सँभालना (sambhaalnaa)
verb
A single core meaning of 'to handle, manage, take care of' that extends across physical, emotional, and situational objects -- catching something before it falls, managing a household or job, or steadying oneself/someone emotionally. Also spelled संभालना (sambhaalnaa) without the chandrabindu; both forms are common.
Sense
1
:
to manage, take care of, look after (a task, household, business, responsibility)
verb, transitive Commonly used with घर (ghar, 'household'), दुकान (dukaan, 'shop'), काम (kaam, 'work'), and ज़िम्मेदारी (zimmedaarii, 'responsibility') as objects.
Synonyms: देखना (dekhnaa, to look after), निभाना (nibhaanaa, to fulfil/carry out), चलाना (chalaanaa, to run/operate)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is the sense you hear constantly in Indian households: a daughter-in-law who 'सँभालती है (sambhaaltii hai)' the ghar (ghar), or an elder son who has to 'सँभालना (sambhaalnaa)' the family business after his father retires. It carries a quiet weight of responsibility, not just task-completion.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes use चलाना (chalaanaa) when सँभालना (sambhaalnaa) is meant -- चलाना (chalaanaa) is about operating/running something day-to-day, while सँभालना (sambhaalnaa) carries the extra sense of holding things together, often under pressure or in someone's absence.
Sample Sentences:
मेरी माँ पूरा घर सँभालती हैं।
My mother takes care of the entire household.
(merii maan pooraa ghar sambhaaltii hain।)
पिताजी के जाने के बाद बड़े भाई ने दुकान सँभाल ली।
After father left, the elder brother took over the shop.
(pitaajii ke jaane ke baad bade bhaaii ne dukaan sambhaal lii।)
क्या तुम कल की मीटिंग सँभाल लोगे?
Will you be able to handle tomorrow's meeting?
(kyaa tum kal kii miiting sambhaal loge?)
यह जिम्मेदारी अच्छी तरह सँभालो।
Take care of this responsibility properly.
(yah jimmedaarii achchhii tarah sambhaalo।)
अगर वह इतनी जिम्मेदारियाँ न सँभालती, तो शायद ज्यादा खुश होती।
If she hadn't managed so many responsibilities, she would perhaps have been happier.
(agar vah itnii jimmedaariyaan n sambhaaltii, to shaayad jyaadaa khush hotii।)
कंपनी का सारा हिसाब-किताब उसकी बेटी सँभाल रही है।
His daughter is managing all of the company's accounts.
(kampnii kaa saaraa hisaab-kitaab uskii betii sambhaal rahii hai।)
यह प्रोजेक्ट अब उन्हीं के द्वारा सँभाला जाएगा।
This project will now be managed by him alone.
(yah projekt ab unhiin ke dvaaraa sambhaalaa jaaegaa।)
उम्मीद है कि वह नई जिम्मेदारी अच्छे से सँभाले।
Hopefully he handles the new responsibility well.
(ummiid hai ki vah naii jimmedaarii achchhe se sambhaale।)
बहू ने शादी के बाद पूरा घर-गृहस्थी सँभाल ली।
The daughter-in-law took charge of the entire household after the wedding.
(bahoo ne shaadii ke baad pooraa ghar-grihasthii sambhaal lii।)
जब पिता रिटायर हुए, तो व्यापार सँभालने की जिम्मेदारी बेटे पर आ गई।
When the father retired, the responsibility of managing the business fell upon the son.
(jab pitaa ritaayar hue, to vyaapaar sambhaalne kii jimmedaarii bete par aa gaii।)
आप चिंता न करें, मैं सब सँभाल लूँगा।
Please don't worry, I will take care of everything.
(aap chintaa n karen, main sab sambhaal loongaa।)
अकेले इतना बड़ा घर सँभालना आसान नहीं होता।
Managing such a big household alone isn't easy.
(akele itnaa badaa ghar sambhaalnaa aasaan nahiin hotaa।)
Sense
2
:
to calm, compose, or steady oneself or someone emotionally
verb, intransitive Frequently reflexive: खुद को सँभालना (khud ko sambhaalnaa, 'to compose oneself') or अपने आप को सँभालना (apne aap ko sambhaalnaa).
Synonyms: संयत करना (sanyat karnaa, formal), शांत करना (shaant karnaa, to calm)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You will hear this at moments of grief or shock -- a friend telling someone to 'अपने आप को सँभालो (apne aap ko sambhaalo)' after bad news. It treats emotional composure the same way as physically catching something before it falls, which is a nice window into how Hindi links the physical and emotional senses of this verb.
Common Mistakes: 1) खुद को सँभालो (khud ko sambhaalo, 'compose yourself') is a common encouragement to someone upset -- learners may default to शांत हो जाओ (shaant ho jaao, 'calm down') instead, which sounds more like a command to stop being loud, whereas सँभालना (sambhaalnaa) is gentler and implies regaining inner balance.
Sample Sentences:
खबर सुनकर वह रो पड़ी, फिर भी उसने अपने आप को सँभाला।
Hearing the news she broke into tears, but still she composed herself.
(khabar sunkar vah ro padii, phir bhii usne apne aap ko sambhaalaa।)
अपने आप को सँभालो, अभी बहुत काम बाकी है।
Compose yourself, there is still a lot of work left.
(apne aap ko sambhaalo, abhii bahut kaam baakii hai।)
पिता की मौत की खबर पर भी वह अपने आप को सँभाले हुए था।
Even at the news of his father's death, he was keeping himself composed.
(pitaa kii maut kii khabar par bhii vah apne aap ko sambhaale hue thaa।)
मैं कोशिश करता हूँ कि हर मुश्किल में अपने आप को सँभालूँ।
I try to compose myself in every difficulty.
(main koshish kartaa hoon ki har mushkil men apne aap ko sambhaaloon।)
अगर तुम इतना घबराओगे, तो अपने आप को कैसे सँभालोगे?
If you panic this much, how will you compose yourself?
(agar tum itnaa ghabraaoge, to apne aap ko kaise sambhaaloge?)
उसने रुलाई को रोककर अपनी आवाज़ सँभाली और आगे बोलना शुरू किया।
Holding back her sobs, she steadied her voice and began speaking again.
(usne rulaaii ko rokkar apnii aavaaz sambhaalii aur aage bolnaa shuroo kiyaa।)
काश वह उस पल अपने आप को सँभाल पाता।
If only he had been able to compose himself in that moment.
(kaash vah us pal apne aap ko sambhaal paataa।)
माँ ने बच्चों को दिलासा देकर उन्हें सँभाला।
The mother comforted the children and calmed them down.
(maan ne bachchon ko dilaasaa dekar unhen sambhaalaa।)
इतना बड़ा सदमा है, शायद वह अपने आप को न सँभाल सके।
It's such a huge shock, perhaps she won't be able to compose herself.
(itnaa badaa sadmaa hai, shaayad vah apne aap ko n sambhaal sake।)
दुख की इस घड़ी में खुद को सँभालना आसान नहीं होता।
In this hour of sorrow, composing oneself is not easy.
(dukh kii is ghadii men khud ko sambhaalnaa aasaan nahiin hotaa।)
Sense
3
:
to catch/steady something physical before it falls or slips
verb, transitive
Synonyms: थामना (thaamnaa), पकड़ना (pakadnaa, to grab/hold)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: Picture someone lunging to catch a stack of plates sliding off a shelf -- that reflexive save is exactly what सँभालना (sambhaalnaa) captures in this sense. It is the physical root from which the 'manage/take care of' sense (below) extends metaphorically.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for पकड़ना (pakadnaa) here, but सँभालना (sambhaalnaa) specifically implies preventing a fall or restoring balance -- catching a glass as it tips, not just holding something steady in your hand. 2) गिरते हुए बच्चे को सँभाला (girte hue bachche ko sambhaalaa, 'caught the falling child') -- the sense of 'rescue from falling' is central and easy to under-translate as plain 'held.'
Sample Sentences:
उसने गिरते हुए गिलास को झट से सँभाल लिया।
He quickly caught the glass as it was falling.
(usne girte hue gilaas ko jhat se sambhaal liyaa।)
प्लेटों का ढेर गिरने लगा तो मैंने फौरन सँभाल लिया।
When the stack of plates started to fall, I steadied it at once.
(pleton kaa dher girne lagaa to mainne phauran sambhaal liyaa।)
जरा सीढ़ी सँभालना, कहीं गिर न जाए।
Please hold the ladder steady, it shouldn't fall.
(jaraa siidhii sambhaalnaa, kahiin gir n jaae।)
अगर वह वहाँ न होता, तो बच्चा नीचे गिर जाता; उसने ठीक समय पर उसे सँभाल लिया।
If he hadn't been there, the child would have fallen down; he caught him just in time.
(agar vah vahaan n hotaa, to bachchaa niiche gir jaataa; usne thiik samay par use sambhaal liyaa।)
वह हर बार मेज़ से गिरते सामान को सँभाल लेता है।
He catches things falling off the table every single time.
(vah har baar mez se girte saamaan ko sambhaal letaa hai।)
साइकिल का हैंडल छूट गया था, पर उसने सँभाल लिया।
The bicycle's handlebar had slipped out of grip, but he steadied it.
(saaikil kaa haindal chhoot gayaa thaa, par usne sambhaal liyaa।)
वह फिसलते हुए बर्तनों को सँभालती हुई किचन में दौड़ी।
She rushed into the kitchen, steadying the utensils as they slipped.
(vah phisalte hue bartnon ko sambhaaltii huii kichan men daudii।)
बक्सा भारी है, दोनों हाथों से सँभालिए।
The box is heavy, please hold it steady with both hands.
(baksaa bhaarii hai, donon haathon se sambhaalie।)
शायद कोई गिरती चीज़ को सँभाल ले, इसी उम्मीद में वह वहीं खड़ा रहा।
Hoping that someone might catch the falling object, he just stood there.
(shaayad koii girtii chiiz ko sambhaal le, isii ummiid men vah vahiin khadaa rahaa।)
गिरते हुए फूलदान को उसके द्वारा सँभाल लिया गया।
The falling vase was caught by him.
(girte hue phooldaan ko uske dvaaraa sambhaal liyaa gayaa।)
Morphology
Verb
infinitive:
सँभालना
(sambhaalnaa)
infinitive oblique:
सँभालने
(sambhaalne)
habitual/simple (sg.m):
सँभालता
(sambhaaltaa)
habitual/simple (pl.m):
सँभालते
(sambhaalte)
habitual/simple (sg.f):
सँभालती
(sambhaaltii)
habitual/simple (pl.f):
सँभालतीं
(sambhaaltiin)
continuous (sg.m):
सँभाल रहा
(sambhaal rahaa)
continuous (pl.m):
सँभाल रहे
(sambhaal rahe)
continuous (sg.f):
सँभाल रही
(sambhaal rahii)
continuous (pl.f):
सँभाल रहीं
(sambhaal rahiin)
perfective (sg.m):
सँभाला
(sambhaalaa)
perfective (pl.m):
सँभाले
(sambhaale)
perfective (sg.f):
सँभाली
(sambhaalii)
perfective (pl.f):
सँभालीं
(sambhaaliin)
imperative (informal):
सँभाल
(sambhaal)
imperative (neutral):
सँभालो
(sambhaalo)
imperative (formal):
सँभालिए
(sambhaalie)
future (1sg.m):
सँभालूँगा
(sambhaaloongaa)
future (1sg.f):
सँभालूँगी
(sambhaaloongii)
future (1pl.m):
सँभालेंगे
(sambhaalenge)
future (1pl.f):
सँभालेंगी
(sambhaalengii)
future (2sg.m):
सँभालेगा
(sambhaalegaa)
future (2sg.f):
सँभालेगी
(sambhaalegii)
future (2pl.m):
सँभालोगे
(sambhaaloge)
future (2pl.f):
सँभालोगी
(sambhaalogii)
future (3sg.m):
सँभालेगा
(sambhaalegaa)
future (3sg.f):
सँभालेगी
(sambhaalegii)
future (3pl.m):
सँभालेंगे
(sambhaalenge)
future (3pl.f):
सँभालेंगी
(sambhaalengii)
subjunctive (1sg):
सँभालूँ
(sambhaaloon)
subjunctive (1pl):
सँभालें
(sambhaalen)
subjunctive (2sg):
सँभाले
(sambhaale)
subjunctive (2pl):
सँभालो
(sambhaalo)
subjunctive (3sg):
सँभाले
(sambhaale)
subjunctive (3pl):
सँभालें
(sambhaalen)