बैठना (baithnaa)
verb
बैठना (baithnaa) is the basic verb 'to sit,' extending to boarding a vehicle, sitting for an exam, and settling/subsiding (voice, structures, business); as a compound-verb vector it also marks sudden, rash, or regrettable actions (V-stem + बैठना).
Sense
1
:
to sit, to sit down
verb, intransitive
Synonyms: विराजना (viraajnaa, literary/honorific)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: When a guest arrives, the standard hospitality phrase is आइए, बैठिए (aaie, baithie, 'please come in, have a seat') -- said almost automatically in any Delhi home before offering tea.
Common Mistakes: 1) Use पर (par) with the surface one sits on -- कुर्सी पर बैठना (kursii par baithnaa, 'to sit on the chair') -- not में (men), which learners sometimes reach for by analogy with English 'in a chair.'
Sample Sentences:
मैं रोज़ सुबह इस पार्क की बेंच पर बैठता हूँ।
I sit on this park bench every morning.
(main roz subah is paark kii bench par baithtaa hoon।)
Listen: M85
बच्चे ज़मीन पर बैठ रहे थे।
The children were sitting down on the ground.
(bachche zamiin par baith rahe the।)
Listen: F85
कृपया यहाँ बैठिए और थोड़ा आराम कर लीजिए।
Please sit here and rest a little.
(kripyaa yahaan baithie aur thodaa aaraam kar liijie।)
Listen: F85
अगर तुम शांति से बैठो तो हम बात कर सकते हैं।
If you sit quietly, we can talk.
(agar tum shaanti se baitho to ham baat kar sakte hain।)
Listen: F85
अगर वह वहाँ बैठता तो सबको दिख जाता।
If he had sat there, everyone would have seen him.
(agar vah vahaan baithtaa to sabko dikh jaataa।)
Listen: F85
सभी मेहमान मंडप में बैठ गए हैं।
All the guests have taken their seats in the pavilion.
(sabhii mehmaan mandap men baith gae hain।)
Listen: M85
सभा शुरू होते ही सब लोग चुपचाप बैठ जाएँगे।
As soon as the meeting begins, everyone will sit down quietly.
(sabhaa shuroo hote hii sab log chupchaap baith jaaenge।)
Listen: M85
जमीन पर आसन बिछाकर साधु बैठे हुए थे।
The sadhus were seated on the ground, having spread out their mats.
(jamiin par aasan bichhaakar saadhu baithe hue the।)
Listen: F85
मुझसे कहा गया कि पीछे की सीट पर बैठा जाए।
I was told that the back seat should be sat in.
(mujhse kahaa gayaa ki piichhe kii siit par baithaa jaae।)
Listen: M85
Sense
2
:
to board, to get into/onto a vehicle
verb, intransitive Takes में (men) with enclosed vehicles (गाड़ी में बैठना, gaadii men baithnaa, 'to get into the car') and पर (par) with vehicles one straddles or mounts (स्कूटर पर बैठना, skootar par baithnaa, 'to get on the scooter').
Synonyms: सवार होना (savaar honaa)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You'll hear auto and e-rickshaw drivers in Delhi call out ऑटो में बैठिए! (oto men baithie!, 'hop into the auto!') to hail passengers off the street.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often default to में (men) for every vehicle; बाइक/स्कूटर/साइकिल (baaik/skootar/saaikil) take पर (par) instead, since you sit astride rather than inside them.
Sample Sentences:
ऑटो में बैठिए, मैं आपको स्टेशन छोड़ दूँगा।
Hop into the auto, I'll drop you at the station.
(oto men baithie, main aapko steshan chhod doongaa।)
Listen: F85
वह रोज़ इसी रिक्शे में बैठता है।
He gets into this very rickshaw every day.
(vah roz isii rikshe men baithtaa hai।)
Listen: M85
हम अभी ट्रेन में बैठ रहे हैं।
We are boarding the train right now.
(ham abhii tren men baith rahe hain।)
Listen: F85
वह गाड़ी में बैठ गया और चला गया।
He got into the car and left.
(vah gaadii men baith gayaa aur chalaa gayaa।)
Listen: F85
कल हम फ्लाइट में बैठेंगे।
Tomorrow we will board the flight.
(kal ham phlaait men baithenge।)
Listen: M85
काश मैं उस समय सही बस में बैठता।
If only I had gotten on the right bus at that time.
(kaash main us samay sahii bas men baithtaa।)
Listen: F85
अगर तुम जल्दी आते तो साथ वाली मेट्रो में बैठते।
If you had come early, you would have boarded the same metro together.
(agar tum jaldii aate to saath vaalii metro men baithte।)
Listen: F85
मुझे लगता है कि हमें अगली मेट्रो में बैठना चाहिए।
I think we should board the next metro.
(mujhe lagtaa hai ki hamen aglii metro men baithnaa chaahie।)
Listen: M85
यात्रियों को बताया गया कि वे दूसरे प्लेटफ़ॉर्म से ट्रेन में बैठें।
The passengers were told to board the train from the other platform.
(yaatriyon ko bataayaa gayaa ki ve doosre pletform se tren men baithen।)
Listen: M85
सम्मानित अतिथियों को विशेष बस में बैठाया जाएगा।
The honored guests will be seated in a special bus.
(sammaanit atithiyon ko vishesh bas men baithaayaa jaaegaa।)
Listen: F85
Sense
3
:
to sit for, to take (an exam)
verb, intransitive Fixed collocation with में (men): परीक्षा में बैठना (pariikshaa men baithnaa, 'to sit for the exam').
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This is the everyday way Indian students talk about board exams and competitive exams -- बोर्ड की परीक्षा में बैठना (bord kii pariikshaa men baithnaa, 'to sit for the board exam') is heard constantly around exam season.
Sample Sentences:
इस साल मेरा भाई बोर्ड की परीक्षा में बैठेगा।
This year my brother will sit for the board exam.
(is saal meraa bhaaii bord kii pariikshaa men baithegaa।)
Listen: F85
पिछले साल वह सिविल सर्विसेज़ की परीक्षा में बैठी थी।
Last year she sat for the civil services exam.
(pichhle saal vah sivil sarvisez kii pariikshaa men baithii thii।)
Listen: M85
हर साल लाखों छात्र इस प्रतियोगी परीक्षा में बैठते हैं।
Every year lakhs of students sit for this competitive exam.
(har saal laakhon chhaatr is pratiyogii pariikshaa men baithte hain।)
Listen: F85
वह अभी परीक्षा हॉल में बैठा हुआ पेपर दे रहा है।
He is currently sitting in the exam hall taking the paper.
(vah abhii pariikshaa hol men baithaa huaa pepar de rahaa hai।)
Listen: F85
अगर वह बीमार न होता तो इस बार परीक्षा में बैठता।
If he hadn't been sick, he would have sat for the exam this time.
(agar vah biimaar n hotaa to is baar pariikshaa men baithtaa।)
Listen: F85
क्या तुम अगले महीने की प्रवेश परीक्षा में बैठोगे?
Will you sit for next month's entrance exam?
(kyaa tum agle mahiine kii pravesh pariikshaa men baithoge?)
Listen: F85
टीचर ने कहा कि सब बच्चे मॉक टेस्ट में बैठें।
The teacher said that all the children should sit for the mock test.
(tiichar ne kahaa ki sab bachche mok test men baithen।)
Listen: M85
उम्मीदवारों से अनुरोध है कि वे समय पर परीक्षा में बैठें।
Candidates are requested to sit for the exam on time.
(ummiidvaaron se anurodh hai ki ve samay par pariikshaa men baithen।)
Listen: M85
इस बार यह परीक्षा ऑनलाइन बैठी जा रही है।
This time this exam is being sat for online.
(is baar yah pariikshaa onlaain baithii jaa rahii hai।)
Listen: M85
मेरी बहन ने बारहवीं के बाद सीधे नीट की परीक्षा में बैठने का फैसला किया।
My sister decided to sit for the NEET exam right after twelfth grade.
(merii bahan ne baarahviin ke baad siidhe niit kii pariikshaa men baithne kaa phaislaa kiyaa।)
Listen: F85
Sense
4
:
to subside, settle, sink, go hoarse, or collapse (of voice, structures, business)
verb, intransitive Used figuratively for a voice going hoarse (आवाज़ बैठ जाना, aavaaz baith jaanaa), a structure sinking (नींव बैठना, niinv baithnaa), or a business collapsing (धंधा बैठ जाना, dhandhaa baith jaanaa).
Synonyms: धंसना (dhansnaa)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: After a day of shouting at a cricket match or wedding baraat, people commonly say मेरी आवाज़ बैठ गई (merii aavaaz baith gaii, 'my voice has gone hoarse') -- a very relatable everyday image.
Sample Sentences:
चिल्ला-चिल्लाकर मेरी आवाज़ बैठ गई।
My voice went hoarse from all the shouting.
(chillaa-chillaakar merii aavaaz baith gaii।)
Listen: F85
बारिश के बाद ज़मीन थोड़ी बैठ गई है।
The ground has sunk a little after the rain.
(baarish ke baad zamiin thodii baith gaii hai।)
Listen: F85
मंदी में उनका कारोबार पूरी तरह बैठ गया।
Their business completely collapsed during the recession.
(mandii men unkaa kaarobaar poorii tarah baith gayaa।)
Listen: F85
अगर नींव कमज़ोर हो तो पूरी इमारत बैठ सकती है।
If the foundation is weak, the whole building can sink/collapse.
(agar niinv kamzor ho to poorii imaarat baith saktii hai।)
Listen: F85
इतना मत चिल्लाओ, वरना तुम्हारी आवाज़ बैठ जाएगी।
Don't shout so much, or your voice will go hoarse.
(itnaa mat chillaao, varnaa tumhaarii aavaaz baith jaaegii।)
Listen: M85
पुराना पुल कई जगह से बैठ रहा है।
The old bridge is sinking/sagging in several places.
(puraanaa pul kaii jagah se baith rahaa hai।)
Listen: F85
अगर वह रोज़ इतनी बहस करता तो उसकी आवाज़ कभी की बैठ जाती।
If he argued this much every day, his voice would have given out long ago.
(agar vah roz itnii bahas kartaa to uskii aavaaz kabhii kii baith jaatii।)
Listen: M85
बारात में इतना नाचे कि रात तक सबकी आवाज़ बैठ गई।
Everyone danced so much at the baraat that by night their voices had all gone hoarse.
(baaraat men itnaa naache ki raat tak sabkii aavaaz baith gaii।)
Listen: F85
भूकंप के झटकों से घर की दीवारें बैठ गई थीं।
The walls of the house had sunk/settled because of the earthquake tremors.
(bhookamp ke jhatkon se ghar kii diivaaren baith gaii thiin।)
Listen: F85
Sense
5
:
vector verb marking a sudden, rash, or regrettable action (compound verb: V-stem + बैठना)
verb Attaches to the stem of another verb to add a flavor of suddenness, rashness, or regret, with reduced agency on the subject's part: मार बैठना (maar baithnaa, 'to suddenly hit/attack'), कह बैठना (kah baithnaa, 'to blurt out'), कर बैठना (kar baithnaa, 'to end up doing (something regrettable)'), लड़ बैठना (lad baithnaa, 'to end up fighting'), उठ बैठना (uth baithnaa, 'to suddenly sit/get up' -- here बैठना is purely grammatical, not literal sitting).
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This vector use is one of the workhorses of Hindi compound verbs, coloring an action with impulsiveness or regret; लड़ बैठना (lad baithnaa) is often used for a recurring trait, as in वह सबसे लड़ बैठता है (vah sabse lad baithtaa hai, 'he ends up fighting with everybody').
Common Mistakes: 1) Don't read बैठना literally in these compounds -- मार बैठना (maar baithnaa) means 'to suddenly hit/attack,' not anything about sitting. 2) The vector carries a sense of the subject not fully controlling the action -- कह बैठना (kah baithnaa) implies something slipped out, not a deliberate statement. 3) कर बैठना (kar baithnaa) shows up in the classic regret exclamation अरे! यह मैंने क्या कर बैठा! (are! yah mainne kyaa kar baithaa!, 'oh no, what have I done!').
Sample Sentences:
गुस्से में उसने अपनी नौकरी छोड़ दी और बाद में पछता बैठा।
In anger he quit his job, and later he ended up regretting it.
(gusse men usne apnii naukrii chhod dii aur baad men pachhtaa baithaa।)
Listen: M85
बिना सोचे उसने ऐसी बात कह बैठी जिससे सब नाराज़ हो गए।
Without thinking, she blurted out such a thing that everyone got upset.
(binaa soche usne aisii baat kah baithii jisse sab naaraaz ho gae।)
Listen: F85
देखना, गुस्से में तुम कुछ ऐसा कर बैठोगे जिसके लिए बाद में पछताना पड़ेगा।
Watch out, in anger you'll end up doing something you'll regret later.
(dekhnaa, gusse men tum kuchh aisaa kar baithoge jiske lie baad men pachhtaanaa padegaa।)
Listen: M85
काश वह उस रात इतनी बड़ी गलती न कर बैठता।
If only he hadn't ended up making such a big mistake that night.
(kaash vah us raat itnii badii galtii n kar baithtaa।)
Listen: F85
जल्दबाज़ी में मत कोई फ़ैसला कर बैठना, पहले ठंडे दिमाग़ से सोचो।
Don't end up making some decision in haste, think it over calmly first.
(jaldbaazii men mat koii faislaa kar baithnaa, pahle thande dimaagh se socho।)
Listen: M85
अगर तुम इस मुद्दे पर बोल बैठे, तो सारी बात बिगड़ जाएगी।
If you end up speaking out on this issue, the whole matter will fall apart.
(agar tum is mudde par bol baithe, to saarii baat bigad jaaegii।)
Listen: F85
उम्मीद है वह फिर से वही ग़लती न कर बैठे।
I hope he doesn't end up making the same mistake again.
(ummiid hai vah phir se vahii ghaltii n kar baithe।)
Listen: F85
क्रोध में आकर उससे ऐसे शब्द बुलवा बैठे गए, जिनकी उसे उम्मीद न थी।
Overcome with rage, such words ended up being drawn out of him that he never expected.
(krodh men aakar usse aise shabd bulvaa baithe gae, jinkii use ummiid n thii।)
Listen: M85
एक पल की लापरवाही में वह अपना सारा पैसा दाँव पर लगा बैठा।
In a moment's carelessness, he ended up staking all his money.
(ek pal kii laaparvaahii men vah apnaa saaraa paisaa daanv par lagaa baithaa।)
Listen: F85
नशे में उन्होंने अपनी ज़मीन तक बेच बैठे।
While intoxicated, they even ended up selling their land.
(nashe men unhonne apnii zamiin tak bech baithe।)
Listen: M85
Morphology
Verb
infinitive:
बैठना
(baithnaa)
infinitive oblique:
बैठने
(baithne)
habitual/simple (sg.m):
बैठता
(baithtaa)
habitual/simple (pl.m):
बैठते
(baithte)
habitual/simple (sg.f):
बैठती
(baithtii)
habitual/simple (pl.f):
बैठतीं
(baithtiin)
continuous (sg.m):
बैठ रहा
(baith rahaa)
continuous (pl.m):
बैठ रहे
(baith rahe)
continuous (sg.f):
बैठ रही
(baith rahii)
continuous (pl.f):
बैठ रहीं
(baith rahiin)
perfective (sg.m):
बैठा
(baithaa)
perfective (pl.m):
बैठे
(baithe)
perfective (sg.f):
बैठी
(baithii)
perfective (pl.f):
बैठीं
(baithiin)
imperative (informal):
बैठ
(baith)
imperative (neutral):
बैठो
(baitho)
imperative (formal):
बैठिए
(baithie)
future (1sg.m):
बैठूँगा
(baithoongaa)
future (1sg.f):
बैठूँगी
(baithoongii)
future (1pl.m):
बैठेंगे
(baithenge)
future (1pl.f):
बैठेंगी
(baithengii)
future (2sg.m):
बैठेगा
(baithegaa)
future (2sg.f):
बैठेगी
(baithegii)
future (2pl.m):
बैठोगे
(baithoge)
future (2pl.f):
बैठोगी
(baithogii)
future (3sg.m):
बैठेगा
(baithegaa)
future (3sg.f):
बैठेगी
(baithegii)
future (3pl.m):
बैठेंगे
(baithenge)
future (3pl.f):
बैठेंगी
(baithengii)
subjunctive (1sg):
बैठूँ
(baithoon)
subjunctive (1pl):
बैठें
(baithen)
subjunctive (2sg):
बैठे
(baithe)
subjunctive (2pl):
बैठो
(baitho)
subjunctive (3sg):
बैठे
(baithe)
subjunctive (3pl):
बैठें
(baithen)