गीला कपड़ा
wet cloth
Use `geela kapda` for any situation involving cleaning a surface or cooling down a fever.
En 15 secondes
- Literally means 'wet cloth' used for cleaning or cooling.
- A basic A1 phrase essential for household chores and spills.
- The adjective 'geela' changes to 'geele' for plural or with prepositions.
Signification
It literally refers to a piece of cloth that has been soaked or dampened with water. You'll use this phrase constantly when cleaning up a spill or trying to cool someone down during a hot Indian summer.
Exemples clés
3 sur 6Cleaning a spill at home
Ek geela kapda lao, chai gir gayi hai.
Bring a wet cloth, tea has spilled.
Giving instructions to a cleaner
Mez ko geele kapde se saaf kijiye.
Please clean the table with a wet cloth.
Helping someone with a fever
Uske sar par geela kapda rakho.
Put a wet cloth on their forehead.
Contexte culturel
In India, the 'geela kapda' is the ultimate multi-tool. Before microfiber became popular, old cotton dhotis or vests were recycled into cleaning rags. It also plays a vital role in traditional health care, where a cool damp cloth is the first response to the intense tropical heat or a rising fever.
The Grammar Switch
Remember that `kapda` is masculine. If you have more than one, it becomes `geele kapde`. If you use 'with' (`se`), it also becomes `geele`.
The 'Pocha' Connection
A `geela kapda` used specifically for the floor is often called a `pocha`. Don't use the same cloth for the table and the floor!
En 15 secondes
- Literally means 'wet cloth' used for cleaning or cooling.
- A basic A1 phrase essential for household chores and spills.
- The adjective 'geela' changes to 'geele' for plural or with prepositions.
What It Means
At its heart, geela kapda is a simple, everyday noun phrase. geela means wet, and kapda means cloth. Together, they describe that damp rag sitting on your kitchen counter or the towel you use to wipe the dust off your bookshelf. It is one of the first functional phrases you'll learn because it’s so practical. Whether you are dealing with a messy eater or a dusty table, this phrase is your best friend.
How To Use It
You use it just like you would in English. It functions as a noun. You can ask for one, tell someone to use one, or complain that one is missing. In Hindi, the adjective geela changes slightly based on the number of cloths. One cloth is geela kapda. Multiple cloths are geele kapde. If you are telling someone to clean *with* a wet cloth, you say geele kapde se. It’s straightforward and very hard to mess up, which is great for beginners!
When To Use It
Use it whenever there is a mess. If you are at a restaurant and spill some curry, ask the waiter for a geela kapda. If you are helping your Indian mother-in-law clean the house, she will definitely ask you to fetch a geela kapda. It’s also used in medical contexts. If someone has a high fever, placing a geela kapda on their forehead is a standard home remedy in India. It’s a phrase for action and utility.
When NOT To Use It
Don't use this phrase if you are looking for a 'wet blanket' in the metaphorical sense (a person who ruins the fun). Hindi has different expressions for that. Also, don't confuse it with bhiga hua, which implies something is completely dripping or soaked. geela is the general term for wet. If you are at a dry cleaners, you probably shouldn't be asking for a geela kapda unless you want to ruin your silk saree!
Cultural Background
In Indian households, the geela kapda is a versatile tool. We don't always reach for expensive cleaning sprays. A simple old cotton t-shirt turned into a geela kapda does most of the heavy lifting. There is a certain 'jugaad' (frugality/resourcefulness) associated with it. Also, during the scorching months of May and June, you might see people hanging a geela kapda over a window or a fan to create a DIY air cooler. It’s a survival tool as much as a cleaning one.
Common Variations
You might hear nam kapda in more formal or poetic settings, which means 'moist cloth.' If the cloth is dripping wet, people might say bhiga kapda. If it's just a tiny bit damp, they might say halka geela kapda. But for 90% of your daily life, geela kapda is the gold standard. It’s simple, effective, and everyone knows exactly what you mean.
Notes d'usage
The phrase is neutral and safe for all settings. The main 'gotcha' is the grammatical inflection of `geela` to `geele` when using it with the word `se` (with).
The Grammar Switch
Remember that `kapda` is masculine. If you have more than one, it becomes `geele kapde`. If you use 'with' (`se`), it also becomes `geele`.
The 'Pocha' Connection
A `geela kapda` used specifically for the floor is often called a `pocha`. Don't use the same cloth for the table and the floor!
Watch the dampness
If you want it barely wet, say `halka geela` (slightly wet). If you say `geela`, someone might bring you a dripping rag!
Exemples
6Ek geela kapda lao, chai gir gayi hai.
Bring a wet cloth, tea has spilled.
A very common household command.
Mez ko geele kapde se saaf kijiye.
Please clean the table with a wet cloth.
Uses the 'se' (with) particle, changing 'geela' to 'geele'.
Uske sar par geela kapda rakho.
Put a wet cloth on their forehead.
A common home remedy context.
Kitchen mein geela kapda mat chhodna!
Don't leave the wet cloth in the kitchen!
Typical roommate banter/complaint.
Bhaiya, thoda geela kapda milega?
Brother, can I get a bit of a wet cloth?
Polite way to ask for help in a public space.
Baarish mein mera kurta geela kapda ban gaya.
In the rain, my shirt became a wet cloth.
Exaggerating how soaked one's clothes are.
Teste-toi
Choose the correct form of the adjective for a single cloth.
Mujhe ek ___ kapda chahiye.
Since 'kapda' is masculine singular, we use 'geela'.
Complete the sentence to say 'with a wet cloth'.
Farsh ko ___ kapde se saaf karo.
When followed by a postposition like 'se', the masculine adjective 'geela' changes to 'geele'.
🎉 Score : /2
Aides visuelles
Formality of 'Geela Kapda'
Used with friends or family when cleaning up.
Yaar, geela kapda dena.
Standard usage in shops or restaurants.
Ek geela kapda chahiye.
Using polite verbs while giving instructions.
Kripya geele kapde ka upyog karein.
Where to use Geela Kapda
Dining Table
Wiping away food crumbs.
Sickbed
Lowering a fever.
Car Cleaning
Wiping the dashboard.
Summer Heat
Cooling the back of the neck.
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsIt is masculine because kapda (cloth) is a masculine noun. Therefore, the adjective is geela and not geeli.
You change both words to their plural forms: geele kapde. For example, Ye geele kapde bahar rakho (Keep these wet cloths outside).
Yes, but usually people just say geele kapde (plural) for the clothes they are wearing. Mera kurta geela hai is more common for a single item of clothing.
geela is the general word for wet. bhiga or bhiga hua usually means something is thoroughly soaked or drenched in water.
Not at all! Just add bhaiya (brother) or ji for politeness. Bhaiya, ek geela kapda dena is perfectly normal.
Only if someone spills something! It's a literal object, so it's fine to use whenever the object is needed.
Not really, but in some regions, people might just say geela and point to the mess, implying they need a cloth.
A dry cloth is called a sookha kapda. sookha is the opposite of geela.
It changes to geele when the noun is plural or when a postposition like se (with) or mein (in) follows it. This is called the oblique case.
You can use the word nam. So, a damp cloth would be nam kapda, though halka geela (slightly wet) is more common in speech.
Expressions liées
सूखा कपड़ा
dry cloth
पोछा लगाना
to mop the floor
हाथ धोना
to wash hands
साफ सफाई
cleaning/tidying up
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