फलना (phalnaa)
verb
Mainly used in the fixed pair फलना-फूलना (phalnaa-phoolnaa) meaning 'to flourish, thrive'; the standalone literal sense 'to bear fruit' also exists but is much less common in everyday speech.
Sense
1
:
to prosper, thrive, flourish
verb, intransitive Almost always used with फूलना (phoolnaa) as the compound pair फलना-फूलना (phalnaa-phoolnaa), applied to people, families, businesses, or relationships rather than plants.
Synonyms: फलना-फूलना (phalnaa-phoolnaa), तरक्की करना (tarakkii karnaa), उन्नति करना (unnti karnaa, formal)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You will hear elders bless a young couple or a new shop with फलो-फूलो (phalo-phoolo, 'may you flourish') -- it carries the warmth of a blessing for growth and prosperity, much like wishing someone a bountiful harvest of life.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often use फलना (phalnaa) alone when talking about a business or family doing well; native speakers almost always say फल-फूल रहा है (phal-phool rahaa hai, 'is thriving') rather than just फल रहा है (phal rahaa hai). 2) This figurative sense takes an intransitive frame with होना (honaa) or रहना (rahnaa) auxiliaries, e.g. उसका कारोबार फल-फूल रहा है (uskaa kaarobaar phal-phool rahaa hai, 'his business is flourishing') -- not a direct object.
Sample Sentences:
भगवान करे, तुम्हारा नया कारोबार खूब फले-फूले।
God grant that your new business flourishes greatly.
(bhagvaan kare, tumhaaraa nayaa kaarobaar khoob phale-phoole।)
दादी ने नवविवाहित जोड़े को आशीर्वाद देते हुए कहा, फलो-फूलो।
Blessing the newlywed couple, grandmother said, 'may you flourish.'
(daadii ne navvivaahit jode ko aashiirvaad dete hue kahaa, phalo-phoolo।)
उनका परिवार इस शहर में बहुत फला-फूला है।
Their family has flourished a great deal in this city.
(unkaa parivaar is shahar men bahut phalaa-phoolaa hai।)
अच्छे माहौल में ही कोई संस्था फलती है।
An institution only flourishes in a good environment.
(achchhe maahaul men hii koii sansthaa phaltii hai।)
अगर सरकार साथ देती तो यह उद्योग और फलता।
If the government had supported it, this industry would have flourished even more.
(agar sarkaar saath detii to yah udyog aur phaltaa।)
कड़ी मेहनत से ही उनका खेत और उनका जीवन दोनों फल रहे हैं।
Through hard work alone, both his field and his life are flourishing.
(kadii mehnat se hii unkaa khet aur unkaa jiivan donon phal rahe hain।)
उम्मीद है कि आने वाले वर्षों में यह गाँव फले-फूले।
It is hoped that this village will flourish in the coming years.
(ummiid hai ki aane vaale varshon men yah gaanv phale-phoole।)
जब देश में शांति रहेगी, तभी कलाएँ फलेंगी।
Only when there is peace in the country will the arts flourish.
(jab desh men shaanti rahegii, tabhii kalaaen phalengii।)
उसकी दुकान चार साल में इतनी फल गई कि अब उसकी तीन शाखाएँ हैं।
His shop flourished so much in four years that now he has three branches.
(uskii dukaan chaar saal men itnii phal gaii ki ab uskii tiin shaakhaaen hain।)
बुज़ुर्गों का मानना है कि ईमानदारी से किया गया काम ही फलता है।
Elders believe that work done with honesty is what truly flourishes.
(buzurgon kaa maannaa hai ki iimaandaarii se kiyaa gayaa kaam hii phaltaa hai।)
Sense
2
:
to bear fruit (literal, of a plant)
verb, intransitive
Synonyms: फल देना (phal denaa)
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: In villages you might hear a farmer say यह पेड़ अच्छा फलता है (yah ped achchhaa phaltaa hai, 'this tree bears fruit well') -- a straightforward, literal use that is the etymological root behind the more common figurative sense above.
Sample Sentences:
यह पेड़ अच्छा फलता है।
This tree bears fruit well.
(yah ped achchhaa phaltaa hai।)
आम का पेड़ गर्मियों में फलता है।
The mango tree bears fruit in the summer.
(aam kaa ped garmiyon men phaltaa hai।)
इस साल हमारा अमरूद का पेड़ बहुत फला।
This year our guava tree bore a lot of fruit.
(is saal hamaaraa amrood kaa ped bahut phalaa।)
अगर मिट्टी अच्छी होती तो यह पेड़ ज़्यादा फलता।
If the soil were good, this tree would bear more fruit.
(agar mittii achchhii hotii to yah ped zyaadaa phaltaa।)
बगीचे के सारे पेड़ फल रहे हैं।
All the trees in the garden are bearing fruit.
(bagiiche ke saare ped phal rahe hain।)
यह पौधा अगले साल तक फलने लगेगा।
This plant will start bearing fruit by next year.
(yah paudhaa agle saal tak phalne lagegaa।)
किसान चाहता है कि उसका खेत अच्छी तरह फले।
The farmer wants his field to bear fruit well.
(kisaan chaahtaa hai ki uskaa khet achchhii tarah phale।)
पेड़ को खाद दो ताकि वह फले।
Give the tree fertilizer so that it bears fruit.
(ped ko khaad do taaki vah phale।)
Morphology
Verb
infinitive:
फलना
(phalnaa)
infinitive oblique:
फलने
(phalne)
habitual/simple (sg.m):
फलता
(phaltaa)
habitual/simple (pl.m):
फलते
(phalte)
habitual/simple (sg.f):
फलती
(phaltii)
habitual/simple (pl.f):
फलतीं
(phaltiin)
continuous (sg.m):
फल रहा
(phal rahaa)
continuous (pl.m):
फल रहे
(phal rahe)
continuous (sg.f):
फल रही
(phal rahii)
continuous (pl.f):
फल रहीं
(phal rahiin)
perfective (sg.m):
फला
(phalaa)
perfective (pl.m):
फले
(phale)
perfective (sg.f):
फली
(phalii)
perfective (pl.f):
फलीं
(phaliin)
imperative (informal):
फल
(phal)
imperative (neutral):
फलो
(phalo)
imperative (formal):
फलिए
(phalie)
future (1sg.m):
फलूँगा
(phaloongaa)
future (1sg.f):
फलूँगी
(phaloongii)
future (1pl.m):
फलेंगे
(phalenge)
future (1pl.f):
फलेंगी
(phalengii)
future (2sg.m):
फलेगा
(phalegaa)
future (2sg.f):
फलेगी
(phalegii)
future (2pl.m):
फलोगे
(phaloge)
future (2pl.f):
फलोगी
(phalogii)
future (3sg.m):
फलेगा
(phalegaa)
future (3sg.f):
फलेगी
(phalegii)
future (3pl.m):
फलेंगे
(phalenge)
future (3pl.f):
फलेंगी
(phalengii)
subjunctive (1sg):
फलूँ
(phaloon)
subjunctive (1pl):
फलें
(phalen)
subjunctive (2sg):
फले
(phale)
subjunctive (2pl):
फलो
(phalo)
subjunctive (3sg):
फले
(phale)
subjunctive (3pl):
फलें
(phalen)