निभाना (nibhaanaa)
verb
One core verb meaning 'to fulfill/carry out (a duty, role, relationship)' -- appears constantly with words like रिश्ता (rishtaa), वादा (vaadaa), and फ़र्ज़ (farz).
Sense
1
:
to fulfill, carry out, discharge (a duty, role, relationship, promise)
verb, transitive Commonly takes an abstract noun as object: रिश्ता निभाना (rishtaa nibhaanaa, 'to maintain/honor a relationship'), वादा निभाना (vaadaa nibhaanaa, 'to keep a promise'), फ़र्ज़ निभाना (farz nibhaanaa, 'to do one's duty').
Synonyms: पूरा करना (pooraa karnaa), अदा करना (adaa karnaa, formal, often with फ़र्ज़ or ज़िम्मेदारी)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This word carries real emotional weight in Hindi family life -- निभाना (nibhaanaa) is what you do with a रिश्ता (rishtaa) day after day, not just something you declare once. You'll hear it in serious conversations about duty and loyalty: बेटी का फ़र्ज़ निभाना (betii kaa farz nibhaanaa, 'to fulfill a daughter's duty') or पति-पत्नी का रिश्ता निभाना (pati-patnii kaa rishtaa nibhaanaa, 'to sustain a husband-wife relationship'). It has a quiet dignity to it -- less dramatic than 'sacrifice,' more about steady follow-through.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for पूरा करना (pooraa karnaa) in every context, but निभाना (nibhaanaa) carries a sense of sustained commitment or endurance over time -- especially with relationships and roles -- that पूरा करना (pooraa karnaa) doesn't capture as naturally. 2) With रिश्ता (rishtaa), निभाना (nibhaanaa) implies actively maintaining the bond through effort, not just having it exist -- closer to 'to keep up/honor' than a flat 'to complete.'
Sample Sentences:
वह हर रिश्ता बड़ी ईमानदारी से निभाती है।
She fulfills every relationship with great honesty.
(vah har rishtaa badii iimaandaarii se nibhaatii hai।)
Listen: M85
उसने अपनी बेटी का फ़र्ज़ बहुत अच्छे से निभाया।
She fulfilled her duty as a daughter very well.
(usne apnii betii kaa farz bahut achchhe se nibhaayaa।)
Listen: F85
मैं अपना वादा हर हाल में निभाऊँगा।
I will fulfill my promise no matter what.
(main apnaa vaadaa har haal men nibhaaoongaa।)
Listen: F85
अपना फ़र्ज़ निभाओ, बाकी सब भगवान पर छोड़ दो।
Fulfill your duty, leave the rest to God.
(apnaa farz nibhaao, baakii sab bhagvaan par chhod do।)
Listen: F85
अगर वह अपनी ज़िम्मेदारी निभाता, तो घर बिखरता नहीं।
If he had fulfilled his responsibility, the family wouldn't have fallen apart.
(agar vah apnii zimmedaarii nibhaataa, to ghar bikhartaa nahiin।)
Listen: F85
पति-पत्नी का रिश्ता निभाना आसान नहीं होता।
Sustaining a husband-wife relationship isn't easy.
(pati-patnii kaa rishtaa nibhaanaa aasaan nahiin hotaa।)
Listen: F85
वह अपनी माँ के प्रति अपना कर्तव्य निभा रहा है।
He is carrying out his duty toward his mother.
(vah apnii maan ke prati apnaa kartavy nibhaa rahaa hai।)
Listen: F85
यह ज़रूरी है कि हर कोई अपनी ज़िम्मेदारी निभाए।
It is necessary that everyone fulfill their responsibility.
(yah zaroorii hai ki har koii apnii zimmedaarii nibhaae।)
Listen: F85
यह वादा निभाया जाना चाहिए, चाहे कुछ भी हो।
This promise should be fulfilled, no matter what happens.
(yah vaadaa nibhaayaa jaanaa chaahie, chaahe kuchh bhii ho।)
Listen: M85
उन्होंने अपने दोस्त के साथ आखिरी वक्त तक अपना साथ निभाया।
He stood by his friend, fulfilling that bond until the very end.
(unhonne apne dost ke saath aakhirii vakt tak apnaa saath nibhaayaa।)
Listen: M85
समाज में हर किसी को अपना दायित्व निभाना पड़ता है।
In society, everyone has to fulfill their obligation.
(samaaj men har kisii ko apnaa daayitv nibhaanaa padtaa hai।)
Listen: M85
Sense
2
:
to play (a role/character, in film, drama, or life)
verb, transitive Used with किरदार (kirdaar) or भूमिका (bhoomikaa) as object: किरदार निभाना (kirdaar nibhaanaa, 'to play a character').
Synonyms: अदा करना (adaa karnaa, used specifically with भूमिका or किरदार)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You'll hear this constantly in film and TV talk in India -- अभिनेता ने बहुत अच्छा किरदार निभाया (abhinetaa ne bahut achchhaa kirdaar nibhaayaa, 'the actor played the character very well'). It's the standard verb entertainment journalists and fans reach for when praising a performance, distinct from अभिनय करना (abhinay karnaa) which is more about the act of acting itself.
Sample Sentences:
अभिनेता ने बहुत अच्छा किरदार निभाया।
The actor played the character very well.
(abhinetaa ne bahut achchhaa kirdaar nibhaayaa।)
Listen: F85
इस फ़िल्म में वह एक डॉक्टर की भूमिका निभा रही है।
In this film, she is playing the role of a doctor.
(is film men vah ek doktar kii bhoomikaa nibhaa rahii hai।)
Listen: M85
क्या तुम इस नाटक में विलेन का किरदार निभा सकते हो?
Can you play the villain's character in this play?
(kyaa tum is naatak men vilen kaa kirdaar nibhaa sakte ho?)
Listen: F85
निर्देशक चाहते थे कि वह हीरो की भूमिका निभाए।
The director wanted him to play the hero's role.
(nirdeshak chaahte the ki vah hiiro kii bhoomikaa nibhaae।)
Listen: F85
अगर मुझे मौका मिलता, तो मैं भी कोई किरदार निभाता।
If I had gotten the chance, I would have played some character too.
(agar mujhe maukaa miltaa, to main bhii koii kirdaar nibhaataa।)
Listen: F85
उस सीरियल में यह भूमिका किसी नए कलाकार द्वारा निभाई जाएगी।
In that serial, this role will be played by some new artist.
(us siiriyal men yah bhoomikaa kisii nae kalaakaar dvaaraa nibhaaii jaaegii।)
Listen: M85
इस भूमिका को बड़ी संवेदनशीलता से निभाओ, यह बहुत मुश्किल किरदार है।
Play this role with great sensitivity, it's a very difficult character.
(is bhoomikaa ko badii sanvedanshiiltaa se nibhaao, yah bahut mushkil kirdaar hai।)
Listen: M85
इस बायोपिक में उन्होंने महात्मा गांधी का किरदार निभाया था।
In this biopic, he had played the character of Mahatma Gandhi.
(is baayopik men unhonne mahaatmaa gaandhii kaa kirdaar nibhaayaa thaa।)
Listen: M85
समीक्षकों का कहना है कि उसने यह किरदार बहुत खूबसूरती से निभाया है।
Critics say that she has played this character very beautifully.
(samiikshkon kaa kahnaa hai ki usne yah kirdaar bahut khoobsoortii se nibhaayaa hai।)
Listen: F85
बचपन में हम स्कूल के नाटकों में अलग-अलग किरदार निभाते थे।
In childhood, we used to play different characters in school plays.
(bachpan men ham skool ke naatkon men alag-alag kirdaar nibhaate the।)
Listen: M85
Morphology
Verb
infinitive:
निभाना
(nibhaanaa)
infinitive oblique:
निभाने
(nibhaane)
habitual/simple (sg.m):
निभाता
(nibhaataa)
habitual/simple (pl.m):
निभाते
(nibhaate)
habitual/simple (sg.f):
निभाती
(nibhaatii)
habitual/simple (pl.f):
निभातीं
(nibhaatiin)
continuous (sg.m):
निभा रहा
(nibhaa rahaa)
continuous (pl.m):
निभा रहे
(nibhaa rahe)
continuous (sg.f):
निभा रही
(nibhaa rahii)
continuous (pl.f):
निभा रहीं
(nibhaa rahiin)
perfective (sg.m):
निभाया
(nibhaayaa)
perfective (pl.m):
निभाए
(nibhaae)
perfective (sg.f):
निभाई
(nibhaaii)
perfective (pl.f):
निभाईं
(nibhaaiin)
imperative (informal):
निभा
(nibhaa)
imperative (neutral):
निभाओ
(nibhaao)
imperative (formal):
निभाइए
(nibhaaie)
future (1sg.m):
निभाऊँगा
(nibhaaoongaa)
future (1sg.f):
निभाऊँगी
(nibhaaoongii)
future (1pl.m):
निभाएँगे
(nibhaaenge)
future (1pl.f):
निभाएँगी
(nibhaaengii)
future (2sg.m):
निभाएगा
(nibhaaegaa)
future (2sg.f):
निभाएगी
(nibhaaegii)
future (2pl.m):
निभाओगे
(nibhaaoge)
future (2pl.f):
निभाओगी
(nibhaaogii)
future (3sg.m):
निभाएगा
(nibhaaegaa)
future (3sg.f):
निभाएगी
(nibhaaegii)
future (3pl.m):
निभाएँगे
(nibhaaenge)
future (3pl.f):
निभाएँगी
(nibhaaengii)
subjunctive (1sg):
निभाऊँ
(nibhaaoon)
subjunctive (1pl):
निभाएँ
(nibhaaen)
subjunctive (2sg):
निभाए
(nibhaae)
subjunctive (2pl):
निभाओ
(nibhaao)
subjunctive (3sg):
निभाए
(nibhaae)
subjunctive (3pl):
निभाएँ
(nibhaaen)