चला जाना (chalaa jaanaa)
verb
A compound verb built from चलना (chalnaa, 'to move/walk') plus जाना (jaanaa, 'to go') as the completive vector verb; it means 'to leave/go away' with a sense of departure being completed or set in motion. Closely related to just जाना (jaanaa) but adds a nuance of setting off or moving away decisively.
Sense
1
:
to leave, go away
verb, intransitive The compound uses जाना (jaanaa) as a completive vector verb on the root चल- (chal), adding a sense of decisive departure or motion getting underway, compared to plain चलना (chalnaa).
Synonyms: निकल जाना (nikal jaanaa), रवाना होना (ravaanaa honaa, formal), खिसक जाना (khisak jaanaa, colloquial)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is one of the most common ways to say someone 'left' or 'took off' in everyday Hindi -- वह चला गया (vah chalaa gayaa, 'he left') is what you'd say about a guest who's gone home or a bus that's already pulled away. It pairs naturally with time or suddenness words like अचानक (achaanak, 'suddenly') to convey an abrupt departure.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes use plain चलना (chalnaa) when they mean 'left/went away' -- चला गया (chalaa gayaa, 'he left') is the natural way to report a completed departure, while चलना (chalnaa) alone leans toward 'to walk/move' or 'to function.' 2) Agreement is with the subject as with जाना (jaanaa): वह चली गई (vah chalii gaii, 'she left') needs both चली and गई to agree in gender, which learners forget when the subject is feminine.
Sample Sentences:
वह चला गया।
He left.
(vah chalaa gayaa।)
मेहमान खाना खाकर चले गए।
The guests left after eating.
(mehmaan khaanaa khaakar chale gae।)
वह अचानक चला गया, किसी को कुछ बताए बिना।
He suddenly took off, without telling anyone anything.
(vah achaanak chalaa gayaa, kisii ko kuchh bataae binaa।)
बस थोड़ी देर पहले ही चली गई।
The bus left just a little while ago.
(bas thodii der pahle hii chalii gaii।)
अभी मत जाओ, थोड़ी देर और बैठो।
Don't leave now, sit a while longer.
(abhii mat jaao, thodii der aur baitho।)
अगर वह मुझे बताता, तो मैं उसे रोक लेता, लेकिन वह बिना बताए चला गया।
If he had told me, I would have stopped him, but he left without saying anything.
(agar vah mujhe bataataa, to main use rok letaa, lekin vah binaa bataae chalaa gayaa।)
हर शाम वह ऑफिस से सीधे चला जाता है, किसी से मिले बिना।
Every evening he goes straight off from the office without meeting anyone.
(har shaam vah ophis se siidhe chalaa jaataa hai, kisii se mile binaa।)
वह गुस्से में चला जा रहा है, उसे मत रोको।
He's storming off in anger, don't stop him.
(vah gusse men chalaa jaa rahaa hai, use mat roko।)
शायद वह गुस्से में चला गया हो।
Maybe he left in anger.
(shaayad vah gusse men chalaa gayaa ho।)
मैं चाहता हूँ कि वह अभी चला जाए और दोबारा यहाँ न आए।
I want him to leave right now and never come back here.
(main chaahtaa hoon ki vah abhii chalaa jaae aur dobaaraa yahaan n aae।)
कृपया सभा समाप्त होने के बाद शांतिपूर्वक चले जाएँ।
Please leave peacefully once the meeting has concluded.
(kripyaa sabhaa samaapt hone ke baad shaantipoorvak chale jaaen।)
कल तक वह यहाँ से चला जाएगा।
By tomorrow he will have left this place.
(kal tak vah yahaan se chalaa jaaegaa।)
Sense
2
:
to pass away, die (euphemistic)
verb, intransitive
Synonyms: गुज़र जाना (guzar jaanaa), स्वर्ग सिधारना (svarg sidhaarnaa, literary/euphemistic), गुज़र जाना (guzar jaanaa)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: Just as English softens death with 'passed away' or 'is gone,' Hindi speakers often reach for चला जाना (chalaa jaanaa) instead of मरना (marnaa, 'to die'), especially when speaking respectfully about an elder -- दादाजी चले गए (daadaajii chale gae, 'grandfather has passed away') is far gentler than saying he died outright.
Common Mistakes: 1) This euphemistic sense overlaps heavily with the literal 'leave/go away' sense, so context (illness, age, funeral talk) is what signals death rather than any special grammar -- वह चले गए (vah chale gae, 'he passed away') looks identical in form to a simple departure sentence.
Sample Sentences:
दादाजी कल रात चले गए।
Grandfather passed away last night.
(daadaajii kal raat chale gae।)
सुनकर बहुत दुख हुआ कि वे इतनी जल्दी चले गए।
It was very sad to hear that he passed away so soon.
(sunkar bahut dukh huaa ki ve itnii jaldii chale gae।)
अगर वे थोड़ा और इलाज करवाते तो शायद न चले जाते।
If he had gotten a bit more treatment, maybe he wouldn't have passed away.
(agar ve thodaa aur ilaaj karvaate to shaayad n chale jaate।)
बुजुर्गों के चले जाने पर घर में एक खालीपन आ जाता है।
When elders pass away, a certain emptiness fills the house.
(bujurgon ke chale jaane par ghar men ek khaaliipan aa jaataa hai।)
भगवान न करे, पर अगर मैं चला गया तो मेरी किताबें बेटे को दे देना।
God forbid, but if I pass away, give my books to my son.
(bhagvaan n kare, par agar main chalaa gayaa to merii kitaaben bete ko de denaa।)
क्या हुआ, ताईजी अचानक कैसे चली गईं?
What happened, how did auntie pass away so suddenly?
(kyaa huaa, taaiijii achaanak kaise chalii gaiin?)
उनके पिता के चले जाने की खबर पूरे मोहल्ले में फैल गई।
The news of his father's passing spread through the whole neighborhood.
(unke pitaa ke chale jaane kii khabar poore mohalle men phail gaii।)
जब कोई अपना चला जाता है, तो शब्द भी साथ छोड़ देते हैं।
When someone dear passes away, even words abandon you.
(jab koii apnaa chalaa jaataa hai, to shabd bhii saath chhod dete hain।)
नानी के चले जाने के बाद घर का माहौल ही बदल गया।
After grandmother passed away, the whole atmosphere of the house changed.
(naanii ke chale jaane ke baad ghar kaa maahaul hii badal gayaa।)
Morphology
Verb (irregular)
infinitive:
चला जाना
(chalaa jaanaa)
infinitive oblique:
चला जाने
(chalaa jaane)
habitual/simple (sg.m):
चला जाता
(chalaa jaataa)
habitual/simple (pl.m):
चला जाते
(chalaa jaate)
habitual/simple (sg.f):
चला जाती
(chalaa jaatii)
habitual/simple (pl.f):
चला जातीं
(chalaa jaatiin)
continuous (sg.m):
चला जा रहा
(chalaa jaa rahaa)
continuous (pl.m):
चला जा रहे
(chalaa jaa rahe)
continuous (sg.f):
चला जा रही
(chalaa jaa rahii)
continuous (pl.f):
चला जा रहीं
(chalaa jaa rahiin)
perfective (sg.m):
चला गया
(chalaa gayaa)
perfective (pl.m):
चला गए
(chalaa gae)
perfective (sg.f):
चला गई
(chalaa gaii)
perfective (pl.f):
चला गईं
(chalaa gaiin)
imperative (informal):
चला जा
(chalaa jaa)
imperative (neutral):
चला जाओ
(chalaa jaao)
imperative (formal):
चला जाइए
(chalaa jaaie)
future (1sg.m):
चला जाऊँगा
(chalaa jaaoongaa)
future (1sg.f):
चला जाऊँगी
(chalaa jaaoongii)
future (1pl.m):
चला जाएँगे
(chalaa jaaenge)
future (1pl.f):
चला जाएँगी
(chalaa jaaengii)
future (2sg.m):
चला जाएगा
(chalaa jaaegaa)
future (2sg.f):
चला जाएगी
(chalaa jaaegii)
future (2pl.m):
चला जाओगे
(chalaa jaaoge)
future (2pl.f):
चला जाओगी
(chalaa jaaogii)
future (3sg.m):
चला जाएगा
(chalaa jaaegaa)
future (3sg.f):
चला जाएगी
(chalaa jaaegii)
future (3pl.m):
चला जाएँगे
(chalaa jaaenge)
future (3pl.f):
चला जाएँगी
(chalaa jaaengii)
subjunctive (1sg):
चला जाऊँ
(chalaa jaaoon)
subjunctive (1pl):
चला जाएँ
(chalaa jaaen)
subjunctive (2sg):
चला जाए
(chalaa jaae)
subjunctive (2pl):
चला जाओ
(chalaa jaao)
subjunctive (3sg):
चला जाए
(chalaa jaae)
subjunctive (3pl):
चला जाएँ
(chalaa jaaen)