डालना (daalnaa)
verb
A workhorse verb of putting/dropping/pouring something in (daalnaa), which extends to throwing things into a receptacle, draping one thing over another, and -- most importantly for fluent speech -- attaching to another verb's stem as a vector verb marking abrupt or decisive completion.
Sense
1
:
to put in / add (an ingredient)
verb, transitive Common frame: [ingredient] + में/directly + डालना (daalnaa), as when adding something to a pot or dish already on the stove.
Synonyms: मिलाना (milaanaa, to mix in)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is the verb of the Indian kitchen: every recipe narration is full of it -- नमक डालना (namak daalnaa, 'add salt'), चीनी डालना (chiinii daalnaa, 'add sugar'), तेल डालना (tel daalnaa, 'add oil'). If you've watched a Hindi cooking video, you've heard this word a dozen times before the दाल (daal) is even done.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes reach for रखना (rakhnaa) when they mean 'add an ingredient' -- रखना (rakhnaa) is for placing something down carefully, while डालना (daalnaa) is specifically about pouring or dropping something in. 2) With liquids, डालना (daalnaa) means 'pour in/add', not 'pour out' -- for emptying something out, other verbs are used.
Sample Sentences:
पहले तेल गरम करो, फिर उसमें जीरा डालो।
First heat the oil, then add cumin seeds to it.
(pahle tel garam karo, phir usmen jiiraa daalo।)
मैं दाल में हमेशा एक चुटकी हींग डालती हूँ।
I always add a pinch of asafoetida to the lentils.
(main daal men hameshaa ek chutkii hiing daaltii hoon।)
उसने सब्ज़ी में नमक ज़्यादा डाल दिया।
She put too much salt in the vegetables.
(usne sabzii men namak zyaadaa daal diyaa।)
अभी मत डालो चीनी, पहले चाय को उबलने दो।
Don't add the sugar yet, let the tea boil first.
(abhii mat daalo chiinii, pahle chaay ko ubalne do।)
अगर तुम इसमें थोड़ा नींबू डालते, तो स्वाद और बढ़ जाता।
If you had added a little lemon to this, the taste would have been even better.
(agar tum ismen thodaa niimboo daalte, to svaad aur badh jaataa।)
रसोइया अभी बर्तन में मसाले डाल रहा है।
The cook is putting spices into the pot right now.
(rasoiyaa abhii bartan men masaale daal rahaa hai।)
कल हम बिरयानी में केसर डालेंगे, ताकि रंग अच्छा आए।
Tomorrow we will add saffron to the biryani so that the color comes out nice.
(kal ham biryaanii men kesar daalenge, taaki rang achchhaa aae।)
क्या तुम चाहते हो कि मैं इसमें और मिर्च डालूँ?
Do you want me to add more chili to this?
(kyaa tum chaahte ho ki main ismen aur mirch daaloon?)
इस रेसिपी में दही डाला जाता है ताकि ग्रेवी मलाईदार बने।
Yogurt is added in this recipe so that the gravy becomes creamy.
(is resipii men dahii daalaa jaataa hai taaki grevii malaaiidaar bane।)
शेफ ने आखिर में धनिया डाला और डिश परोस दी।
The chef added coriander at the end and served the dish.
(sheph ne aakhir men dhaniyaa daalaa aur dish paros dii।)
Sense
2
:
to throw/cast/drop (into a receptacle)
verb, transitive Frame: [object] + [receptacle/box/slot] + में + डालना (daalnaa) -- the sense of committing something into a defined space (a bin, a ballot box, a mailbox).
Synonyms: फेंकना (phenknaa, to throw/discard, broader sense)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Election season in Delhi is full of इस बार वोट ज़रूर डालना (is baar vot zaroor daalnaa, 'be sure to cast your vote this time') on posters and in family WhatsApp forwards -- a nice window into how डालना (daalnaa) frames the ballot box like any other slot you drop something into.
Common Mistakes: 1) वोट डालना (vot daalnaa, 'to cast a vote') is a fixed civic expression -- learners sometimes substitute देना (denaa) here, but डालना (daalnaa) is the standard verb because you are physically dropping a ballot in. 2) कूड़ा डालना (koodaa daalnaa, 'to dump trash') and चिट्ठी डालना (chitthii daalnaa, 'to post a letter') both keep this same 'commit into a slot/receptacle' logic.
Sample Sentences:
इस बार वोट ज़रूर डालना।
Be sure to cast your vote this time.
(is baar vot zaroor daalnaa।)
उसने कागज़ को कूड़ेदान में डाल दिया।
He threw the paper into the trash can.
(usne kaagaz ko koodedaan men daal diyaa।)
बच्चे रोज़ अपने खिलौने बक्से में डालते हैं।
The children drop their toys into the box every day.
(bachche roz apne khilaune bakse men daalte hain।)
वह चिट्ठी डाकघर के डिब्बे में डाल रहा था।
He was dropping the letter into the post office box.
(vah chitthii daakghar ke dibbe men daal rahaa thaa।)
कृपया अपना पर्चा इस पेटी में डालें।
Please drop your form into this box.
(kripyaa apnaa parchaa is petii men daalen।)
सिक्का मशीन में डालने से टिकट निकलेगा।
The ticket will come out once you drop the coin into the machine.
(sikkaa mashiin men daalne se tikat niklegaa।)
अगर मुझे पैसे मिलते तो मैं उन्हें बैंक के लॉकर में डाल देता।
If I had gotten the money, I would have dropped it into the bank locker.
(agar mujhe paise milte to main unhen baink ke lokar men daal detaa।)
यह ज़रूरी है कि हर नागरिक अपना वोट डाले।
It is necessary that every citizen cast his vote.
(yah zaroorii hai ki har naagrik apnaa vot daale।)
मतपत्र बक्से में डाला गया।
The ballot paper was dropped into the box.
(matpatr bakse men daalaa gayaa।)
उसने गुस्से में फ़ोन बैग में डाल दिया और चली गई।
She angrily tossed the phone into her bag and left.
(usne gusse men fon baig men daal diyaa aur chalii gaii।)
Sense
3
:
to drape/spread over, cover
verb, transitive Frame: [surface/person] + पर + [covering] + डालना (daalnaa) -- one object is spread so it covers another, e.g. मेज़ पर कपड़ा डालना (mez par kapdaa daalnaa, 'to lay a cloth over the table').
Synonyms: ओढ़ाना (odhaanaa, to cover someone with a wrap)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: Picture a winter evening in Delhi: someone pulls a रज़ाई (razaaii, quilt) up and says कंबल डाल लो (kambal daal lo, 'pull the blanket over yourself') -- the verb captures that simple gesture of one layer settling over another, whether it's a sheet over a sleeping face or a cloth over a table before guests arrive.
Common Mistakes: 1) When covering *oneself* with a shawl or blanket, ओढ़ना (odhnaa) is more natural for the self-directed action, while डालना (daalnaa) tends to describe draping something over a surface or over someone else (or casually over one's own shoulders), e.g. कंबल डालना (kambal daalnaa, 'to throw a blanket over oneself').
Sample Sentences:
सर्दियों में रात को कंबल डाल लो, नहीं तो ठंड लग जाएगी।
Pull a blanket over yourself at night in winter, otherwise you'll catch a cold.
(sardiyon men raat ko kambal daal lo, nahiin to thand lag jaaegii।)
मेहमानों के आने से पहले उसने मेज़ पर एक साफ चादर डाल दी।
Before the guests arrived, she spread a clean sheet over the table.
(mehmaanon ke aane se pahle usne mez par ek saaph chaadar daal dii।)
बच्चा सो गया है, उसके ऊपर हल्की चादर डाल दो।
The child has fallen asleep, drape a light sheet over him.
(bachchaa so gayaa hai, uske oopar halkii chaadar daal do।)
सर्दी की शामों में वह हमेशा सोफे पर एक शॉल डाल देती है।
On winter evenings she always drapes a shawl over the sofa.
(sardii kii shaamon men vah hameshaa sophe par ek shol daal detii hai।)
पुजारी ने मूर्ति पर लाल वस्त्र डाल दिया।
The priest draped a red cloth over the idol.
(pujaarii ne moorti par laal vastr daal diyaa।)
अगर बारिश हो जाए, तो गाड़ी पर तिरपाल डाल देना।
If it rains, spread a tarp over the car.
(agar baarish ho jaae, to gaadii par tirpaal daal denaa।)
नर्स ने मरीज़ के ऊपर एक चादर डाल दी थी ताकि वह गरम रहे।
The nurse had draped a sheet over the patient so that he would stay warm.
(nars ne mariiz ke oopar ek chaadar daal dii thii taaki vah garam rahe।)
अगर मेरे पास बड़ा पर्दा होता, तो मैं उसे पूरी खिड़की पर डाल देता।
If I had a bigger curtain, I would drape it over the whole window.
(agar mere paas badaa pardaa hotaa, to main use poorii khidkii par daal detaa।)
शव पर सफ़ेद कपड़ा डाला गया।
A white cloth was draped over the body.
(shav par safed kapdaa daalaa gayaa।)
Sense
4
:
vector verb marking completion, abruptness, or decisiveness
verb, transitive Attaches to a verb stem (V + डालना, e.g. कह डालना (kah daalnaa, 'to blurt out'), मार डालना (maar daalnaa, 'to kill'), खा डालना (khaa daalnaa, 'to polish off eating')) as a vector/light verb: it doesn't add its own literal 'put/throw' meaning here, but colors the main verb with a sense of finality, suddenness, or full commitment.
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is the same grammatical move you'll see with other light verbs like ले लेना (le lenaa) or कर देना (kar denaa) -- Hindi loves stacking a second verb onto the main one to sharpen its flavor. With डालना (daalnaa) specifically, the flavor is always about decisiveness or abruptness: something done suddenly, completely, or with a bit of force, as in रो डालना (ro daalnaa, 'to break down crying') or पी डालना (pii daalnaa, 'to down a drink in one go').
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often try to translate डालना (daalnaa) literally in these compounds and get confused -- in कह डालना (kah daalnaa) there's no 'putting' happening at all; the डालना (daalnaa) is just intensifying कहना (kahnaa, 'to say') into 'blurt out/say it and be done with it'. 2) मार डालना (maar daalnaa) is noticeably stronger than plain मारना (maarnaa) -- मारना (maarnaa) can mean 'to hit', but मार डालना (maar daalnaa) pushes it all the way to 'kill'.
Sample Sentences:
उसने सारी बात एक ही साँस में बता डाली।
He blurted out the whole thing in one breath.
(usne saarii baat ek hii saans men bataa daalii।)
वह अपनी माँ की याद में रो डाली।
She broke down crying, remembering her mother.
(vah apnii maan kii yaad men ro daalii।)
उसने एक ही झटके में पूरा गिलास पी डाला।
He downed the whole glass in one go.
(usne ek hii jhatke men pooraa gilaas pii daalaa।)
गुस्से में उसने सारे कागज़ फाड़ डाले।
In anger, he tore up all the papers.
(gusse men usne saare kaagaz phaad daale।)
यह काम आज ही खत्म कर डालो, कल पर मत छोड़ो।
Just finish this work today, don't leave it for tomorrow.
(yah kaam aaj hii khatm kar daalo, kal par mat chhodo।)
अगर वह सच बता डालता, तो सब ठीक हो जाता।
If he had just blurted out the truth, everything would have been fine.
(agar vah sach bataa daaltaa, to sab thiik ho jaataa।)
शायद वह गुस्से में सब कुछ तोड़ डाले।
He might just smash everything in his anger.
(shaayad vah gusse men sab kuchh tod daale।)
वह हर महीने अपनी सारी तनख़्वाह उड़ा डालता है।
He blows through his entire salary every month.
(vah har mahiine apnii saarii tanakhvaah udaa daaltaa hai।)
पूरा घर उसने अकेले ही साफ़ कर डाला।
He cleaned the whole house all by himself, just like that.
(pooraa ghar usne akele hii saaf kar daalaa।)
यह रहस्य आखिरकार खोल ही डाला गया।
This secret was finally, decisively revealed.
(yah rahasy aakhirkaar khol hii daalaa gayaa।)
Morphology
Verb
infinitive:
डालना
(daalnaa)
infinitive oblique:
डालने
(daalne)
habitual/simple (sg.m):
डालता
(daaltaa)
habitual/simple (pl.m):
डालते
(daalte)
habitual/simple (sg.f):
डालती
(daaltii)
habitual/simple (pl.f):
डालतीं
(daaltiin)
continuous (sg.m):
डाल रहा
(daal rahaa)
continuous (pl.m):
डाल रहे
(daal rahe)
continuous (sg.f):
डाल रही
(daal rahii)
continuous (pl.f):
डाल रहीं
(daal rahiin)
perfective (sg.m):
डाला
(daalaa)
perfective (pl.m):
डाले
(daale)
perfective (sg.f):
डाली
(daalii)
perfective (pl.f):
डालीं
(daaliin)
imperative (informal):
डाल
(daal)
imperative (neutral):
डालो
(daalo)
imperative (formal):
डालिए
(daalie)
future (1sg.m):
डालूँगा
(daaloongaa)
future (1sg.f):
डालूँगी
(daaloongii)
future (1pl.m):
डालेंगे
(daalenge)
future (1pl.f):
डालेंगी
(daalengii)
future (2sg.m):
डालेगा
(daalegaa)
future (2sg.f):
डालेगी
(daalegii)
future (2pl.m):
डालोगे
(daaloge)
future (2pl.f):
डालोगी
(daalogii)
future (3sg.m):
डालेगा
(daalegaa)
future (3sg.f):
डालेगी
(daalegii)
future (3pl.m):
डालेंगे
(daalenge)
future (3pl.f):
डालेंगी
(daalengii)
subjunctive (1sg):
डालूँ
(daaloon)
subjunctive (1pl):
डालें
(daalen)
subjunctive (2sg):
डाले
(daale)
subjunctive (2pl):
डालो
(daalo)
subjunctive (3sg):
डाले
(daale)
subjunctive (3pl):
डालें
(daalen)