कमर कसना (kamar kasnaa)

verb A vivid idiom meaning 'to prepare oneself with resolve, to gird up for a task' -- literally 'to tighten one's waist' (kamar 'waist' + kasnaa 'to tighten'). Functions as a single compound idea, always used figuratively in everyday speech.
Sense 1 : to prepare resolutely for a task or challenge
verb, transitive Almost always followed by के लिए (ke lie) marking the goal or task being undertaken: X के लिए कमर कसना (X ke lie kamar kasnaa).
Synonyms: तैयार होना (taiyaar honaa), जुट जाना (jut jaanaa, to throw oneself into), मुस्तैद होना (mustaid honaa, formal/alert-ready)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This idiom carries a flavor of gearing up for a fight or a big effort -- you'll hear it in contexts from exam prep (परीक्षा की तैयारी के लिए कमर कसना (pariikshaa kii taiyaarii ke lie kamar kasnaa, 'to gird up for exam preparation')) to political or business struggles reported in the news. It pairs well with दिल थाम कर (dil thaam kar, 'steadying one's heart') as another body-based idiom of resolve.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes translate this too literally as physically tightening a belt -- it is used only figuratively, for mental/practical readiness before effort or struggle, never for actual clothing. 2) The subject takes ने (ne) marking in the perfective since कसना (kasnaa) is transitive here, which can surprise learners who think of this as a fixed 'state' phrase rather than an action.
Sample Sentences:
अब हमें कमर कसनी होगी और मुश्किलों का सामना करना होगा। Now we will have to gird up and face the difficulties.
(ab hamen kamar kasnii hogii aur mushkilon kaa saamnaa karnaa hogaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
उसने परीक्षा की तैयारी के लिए कमर कस ली है। He has girded up to prepare for the exam.
(usne pariikshaa kii taiyaarii ke lie kamar kas lii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
कमर कस लो, अगला महीना बहुत मुश्किल होने वाला है। Gird up, next month is going to be very tough.
(kamar kas lo, aglaa mahiinaa bahut mushkil hone vaalaa hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
पार्टी ने आने वाले चुनावों के लिए कमर कस ली है। The party has girded up for the upcoming elections.
(paartii ne aane vaale chunaavon ke lie kamar kas lii hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर हम अभी कमर कस लेते तो शायद प्रतियोगिता में जीत जाते। If we had girded up right then, we might have won the competition.
(agar ham abhii kamar kas lete to shaayad pratiyogitaa men jiit jaate।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Perfective -- Voice: Active
व्यापारी नए बाज़ार में उतरने के लिए कमर कसते रहते हैं। Businessmen keep girding up to enter new markets.
(vyaapaarii nae baazaar men utarne ke lie kamar kaste rahte hain।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
सरकार महंगाई से लड़ने के लिए कमर कस रही है। The government is girding up to fight inflation.
(sarkaar mahangaaii se ladne ke lie kamar kas rahii hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
टीम को अगले मैच के लिए दिल थाम कर और कमर कसकर मैदान में उतरना चाहिए। The team should steady its heart and gird up before stepping onto the field for the next match.
(tiim ko agle maich ke lie dil thaam kar aur kamar kaskar maidaan men utarnaa chaahie।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
शायद उसे भी अब कमर कस लेनी चाहिए, वरना पीछे रह जाएगा। Perhaps he too should gird up now, otherwise he will be left behind.
(shaayad use bhii ab kamar kas lenii chaahie, varnaa piichhe rah jaaegaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
युद्ध की घोषणा होते ही सैनिकों ने कमर कस ली। As soon as war was declared, the soldiers girded themselves up.
(yuddh kii ghoshnaa hote hii sainikon ne kamar kas lii।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Verb
infinitive: कमर कसना (kamar kasnaa)
infinitive oblique: कमर कसने (kamar kasne)
habitual/simple (sg.m): कमर कसता (kamar kastaa)
habitual/simple (pl.m): कमर कसते (kamar kaste)
habitual/simple (sg.f): कमर कसती (kamar kastii)
habitual/simple (pl.f): कमर कसतीं (kamar kastiin)
continuous (sg.m): कमर कस रहा (kamar kas rahaa)
continuous (pl.m): कमर कस रहे (kamar kas rahe)
continuous (sg.f): कमर कस रही (kamar kas rahii)
continuous (pl.f): कमर कस रहीं (kamar kas rahiin)
perfective (sg.m): कमर कसा (kamar kasaa)
perfective (pl.m): कमर कसे (kamar kase)
perfective (sg.f): कमर कसी (kamar kasii)
perfective (pl.f): कमर कसीं (kamar kasiin)
imperative (informal): कमर कस (kamar kas)
imperative (neutral): कमर कसो (kamar kaso)
imperative (formal): कमर कसिए (kamar kasie)
future (1sg.m): कमर कसूँगा (kamar kasoongaa)
future (1sg.f): कमर कसूँगी (kamar kasoongii)
future (1pl.m): कमर कसेंगे (kamar kasenge)
future (1pl.f): कमर कसेंगी (kamar kasengii)
future (2sg.m): कमर कसेगा (kamar kasegaa)
future (2sg.f): कमर कसेगी (kamar kasegii)
future (2pl.m): कमर कसोगे (kamar kasoge)
future (2pl.f): कमर कसोगी (kamar kasogii)
future (3sg.m): कमर कसेगा (kamar kasegaa)
future (3sg.f): कमर कसेगी (kamar kasegii)
future (3pl.m): कमर कसेंगे (kamar kasenge)
future (3pl.f): कमर कसेंगी (kamar kasengii)
subjunctive (1sg): कमर कसूँ (kamar kasoon)
subjunctive (1pl): कमर कसें (kamar kasen)
subjunctive (2sg): कमर कसे (kamar kase)
subjunctive (2pl): कमर कसो (kamar kaso)
subjunctive (3sg): कमर कसे (kamar kase)
subjunctive (3pl): कमर कसें (kamar kasen)