समझना (samajhnaa)
verb
समझना (samajhnaa) is the everyday verb for 'to understand' or 'comprehend', and it stretches to mean 'to consider/regard as' when paired with a noun or adjective describing how someone or something is perceived. Its causative partner समझाना (samjhaanaa) means 'to explain, make someone understand' -- a separate lemma, not a form of this word.
Sense
1
:
to understand, comprehend
verb, transitive
Synonyms: ग्रहण करना (grahan karnaa, formal), बूझना (boojhnaa, literary)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: A Delhi teacher's favorite check-in line is समझे? (samjhe?, 'understood?') tossed at the end of an explanation -- it is casual, warm, and expects a quick nod or हाँ (haan) back. Pair this lemma mentally with समझाना (samjhaanaa): one is 'to get it,' the other is 'to give it' to someone else.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often default to मैं समझता हूँ (main samajhtaa hoon) for 'I understand,' but in everyday speech the dative construction मुझे समझ में आता है (mujhe samajh men aataa hai, 'it comes into my understanding') is at least as common and often sounds more natural for on-the-spot comprehension. 2) Don't confuse समझना (samajhnaa, to understand) with its causative look-alike समझाना (samjhaanaa, to explain) -- one describes your own grasp of something, the other describes making someone else grasp it.
Sample Sentences:
मुझे यह बात समझ नहीं आ रही।
I am not understanding this thing.
(mujhe yah baat samajh nahiin aa rahii।)
क्या तुम मेरी बात समझे?
Did you understand what I said?
(kyaa tum merii baat samjhe?)
समझे?
Understood?
(samjhe?)
वह हर बात जल्दी समझ जाता है।
He understands everything quickly.
(vah har baat jaldii samajh jaataa hai।)
अगर तुम ध्यान से सुनो तो शायद समझ जाओ।
If you listen carefully, you might understand.
(agar tum dhyaan se suno to shaayad samajh jaao।)
अगर वह ठीक से समझाता तो मैं ज़रूर समझ जाता।
If he had explained properly, I would definitely have understood.
(agar vah thiik se samjhaataa to main zaroor samajh jaataa।)
ज़रा ध्यान से समझो, यह मुश्किल नहीं है।
Please understand carefully, it isn't difficult.
(zaraa dhyaan se samjho, yah mushkil nahiin hai।)
यह सिद्धांत आम लोगों के लिए समझा जाना चाहिए।
This theory should be understood by common people.
(yah siddhaant aam logon ke lie samjhaa jaanaa chaahie।)
जब मैंने दोबारा पढ़ा, तब मुझे सारी बात समझ आई।
When I read it again, I understood the whole thing.
(jab mainne dobaaraa padhaa, tab mujhe saarii baat samajh aaii।)
आपकी बात समझी जा सकती है, पर मैं सहमत नहीं हूँ।
Your point can be understood, but I don't agree.
(aapkii baat samjhii jaa saktii hai, par main sahmat nahiin hoon।)
बच्चे धीरे-धीरे दुनिया को समझते हैं।
Children gradually come to understand the world.
(bachche dhiire-dhiire duniyaa ko samajhte hain।)
मैं समझ नहीं पा रहा कि वह क्या कहना चाहती है।
I am not able to understand what she is trying to say.
(main samajh nahiin paa rahaa ki vah kyaa kahnaa chaahtii hai।)
Sense
2
:
to consider, regard as, assume
verb, transitive Takes the frame [object] + [noun/adjective] + समझना, as in उसने मुझे बच्चा समझा (usne mujhe bachchaa samjhaa, 'he considered me a child') -- the second element states what the object is being taken as.
Synonyms: मानना (maannaa), गिनना (ginnaa, less common in this sense)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This sense shows up constantly in family scoldings and friendly arguments: मुझे बेवकूफ़ मत समझो (mujhe bevkoof mat samjho, 'don't take me for a fool') is a classic retort you'll hear across Delhi households and markets alike.
Common Mistakes: 1) The phrase समझ लो (samajh lo, 'just take it as...') is often used rhetorically to mean 'consider it done' or 'assume that's the case' -- learners sometimes translate it too literally instead of hearing it as a casual verbal shrug.
Sample Sentences:
मुझे बेवकूफ़ मत समझो।
Don't take me for a fool.
(mujhe bevkoof mat samjho।)
वह अपने आप को बहुत बड़ा आदमी समझता है।
He considers himself a very important man.
(vah apne aap ko bahut badaa aadmii samajhtaa hai।)
मैंने उसे अपना दोस्त समझा था, पर वह ऐसा नहीं निकला।
I had considered him my friend, but he did not turn out to be so.
(mainne use apnaa dost samjhaa thaa, par vah aisaa nahiin niklaa।)
इस बात को मज़ाक मत समझना, यह सच में गंभीर है।
Don't take this as a joke, it is really serious.
(is baat ko mazaak mat samajhnaa, yah sach men gambhiir hai।)
अगर वह मुझे गलत समझे तो मुझे बुरा लगेगा।
If he considers me wrong, I will feel bad.
(agar vah mujhe galat samjhe to mujhe buraa lagegaa।)
काश वे मुझे अपना अपना समझते।
If only they considered me one of their own.
(kaash ve mujhe apnaa apnaa samajhte।)
समाज में उसे एक आदर्श व्यक्ति समझा जाता है।
In society, he is considered an ideal person.
(samaaj men use ek aadarsh vyakti samjhaa jaataa hai।)
कृपया इसे व्यक्तिगत टिप्पणी न समझें।
Please do not consider this a personal remark.
(kripyaa ise vyaktigat tippnii n samjhen।)
वे उसे अपना दुश्मन समझते रहे, जबकि वह हमेशा उनका शुभचिंतक था।
They kept considering him their enemy, while he was always their well-wisher.
(ve use apnaa dushman samajhte rahe, jabki vah hameshaa unkaa shubhchintak thaa।)
इस घर को अपना ही समझो, कोई तकल्लुफ़ मत करो।
Consider this house your own, don't be formal.
(is ghar ko apnaa hii samjho, koii takalluf mat karo।)
कानून की नज़र में उसे अपराधी समझा जाएगा।
In the eyes of the law, he will be considered a criminal.
(kaanoon kii nazar men use apraadhii samjhaa jaaegaa।)
Morphology
Verb
infinitive:
समझना
(samajhnaa)
infinitive oblique:
समझने
(samajhne)
habitual/simple (sg.m):
समझता
(samajhtaa)
habitual/simple (pl.m):
समझते
(samajhte)
habitual/simple (sg.f):
समझती
(samajhtii)
habitual/simple (pl.f):
समझतीं
(samajhtiin)
continuous (sg.m):
समझ रहा
(samajh rahaa)
continuous (pl.m):
समझ रहे
(samajh rahe)
continuous (sg.f):
समझ रही
(samajh rahii)
continuous (pl.f):
समझ रहीं
(samajh rahiin)
perfective (sg.m):
समझा
(samjhaa)
perfective (pl.m):
समझे
(samjhe)
perfective (sg.f):
समझी
(samjhii)
perfective (pl.f):
समझीं
(samjhiin)
imperative (informal):
समझ
(samajh)
imperative (neutral):
समझो
(samjho)
imperative (formal):
समझिए
(samjhie)
future (1sg.m):
समझूँगा
(samjhoongaa)
future (1sg.f):
समझूँगी
(samjhoongii)
future (1pl.m):
समझेंगे
(samjhenge)
future (1pl.f):
समझेंगी
(samjhengii)
future (2sg.m):
समझेगा
(samjhegaa)
future (2sg.f):
समझेगी
(samjhegii)
future (2pl.m):
समझोगे
(samjhoge)
future (2pl.f):
समझोगी
(samjhogii)
future (3sg.m):
समझेगा
(samjhegaa)
future (3sg.f):
समझेगी
(samjhegii)
future (3pl.m):
समझेंगे
(samjhenge)
future (3pl.f):
समझेंगी
(samjhengii)
subjunctive (1sg):
समझूँ
(samjhoon)
subjunctive (1pl):
समझें
(samjhen)
subjunctive (2sg):
समझे
(samjhe)
subjunctive (2pl):
समझो
(samjho)
subjunctive (3sg):
समझे
(samjhe)
subjunctive (3pl):
समझें
(samjhen)