तुलना (tulnaa)

noun/verb Mainly a noun meaning 'comparison,' most often met in the fixed phrase तुलना करना (tulnaa karnaa, 'to compare'); it also functions as an intransitive verb meaning 'to be compared, to match up.'
Sense 1 : comparison
noun, feminine Almost always paired with करना (karnaa) as a light-verb construction: तुलना करना (tulnaa karnaa, 'to compare'), with the things being compared marked by से (se).
Synonyms: मुक़ाबला (muqaablaa)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You'll hear this word constantly around exam results and family gatherings -- parents comparing children's marks (नंबरों की तुलना, nambron kii tulnaa) is a classic, slightly dreaded ritual in Indian households.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often say तुलना बनाना (tulnaa banaanaa) by analogy with 'make a comparison' -- Hindi uses तुलना करना (tulnaa karnaa), never बनाना (banaanaa), for this. 2) The thing being compared against takes से (se), not से more literally 'with,' so 'compare A to B' is A की तुलना B से (A kii tulnaa B se), not A को B से।
Sample Sentences:
इस साल दोनों बच्चों के नंबरों की तुलना मत करो। Don't compare the two kids' marks this year.
(is saal donon bachchon ke nambron kii tulnaa mat karo।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
मेरी मौसी हमेशा मेरी तुलना मेरे कज़िन से करती हैं। My aunt always compares me to my cousin.
(merii mausii hameshaa merii tulnaa mere kazin se kartii hain।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
दोनों कंपनियों के मुनाफे की तुलना करने पर एक दिलचस्प रुझान सामने आया। When the two companies' profits were compared, an interesting trend emerged.
(donon kampniyon ke munaaphe kii tulnaa karne par ek dilchasp rujhaan saamne aayaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगर तुलना की जाए, तो पुराना मॉडल ज़्यादा टिकाऊ था। If a comparison is made, the older model was more durable.
(agar tulnaa kii jaae, to puraanaa modal zyaadaa tikaaoo thaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
काश वे मेरी तुलना मेरे भाई से न करते। I wish they wouldn't compare me to my brother.
(kaash ve merii tulnaa mere bhaaii se n karte।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
रिपोर्ट में दोनों शहरों की तुलना विस्तार से की गई है। In the report, a detailed comparison of the two cities has been made.
(riport men donon shahron kii tulnaa vistaar se kii gaii hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
अगर उसकी तुलना अपने पिता से होती, तो वह बहुत नाराज़ होता। If he were compared to his father, he would be very upset.
(agar uskii tulnaa apne pitaa se hotii, to vah bahut naaraaz hotaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Passive
कवि ने प्रेम की तुलना सागर की गहराई से की है। The poet has compared love to the depth of the ocean.
(kavi ne prem kii tulnaa saagar kii gahraaii se kii hai।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगली बार परिणाम आने पर हम फिर से नंबरों की तुलना करेंगे। Next time the results come out, we'll compare the marks again.
(aglii baar parinaam aane par ham phir se nambron kii tulnaa karenge।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
कृपया आंकड़ों की तुलना सावधानी से कीजिए। Please compare the figures carefully.
(kripyaa aankdon kii tulnaa saavdhaanii se kiijie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
दादी हर दीवाली मेरे नंबरों की तुलना मेरे भाई-बहनों से करती थीं। Every Diwali, grandmother used to compare my marks with my siblings'.
(daadii har diivaalii mere nambron kii tulnaa mere bhaaii-bahnon se kartii thiin।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Sense 2 : to be comparable, to measure up
verb, intransitive Used intransitively in constructions like इसकी तुलना नहीं होती (iskii tulnaa nahiin hotii, 'there is no comparing this') or X की तुलना Y से नहीं की जा सकती (X kii tulnaa Y se nahiin kii jaa saktii, often in the passive) to mean X cannot be compared to/matched with Y.
Synonyms: बराबर होना (baraabar honaa, 'to be equal')
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: This sense is less common as a standalone finite verb -- most learners will meet it inside the passive frame की जा सकती (kii jaa saktii) rather than conjugated on its own.
Sample Sentences:
इस मिठाई की तुलना किसी और चीज़ से नहीं होती। This sweet doesn't compare to anything else.
(is mithaaii kii tulnaa kisii aur chiiz se nahiin hotii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उसके काम की तुलना किसी और के काम से नहीं की जा सकती। His work cannot be compared to anyone else's work.
(uske kaam kii tulnaa kisii aur ke kaam se nahiin kii jaa saktii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
दोनों भाइयों की तुलना नहीं हो सकती, दोनों अपने-अपने में खास हैं। The two brothers cannot be compared, each is special in his own way.
(donon bhaaiyon kii tulnaa nahiin ho saktii, donon apne-apne men khaas hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
पुराने ज़माने की चीज़ों की तुलना आज की चीज़ों से नहीं होती थी। Things from the old days didn't use to compare to things today.
(puraane zamaane kii chiizon kii tulnaa aaj kii chiizon se nahiin hotii thii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगर उसकी तुलना अपने बड़े भाई से होती, तो वह हमेशा पीछे रह जाता। If he were to be compared to his elder brother, he would always fall behind.
(agar uskii tulnaa apne bade bhaaii se hotii, to vah hameshaa piichhe rah jaataa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
क्या इस फ़िल्म की तुलना उस क्लासिक फ़िल्म से की जा सकती है? Can this film be compared to that classic film?
(kyaa is film kii tulnaa us klaasik film se kii jaa saktii hai?)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
शायद उसकी प्रतिभा की तुलना किसी से न हो सके। Perhaps his talent may not compare to anyone's.
(shaayad uskii pratibhaa kii tulnaa kisii se n ho sake।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
आगे चलकर इन दो कंपनियों की तुलना बाज़ार में की जा सकेगी। Going forward, these two companies will be comparable in the market.
(aage chalkar in do kampniyon kii tulnaa baazaar men kii jaa sakegii।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Passive
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): तुलना (tulnaa)
(sg.f.oblique): तुलना (tulnaa)
(pl.f.direct): तुलनाएँ (tulnaaen)
(pl.f.oblique): तुलनाओं (tulnaaon)
Verb
infinitive: तुलना (tulnaa)
infinitive oblique: तुलने (tulne)
habitual/simple (sg.m): तुलता (tultaa)
habitual/simple (pl.m): तुलते (tulte)
habitual/simple (sg.f): तुलती (tultii)
habitual/simple (pl.f): तुलतीं (tultiin)
continuous (sg.m): तुल रहा (tul rahaa)
continuous (pl.m): तुल रहे (tul rahe)
continuous (sg.f): तुल रही (tul rahii)
continuous (pl.f): तुल रहीं (tul rahiin)
perfective (sg.m): तुला (tulaa)
perfective (pl.m): तुले (tule)
perfective (sg.f): तुली (tulii)
perfective (pl.f): तुलीं (tuliin)
imperative (informal): तुल (tul)
imperative (neutral): तुलो (tulo)
imperative (formal): तुलिए (tulie)
future (1sg.m): तुलूँगा (tuloongaa)
future (1sg.f): तुलूँगी (tuloongii)
future (1pl.m): तुलेंगे (tulenge)
future (1pl.f): तुलेंगी (tulengii)
future (2sg.m): तुलेगा (tulegaa)
future (2sg.f): तुलेगी (tulegii)
future (2pl.m): तुलोगे (tuloge)
future (2pl.f): तुलोगी (tulogii)
future (3sg.m): तुलेगा (tulegaa)
future (3sg.f): तुलेगी (tulegii)
future (3pl.m): तुलेंगे (tulenge)
future (3pl.f): तुलेंगी (tulengii)
subjunctive (1sg): तुलूँ (tuloon)
subjunctive (1pl): तुलें (tulen)
subjunctive (2sg): तुले (tule)
subjunctive (2pl): तुलो (tulo)
subjunctive (3sg): तुले (tule)
subjunctive (3pl): तुलें (tulen)