सँभलना (sambhalnaa)
verb
An intransitive verb meaning to steady oneself or regain balance, control, or composure; also used for things being handled/managed. Closely related to its transitive counterpart सँभालना (sambhaalnaa, 'to take care of, to hold/manage'), which is a separate lemma.
Sense
1
:
to regain physical balance, steady oneself
verb, intransitive
Synonyms: सीधा होना (siidhaa honaa, 'to right oneself')
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Picture someone stepping off a crowded DTC bus or slipping on a wet marble floor -- सँभलना (sambhalnaa) is exactly that instant of catching yourself before you go down. It is often used with जाना (jaanaa) as a completive: सँभल जाना (sambhal jaanaa) to mean 'to steady up.'
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for गिरना (girnaa) or its negative when they mean 'almost fell but caught myself' -- सँभलना (sambhalnaa) is the word for the recovery itself, often paired with a near-fall: गिरते गिरते सँभल गया (girte girte sambhal gayaa, 'he almost fell but caught himself'). 2) Because it is intransitive, it does not take ने (ne) in the perfective -- सँभला (sambhlaa), not सँभलाया-type forms.
Sample Sentences:
बस से उतरते वक़्त वह गिरने लगा पर फिर सँभल गया।
While getting off the bus he started to fall, but then he steadied himself.
(bas se utarte vaqt vah girne lagaa par phir sambhal gayaa।)
फ़र्श पर पानी था, फिर भी वह सँभल गई।
There was water on the floor, but she still caught herself in time.
(farsh par paanii thaa, phir bhii vah sambhal gaii।)
सीढ़ियों पर सँभलकर चलो, फिसलन बहुत है।
Walk carefully on the stairs, it's very slippery.
(siidhiyon par sambhalkar chalo, phislan bahut hai।)
अगर रेलिंग न होती तो मैं सँभल न पाता।
If there hadn't been a railing, I wouldn't have been able to steady myself.
(agar reling n hotii to main sambhal n paataa।)
बच्चा साइकिल चलाते हुए डगमगाया, फिर सँभल गया।
The kid wobbled while riding the bicycle, then steadied himself.
(bachchaa saaikil chalaate hue dagamgaayaa, phir sambhal gayaa।)
भीड़ में धक्का लगने पर भी वह ठीक से सँभल गया।
Even after being pushed in the crowd, he managed to steady himself properly.
(bhiid men dhakkaa lagne par bhii vah thiik se sambhal gayaa।)
अंधेरे में चलते हुए हर कदम पर सँभलना पड़ता है।
Walking in the dark, you have to steady yourself with every step.
(andhere men chalte hue har kadam par sambhalnaa padtaa hai।)
क्या तुम अकेले सँभल पाओगे इतने सामान के साथ?
Will you be able to keep your balance alone with so much luggage?
(kyaa tum akele sambhal paaoge itne saamaan ke saath?)
जब पैर फिसला तो वह हाथ से दीवार पकड़कर सँभली।
When her foot slipped, she caught the wall with her hand and steadied herself.
(jab pair phislaa to vah haath se diivaar pakadkar sambhlii।)
भारी बैग उठाते समय वह थोड़ा लड़खड़ाया, मगर तुरंत सँभल गया।
While lifting the heavy bag he staggered a little, but immediately caught himself.
(bhaarii baig uthaate samay vah thodaa ladakhdaayaa, magar turant sambhal gayaa।)
Sense
2
:
to regain emotional or mental composure
verb, intransitive
Synonyms: शांत होना (shaant honaa, 'to calm down')
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is the word a friend uses when consoling someone after bad news: थोड़ा सँभल जाओ (thodaa sambhal jaao, 'get a hold of yourself a little'). It treats emotional stability the same way as physical balance -- something you can lose and then recover, not something you simply 'are.'
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes use ठीक होना (thiik honaa) for 'get better emotionally,' but सँभलना (sambhalnaa) specifically implies recovering from a shock, grief, or a moment of being overwhelmed -- there was a wobble first.
Sample Sentences:
थोड़ा सँभल जाओ, सब ठीक हो जाएगा।
Get a hold of yourself a little, everything will be fine.
(thodaa sambhal jaao, sab thiik ho jaaegaa।)
बुरी खबर सुनकर वह रो पड़ी, पर कुछ देर बाद सँभल गई।
She broke down crying on hearing the bad news, but after a while she composed herself.
(burii khabar sunkar vah ro padii, par kuchh der baad sambhal gaii।)
वह अभी सँभल नहीं पा रहा है, उसे थोड़ा समय दो।
He isn't managing to compose himself yet, give him some time.
(vah abhii sambhal nahiin paa rahaa hai, use thodaa samay do।)
अगर तुम सँभल जाओ तो हम आगे की बात कर सकते हैं।
If you pull yourself together, we can talk about what comes next.
(agar tum sambhal jaao to ham aage kii baat kar sakte hain।)
काश वह उस सदमे से जल्दी सँभल पाता।
If only he could have recovered from that shock quickly.
(kaash vah us sadme se jaldii sambhal paataa।)
पिता के जाने के बाद वह धीरे-धीरे सँभलने लगी।
After her father passed away, she slowly began to compose herself.
(pitaa ke jaane ke baad vah dhiire-dhiire sambhalne lagii।)
वह हर बार टूटती है, फिर भी सँभल जाती है।
She falls apart every time, yet still pulls herself together.
(vah har baar toottii hai, phir bhii sambhal jaatii hai।)
महोदय, कृपया सँभलिए, यह सूचना सुनकर घबराने की आवश्यकता नहीं है।
Sir, please compose yourself, there is no need to panic on hearing this information.
(mahoday, kripyaa sambhlie, yah soochnaa sunkar ghabraane kii aavashyaktaa nahiin hai।)
उसकी आवाज़ में कंपन था, लेकिन बोलते-बोलते वह सँभल गया।
There was a tremor in his voice, but as he kept speaking he composed himself.
(uskii aavaaz men kampan thaa, lekin bolte-bolte vah sambhal gayaa।)
इतना बड़ा सदमा झेलने के बाद कोई इतनी जल्दी सँभल कैसे सकता है?
After bearing such a huge shock, how can anyone compose themselves so quickly?
(itnaa badaa sadmaa jhelne ke baad koii itnii jaldii sambhal kaise saktaa hai?)
उस हादसे के सदमे से वह शायद ही कभी सँभल सके।
He was scarcely ever able to recover from the shock of that accident.
(us haadse ke sadme se vah shaayad hii kabhii sambhal sake।)
Sense
3
:
for a situation, finances, or circumstances to stabilize or come under control
verb, intransitive The subject in this sense is typically an abstract noun -- हालात (haalaat, 'circumstances'), बाज़ार (baazaar, 'market'), गाड़ी (gaadii, 'vehicle,' figuratively 'affairs') -- rather than a person.
Synonyms: स्थिर होना (sthir honaa)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You will hear this in news reports about the economy or after a family crisis: अब हालात सँभल गए हैं (ab haalaat sambhal gae hain, 'things have stabilized now'). It extends the physical 'catching balance' image to any situation that was teetering and has now righted itself.
Sample Sentences:
अब हालात सँभल गए हैं।
Things have stabilized now.
(ab haalaat sambhal gae hain।)
पिछले साल कंपनी का कारोबार डूबते-डूबते सँभल गया।
Last year, the company's business stabilized just when it seemed about to sink.
(pichhle saal kampnii kaa kaarobaar doobte-doobte sambhal gayaa।)
क्या अर्थव्यवस्था अगले साल तक सँभल जाएगी?
Will the economy stabilize by next year?
(kyaa arthavyvasthaa agle saal tak sambhal jaaegii?)
अगर सरकार समय पर कदम उठाती तो हालात इतनी जल्दी सँभल जाते।
If the government had taken timely steps, the situation would have stabilized so much sooner.
(agar sarkaar samay par kadam uthaatii to haalaat itnii jaldii sambhal jaate।)
घर की माली हालत धीरे-धीरे सँभलती जा रही है।
The family's financial condition is gradually coming under control.
(ghar kii maalii haalat dhiire-dhiire sambhaltii jaa rahii hai।)
बाजार में उतार-चढ़ाव के बाद शेयर बाज़ार आखिरकार सँभल गया।
After the ups and downs in the market, the stock market finally stabilized.
(baajaar men utaar-chadhaav ke baad sheyar baazaar aakhirkaar sambhal gayaa।)
संकट के दौरान अक्सर लोग सोचते हैं कि हालात कभी नहीं सँभलेंगे, पर सँभल ही जाते हैं।
During a crisis people often think things will never stabilize, but they do end up stabilizing.
(sankat ke dauraan aksar log sochte hain ki haalaat kabhii nahiin sambhlenge, par sambhal hii jaate hain।)
उम्मीद है कि बाढ़ के बाद इलाके की स्थिति जल्द सँभल जाए।
It is hoped that the area's situation stabilizes soon after the flood.
(ummiid hai ki baadh ke baad ilaake kii sthiti jald sambhal jaae।)
रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक देश की राजनीतिक स्थिति अभी सँभली नहीं है।
According to the report, the country's political situation has not yet stabilized.
(riport ke mutaabik desh kii raajniitik sthiti abhii sambhlii nahiin hai।)
इतने बड़े नुकसान के बाद कारोबार को सँभलने में सालों लग जाएंगे।
After such a huge loss, the business will take years to stabilize.
(itne bade nuksaan ke baad kaarobaar ko sambhalne men saalon lag jaaenge।)
Morphology
Verb
infinitive:
सँभलना
(sambhalnaa)
infinitive oblique:
सँभलने
(sambhalne)
habitual/simple (sg.m):
सँभलता
(sambhaltaa)
habitual/simple (pl.m):
सँभलते
(sambhalte)
habitual/simple (sg.f):
सँभलती
(sambhaltii)
habitual/simple (pl.f):
सँभलतीं
(sambhaltiin)
continuous (sg.m):
सँभल रहा
(sambhal rahaa)
continuous (pl.m):
सँभल रहे
(sambhal rahe)
continuous (sg.f):
सँभल रही
(sambhal rahii)
continuous (pl.f):
सँभल रहीं
(sambhal rahiin)
perfective (sg.m):
सँभला
(sambhlaa)
perfective (pl.m):
सँभले
(sambhle)
perfective (sg.f):
सँभली
(sambhlii)
perfective (pl.f):
सँभलीं
(sambhliin)
imperative (informal):
सँभल
(sambhal)
imperative (neutral):
सँभलो
(sambhlo)
imperative (formal):
सँभलिए
(sambhlie)
future (1sg.m):
सँभलूँगा
(sambhloongaa)
future (1sg.f):
सँभलूँगी
(sambhloongii)
future (1pl.m):
सँभलेंगे
(sambhlenge)
future (1pl.f):
सँभलेंगी
(sambhlengii)
future (2sg.m):
सँभलेगा
(sambhlegaa)
future (2sg.f):
सँभलेगी
(sambhlegii)
future (2pl.m):
सँभलोगे
(sambhloge)
future (2pl.f):
सँभलोगी
(sambhlogii)
future (3sg.m):
सँभलेगा
(sambhlegaa)
future (3sg.f):
सँभलेगी
(sambhlegii)
future (3pl.m):
सँभलेंगे
(sambhlenge)
future (3pl.f):
सँभलेंगी
(sambhlengii)
subjunctive (1sg):
सँभलूँ
(sambhloon)
subjunctive (1pl):
सँभलें
(sambhlen)
subjunctive (2sg):
सँभले
(sambhle)
subjunctive (2pl):
सँभलो
(sambhlo)
subjunctive (3sg):
सँभले
(sambhle)
subjunctive (3pl):
सँभलें
(sambhlen)