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।)
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।)
मैं अपना वादा हर हाल में निभाऊँगा।
I will fulfill my promise no matter what.
(main apnaa vaadaa har haal men nibhaaoongaa।)
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।)
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।)
पति-पत्नी का रिश्ता निभाना आसान नहीं होता।
Sustaining a husband-wife relationship isn't easy.
(pati-patnii kaa rishtaa nibhaanaa aasaan nahiin hotaa।)
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।)
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।)
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।)
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।)
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।)
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।)
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।)
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?)
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।)
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।)
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।)
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।)
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।)
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।)
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।)
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)