दम लेना (dam lenaa)
verb
A compound verb built on दम (dam, 'breath') plus लेना (lenaa, 'to take'); its main everyday sense is 'to take a rest/breather,' with a related literal sense about catching one's breath.
Sense
1
:
to take a rest, pause for a breather
verb, intransitive Often used after a stretch of hard work or exertion, frequently in imperative or suggestion form: दम लेना (dam lenaa) chाहिए/लो.
Synonyms: आराम करना (aaraam karnaa), सुस्ताना (sustaanaa, colloquial), साँस लेना (saans lenaa, to catch one's breath)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You'll hear this constantly from elders and coworkers alike -- after carrying groceries up the stairs or finishing a task, someone will say ज़रा दम ले लो (zaraa dam le lo, 'just catch your breath a bit'). It has the same warm, practical concern as English 'catch your breath' but is used more broadly for any kind of tiredness, not just physical exertion.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes translate this too literally as 'to take breath' in a medical/physical sense (like a doctor checking breathing) -- in everyday speech it almost always means 'take a short break,' not a clinical statement about respiration. 2) It pairs naturally with थोड़ा (thodaa, 'a little') as थोड़ा दम ले लो (thodaa dam le lo, 'take a little rest') -- dropping थोड़ा doesn't change grammaticality but changes the casual, encouraging tone native speakers usually intend.
Sample Sentences:
ज़रा दम ले लो, फिर काम शुरू करेंगे।
Take a rest for a bit, we'll start work again after.
(zaraa dam le lo, phir kaam shuroo karenge।)
इतना काम करने के बाद वह थोड़ी देर दम लेती है।
After doing so much work, she takes a rest for a while.
(itnaa kaam karne ke baad vah thodii der dam letii hai।)
सीढ़ियाँ चढ़ने के बाद मैं थोड़ा दम ले रहा हूँ।
After climbing the stairs, I'm taking a bit of a rest.
(siidhiyaan chadhne ke baad main thodaa dam le rahaa hoon।)
पूरे दिन की भागदौड़ के बाद उसने घर आकर दम लिया।
After the whole day's running around, she came home and took a rest.
(poore din kii bhaagdaud ke baad usne ghar aakar dam liyaa।)
अगर तुम बीच में दम ले लो, तो थकान कम लगेगी।
If you take a rest in between, you'll feel less tired.
(agar tum biich men dam le lo, to thakaan kam lagegii।)
काश मैं भी थोड़ा दम ले पाता, पर काम खत्म नहीं हो रहा।
I wish I could take a rest too, but the work just isn't ending.
(kaash main bhii thodaa dam le paataa, par kaam khatm nahiin ho rahaa।)
क्या आप थोड़ी देर दम लेना चाहेंगे, चाय बना दूँ?
Would you like to take a rest for a while? Should I make tea?
(kyaa aap thodii der dam lenaa chaahenge, chaay banaa doon?)
दफ्तर में इतना काम है कि दम लेने की फुर्सत नहीं मिलती।
There's so much work at the office that there's no time to take a rest.
(daphtar men itnaa kaam hai ki dam lene kii phursat nahiin miltii।)
मज़दूर दोपहर की धूप में पेड़ के नीचे दम ले रहे थे।
The laborers were taking a rest under the tree in the afternoon sun.
(mazdoor dopahar kii dhoop men ped ke niiche dam le rahe the।)
Sense
2
:
to catch one's breath (literal, after exertion)
verb, intransitive Used right after physical exertion like running or climbing, describing the literal act of recovering normal breathing before continuing.
Synonyms: साँस लेना (saans lenaa), हाँफना (haamphnaa, to pant, related but distinct)
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: This sense overlaps closely with the 'rest' sense above -- दम (dam) itself straddles 'breath' and 'stamina/energy,' so दम लेना (dam lenaa) naturally slides between 'catch your breath' and 'take a break.' Context (a runner pausing mid-race vs. a worker pausing mid-task) tells you which shade is meant.
Sample Sentences:
दौड़ने के बाद वह रुककर दम लेने लगा।
After running, he stopped and began to catch his breath.
(daudne ke baad vah rukkar dam lene lagaa।)
सीढ़ियाँ चढ़ते ही मुझे दम लेने के लिए रुकना पड़ा।
As soon as I climbed the stairs, I had to stop to catch my breath.
(siidhiyaan chadhte hii mujhe dam lene ke lie ruknaa padaa।)
थोड़ी देर दम ले लो, फिर आगे भागना।
Catch your breath for a bit, then run on.
(thodii der dam le lo, phir aage bhaagnaa।)
धावक फिनिश लाइन पार करते ही झुककर दम लेने लगा।
The runner bent over and started catching his breath the moment he crossed the finish line.
(dhaavak phinish laain paar karte hii jhukkar dam lene lagaa।)
इतनी तेज़ भागने के बाद दम लेना ज़रूरी था, वरना साँस अटक जाती।
After running so fast, catching my breath was necessary, otherwise my breath would have caught in my throat.
(itnii tez bhaagne ke baad dam lenaa zaroorii thaa, varnaa saans atak jaatii।)
पहाड़ पर चढ़ते समय हर सौ कदम पर वह दम लेता है।
While climbing the mountain, he catches his breath every hundred steps.
(pahaad par chadhte samay har sau kadam par vah dam letaa hai।)
अगर वह बीच में दम न ले, तो शायद बेहोश हो जाए।
If he doesn't catch his breath in between, he might faint.
(agar vah biich men dam n le, to shaayad behosh ho jaae।)
साइकिल की रेस के आख़िर में हर खिलाड़ी दम लेता हुआ नज़र आया।
At the end of the cycling race, every player was seen catching his breath.
(saaikil kii res ke aakhir men har khilaadii dam letaa huaa nazar aayaa।)
Morphology
Verb (irregular)
infinitive:
दम लेना
(dam lenaa)
infinitive oblique:
दम लेने
(dam lene)
habitual/simple (sg.m):
दम लेता
(dam letaa)
habitual/simple (pl.m):
दम लेते
(dam lete)
habitual/simple (sg.f):
दम लेती
(dam letii)
habitual/simple (pl.f):
दम लेतीं
(dam letiin)
continuous (sg.m):
दम ले रहा
(dam le rahaa)
continuous (pl.m):
दम ले रहे
(dam le rahe)
continuous (sg.f):
दम ले रही
(dam le rahii)
continuous (pl.f):
दम ले रहीं
(dam le rahiin)
perfective (sg.m):
दम लिया
(dam liyaa)
perfective (pl.m):
दम लिए
(dam lie)
perfective (sg.f):
दम ली
(dam lii)
perfective (pl.f):
दम लीं
(dam liin)
imperative (informal):
दम ले
(dam le)
imperative (neutral):
दम लो
(dam lo)
imperative (formal):
दम लीजिए
(dam liijie)
future (1sg.m):
दम लूँगा
(dam loongaa)
future (1sg.f):
दम लूँगी
(dam loongii)
future (1pl.m):
दम लेंगे
(dam lenge)
future (1pl.f):
दम लेंगी
(dam lengii)
future (2sg.m):
दम लेगा
(dam legaa)
future (2sg.f):
दम लेगी
(dam legii)
future (2pl.m):
दम लोगे
(dam loge)
future (2pl.f):
दम लोगी
(dam logii)
future (3sg.m):
दम लेगा
(dam legaa)
future (3sg.f):
दम लेगी
(dam legii)
future (3pl.m):
दम लेंगे
(dam lenge)
future (3pl.f):
दम लेंगी
(dam lengii)
subjunctive (1sg):
दम लूँ
(dam loon)
subjunctive (1pl):
दम लें
(dam len)
subjunctive (2sg):
दम ले
(dam le)
subjunctive (2pl):
दम लो
(dam lo)
subjunctive (3sg):
दम ले
(dam le)
subjunctive (3pl):
दम लें
(dam len)