तानना (taannaa)
verb
A physical verb meaning to stretch, pull taut, or aim/point (a weapon), with an extended figurative sense of taunting or sarcastic speech (taanaa maarnaa) that shares the same root idea of 'pulling' at someone.
Sense
1
:
to stretch/pull taut (a rope, cloth, bow, etc.)
verb, transitive
Synonyms: खींचना (khiinchnaa), कसना (kasnaa)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: Think of putting up a तंबू (tamboo, 'tent') at a wedding or pulling a चारपाई (chaarpaaii, 'cot') rope tight -- that stretching-to-make-firm action is the heart of तानना (taannaa).
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for खींचना (khiinchnaa) in every 'pull' context, but तानना (taannaa) specifically implies pulling something to make it taut or fully extended (a rope, a bowstring, a tent), not just dragging it toward oneself.
Sample Sentences:
मजदूर तंबू की रस्सी तान रहे हैं।
The laborers are pulling the tent rope tight.
(majdoor tamboo kii rassii taan rahe hain।)
चारपाई की रस्सी तान दो, बहुत ढीली लग रही है।
Pull the cot's rope tight, it looks very loose.
(chaarpaaii kii rassii taan do, bahut dhiilii lag rahii hai।)
शादी वाले दिन नौकरों ने आँगन में बड़ा तंबू तान दिया।
On the wedding day, the servants stretched up a big tent in the courtyard.
(shaadii vaale din naukron ne aangan men badaa tamboo taan diyaa।)
अगर रस्सी और कस के तानी जाती, तो कपड़े नहीं गिरते।
If the rope had been pulled tighter, the clothes would not have fallen.
(agar rassii aur kas ke taanii jaatii, to kapde nahiin girte।)
पहलवान हर सुबह कमान तानने की कोशिश करता है ताकि हाथ मज़बूत हों।
The wrestler tries to draw the bow taut every morning so that his arms become strong.
(pahalvaan har subah kamaan taanne kii koshish kartaa hai taaki haath mazboot hon।)
दरी को दोनों तरफ से तान कर बिछाओ, तभी सीधी लगेगी।
Spread the mat by pulling it tight from both sides, only then will it look straight.
(darii ko donon taraph se taan kar bichhaao, tabhii siidhii lagegii।)
समारोह के लिए मंच के ऊपर एक बड़ा शामियाना तान दिया गया था।
A large canopy had been stretched over the stage for the ceremony.
(samaaroh ke lie manch ke oopar ek badaa shaamiyaanaa taan diyaa gayaa thaa।)
काश कोई इस चादर को तान कर धूप से बचाव कर पाता।
If only someone could stretch out this sheet to provide shelter from the sun.
(kaash koii is chaadar ko taan kar dhoop se bachaav kar paataa।)
बच्चों ने पेड़ों के बीच झूले की रस्सी तान दी।
The children stretched the swing's rope tight between the trees.
(bachchon ne pedon ke biich jhoole kii rassii taan dii।)
Sense
2
:
to aim or point (a weapon) at someone
verb, transitive Commonly used with बंदूक (bandook, 'gun') or पिस्तौल (pistaul, 'pistol') as object, with पर (par) marking the target: किसी पर बंदूक तानना (kisii par bandook taannaa, 'to aim a gun at someone').
Synonyms: निशाना लगाना (nishaanaa lagaanaa)
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: This sense extends naturally from the 'stretch taut' meaning -- drawing back a bow or leveling a gun involves the same taut, ready-to-release posture.
Sample Sentences:
उसने मुझ पर बंदूक तान दी।
He aimed the gun at me.
(usne mujh par bandook taan dii।)
डाकू ने राहगीर पर पिस्तौल तान दी।
The bandit pointed his pistol at the passerby.
(daakoo ne raahgiir par pistaul taan dii।)
सिपाही उस पर बंदूक ताने खड़ा था।
The soldier stood there, gun aimed at him.
(sipaahii us par bandook taane khadaa thaa।)
मुझ पर बंदूक मत तानो!
Don't aim the gun at me!
(mujh par bandook mat taano!)
अगर वह बंदूक तानता, तो पुलिस गोली चला देती।
If he had aimed the gun, the police would have opened fire.
(agar vah bandook taantaa, to pulis golii chalaa detii।)
शिकारी ने हिरण की तरफ़ बंदूक तान दी थी।
The hunter had aimed his gun at the deer.
(shikaarii ne hiran kii taraf bandook taan dii thii।)
हो सकता है कि उसने डराने के लिए ही बंदूक तानी हो।
It's possible he aimed the gun just to scare someone.
(ho saktaa hai ki usne daraane ke lie hii bandook taanii ho।)
जैसे ही उसने तमंचा ताना, सब भाग गए।
As soon as he pointed the pistol, everyone ran away.
(jaise hii usne tamanchaa taanaa, sab bhaag gae।)
सैनिकों ने दुश्मन की तरफ़ अपनी राइफलें तान दीं।
The soldiers pointed their rifles at the enemy.
(sainikon ne dushman kii taraf apnii raaiphlen taan diin।)
Sense
3
:
to taunt, mock, or make a sarcastic remark
verb, transitive Almost always heard as the compound ताना मारना (taanaa maarnaa, 'to hurl a taunt') or ताना कसना (taanaa kasnaa); the bare verb तानना (taannaa) alone in this sense is less common in casual speech.
Synonyms: ताना मारना (taanaa maarnaa, the more common phrasal form), चिढ़ाना (chidhaanaa)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This is the classic mother-in-law-to-daughter-in-law verb of Hindi soap operas -- ताने मारना (taane maarnaa, 'to keep taunting') captures that drip-drip of pointed remarks so common in domestic drama.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes use तानना (taannaa) alone when they mean 'to taunt', but native speakers usually say ताना मारना (taanaa maarnaa) or ताने देना (taane denaa) instead of the bare verb.
Sample Sentences:
सास हर बात पर बहू को ताना मारती है।
The mother-in-law taunts the daughter-in-law over every little thing.
(saas har baat par bahoo ko taanaa maartii hai।)
उसने मुझे मेरी नौकरी छूटने पर ताना मारा।
He taunted me about losing my job.
(usne mujhe merii naukrii chhootne par taanaa maaraa।)
मुझे ताना मत मारो, मैं जानता हूँ मुझसे गलती हुई थी।
Don't taunt me, I know I made a mistake.
(mujhe taanaa mat maaro, main jaantaa hoon mujhse galtii huii thii।)
पूरा मोहल्ला उसके तलाक पर ताने मार रहा था।
The whole neighborhood was taunting her about her divorce.
(pooraa mohallaa uske talaak par taane maar rahaa thaa।)
अगर वह फिर से ताना मारे तो मैं जवाब दूँगी।
If she taunts me again, I'll give it back to her.
(agar vah phir se taanaa maare to main javaab doongii।)
अगर वह मुझे ताना न मारती तो मैं यह नौकरी कभी न छोड़ता।
If she hadn't taunted me, I would never have left this job.
(agar vah mujhe taanaa n maartii to main yah naukrii kabhii n chhodtaa।)
उसकी शक्ल पर हल्की मुस्कान लिए उसने ताना दिया।
With a slight smile on his face, he made a sarcastic jibe.
(uskii shakl par halkii muskaan lie usne taanaa diyaa।)
क्या तुम हमेशा दूसरों को ताना मारते रहते हो?
Do you always keep taunting others?
(kyaa tum hameshaa doosron ko taanaa maarte rahte ho?)
उसे ताने मार-मार कर घर से निकाल दिया गया।
She was driven out of the house through relentless taunting.
(use taane maar-maar kar ghar se nikaal diyaa gayaa।)
मेहरबानी करके मुझे मेरे वजन पर ताना मत मारिए।
Please don't make sarcastic remarks about my weight.
(meharbaanii karke mujhe mere vajan par taanaa mat maarie।)
Morphology
Verb
infinitive:
तानना
(taannaa)
infinitive oblique:
तानने
(taanne)
habitual/simple (sg.m):
तानता
(taantaa)
habitual/simple (pl.m):
तानते
(taante)
habitual/simple (sg.f):
तानती
(taantii)
habitual/simple (pl.f):
तानतीं
(taantiin)
continuous (sg.m):
तान रहा
(taan rahaa)
continuous (pl.m):
तान रहे
(taan rahe)
continuous (sg.f):
तान रही
(taan rahii)
continuous (pl.f):
तान रहीं
(taan rahiin)
perfective (sg.m):
ताना
(taanaa)
perfective (pl.m):
ताने
(taane)
perfective (sg.f):
तानी
(taanii)
perfective (pl.f):
तानीं
(taaniin)
imperative (informal):
तान
(taan)
imperative (neutral):
तानो
(taano)
imperative (formal):
तानिए
(taanie)
future (1sg.m):
तानूँगा
(taanoongaa)
future (1sg.f):
तानूँगी
(taanoongii)
future (1pl.m):
तानेंगे
(taanenge)
future (1pl.f):
तानेंगी
(taanengii)
future (2sg.m):
तानेगा
(taanegaa)
future (2sg.f):
तानेगी
(taanegii)
future (2pl.m):
तानोगे
(taanoge)
future (2pl.f):
तानोगी
(taanogii)
future (3sg.m):
तानेगा
(taanegaa)
future (3sg.f):
तानेगी
(taanegii)
future (3pl.m):
तानेंगे
(taanenge)
future (3pl.f):
तानेंगी
(taanengii)
subjunctive (1sg):
तानूँ
(taanoon)
subjunctive (1pl):
तानें
(taanen)
subjunctive (2sg):
ताने
(taane)
subjunctive (2pl):
तानो
(taano)
subjunctive (3sg):
ताने
(taane)
subjunctive (3pl):
तानें
(taanen)