वर्णन करना (varnan karnaa)

verb A compound expression meaning 'to describe' or 'to narrate' -- वर्णन (varnan) is the noun 'description' and करना (karnaa) 'to do' supplies the verbal action, a very common noun+करना pattern in Hindi.
Sense 1 : to describe, to give an account of something
verb, transitive Takes the thing described marked with का/की/के (kaa) as in किसी चीज़ का वर्णन करना (kisii chiiz kaa varnan karnaa, 'to describe something') -- the object of description is genitive-marked, not direct.
Synonyms: बताना (bataanaa), बयान करना (bayaan karnaa), चित्रण करना (chitran karnaa, somewhat literary)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This phrase has a slightly formal, written flavor -- in everyday chat, people are more likely to say बताना (bataanaa, 'to tell') or समझाना (samjhaanaa, 'to explain'), while वर्णन करना (varnan karnaa) shows up in essays, textbooks, travel writing, and when someone is being deliberately descriptive, like a tour guide describing a monument.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often try to mark the described object directly with को (ko) as if वर्णन (varnan) were a transitive verb taking a normal object, but the correct pattern uses की/का (kaa) before वर्णन (varnan), e.g. शहर का वर्णन करना (shahar kaa varnan karnaa, 'to describe the city'), not शहर को वर्णन करना. 2) In the past tense with ने (ne), agreement is with वर्णन (varnan) itself (masculine singular) since it is the grammatical object of किया (kiyaa), not with whatever is being described.
Sample Sentences:
कृपया अपनी यात्रा का वर्णन कीजिए। Please describe your journey.
(kripyaa apnii yaatraa kaa varnan kiijie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
लेखक ने पहाड़ों की सुंदरता का बहुत सुंदर वर्णन किया है। The author has described the beauty of the mountains very beautifully.
(lekhak ne pahaadon kii sundartaa kaa bahut sundar varnan kiyaa hai।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
गाइड मंदिर की नक्काशी का विस्तार से वर्णन कर रहा था। The guide was describing the temple's carvings in detail.
(gaaid mandir kii nakkaashii kaa vistaar se varnan kar rahaa thaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
इस किताब में गाँव के जीवन का वर्णन किया गया है। The life of the village has been described in this book.
(is kitaab men gaanv ke jiivan kaa varnan kiyaa gayaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
अगर मैं उस दृश्य का वर्णन करता, तो शब्द कम पड़ जाते। If I were to describe that scene, words would fall short.
(agar main us drishy kaa varnan kartaa, to shabd kam pad jaate।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
निबंध में अपने अनुभव का वर्णन करते समय स्पष्ट भाषा का प्रयोग करें। While describing your experience in the essay, use clear language.
(nibandh men apne anubhav kaa varnan karte samay spasht bhaashaa kaa prayog karen।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
इतिहासकार युद्ध की घटनाओं का सजीव वर्णन करते हैं। Historians give vivid accounts of the events of the war.
(itihaaskaar yuddh kii ghatnaaon kaa sajiiv varnan karte hain।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
शायद वह अपनी भावनाओं का ठीक से वर्णन न कर पाए। Perhaps he may not be able to properly describe his feelings.
(shaayad vah apnii bhaavnaaon kaa thiik se varnan n kar paae।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
यात्रा-वृत्तांत में लेखिका ने हर शहर का बारीकी से वर्णन किया। In her travelogue, the author described every city in fine detail.
(yaatraa-vrittaant men lekhikaa ne har shahar kaa baariikii se varnan kiyaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम इस घटना का वर्णन थोड़ा और साफ़ तरीके से कर सकते हो? Can you describe this incident a bit more clearly?
(kyaa tum is ghatnaa kaa varnan thodaa aur saaf tariike se kar sakte ho?)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Verb (irregular)
infinitive: वर्णन करना (varnan karnaa)
infinitive oblique: वर्णन करने (varnan karne)
habitual/simple (sg.m): वर्णन करता (varnan kartaa)
habitual/simple (pl.m): वर्णन करते (varnan karte)
habitual/simple (sg.f): वर्णन करती (varnan kartii)
habitual/simple (pl.f): वर्णन करतीं (varnan kartiin)
continuous (sg.m): वर्णन कर रहा (varnan kar rahaa)
continuous (pl.m): वर्णन कर रहे (varnan kar rahe)
continuous (sg.f): वर्णन कर रही (varnan kar rahii)
continuous (pl.f): वर्णन कर रहीं (varnan kar rahiin)
perfective (sg.m): वर्णन किया (varnan kiyaa)
perfective (pl.m): वर्णन किए (varnan kie)
perfective (sg.f): वर्णन की (varnan kii)
perfective (pl.f): वर्णन कीं (varnan kiin)
imperative (informal): वर्णन कर (varnan kar)
imperative (neutral): वर्णन करो (varnan karo)
imperative (formal): वर्णन कीजिए (varnan kiijie)
future (1sg.m): वर्णन करूँगा (varnan karoongaa)
future (1sg.f): वर्णन करूँगी (varnan karoongii)
future (1pl.m): वर्णन करेंगे (varnan karenge)
future (1pl.f): वर्णन करेंगी (varnan karengii)
future (2sg.m): वर्णन करेगा (varnan karegaa)
future (2sg.f): वर्णन करेगी (varnan karegii)
future (2pl.m): वर्णन करोगे (varnan karoge)
future (2pl.f): वर्णन करोगी (varnan karogii)
future (3sg.m): वर्णन करेगा (varnan karegaa)
future (3sg.f): वर्णन करेगी (varnan karegii)
future (3pl.m): वर्णन करेंगे (varnan karenge)
future (3pl.f): वर्णन करेंगी (varnan karengii)
subjunctive (1sg): वर्णन करूँ (varnan karoon)
subjunctive (1pl): वर्णन करें (varnan karen)
subjunctive (2sg): वर्णन करे (varnan kare)
subjunctive (2pl): वर्णन करो (varnan karo)
subjunctive (3sg): वर्णन करे (varnan kare)
subjunctive (3pl): वर्णन करें (varnan karen)