चल बसना (chal basnaa)
verb
A gentle, euphemistic compound verb meaning 'to pass away, die.' Built from चलना (chalnaa, 'to move/go') plus बसना (basnaa, 'to settle/dwell'), together suggesting the soul 'moving on to settle elsewhere' rather than a blunt reference to death.
Sense
1
:
to pass away, die (euphemistic)
verb, intransitive
Synonyms: मर जाना (mar jaanaa, blunter), गुज़र जाना (guzar jaanaa), स्वर्गवासी होना (svargvaasii honaa, formal), दुनिया से जाना (duniyaa se jaanaa), दम तोड़ना (dam todnaa, more dramatic/vivid)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This is the polite, softened way to announce a death in Hindi, much like English 'passed away' versus the flatter 'died.' You will hear it often in condolence conversations: दादाजी चल बसे (daadaajii chal base, 'Grandfather has passed away') -- gentle, respectful, and never used casually or jokingly.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes treat this as literally 'to go and settle,' missing that it is a fixed euphemism exclusively used for death, not for moving house or migrating. 2) It is used only for people (and sometimes cherished animals), not for objects or abstract things ending -- unlike ख़त्म होना (khatm honaa) or बंद होना (band honaa) for things coming to an end.
Sample Sentences:
पिछले हफ्ते दादाजी चल बसे।
Grandfather passed away last week.
(pichhle haphte daadaajii chal base।)
यह सुनकर बहुत दुख हुआ कि आपकी माताजी चल बसीं।
It was very saddening to hear that your mother passed away.
(yah sunkar bahut dukh huaa ki aapkii maataajii chal basiin।)
डॉक्टरों की पूरी कोशिश के बावजूद मरीज़ चल बसा।
Despite the doctors' best efforts, the patient passed away.
(doktron kii poorii koshish ke baavjood mariiz chal basaa।)
मुझे डर है कि अगर समय पर इलाज नहीं मिला तो वे चल बसेंगे।
I fear that if treatment doesn't come in time, they will pass away.
(mujhe dar hai ki agar samay par ilaaj nahiin milaa to ve chal basenge।)
काश समय पर मदद मिल जाती तो वे चल बसते ही नहीं।
If only help had arrived in time, they wouldn't have passed away at all.
(kaash samay par madad mil jaatii to ve chal baste hii nahiin।)
गाँव में हर कोई उदास है, बूढ़े पंडितजी चल बसे हैं।
Everyone in the village is sad; the old priest has passed away.
(gaanv men har koii udaas hai, boodhe panditjii chal base hain।)
भगवान न करे, लेकिन अगर वे चल बसें, तो हम क्या करेंगे?
God forbid, but if they were to pass away, what would we do?
(bhagvaan n kare, lekin agar ve chal basen, to ham kyaa karenge?)
उनके पिता कई साल पहले चल बसे थे, फिर भी वे उन्हें रोज़ याद करती हैं।
Her father passed away many years ago, yet she remembers him every day.
(unke pitaa kaii saal pahle chal base the, phir bhii ve unhen roz yaad kartii hain।)
सुनने में आया है कि पड़ोस वाले शर्माजी चल बसे हैं।
I've heard that Mr. Sharma from next door has passed away.
(sunne men aayaa hai ki pados vaale sharmaajii chal base hain।)
इतनी कम उमर में वह चल बसी, यह बात दिल को छू गई।
That she passed away at such a young age touched everyone's heart.
(itnii kam umar men vah chal basii, yah baat dil ko chhoo gaii।)
Morphology
Verb
infinitive:
चल बसना
(chal basnaa)
infinitive oblique:
चल बसने
(chal basne)
habitual/simple (sg.m):
चल बसता
(chal bastaa)
habitual/simple (pl.m):
चल बसते
(chal baste)
habitual/simple (sg.f):
चल बसती
(chal bastii)
habitual/simple (pl.f):
चल बसतीं
(chal bastiin)
continuous (sg.m):
चल बस रहा
(chal bas rahaa)
continuous (pl.m):
चल बस रहे
(chal bas rahe)
continuous (sg.f):
चल बस रही
(chal bas rahii)
continuous (pl.f):
चल बस रहीं
(chal bas rahiin)
perfective (sg.m):
चल बसा
(chal basaa)
perfective (pl.m):
चल बसे
(chal base)
perfective (sg.f):
चल बसी
(chal basii)
perfective (pl.f):
चल बसीं
(chal basiin)
imperative (informal):
चल बस
(chal bas)
imperative (neutral):
चल बसो
(chal baso)
imperative (formal):
चल बसिए
(chal basie)
future (1sg.m):
चल बसूँगा
(chal basoongaa)
future (1sg.f):
चल बसूँगी
(chal basoongii)
future (1pl.m):
चल बसेंगे
(chal basenge)
future (1pl.f):
चल बसेंगी
(chal basengii)
future (2sg.m):
चल बसेगा
(chal basegaa)
future (2sg.f):
चल बसेगी
(chal basegii)
future (2pl.m):
चल बसोगे
(chal basoge)
future (2pl.f):
चल बसोगी
(chal basogii)
future (3sg.m):
चल बसेगा
(chal basegaa)
future (3sg.f):
चल बसेगी
(chal basegii)
future (3pl.m):
चल बसेंगे
(chal basenge)
future (3pl.f):
चल बसेंगी
(chal basengii)
subjunctive (1sg):
चल बसूँ
(chal basoon)
subjunctive (1pl):
चल बसें
(chal basen)
subjunctive (2sg):
चल बसे
(chal base)
subjunctive (2pl):
चल बसो
(chal baso)
subjunctive (3sg):
चल बसे
(chal base)
subjunctive (3pl):
चल बसें
(chal basen)