चढ़ना (chadhnaa)

verb A core motion verb meaning 'to climb, ascend, mount, or rise,' extended into weight gain, intoxication, moods 'coming over' someone, and offerings placed on deities; also forms the base for the common causative चढ़ाना (chadhaanaa, 'to raise, offer').
Sense 1 : to climb, go up, ascend
verb, intransitive Takes पर (par) for the surface being climbed: सीढ़ी पर चढ़ना (siidhii par chadhnaa, 'to climb the stairs').
Synonyms: ऊपर जाना (oopar jaanaa, phrase), उठना (uthnaa, rare in this sense)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Used constantly for everyday actions like boarding transport -- बस पर चढ़ना (bas par chadhnaa, 'to get on the bus') -- as well as literal climbing, like पहाड़ पर चढ़ना (pahaad par chadhnaa, 'to climb a mountain').
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often use में (men) instead of पर (par) for the thing being climbed onto -- गाड़ी पर चढ़ना (gaadii par chadhnaa) is right for boarding a vehicle, not गाड़ी में चढ़ना (gaadii men chadhnaa), though the latter is heard colloquially too.
Sample Sentences:
वह हर सुबह सीढ़ियाँ चढ़ता है। He climbs the stairs every morning.
(vah har subah siidhiyaan chadhtaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
जल्दी करो, बस पर चढ़ो! Hurry up, get on the bus!
(jaldii karo, bas par chadho!)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
हम कल पहाड़ पर चढ़ेंगे। We will climb the mountain tomorrow.
(ham kal pahaad par chadhenge।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
वह पेड़ पर चढ़ रहा है। He is climbing the tree.
(vah ped par chadh rahaa hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
बच्चा दीवार पर चढ़ गया। The child climbed up onto the wall.
(bachchaa diivaar par chadh gayaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगर वह ट्रेन पर चढ़ता, तो समय पर पहुँच जाता। If he had boarded the train, he would have arrived on time.
(agar vah tren par chadhtaa, to samay par pahunch jaataa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
क्या आप कृपया इस सीढ़ी पर चढ़कर बल्ब बदल सकते हैं? Could you please climb this ladder and change the bulb?
(kyaa aap kripyaa is siidhii par chadhkar balb badal sakte hain?)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
वह चाहता है कि सब लोग बिना धक्का दिए मेट्रो पर चढ़ें। He wants everyone to board the metro without pushing.
(vah chaahtaa hai ki sab log binaa dhakkaa die metro par chadhen।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
पहाड़ पर चढ़ते हुए उसे साँस लेने में तकलीफ़ होने लगी। While climbing the mountain, he started having trouble breathing.
(pahaad par chadhte hue use saans lene men takliif hone lagii।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
सैनिक किले की दीवार पर चढ़कर अंदर घुस गए। The soldiers climbed over the fort wall and entered inside.
(sainik kile kii diivaar par chadhkar andar ghus gae।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
यात्रियों को ट्रेन पर चढ़ने से पहले टिकट दिखाना पड़ता है। Passengers have to show their tickets before boarding the train.
(yaatriyon ko tren par chadhne se pahle tikat dikhaanaa padtaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Sense 2 : to gain weight, rise (of level, price, water etc.)
verb, intransitive
Synonyms: बढ़ना (badhnaa)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: Very common for prices, water levels, and even a person's weight: उसका वज़न चढ़ गया (uskaa vazan chadh gayaa, 'his weight went up') -- Hindi frames the increase as something that happens to the subject rather than something the subject actively does.
Sample Sentences:
इस महीने पेट्रोल के दाम बहुत चढ़ गए। Petrol prices went up a lot this month.
(is mahiine petrol ke daam bahut chadh gae।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
बरसात में नदी का पानी रोज़ चढ़ता है। During the monsoon, the river's water level rises every day.
(barsaat men nadii kaa paanii roz chadhtaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
पिछले साल से उसका वज़न बहुत चढ़ गया है। His weight has gone up a lot since last year.
(pichhle saal se uskaa vazan bahut chadh gayaa hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
देखना, त्योहार के बाद दालों के भाव फिर चढ़ेंगे। Just watch, the prices of lentils will rise again after the festival.
(dekhnaa, tyohaar ke baad daalon ke bhaav phir chadhenge।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
नदी का पानी चढ़ रहा है, किनारे मत जाओ। The river's water is rising, don't go near the bank.
(nadii kaa paanii chadh rahaa hai, kinaare mat jaao।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर ब्याज दर चढ़ती तो लोन और महंगा हो जाता। If the interest rate had risen, the loan would have become even more expensive.
(agar byaaj dar chadhtii to lon aur mahangaa ho jaataa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
सुना है सोने के दाम फिर से चढ़ रहे हैं। I've heard gold prices are rising again.
(sunaa hai sone ke daam phir se chadh rahe hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अच्छा खाना खाकर उसका वज़न आसानी से चढ़ जाता है। His weight goes up easily whenever he eats well.
(achchhaa khaanaa khaakar uskaa vazan aasaanii se chadh jaataa hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
शेयर बाज़ार में आज सूचकांक तेज़ी से चढ़ा। The index rose sharply in the stock market today.
(sheyar baazaar men aaj soochkaank tezii se chadhaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Sense 3 : to become intoxicated, take effect (of alcohol, drugs, or a high)
verb, intransitive Common frame: [substance] का नशा चढ़ना (kaa nashaa chadhnaa, 'for the intoxication of [x] to rise'), or simply [substance] चढ़ना with the drink/drug as subject.
Synonyms: नशा होना (nashaa honaa, phrase)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This is a classic dative-subject-style construction -- the intoxication is imagined as climbing up over the person, not something the person does to themselves, much like नींद आना (niind aanaa, 'sleep comes').
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes translate 'I am getting drunk' with themselves as the grammatical subject; native speakers usually put the drink or its effect as the subject, with the person marked by को (ko): उसे नशा चढ़ गया (use nashaa chadh gayaa, 'the intoxication rose in him/he got drunk').
Sample Sentences:
उसे दो पेग में ही चढ़ गई। It went to his head after just two pegs.
(use do peg men hii chadh gaii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
खाली पेट पीने से जल्दी चढ़ती है। It kicks in fast when you drink on an empty stomach.
(khaalii pet piine se jaldii chadhtii hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उसे नशा चढ़ रहा है, ध्यान से बात करना। He's getting intoxicated, talk to him carefully.
(use nashaa chadh rahaa hai, dhyaan se baat karnaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर तुझे इतनी जल्दी चढ़ जाती है तो पीना ही मत। If it goes to your head this quickly, then just don't drink.
(agar tujhe itnii jaldii chadh jaatii hai to piinaa hii mat।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
पार्टी के बाद उसे अच्छी तरह चढ़ी हुई थी। After the party, he was really out of it, properly intoxicated.
(paartii ke baad use achchhii tarah chadhii huii thii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
इतनी तेज़ शराब में तुझे ज़रूर चढ़ेगी। With alcohol this strong, it will definitely go to your head.
(itnii tez sharaab men tujhe zaroor chadhegii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
काश उसे इतनी जल्दी न चढ़ती, तो वो सीधा घर जा पाता। If only it hadn't gone to his head so fast, he could have gone straight home.
(kaash use itnii jaldii n chadhtii, to vo siidhaa ghar jaa paataa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
शायद उसे थोड़ी चढ़ गई हो, इसलिए इतना बोल रहा है। Maybe he's a bit tipsy, that's why he's talking so much.
(shaayad use thodii chadh gaii ho, islie itnaa bol rahaa hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Aspect: Perfective -- Voice: Active
देसी दारू में जल्दी चढ़ जाती है, संभल कर पीना। Country liquor kicks in fast, drink carefully.
(desii daaroo men jaldii chadh jaatii hai, sambhal kar piinaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
Sense 4 : for a mood, feeling, or fit to come over someone
verb, intransitive Common in fixed phrases like जोश चढ़ना (josh chadhnaa, 'for excitement/zeal to rise') and भूत चढ़ना (bhoot chadhnaa, 'to be possessed by a ghost').
Synonyms: छाना (chhaanaa, of moods spreading), सवार होना (savaar honaa, stronger idiom)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: Emotions and states in Hindi frequently 'climb' onto a person rather than being generated by them -- गुस्सा चढ़ना (gussaa chadhnaa, 'for anger to rise/come over someone') is a vivid, very natural way to describe losing one's temper.
Sample Sentences:
उसे अचानक बहुत गुस्सा चढ़ गया। Anger suddenly came over him.
(use achaanak bahut gussaa chadh gayaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
जब भी वह हारता है, उसे गुस्सा चढ़ जाता है। Whenever he loses, anger comes over him.
(jab bhii vah haartaa hai, use gussaa chadh jaataa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
बात मत बढ़ाओ, वरना उसे जुनून चढ़ जाएगा। Don't drag this out, or he'll be seized by a fit of obsession.
(baat mat badhaao, varnaa use junoon chadh jaaegaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
मुझे नहीं पता क्यों, पर आज सुबह से मुझ पर उदासी चढ़ी हुई है। I don't know why, but a sadness has been hanging over me since this morning.
(mujhe nahiin pataa kyon, par aaj subah se mujh par udaasii chadhii huii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर उस पर जोश चढ़ता तो वह ज़रूर बोल पड़ता। If a wave of passion had come over him, he would surely have spoken up.
(agar us par josh chadhtaa to vah zaroor bol padtaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
उस पर एक अजीब सा भूत चढ़ गया था, जैसे वह इंसान ही न हो। A strange fit seized him, as if he weren't even the same person.
(us par ek ajiib saa bhoot chadh gayaa thaa, jaise vah insaan hii n ho।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
देखना, कहीं तुझ पर भी शक का भूत न चढ़ जाए। Watch out, don't let the ghost of suspicion come over you too.
(dekhnaa, kahiin tujh par bhii shak kaa bhoot n chadh jaae।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
प्रतियोगिता नज़दीक आते ही सबको एक अलग तरह का जोश चढ़ने लगा। As the competition drew near, a different kind of excitement began to come over everyone.
(pratiyogitaa nazdiik aate hii sabko ek alag tarah kaa josh chadhne lagaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
क्रोध से चढ़ी हुई उस लाल आँखों को देखकर सब डर गए। Seeing those eyes reddened by the rage that had come over her, everyone got scared.
(krodh se chadhii huii us laal aankhon ko dekhkar sab dar gae।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Sense 5 : to be offered (of an offering placed before a deity or elder)
verb, intransitive
Synonyms: अर्पित होना (arpit honaa, formal)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: Heard at temples and pujas: भगवान को फूल चढ़ते हैं (bhagvaan ko phool chadhte hain, 'flowers are offered to God') -- the offering is imagined as rising up to the deity, which is why the causative चढ़ाना (chadhaanaa) is the verb devotees actually use when performing the act.
Sample Sentences:
मंदिर में भगवान को रोज़ फूल चढ़ते हैं। Flowers are offered to God at the temple every day.
(mandir men bhagvaan ko roz phool chadhte hain।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
पूजा में देवी को नारियल चढ़ा। A coconut was offered to the goddess during the puja.
(poojaa men devii ko naariyal chadhaa।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
अभी हलवे का प्रसाद चढ़ रहा है। The halwa offering is being placed before the deity right now.
(abhii halve kaa prasaad chadh rahaa hai।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
बड़े बुज़ुर्गों को भी सबसे पहले थाली चढ़नी चाहिए। The plate should be offered to the elders first, too.
(bade buzurgon ko bhii sabse pahle thaalii chadhnii chaahie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Passive
अगर वो फल न लाता, तो भगवान को कुछ न चढ़ता। If he hadn't brought the fruit, nothing would have been offered to God.
(agar vo phal n laataa, to bhagvaan ko kuchh n chadhtaa।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Passive
इस मंदिर में हर त्योहार पर सैकड़ों दीये चढ़ते हैं। Hundreds of lamps are offered at this temple on every festival.
(is mandir men har tyohaar par saikdon diiye chadhte hain।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
क्या यह मिठाई भगवान को चढ़ चुकी है? Has this sweet already been offered to God?
(kyaa yah mithaaii bhagvaan ko chadh chukii hai?)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
गुरुजी को सबसे पहले चरण-स्पर्श के साथ भोग चढ़े, यही परंपरा है। May the offering be presented to the guru first with a touch of the feet -- that is the tradition.
(gurujii ko sabse pahle charan-sparsh ke saath bhog chadhe, yahii parampraa hai।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Passive
देवता को जो कुछ चढ़ता है, वह बाद में प्रसाद बनकर बँट जाता है। Whatever is offered to the deity is later distributed as blessed prasad.
(devtaa ko jo kuchh chadhtaa hai, vah baad men prasaad bankar bant jaataa hai।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
Morphology
Verb
infinitive: चढ़ना (chadhnaa)
infinitive oblique: चढ़ने (chadhne)
habitual/simple (sg.m): चढ़ता (chadhtaa)
habitual/simple (pl.m): चढ़ते (chadhte)
habitual/simple (sg.f): चढ़ती (chadhtii)
habitual/simple (pl.f): चढ़तीं (chadhtiin)
continuous (sg.m): चढ़ रहा (chadh rahaa)
continuous (pl.m): चढ़ रहे (chadh rahe)
continuous (sg.f): चढ़ रही (chadh rahii)
continuous (pl.f): चढ़ रहीं (chadh rahiin)
perfective (sg.m): चढ़ा (chadhaa)
perfective (pl.m): चढ़े (chadhe)
perfective (sg.f): चढ़ी (chadhii)
perfective (pl.f): चढ़ीं (chadhiin)
imperative (informal): चढ़ (chadh)
imperative (neutral): चढ़ो (chadho)
imperative (formal): चढ़िए (chadhie)
future (1sg.m): चढ़ूँगा (chadhoongaa)
future (1sg.f): चढ़ूँगी (chadhoongii)
future (1pl.m): चढ़ेंगे (chadhenge)
future (1pl.f): चढ़ेंगी (chadhengii)
future (2sg.m): चढ़ेगा (chadhegaa)
future (2sg.f): चढ़ेगी (chadhegii)
future (2pl.m): चढ़ोगे (chadhoge)
future (2pl.f): चढ़ोगी (chadhogii)
future (3sg.m): चढ़ेगा (chadhegaa)
future (3sg.f): चढ़ेगी (chadhegii)
future (3pl.m): चढ़ेंगे (chadhenge)
future (3pl.f): चढ़ेंगी (chadhengii)
subjunctive (1sg): चढ़ूँ (chadhoon)
subjunctive (1pl): चढ़ें (chadhen)
subjunctive (2sg): चढ़े (chadhe)
subjunctive (2pl): चढ़ो (chadho)
subjunctive (3sg): चढ़े (chadhe)
subjunctive (3pl): चढ़ें (chadhen)