आगे निकलना (aage nikalnaa)

verb A compound verb combining आगे (aage, 'ahead/forward') with निकलना (nikalnaa, 'to emerge/exit'); literally 'to come out ahead,' it covers both the physical sense of overtaking someone and the figurative sense of surpassing or getting ahead in life, work, or competition.

Sense 1 : to surpass, outdo, get ahead (in life, career, competition)

verb, intransitive The person or standard being surpassed is marked with से (se): वह अपने भाई से आगे निकल गया (vah apne bhaaii se aage nikal gayaa, 'he got ahead of his brother').

Synonyms: बढ़ना (badhnaa, 'to advance/progress'), पार करना (paar karnaa, 'to cross/surpass')

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: This is the phrase for the classic competitive comparison every Indian family knows well -- comparing exam ranks, salaries, or promotions among siblings, cousins, or classmates: फ़लाना आगे निकल गया (falaanaa aage nikal gayaa, 'so-and-so got ahead'). It carries a sense of overtaking someone who was previously level with or behind you.

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for बेहतर होना (behtar honaa, 'to be better') when the natural Hindi choice for 'getting ahead of someone' in career or life is आगे निकलना (aage nikalnaa), which has a more dynamic, competitive feel. 2) Remains intransitive even in this figurative use: वह सबसे आगे निकल गई (vah sabse aage nikal gaii, 'she got ahead of everyone'), not उसने.

Sample Sentences:

इस बार राहुल सबसे आगे निकल गया। This time Rahul got ahead of everyone.

(is baar raahul sabse aage nikal gayaa।)

मेहनत करो, वरना तुम्हारा दोस्त तुमसे आगे निकल जाएगा। Work hard, or else your friend will get ahead of you.

(mehnat karo, varnaa tumhaaraa dost tumse aage nikal jaaegaa।)

पढ़ाई में वह हमेशा अपने भाई से आगे निकल जाती है। In studies, she always gets ahead of her brother.

(padhaaii men vah hameshaa apne bhaaii se aage nikal jaatii hai।)

अगर तुम समय पर मेहनत करते तो तुम भी आगे निकल जाते। If you had worked hard on time, you too would have gotten ahead.

(agar tum samay par mehnat karte to tum bhii aage nikal jaate।)

आगे निकलने के लिए मुझे और मेहनत करनी होगी। To get ahead, I will have to work even harder.

(aage nikalne ke lie mujhe aur mehnat karnii hogii।)

पूरी ज़िंदगी वह अपने कज़िन से आगे निकलने की कोशिश करता रहा। His whole life he kept trying to get ahead of his cousin.

(poorii zindgii vah apne kazin se aage nikalne kii koshish kartaa rahaa।)

फ़लाना आगे निकल गया, यह सुनकर पूरे परिवार में हलचल मच गई। So-and-so got ahead, and hearing this caused a stir in the whole family.

(falaanaa aage nikal gayaa, yah sunkar poore parivaar men halchal mach gaii।)

क्या तुम सच में सोचते हो कि तुम अपनी बहन से आगे निकल सकते हो? Do you really think you can get ahead of your sister?

(kyaa tum sach men sochte ho ki tum apnii bahan se aage nikal sakte ho?)

बेहतर होगा कि तुम अपने काम पर ध्यान दो, न कि किसी से आगे निकलने की सोचो। It would be better if you focus on your own work, rather than thinking about getting ahead of someone.

(behtar hogaa ki tum apne kaam par dhyaan do, n ki kisii se aage nikalne kii socho।)

कंपनी में तरक्की पाकर वह अपने सभी सहकर्मियों से आगे निकल चुका है। Having gotten a promotion at the company, he has already gotten ahead of all his colleagues.

(kampnii men tarakkii paakar vah apne sabhii sahkarmiyon se aage nikal chukaa hai।)

समय रहते संभल जाओ, नहीं तो प्रतियोगी तुमसे आगे निकल जाएँगे। Get your act together in time, or your competitors will get ahead of you.

(samay rahte sambhal jaao, nahiin to pratiyogii tumse aage nikal jaaenge।)

Sense 2 : to overtake, get ahead of (physically)

verb, intransitive The person or thing overtaken is marked with से (se): गाड़ी बस से आगे निकल गई (gaadii bas se aage nikal gaii, 'the car overtook the bus').

Synonyms: पीछे छोड़ना (piichhe chhodnaa, 'to leave behind')

Frequency: medium

Cultural Note: Picture overtaking traffic on a Delhi road -- this is exactly the phrase used for a car, bike, or runner pulling ahead of another. The verb निकलना (nikalnaa) itself often carries this sense of 'emerging out from' a pack, which is why it pairs so naturally with आगे (aage).

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes try to mark the overtaken party with को (ko) instead of से (se); the correct pattern is 'X से आगे निकलना' (X se aage nikalnaa). 2) निकलना (nikalnaa) is intransitive, so this compound does not take ने (ne) in the past tense even though the action feels active: वह आगे निकल गया (vah aage nikal gayaa, 'he went ahead'), not उसने.

Sample Sentences:

वह तेज़ी से मेरी गाड़ी से आगे निकल गया। He quickly overtook my car.

(vah tezii se merii gaadii se aage nikal gayaa।)

मोड़ पर आगे मत निकलना, सामने से ट्रक आ रहा है। Don't overtake at the turn, a truck is coming from the front.

(mod par aage mat nikalnaa, saamne se trak aa rahaa hai।)

यहाँ हर कोई सिग्नल पर दूसरों से आगे निकलने की कोशिश करता है। Here everyone tries to get ahead of others at the signal.

(yahaan har koii signal par doosron se aage nikalne kii koshish kartaa hai।)

दौड़ के आखिरी मोड़ पर वह मुझसे आगे निकल रहा था। On the last bend of the race, he was overtaking me.

(daud ke aakhirii mod par vah mujhse aage nikal rahaa thaa।)

बाइक वाला बिना इंडिकेटर दिए ही आगे निकल गया। The biker overtook without even giving an indicator.

(baaik vaalaa binaa indiketar die hii aage nikal gayaa।)

अगर सड़क खाली होती, तो मैं उससे आगे निकल जाता। If the road were empty, I would have overtaken him.

(agar sadak khaalii hotii, to main usse aage nikal jaataa।)

बस से आगे निकलने के लिए उसने अचानक लेन बदल दी। To overtake the bus, he suddenly changed lanes.

(bas se aage nikalne ke lie usne achaanak len badal dii।)

क्या तुम इस ट्रक से आगे निकल सकते हो? Can you overtake this truck?

(kyaa tum is trak se aage nikal sakte ho?)

जब तक पुलिस वाला पीछे था, कोई भी आगे नहीं निकल रहा था। As long as the policeman was behind, no one was overtaking.

(jab tak pulis vaalaa piichhe thaa, koii bhii aage nahiin nikal rahaa thaa।)

फिनिश लाइन से पहले वह अंत में सबसे आगे निकल जाएगा। Right before the finish line, he will overtake everyone in the end.

(phinish laain se pahle vah ant men sabse aage nikal jaaegaa।)

Morphology

Verb

infinitive: आगे निकलना (aage nikalnaa)

infinitive oblique: आगे निकलने (aage nikalne)

habitual/simple (sg.m): आगे निकलता (aage nikaltaa)

habitual/simple (pl.m): आगे निकलते (aage nikalte)

habitual/simple (sg.f): आगे निकलती (aage nikaltii)

habitual/simple (pl.f): आगे निकलतीं (aage nikaltiin)

continuous (sg.m): आगे निकल रहा (aage nikal rahaa)

continuous (pl.m): आगे निकल रहे (aage nikal rahe)

continuous (sg.f): आगे निकल रही (aage nikal rahii)

continuous (pl.f): आगे निकल रहीं (aage nikal rahiin)

perfective (sg.m): आगे निकला (aage niklaa)

perfective (pl.m): आगे निकले (aage nikle)

perfective (sg.f): आगे निकली (aage niklii)

perfective (pl.f): आगे निकलीं (aage nikliin)

imperative (informal): आगे निकल (aage nikal)

imperative (neutral): आगे निकलो (aage niklo)

imperative (formal): आगे निकलिए (aage niklie)

future (1sg.m): आगे निकलूँगा (aage nikloongaa)

future (1sg.f): आगे निकलूँगी (aage nikloongii)

future (1pl.m): आगे निकलेंगे (aage niklenge)

future (1pl.f): आगे निकलेंगी (aage niklengii)

future (2sg.m): आगे निकलेगा (aage niklegaa)

future (2sg.f): आगे निकलेगी (aage niklegii)

future (2pl.m): आगे निकलोगे (aage nikloge)

future (2pl.f): आगे निकलोगी (aage niklogii)

future (3sg.m): आगे निकलेगा (aage niklegaa)

future (3sg.f): आगे निकलेगी (aage niklegii)

future (3pl.m): आगे निकलेंगे (aage niklenge)

future (3pl.f): आगे निकलेंगी (aage niklengii)

subjunctive (1sg): आगे निकलूँ (aage nikloon)

subjunctive (1pl): आगे निकलें (aage niklen)

subjunctive (2sg): आगे निकले (aage nikle)

subjunctive (2pl): आगे निकलो (aage niklo)

subjunctive (3sg): आगे निकले (aage nikle)

subjunctive (3pl): आगे निकलें (aage niklen)