नापना (naapnaa)
verb
A concrete transitive verb meaning to measure -- length, distance, weight, or other quantities -- with a figurative extension to sizing someone up or scrutinizing them. English inline: measure (naapnaa).
Sense
1
:
to measure (length, distance, quantity)
verb, transitive
Synonyms: मापना (maapnaa)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will hear this constantly at a tailor's shop or fabric market -- दर्जी कपड़ा नापता है (darjii kapdaa naaptaa hai, 'the tailor measures the cloth') -- and its close cousin मापना (maapnaa) is largely interchangeable in everyday speech, though नापना (naapnaa) feels slightly more hands-on and physical.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes reach for माँगना (maangnaa, 'to ask for') by mistake because of the similar sound -- नापना (naapnaa) has nothing to do with asking or requesting. 2) The tool or unit used to measure is typically marked with से (se), e.g. फीते से नापना (phiite se naapnaa, 'to measure with a tape'), which can trip up learners expecting a different postposition.
Sample Sentences:
दर्जी कपड़ा नापता है।
The tailor measures the cloth.
(darjii kapdaa naaptaa hai।)
क्या तुम मेरी कमर नाप सकते हो?
Can you measure my waist?
(kyaa tum merii kamar naap sakte ho?)
उसने कमरे की लंबाई नापी।
He measured the length of the room.
(usne kamre kii lambaaii naapii।)
मिस्त्री फ़ीते से दीवार नाप रहा है।
The mason is measuring the wall with a tape.
(mistrii fiite se diivaar naap rahaa hai।)
पहले सामान की लंबाई नाप लो, फिर डिब्बा खरीदना।
First measure the length of the thing, then buy the box.
(pahle saamaan kii lambaaii naap lo, phir dibbaa khariidnaa।)
अगर मेरे पास फ़ीता होता, तो मैं ज़मीन नाप लेता।
If I had a tape measure, I would have measured the land.
(agar mere paas fiitaa hotaa, to main zamiin naap letaa।)
यह ज़मीन सरकारी अफ़सरों द्वारा नापी जाएगी।
This land will be measured by government officers.
(yah zamiin sarkaarii afasron dvaaraa naapii jaaegii।)
बुखार में शरीर का तापमान नापना ज़रूरी होता है।
It is necessary to measure body temperature during a fever.
(bukhaar men shariir kaa taapmaan naapnaa zaroorii hotaa hai।)
क्या आप ज़रा मेरा पैर नाप देंगे?
Would you please measure my foot?
(kyaa aap zaraa meraa pair naap denge?)
इंजीनियर ने सड़क की चौड़ाई नाप ली।
The engineer measured the width of the road.
(injiiniyar ne sadak kii chaudaaii naap lii।)
काश कोई मशीन खुद ही दूरी नाप लेती।
If only some machine could measure the distance by itself.
(kaash koii mashiin khud hii doorii naap letii।)
Sense
2
:
to size someone up, scrutinize/judge (figurative)
verb, transitive
Synonyms: जाँचना (jaanchnaa, to inspect/check), आँकना (aanknaa, to gauge/assess)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: Picture someone giving a newcomer a slow, appraising once-over -- Hindi captures that with उसने मुझे सिर से पैर तक नाप लिया (usne mujhe sir se pair tak naap liyaa, 'he sized me up from head to toe'). It carries a slightly judgmental or wary edge, the kind of look a shopkeeper or a strict relative might give a stranger.
Common Mistakes: 1) In this figurative sense the object is a person, often with सिर से पैर तक (sir se pair tak, 'from head to toe') added -- learners sometimes miss that the literal measuring-tool phrases (फीते से, गज़ से) don't belong here since no physical instrument is involved.
Sample Sentences:
उसने मुझे सिर से पैर तक नाप लिया।
He sized me up from head to toe.
(usne mujhe sir se pair tak naap liyaa।)
दुकानदार हर ग्राहक को आते ही नाप लेता है।
The shopkeeper sizes up every customer as soon as they walk in.
(dukaandaar har graahak ko aate hii naap letaa hai।)
वह मुझे ऊपर से नीचे तक नाप रही थी, जैसे कुछ शक हो।
She was sizing me up from top to bottom, as if she suspected something.
(vah mujhe oopar se niiche tak naap rahii thii, jaise kuchh shak ho।)
मुझे इस तरह मत नापो, मैं कोई मुजरिम नहीं हूँ।
Don't size me up like that, I'm not some criminal.
(mujhe is tarah mat naapo, main koii mujrim nahiin hoon।)
बुज़ुर्ग रिश्तेदार अक्सर नए दामाद को इस तरह नापते हैं जैसे कोई परीक्षा हो।
Elderly relatives often size up a new son-in-law as if it were some kind of test.
(buzurg rishtedaar aksar nae daamaad ko is tarah naapte hain jaise koii pariikshaa ho।)
अगर वह मुझे इस तरह नापता, तो मैं वहाँ से चला जाता।
If he had sized me up like that, I would have walked away from there.
(agar vah mujhe is tarah naaptaa, to main vahaan se chalaa jaataa।)
इंटरव्यू लेने वाले ने मुझे बैठते ही नाप लिया था।
The interviewer had sized me up the moment I sat down.
(intravyoo lene vaale ne mujhe baithte hii naap liyaa thaa।)
क्या तुम मुझे अभी भी नाप रहे हो, या तय कर लिया कि मैं ठीक हूँ?
Are you still sizing me up, or have you decided I'm fine?
(kyaa tum mujhe abhii bhii naap rahe ho, yaa tay kar liyaa ki main thiik hoon?)
उसकी निगाहों ने मुझे इस तरह नापा कि मैं सहम गया।
Her gaze sized me up in such a way that I flinched.
(uskii nigaahon ne mujhe is tarah naapaa ki main saham gayaa।)
मैनेजर पहले हर नए कर्मचारी को नापता है, फिर काम देता है।
The manager sizes up every new employee first, then assigns work.
(mainejar pahle har nae karmchaarii ko naaptaa hai, phir kaam detaa hai।)
Morphology
Verb
infinitive:
नापना
(naapnaa)
infinitive oblique:
नापने
(naapne)
habitual/simple (sg.m):
नापता
(naaptaa)
habitual/simple (pl.m):
नापते
(naapte)
habitual/simple (sg.f):
नापती
(naaptii)
habitual/simple (pl.f):
नापतीं
(naaptiin)
continuous (sg.m):
नाप रहा
(naap rahaa)
continuous (pl.m):
नाप रहे
(naap rahe)
continuous (sg.f):
नाप रही
(naap rahii)
continuous (pl.f):
नाप रहीं
(naap rahiin)
perfective (sg.m):
नापा
(naapaa)
perfective (pl.m):
नापे
(naape)
perfective (sg.f):
नापी
(naapii)
perfective (pl.f):
नापीं
(naapiin)
imperative (informal):
नाप
(naap)
imperative (neutral):
नापो
(naapo)
imperative (formal):
नापिए
(naapie)
future (1sg.m):
नापूँगा
(naapoongaa)
future (1sg.f):
नापूँगी
(naapoongii)
future (1pl.m):
नापेंगे
(naapenge)
future (1pl.f):
नापेंगी
(naapengii)
future (2sg.m):
नापेगा
(naapegaa)
future (2sg.f):
नापेगी
(naapegii)
future (2pl.m):
नापोगे
(naapoge)
future (2pl.f):
नापोगी
(naapogii)
future (3sg.m):
नापेगा
(naapegaa)
future (3sg.f):
नापेगी
(naapegii)
future (3pl.m):
नापेंगे
(naapenge)
future (3pl.f):
नापेंगी
(naapengii)
subjunctive (1sg):
नापूँ
(naapoon)
subjunctive (1pl):
नापें
(naapen)
subjunctive (2sg):
नापे
(naape)
subjunctive (2pl):
नापो
(naapo)
subjunctive (3sg):
नापे
(naape)
subjunctive (3pl):
नापें
(naapen)