring to waste from construction or demolition, the informal term Malba is used.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The informal term kooda is particularly prevalent in Northern India.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form changes from कचरा to कचरे when it is followed by a postposition, such as का, में or से.
How do you pronounce it?
kacrā (/kətʃ.ɾɑː/)
Did you know?
- The linguistic roots of कचरा suggest it may have been borrowed from ancient Dravidian languages like Tamil or Kannada.
- In many Indian cities, the raddi-wala is a recognized professional who buys 'trash' from households to sell to recycling plants.
Examples in context
- कचरा बाहर फेंक दो।Throw the trash outside.
- यह कचरा यहाँ मत डालो।Yeh kachra yahan mat daalo.Don't throw this trash here.
- कूड़ेदान में कचरा डाल दो।Koodedan mein kachra daal do.Put the trash in the dustbin.
- सड़क पर बहुत कचरा है।Sadak par bahut kachra hai.There is a lot of trash on the road.
Example conversation
Priya and Rahul are cleaning their living room.
- प्रिया Priyaराहुल, क्या तुमने सारा कचरा इकट्ठा किया?Rahul, kya tumne saara kachra ikattha kiya?Rahul, did you collect all the trash?
- राहुल Rahulहाँ, मैंने सब कचरा एक बैग में भर दिया है।Haan, maine sab kachra ek bag mein bhar diya hai.Yes, I have filled all the trash into a bag.
- प्रिया Priyaअच्छा, तो अब इसे बाहर रख दो।Accha, toh ab ise baahar rakh do.Okay, then put it outside now.
- राहुल Rahulठीक है, मैं अभी बाहर ले जाता हूँ।Theek hai, main abhi baahar le jaata hoon.Alright, I will take it out now.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry कचरा, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries कचरा, CC BY-SA 4.0.
