खिलाना (khilaanaa)
verb
Mainly means to feed someone (make them eat) khilaanaa, the causative of खाना (khaanaa, 'to eat'). It also has an extended sense of making something/someone 'bloom' or 'flourish,' and a distinct idiomatic sense tied to games/sports, letting or making someone play.
Sense
1
:
to feed someone; to make/help someone eat
verb, transitive Causative of खाना (khaanaa); the person fed is the direct object, and the food is often marked with से (se) or added simply as a second object, e.g. उसे खाना खिलाना (use khaanaa khilaanaa, 'to feed him food').
Synonyms: भोजन कराना (bhojan karaanaa, more formal)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Feeding someone -- खिलाना (khilaanaa) -- is loaded with affection in Hindi households; a mother or grandmother insisting रोटी खिलाओ (rotii khilaao, 'go feed him roti') is a small, constant act of care, and hosts often press guests to eat more as a form of hospitality.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes use खाना (khaanaa) when they mean to feed someone else -- माँ बच्चे को खाना खिलाती है (maan bachche ko khaanaa khilaatii hai, 'the mother feeds the child') needs the causative खिलाना (khilaanaa), not खाना (khaanaa). 2) The person being fed takes को (ko), which can feel backwards to English speakers used to 'feed the child' with no preposition.
Sample Sentences:
माँ बच्चे को खाना खिलाती है।
The mother feeds the child.
(maan bachche ko khaanaa khilaatii hai।)
दादी ने पोते को अपने हाथ से रोटी खिलाई।
Grandma fed her grandson roti with her own hands.
(daadii ne pote ko apne haath se rotii khilaaii।)
पहले बच्चे को खिलाओ, फिर खुद खाना।
First feed the child, then eat yourself.
(pahle bachche ko khilaao, phir khud khaanaa।)
मैं अभी मरीज़ को दलिया खिला रही हूँ।
I am feeding the patient porridge right now.
(main abhii mariiz ko daliyaa khilaa rahii hoon।)
अगर तुम व्रत में उसे कुछ खिलाओगी तो वह नाराज़ हो जाएगी।
If you feed her something during the fast, she'll get upset.
(agar tum vrat men use kuchh khilaaogii to vah naaraaz ho jaaegii।)
मेज़बान ने मुझे इतना खिलाया कि मैं हिल भी नहीं पा रहा था।
The host fed me so much that I couldn't even move.
(mezbaan ne mujhe itnaa khilaayaa ki main hil bhii nahiin paa rahaa thaa।)
काश मैं भी अपने पिता को अपने हाथ से खिला पाता।
I wish I too could have fed my father with my own hands.
(kaash main bhii apne pitaa ko apne haath se khilaa paataa।)
अतिथियों को भोजन खिलाया जाता है, यह हमारी परंपरा है।
Guests are fed food; this is our tradition.
(atithiyon ko bhojan khilaayaa jaataa hai, yah hamaarii parampraa hai।)
क्या आप चाहेंगे कि मैं बच्चों को खुद खिलाऊँ?
Would you like me to feed the children myself?
(kyaa aap chaahenge ki main bachchon ko khud khilaaoon?)
उसने मुझे बचपन में इतनी बार खिलाया है कि गिनती नहीं कर सकता।
She has fed me so many times in my childhood that I can't count.
(usne mujhe bachpan men itnii baar khilaayaa hai ki gintii nahiin kar saktaa।)
रोटी खिलाओ, बेटा भूखा बैठा है।
Go feed him roti, the boy is sitting there hungry.
(rotii khilaao, betaa bhookhaa baithaa hai।)
Sense
2
:
to let/make someone play; to play a game with someone
verb, transitive Causative of खेलना (khelnaa, 'to play'), distinct in meaning from the 'feed' sense despite the identical spelling; the person who plays is the object, e.g. बच्चों को खिलाना (bachchon ko khilaanaa, 'to let the children play') or कोच खिलाड़ी को खिलाता है (koch khilaadii ko khilaataa hai, 'the coach fields/plays the player').
Synonyms: खेलने देना (khelne denaa, descriptive phrase)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This sense shows up constantly in cricket chatter -- selectors and captains खिलाना (khilaanaa) a player, meaning they give him a place in the playing eleven, a very live topic during India's cricket season.
Common Mistakes: 1) In sports contexts (cricket especially), खिलाना (khilaanaa) means 'to field/select a player to play,' as in टीम में खिलाना (tiim men khilaanaa, 'to include in the playing team') -- learners may not expect this specialized sense from the everyday 'feed' meaning.
Sample Sentences:
कोच कल के मैच में नए गेंदबाज़ को खिलाएगा।
The coach will have the new bowler play in tomorrow's match.
(koch kal ke maich men nae gendbaaz ko khilaaegaa।)
सिलेक्टर्स उसे इस सीरीज़ में क्यों नहीं खिला रहे?
Why aren't the selectors giving him a place to play in this series?
(silektars use is siiriiz men kyon nahiin khilaa rahe?)
कप्तान हर मैच में एक ही टीम को खिलाता है।
The captain fields the same team in every match.
(kaptaan har maich men ek hii tiim ko khilaataa hai।)
पिछले टूर्नामेंट में उन्होंने तीन स्पिनरों को एक साथ खिलाया था।
In the last tournament they had three spinners play together.
(pichhle toornaament men unhonne tiin spinron ko ek saath khilaayaa thaa।)
अगर वह फिट होता तो टीम उसे ज़रूर खिलाती।
If he had been fit, the team would definitely have played him.
(agar vah phit hotaa to tiim use zaroor khilaatii।)
मैनेजमेंट चाहती है कि युवा खिलाड़ियों को भी खिलाया जाए।
The management wants the young players to be given a chance to play too.
(mainejment chaahtii hai ki yuvaa khilaadiyon ko bhii khilaayaa jaae।)
उसे प्लेइंग इलेवन में खिलाओ, वह फॉर्म में है।
Play him in the playing eleven, he's in form.
(use pleing ilevan men khilaao, vah phorm men hai।)
चोटिल खिलाड़ी को इस मैच में नहीं खिलाया जाएगा।
The injured player will not be played in this match.
(chotil khilaadii ko is maich men nahiin khilaayaa jaaegaa।)
शायद सिलेक्टर्स उसे अगले मैच में खिलाएँ।
Perhaps the selectors will play him in the next match.
(shaayad silektars use agle maich men khilaaen।)
फ़ाइनल में उसे खिलाना एक बड़ा जोखिम था।
Playing him in the final was a big risk.
(faainal men use khilaanaa ek badaa jokhim thaa।)
Sense
3
:
to make bloom or flourish (figurative)
verb, transitive Causative of खिलना (khilnaa, 'to bloom'); used both literally for flowers and figuratively for faces, moods, or fortunes, e.g. चेहरा खिला देना (chehraa khilaa denaa, 'to make a face light up').
Synonyms: खुशहाल बनाना (khushahaal banaanaa, figurative paraphrase)
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: Poets and songwriters love this image -- बहार खिलाना (bahaar khilaanaa, 'to make spring bloom') -- where khilaanaa turns an inner state, like joy, into something blossoming outward, much like calling a happy face 'khilaa hua' (khilaa huaa).
Sample Sentences:
उसकी मुस्कान ने पूरी महफ़िल में बहार खिला दी।
Her smile made the whole gathering blossom with joy.
(uskii muskaan ne poorii mahfil men bahaar khilaa dii।)
इस गीत के बोल दिलों में उम्मीद खिला देते हैं।
The words of this song make hope blossom in hearts.
(is giit ke bol dilon men ummiid khilaa dete hain।)
काश तुम्हारी बातें हर बार मेरे चेहरे पर ऐसी बहार खिला पातीं।
If only your words could make such radiance blossom on my face every time.
(kaash tumhaarii baaten har baar mere chehre par aisii bahaar khilaa paatiin।)
ईश्वर की कृपा जीवन में सुख की बहार खिलाए।
May God's grace make happiness blossom in life.
(iishvar kii kripaa jiivan men sukh kii bahaar khilaae।)
कवि ने अपनी कलम से शब्दों में मानो एक नई सृष्टि खिला दी।
With his pen, the poet made a whole new creation blossom in words, as it were.
(kavi ne apnii kalam se shabdon men maano ek naii srishti khilaa dii।)
यह संगीत हर सुनने वाले के मन में एक अनोखी बहार खिला रहा है।
This music is making a unique bloom of joy grow in the mind of every listener.
(yah sangiit har sunne vaale ke man men ek anokhii bahaar khilaa rahaa hai।)
उसकी मेहनत ने इस वीराने में तरक़्क़ी की बहार खिला दी है।
His hard work has made a bloom of progress flourish in this wasteland.
(uskii mehnat ne is viiraane men taraqqii kii bahaar khilaa dii hai।)
क्या तुम्हारी मुहब्बत मेरी वीरान ज़िंदगी में बहार खिला सकती है?
Can your love make my desolate life blossom with spring?
(kyaa tumhaarii muhabbat merii viiraan zindgii men bahaar khilaa saktii hai?)
Morphology
Verb
infinitive:
खिलाना
(khilaanaa)
infinitive oblique:
खिलाने
(khilaane)
habitual/simple (sg.m):
खिलाता
(khilaataa)
habitual/simple (pl.m):
खिलाते
(khilaate)
habitual/simple (sg.f):
खिलाती
(khilaatii)
habitual/simple (pl.f):
खिलातीं
(khilaatiin)
continuous (sg.m):
खिला रहा
(khilaa rahaa)
continuous (pl.m):
खिला रहे
(khilaa rahe)
continuous (sg.f):
खिला रही
(khilaa rahii)
continuous (pl.f):
खिला रहीं
(khilaa rahiin)
perfective (sg.m):
खिलाया
(khilaayaa)
perfective (pl.m):
खिलाए
(khilaae)
perfective (sg.f):
खिलाई
(khilaaii)
perfective (pl.f):
खिलाईं
(khilaaiin)
imperative (informal):
खिला
(khilaa)
imperative (neutral):
खिलाओ
(khilaao)
imperative (formal):
खिलाइए
(khilaaie)
future (1sg.m):
खिलाऊँगा
(khilaaoongaa)
future (1sg.f):
खिलाऊँगी
(khilaaoongii)
future (1pl.m):
खिलाएँगे
(khilaaenge)
future (1pl.f):
खिलाएँगी
(khilaaengii)
future (2sg.m):
खिलाएगा
(khilaaegaa)
future (2sg.f):
खिलाएगी
(khilaaegii)
future (2pl.m):
खिलाओगे
(khilaaoge)
future (2pl.f):
खिलाओगी
(khilaaogii)
future (3sg.m):
खिलाएगा
(khilaaegaa)
future (3sg.f):
खिलाएगी
(khilaaegii)
future (3pl.m):
खिलाएँगे
(khilaaenge)
future (3pl.f):
खिलाएँगी
(khilaaengii)
subjunctive (1sg):
खिलाऊँ
(khilaaoon)
subjunctive (1pl):
खिलाएँ
(khilaaen)
subjunctive (2sg):
खिलाए
(khilaae)
subjunctive (2pl):
खिलाओ
(khilaao)
subjunctive (3sg):
खिलाए
(khilaae)
subjunctive (3pl):
खिलाएँ
(khilaaen)