झेंपना (jhempnaa)
verb
A single-sense verb meaning to feel bashful, embarrassed, or sheepish, usually with a shy smile rather than distress -- the awkward, blushing kind of embarrassment.
Sense
1
:
to feel shy/embarrassed (bashfully)
verb, intransitive
Synonyms: शरमाना (sharmaanaa), सकपकाना (sakapkaanaa, to be flustered), शर्माना (sharmaanaa, variant form)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This is the verb for that specific half-smile, looking-away moment -- like when someone praises your cooking in front of guests and you don't know where to put your hands. It's warmer and more endearing than 'embarrassed' in English, closer to being caught pleasantly off guard.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for शरमाना (sharmaanaa) for every kind of shyness, but झेंपना (jhempnaa) specifically describes the awkward, caught-off-guard embarrassment that comes after being complimented, teased, or caught doing something -- not general modesty or coyness. 2) It's intransitive and describes an internal reaction; there's no direct object -- you don't 'झेंपना' someone, you just झेंपना (feel that flush of awkwardness) yourself.
Sample Sentences:
जब सबने उसकी तारीफ़ की तो वह झेंप गई।
When everyone praised her, she went all bashful.
(jab sabne uskii taariif kii to vah jhemp gaii।)
वह हर बार तारीफ़ सुनकर झेंप जाता है।
He gets all sheepish every time he hears a compliment.
(vah har baar taariif sunkar jhemp jaataa hai।)
अरे, इतना क्यों झेंप रही हो, बस खाना अच्छा बना था।
Come on, why are you being so bashful, the food just turned out good.
(are, itnaa kyon jhemp rahii ho, bas khaanaa achchhaa banaa thaa।)
मेहमानों के सामने अपनी माँ की तारीफ़ सुनकर वह झेंप उठी।
Hearing her mother praise her in front of the guests, she went bashful.
(mehmaanon ke saamne apnii maan kii taariif sunkar vah jhemp uthii।)
इतना मत झेंपो, तुमने सच में बहुत अच्छा गाया।
Don't be so bashful, you really sang beautifully.
(itnaa mat jhempo, tumne sach men bahut achchhaa gaayaa।)
अगर वह वहाँ होती तो सबके सामने झेंप जाती।
If she had been there, she would have gone all bashful in front of everyone.
(agar vah vahaan hotii to sabke saamne jhemp jaatii।)
शायद वह इसलिए झेंप रहा हो क्योंकि सब उसे घूर रहे थे।
Maybe he was feeling bashful because everyone was staring at him.
(shaayad vah islie jhemp rahaa ho kyonki sab use ghoor rahe the।)
उसका झेंपना देखकर सब मुस्कुरा उठे।
Seeing him look so sheepish, everyone burst into smiles.
(uskaa jhempnaa dekhkar sab muskuraa uthe।)
बच्ची तारीफ़ सुनकर झेंपते हुए अपनी माँ के पीछे छिप गई।
The little girl, going all shy at the compliment, hid behind her mother.
(bachchii taariif sunkar jhempte hue apnii maan ke piichhe chhip gaii।)
क्या तुम अभी भी उस बात पर झेंप रहे हो?
Are you still feeling bashful about that?
(kyaa tum abhii bhii us baat par jhemp rahe ho?)
Morphology
Verb
infinitive:
झेंपना
(jhempnaa)
infinitive oblique:
झेंपने
(jhempne)
habitual/simple (sg.m):
झेंपता
(jhemptaa)
habitual/simple (pl.m):
झेंपते
(jhempte)
habitual/simple (sg.f):
झेंपती
(jhemptii)
habitual/simple (pl.f):
झेंपतीं
(jhemptiin)
continuous (sg.m):
झेंप रहा
(jhemp rahaa)
continuous (pl.m):
झेंप रहे
(jhemp rahe)
continuous (sg.f):
झेंप रही
(jhemp rahii)
continuous (pl.f):
झेंप रहीं
(jhemp rahiin)
perfective (sg.m):
झेंपा
(jhempaa)
perfective (pl.m):
झेंपे
(jhempe)
perfective (sg.f):
झेंपी
(jhempii)
perfective (pl.f):
झेंपीं
(jhempiin)
imperative (informal):
झेंप
(jhemp)
imperative (neutral):
झेंपो
(jhempo)
imperative (formal):
झेंपिए
(jhempie)
future (1sg.m):
झेंपूँगा
(jhempoongaa)
future (1sg.f):
झेंपूँगी
(jhempoongii)
future (1pl.m):
झेंपेंगे
(jhempenge)
future (1pl.f):
झेंपेंगी
(jhempengii)
future (2sg.m):
झेंपेगा
(jhempegaa)
future (2sg.f):
झेंपेगी
(jhempegii)
future (2pl.m):
झेंपोगे
(jhempoge)
future (2pl.f):
झेंपोगी
(jhempogii)
future (3sg.m):
झेंपेगा
(jhempegaa)
future (3sg.f):
झेंपेगी
(jhempegii)
future (3pl.m):
झेंपेंगे
(jhempenge)
future (3pl.f):
झेंपेंगी
(jhempengii)
subjunctive (1sg):
झेंपूँ
(jhempoon)
subjunctive (1pl):
झेंपें
(jhempen)
subjunctive (2sg):
झेंपे
(jhempe)
subjunctive (2pl):
झेंपो
(jhempo)
subjunctive (3sg):
झेंपे
(jhempe)
subjunctive (3pl):
झेंपें
(jhempen)