उठना (uthnaa)
verb
Covers physical rising -- getting up, standing up, waking up -- as well as extended senses like dust/smoke/prices/sound rising, a topic coming up in conversation, and a grammaticalized compound-verb use that marks sudden onset when attached to another verb stem. Its transitive causative counterpart उठाना (uthaanaa, 'to lift/pick up') is a separate lemma.
Sense
1
:
to get up / stand up
verb, intransitive
Synonyms: खड़ा होना (khadaa honaa, to stand up)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: A parent's most common morning line is something like बस उठ जाओ (bas uth jaao, 'just get up already') -- said on repeat before school or work. The word covers everything from getting off a chair to getting out of bed, so it does a lot of daily work.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes reach for खड़ा होना (khadaa honaa) in every context, but उठना (uthnaa) is the natural choice for getting out of bed, off a chair, or off the floor, while खड़ा होना (khadaa honaa) emphasizes the resulting standing posture.
Sample Sentences:
सुबह छह बजे उठो, वरना स्कूल के लिए देर हो जाएगी।
Get up at six in the morning, or you'll be late for school.
(subah chhah baje utho, varnaa skool ke lie der ho jaaegii।)
बस उठ जाओ, कब तक बिस्तर पर पड़े रहोगे!
Just get up already, how long will you keep lying in bed!
(bas uth jaao, kab tak bistar par pade rahoge!)
वह कुर्सी से उठा और खिड़की के पास चला गया।
He got up from the chair and walked over to the window.
(vah kursii se uthaa aur khidkii ke paas chalaa gayaa।)
मैं रोज़ सुबह जल्दी उठता हूँ।
I get up early every morning.
(main roz subah jaldii uthtaa hoon।)
वह अभी अपनी सीट से उठ रही है।
She is getting up from her seat right now.
(vah abhii apnii siit se uth rahii hai।)
अगर तुम समय पर उठते, तो ट्रेन नहीं छूटती।
If you had gotten up on time, you wouldn't have missed the train.
(agar tum samay par uthte, to tren nahiin chhoottii।)
कल सुबह मैं जल्दी उठूँगा ताकि सैर पर जा सकूँ।
Tomorrow morning I will get up early so that I can go for a walk.
(kal subah main jaldii uthoongaa taaki sair par jaa sakoon।)
डॉक्टर ने कहा कि मरीज़ को धीरे-धीरे उठना चाहिए।
The doctor said that the patient should get up slowly.
(doktar ne kahaa ki mariiz ko dhiire-dhiire uthnaa chaahie।)
जब मीटिंग खत्म हुई, तब सब लोग एक साथ उठे।
When the meeting ended, everyone got up together.
(jab miiting khatm huii, tab sab log ek saath uthe।)
बूढ़ी औरत बड़ी मुश्किल से बेंच से उठी।
The old woman got up from the bench with great difficulty.
(boodhii aurat badii mushkil se bench se uthii।)
Sense
2
:
to wake up
verb, intransitive
Synonyms: जागना (jaagnaa, to be/become awake)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: सुबह जल्दी उठना (subah jaldii uthnaa, 'to wake up early in the morning') is practically a virtue in itself in many Indian households, often tied up with discipline and health advice from elders.
Common Mistakes: 1) उठना (uthnaa) means the physical act of getting out of bed, while जागना (jaagnaa) is about being conscious/awake -- someone can जागना (jaagnaa) (lie awake) without ever उठना (uthnaa) (getting up).
Sample Sentences:
मैं रोज़ सुबह छह बजे उठता हूँ।
I wake up every morning at six o'clock.
(main roz subah chhah baje uthtaa hoon।)
आज वह बहुत देर से उठी।
Today she woke up very late.
(aaj vah bahut der se uthii।)
सुबह जल्दी उठो, वरना स्कूल के लिए लेट हो जाओगे।
Wake up early in the morning, or you'll be late for school.
(subah jaldii utho, varnaa skool ke lie let ho jaaoge।)
अगर मैं समय पर उठता, तो ट्रेन नहीं छूटती।
If I had woken up on time, I wouldn't have missed the train.
(agar main samay par uthtaa, to tren nahiin chhoottii।)
बच्चा अभी उठ रहा है, थोड़ी देर रुक जाओ।
The child is waking up right now, wait a little while.
(bachchaa abhii uth rahaa hai, thodii der ruk jaao।)
दादी जी कहती हैं कि सुबह जल्दी उठना सेहत के लिए अच्छा है।
Grandmother says that waking up early in the morning is good for health.
(daadii jii kahtii hain ki subah jaldii uthnaa sehat ke lie achchhaa hai।)
कल सुबह मुझे पाँच बजे उठना होगा, फ्लाइट है।
I will have to wake up at five o'clock tomorrow morning, there's a flight.
(kal subah mujhe paanch baje uthnaa hogaa, phlaait hai।)
क्या तुम इतनी सुबह उठ पाओगे?
Will you be able to wake up this early?
(kyaa tum itnii subah uth paaoge?)
शायद वह अलार्म की आवाज़ से उठ जाए।
Perhaps he might wake up from the sound of the alarm.
(shaayad vah alaarm kii aavaaz se uth jaae।)
जब मैं उठा, तो सूरज पहले ही चढ़ चुका था।
When I woke up, the sun had already risen.
(jab main uthaa, to sooraj pahle hii chadh chukaa thaa।)
Sense
3
:
to rise / go up (dust, smoke, prices, sound, flames, waves)
verb, intransitive
Synonyms: उभरना (ubharnaa, to emerge/surface), चढ़ना (chadhnaa, to climb, esp. for prices)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will hear this constantly in everyday complaints: धूल उठना (dhool uthnaa, 'dust rising') from traffic, दाम उठना (daam uthnaa, 'prices going up') at the market, or आवाज़ उठना (aavaaz uthnaa, 'a sound/voice rising') in a crowd. It is the go-to verb whenever something intangible visibly increases or appears.
Sample Sentences:
सड़क से बहुत धूल उठ रही है।
A lot of dust is rising from the road.
(sadak se bahut dhool uth rahii hai।)
पिछले महीने पेट्रोल के दाम बहुत उठे।
Petrol prices rose a lot last month.
(pichhle mahiine petrol ke daam bahut uthe।)
भीड़ में से एक तेज़ आवाज़ उठी।
A loud sound rose from the crowd.
(bhiid men se ek tez aavaaz uthii।)
चूल्हे से धुआँ उठता रहता है।
Smoke keeps rising from the stove.
(choolhe se dhuaan uthtaa rahtaa hai।)
अगर मानसून कमज़ोर रहा, तो अनाज के दाम और उठेंगे।
If the monsoon stays weak, grain prices will rise even more.
(agar maansoon kamzor rahaa, to anaaj ke daam aur uthenge।)
समुद्र में ऊँची लहरें उठ रही थीं।
High waves were rising in the sea.
(samudr men oonchii lahren uth rahii thiin।)
अगर तेल गिरा तो आग की लपटें छत तक उठेंगी।
If the oil spills, flames will rise all the way to the ceiling.
(agar tel giraa to aag kii lapten chhat tak uthengii।)
काश शेयर बाज़ार में इतने दाम न उठते।
If only prices in the stock market hadn't risen so much.
(kaash sheyar baazaar men itne daam n uthte।)
जब भी ट्रक निकलते हैं, यहाँ धूल उठती है।
Whenever trucks pass by, dust rises here.
(jab bhii trak nikalte hain, yahaan dhool uthtii hai।)
त्योहार के मौसम में सब्ज़ियों के दाम उठ चुके हैं।
Vegetable prices have already gone up in the festival season.
(tyohaar ke mausam men sabziyon ke daam uth chuke hain।)
Sense
4
:
to come up / be raised (as a topic, question, or issue)
verb, intransitive
Synonyms: छिड़ना (chhidnaa, for a discussion/topic breaking out)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: News reports and meeting summaries love this sense: यह मुद्दा संसद में उठा (yah muddaa sansad men uthaa, 'this issue came up in parliament') is a very standard construction for how a topic enters public discussion.
Sample Sentences:
यह मुद्दा संसद में उठा।
This issue came up in parliament.
(yah muddaa sansad men uthaa।)
बैठक में तनख्वाह बढ़ाने का सवाल उठा।
The question of raising salaries came up in the meeting.
(baithak men tanakhvaah badhaane kaa savaal uthaa।)
हर बार जब हम मिलते हैं, यही बात उठती है।
Every time we meet, this same topic comes up.
(har baar jab ham milte hain, yahii baat uthtii hai।)
अगली प्रेस कॉन्फ्रेंस में यह सवाल जरूर उठेगा।
This question will certainly come up in the next press conference.
(aglii pres konphrens men yah savaal jaroor uthegaa।)
इस विषय पर चर्चा उठ रही है।
A discussion on this topic is coming up (right now).
(is vishay par charchaa uth rahii hai।)
काश यह मामला पहले उठता।
If only this matter had come up earlier.
(kaash yah maamlaa pahle uthtaa।)
यह सवाल इसलिए उठा क्योंकि रिपोर्ट में कई खामियाँ थीं।
This question came up because there were many flaws in the report.
(yah savaal islie uthaa kyonki riport men kaii khaamiyaan thiin।)
शायद बोर्ड की बैठक में यह प्रस्ताव उठे।
Perhaps this proposal will come up in the board meeting.
(shaayad bord kii baithak men yah prastaav uthe।)
संसद में यह प्रश्न कई बार उठाया जा चुका है।
This question has already been raised many times in parliament.
(sansad men yah prashn kaii baar uthaayaa jaa chukaa hai।)
Sense
5
:
grammaticalized vector verb marking sudden onset (V-stem + उठना)
verb, intransitive Attaches to the stem of another verb (V + उठना (uthnaa)) as a compound/vector verb, marking a sudden, spontaneous onset -- most common with verbs of emotion, sound, or momentum: चिल्ला उठना (chillaa uthnaa, 'to suddenly scream'), चौंक उठना (chaunk uthnaa, 'to be suddenly startled'), लजा उठना (lajaa uthnaa, 'to suddenly turn shy'), झूम उठना (jhoom uthnaa, 'to be swept up, swaying with feeling'), गूँज उठना (goonj uthnaa, 'to suddenly resound'), बोल उठना (bol uthnaa, 'to suddenly speak up/cut in'). It layers a sense of abruptness -- being overtaken by a feeling or sound -- onto the main verb, and with speech verbs it can carry a mild flavor of impulsiveness or interruption.
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: Hindi leans heavily on 'vector verbs' like this to add drama and immediacy, especially in storytelling and dialogue -- a character does not just चिल्लाना (chillaanaa, 'scream') but चिल्ला उठना (chillaa uthnaa, 'suddenly scream out'), which feels far more alive. It sits in the same compound-verb family as उठ जाना (uth jaanaa) and निकल पड़ना (nikal padnaa), a pattern worth watching for once you notice it.
Common Mistakes: 1) This is not a separate word to memorize in isolation -- it is उठना (uthnaa) itself, grammaticalized onto another verb's stem, so learners should recognize the pattern rather than treat each combination as a new vocabulary item. 2) Learners sometimes use this construction for slow, deliberate actions; it specifically signals suddenness or being swept up, not a planned or gradual process.
Sample Sentences:
यह सुनकर वह चिल्ला उठी।
Hearing this, she suddenly screamed out.
(yah sunkar vah chillaa uthii।)
अचानक सब हँस उठे।
Suddenly everyone burst out laughing.
(achaanak sab hans uthe।)
उसकी बात सुनकर मेरा दिल काँप उठा।
Hearing what he said, my heart suddenly trembled.
(uskii baat sunkar meraa dil kaamp uthaa।)
बच्चा दर्द से रो उठता है जब उसे चोट लगती है।
The child suddenly cries out in pain whenever he gets hurt.
(bachchaa dard se ro uthtaa hai jab use chot lagtii hai।)
काश वह डर के मारे चीख न उठा होता।
If only he hadn't suddenly shrieked out of fear.
(kaash vah dar ke maare chiikh n uthaa hotaa।)
अगर तुम अचानक चिल्ला उठोगे तो सब डर जाएँगे।
If you suddenly scream out, everyone will get scared.
(agar tum achaanak chillaa uthoge to sab dar jaaenge।)
यह खबर सुनकर पूरा गाँव सिहर उठा।
Hearing this news, the whole village suddenly shuddered.
(yah khabar sunkar pooraa gaanv sihar uthaa।)
मत घबरा उठो, सब ठीक हो जाएगा।
Don't suddenly panic, everything will be fine.
(mat ghabraa utho, sab thiik ho jaaegaa।)
उसकी आवाज़ सुनते ही उसका दिल धड़क उठा।
The moment he heard her voice, his heart suddenly began to pound.
(uskii aavaaz sunte hii uskaa dil dhadak uthaa।)
Morphology
Verb
infinitive:
उठना
(uthnaa)
infinitive oblique:
उठने
(uthne)
habitual/simple (sg.m):
उठता
(uthtaa)
habitual/simple (pl.m):
उठते
(uthte)
habitual/simple (sg.f):
उठती
(uthtii)
habitual/simple (pl.f):
उठतीं
(uthtiin)
continuous (sg.m):
उठ रहा
(uth rahaa)
continuous (pl.m):
उठ रहे
(uth rahe)
continuous (sg.f):
उठ रही
(uth rahii)
continuous (pl.f):
उठ रहीं
(uth rahiin)
perfective (sg.m):
उठा
(uthaa)
perfective (pl.m):
उठे
(uthe)
perfective (sg.f):
उठी
(uthii)
perfective (pl.f):
उठीं
(uthiin)
imperative (informal):
उठ
(uth)
imperative (neutral):
उठो
(utho)
imperative (formal):
उठिए
(uthie)
future (1sg.m):
उठूँगा
(uthoongaa)
future (1sg.f):
उठूँगी
(uthoongii)
future (1pl.m):
उठेंगे
(uthenge)
future (1pl.f):
उठेंगी
(uthengii)
future (2sg.m):
उठेगा
(uthegaa)
future (2sg.f):
उठेगी
(uthegii)
future (2pl.m):
उठोगे
(uthoge)
future (2pl.f):
उठोगी
(uthogii)
future (3sg.m):
उठेगा
(uthegaa)
future (3sg.f):
उठेगी
(uthegii)
future (3pl.m):
उठेंगे
(uthenge)
future (3pl.f):
उठेंगी
(uthengii)
subjunctive (1sg):
उठूँ
(uthoon)
subjunctive (1pl):
उठें
(uthen)
subjunctive (2sg):
उठे
(uthe)
subjunctive (2pl):
उठो
(utho)
subjunctive (3sg):
उठे
(uthe)
subjunctive (3pl):
उठें
(uthen)