डाँटना (daantnaa)

verb A single-sense verb meaning 'to scold, tell off.' Common in everyday talk about parents, teachers, and bosses reprimanding someone.
Sense 1 : to scold, rebuke
verb, transitive The person scolded is marked with को (ko): माँ ने बच्चे को डाँटा (maan ne bachche ko daantaa, 'the mother scolded the child').
Synonyms: फटकारना (phatkaarnaa, sharper/harsher tone), डपटना (dapatnaa, to snap at, informal), झाड़ना (jhaadnaa, colloquial), बुरी तरह सुनाना (burii tarah sunaanaa, colloquial phrase)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is the verb every Indian kid grows up hearing about: माँ ने डाँटा (maan ne daantaa, 'Mom scolded me') is a staple of childhood stories. It carries a warmer, more domestic tone than फटकारना (phatkaarnaa), which sounds harsher and more public.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes reach for बोलना (bolnaa) or कहना (kahnaa) when they mean 'told off' -- डाँटना (daantnaa) is the dedicated word for scolding, not general speaking. 2) The object of scolding takes को (ko), not से (se) -- don't say ...से डाँटा (...se daantaa) when you mean 'scolded him.'
Sample Sentences:
माँ हमेशा देर से आने पर डाँटती है। Mom always scolds me when I come home late.
(maan hameshaa der se aane par daanttii hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
कल मेरी टीचर ने होमवर्क न करने पर मुझे डाँटा। Yesterday my teacher scolded me for not doing my homework.
(kal merii tiichar ne homvark n karne par mujhe daantaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
पापा उसे डाँट रहे हैं क्योंकि उसने खिड़की तोड़ दी। Dad is scolding him because he broke the window.
(paapaa use daant rahe hain kyonki usne khidkii tod dii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर तुम फिर झूठ बोलोगे तो मैं तुम्हें डाँटूँगी। If you lie again, I will scold you.
(agar tum phir jhooth bologe to main tumhen daantoongii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
उसे इतना मत डाँटो, वह बहुत छोटा है। Don't scold him so much, he's very young.
(use itnaa mat daanto, vah bahut chhotaa hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
अगर मैंने सच बता दिया होता तो माँ मुझे इतना नहीं डाँटती। If I had told the truth, Mom wouldn't have scolded me so much.
(agar mainne sach bataa diyaa hotaa to maan mujhe itnaa nahiin daanttii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
बच्चे को डाँटने से पहले उसकी बात भी सुन लीजिए। Before scolding the child, please listen to what he has to say too.
(bachche ko daantne se pahle uskii baat bhii sun liijie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
हो सकता है कि दादी उसे थोड़ा डाँटें, पर वे उसे बहुत प्यार भी करती हैं। Grandma might scold him a bit, but she loves him a lot too.
(ho saktaa hai ki daadii use thodaa daanten, par ve use bahut pyaar bhii kartii hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
उसे बॉस के सामने डाँटा गया, जिससे वह बहुत शर्मिंदा हो गया। He was scolded in front of the boss, which left him very embarrassed.
(use bos ke saamne daantaa gayaa, jisse vah bahut sharmindaa ho gayaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
माँ ने डाँटा तो मुझे रोना आ गया। When Mom scolded me, I started crying.
(maan ne daantaa to mujhe ronaa aa gayaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
टीचर हर बार शोर मचाने पर पूरी क्लास को डाँटती थी। The teacher used to scold the whole class every time there was noise.
(tiichar har baar shor machaane par poorii klaas ko daanttii thii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Verb
infinitive: डाँटना (daantnaa)
infinitive oblique: डाँटने (daantne)
habitual/simple (sg.m): डाँटता (daanttaa)
habitual/simple (pl.m): डाँटते (daantte)
habitual/simple (sg.f): डाँटती (daanttii)
habitual/simple (pl.f): डाँटतीं (daanttiin)
continuous (sg.m): डाँट रहा (daant rahaa)
continuous (pl.m): डाँट रहे (daant rahe)
continuous (sg.f): डाँट रही (daant rahii)
continuous (pl.f): डाँट रहीं (daant rahiin)
perfective (sg.m): डाँटा (daantaa)
perfective (pl.m): डाँटे (daante)
perfective (sg.f): डाँटी (daantii)
perfective (pl.f): डाँटीं (daantiin)
imperative (informal): डाँट (daant)
imperative (neutral): डाँटो (daanto)
imperative (formal): डाँटिए (daantie)
future (1sg.m): डाँटूँगा (daantoongaa)
future (1sg.f): डाँटूँगी (daantoongii)
future (1pl.m): डाँटेंगे (daantenge)
future (1pl.f): डाँटेंगी (daantengii)
future (2sg.m): डाँटेगा (daantegaa)
future (2sg.f): डाँटेगी (daantegii)
future (2pl.m): डाँटोगे (daantoge)
future (2pl.f): डाँटोगी (daantogii)
future (3sg.m): डाँटेगा (daantegaa)
future (3sg.f): डाँटेगी (daantegii)
future (3pl.m): डाँटेंगे (daantenge)
future (3pl.f): डाँटेंगी (daantengii)
subjunctive (1sg): डाँटूँ (daantoon)
subjunctive (1pl): डाँटें (daanten)
subjunctive (2sg): डाँटे (daante)
subjunctive (2pl): डाँटो (daanto)
subjunctive (3sg): डाँटे (daante)
subjunctive (3pl): डाँटें (daanten)