सोचना (sochnaa)
verb
A core everyday verb meaning 'to think' -- covering thinking-about, considering/deciding, and worrying/mulling over. One central sense with a few natural shades.
Sense
1
:
to think, to consider (a thought or opinion)
verb, transitive Commonly takes a complement clause with कि (ki) -- 'मैं सोचता हूँ कि...' (main sochtaa hoon ki..., 'I think that...').
Synonyms: विचार करना (vichaar karnaa, formal), समझना (samajhnaa, overlaps in 'to think/believe' sense)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: सोचना (sochnaa) is the verb Hindi speakers reach for constantly in casual musing -- सोच रहा हूँ (soch rahaa hoon, 'I'm thinking...') is the classic stalling phrase when someone asks you a question you haven't decided on yet, much like English 'let me think.'
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often say मुझे सोचना है (mujhe sochnaa hai) modeled on दातिव-subject verbs, but सोचना (sochnaa) takes a normal subject: मैं सोचता हूँ (main sochtaa hoon), not the को-marked pattern. 2) In past perfective, यह transitive verb takes ने (ne): मैंने सोचा (mainne sochaa, 'I thought'), which trips up learners still building instinct for ने-marking on 'mental' verbs that feel intransitive in English.
Sample Sentences:
मैं सोचता हूँ कि यह सही फैसला है।
I think this is the right decision.
(main sochtaa hoon ki yah sahii phaislaa hai।)
अभी मत पूछो, मैं सोच रहा हूँ।
Don't ask me right now, I'm thinking.
(abhii mat poochho, main soch rahaa hoon।)
मुझे नहीं पता, मुझे सोचने दो।
I don't know, let me think.
(mujhe nahiin pataa, mujhe sochne do।)
उसने कभी नहीं सोचा था कि वह इतना आगे बढ़ेगी।
She had never thought that she would go this far.
(usne kabhii nahiin sochaa thaa ki vah itnaa aage badhegii।)
अगर तुम ऐसा सोचते तो शायद गलत निर्णय ले लेते।
If you had thought like that, you might have made the wrong decision.
(agar tum aisaa sochte to shaayad galat nirnay le lete।)
क्या तुम सचमुच सोचते हो कि वह झूठ बोल रहा है?
Do you really think he's lying?
(kyaa tum sachmuch sochte ho ki vah jhooth bol rahaa hai?)
हमें यह सोचना चाहिए कि इसका असर क्या होगा।
We should think about what effect this will have.
(hamen yah sochnaa chaahie ki iskaa asar kyaa hogaa।)
यह विचार बहुत पहले सोचा जा चुका है।
This idea has already been thought of long ago.
(yah vichaar bahut pahle sochaa jaa chukaa hai।)
बच्चे अक्सर अपने माता-पिता से अलग सोचते हैं।
Children often think differently from their parents.
(bachche aksar apne maataa-pitaa se alag sochte hain।)
कवि ने सोचा कि जीवन एक बहती हुई नदी के समान है।
The poet thought that life is like a flowing river.
(kavi ne sochaa ki jiivan ek bahtii huii nadii ke samaan hai।)
जरा सोचिए, अगर सब लोग ऐसे ही सोचने लगें तो क्या होगा।
Just think, what would happen if everyone started thinking like this.
(jaraa sochie, agar sab log aise hii sochne lagen to kyaa hogaa।)
Sense
2
:
to think over, decide, plan to (do something)
verb, transitive Frequently paired with an infinitive: सोचना (sochnaa) + oblique infinitive, e.g. जाने का सोचना (jaane kaa sochnaa, 'to think of/about going'), expressing a tentative plan rather than a firm decision.
Synonyms: इरादा करना (iraadaa karnaa, to intend), तय करना (tay karnaa, to decide/settle on)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: सोचकर देखते हैं (sochkar dekhte hain, 'let's think it over and see') is a very Delhi way of politely deferring a decision -- neither a yes nor a no, just a graceful pause.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes use सोचना (sochnaa) where चाहना (chaahnaa, 'to want') would be more natural -- सोचना (sochnaa) implies mulling over a plan, not a firm desire.
Sample Sentences:
मैं कल दिल्ली जाने की सोच रहा हूँ।
I'm planning to go to Delhi tomorrow.
(main kal dillii jaane kii soch rahaa hoon।)
उसने नौकरी छोड़ने की सोची है।
She has decided to quit her job.
(usne naukrii chhodne kii sochii hai।)
चलो, एक बार सोचकर देखते हैं।
Come on, let's think it over and see.
(chalo, ek baar sochkar dekhte hain।)
हम अगले महीने घर बदलने की सोच रहे थे, पर अभी टल गया।
We were planning to change houses next month, but it's been postponed for now.
(ham agle mahiine ghar badalne kii soch rahe the, par abhii tal gayaa।)
अगर मैं पहले सोच लेता, तो यह गलती न होती।
If I had planned it out earlier, this mistake wouldn't have happened.
(agar main pahle soch letaa, to yah galtii n hotii।)
पहले अच्छे से सोच लो, फिर फैसला करना।
Think it through properly first, then make your decision.
(pahle achchhe se soch lo, phir phaislaa karnaa।)
क्या आपने विदेश जाकर पढ़ाई करने के बारे में सोचा है?
Have you thought about going abroad to study?
(kyaa aapne videsh jaakar padhaaii karne ke baare men sochaa hai?)
समिति ने प्रस्ताव को मंजूरी देने की सोची है।
The committee has decided to approve the proposal.
(samiti ne prastaav ko manjoorii dene kii sochii hai।)
इस बारे में सोचा जाएगा और आपको बता दिया जाएगा।
This will be considered and decided upon, and you'll be informed.
(is baare men sochaa jaaegaa aur aapko bataa diyaa jaaegaa।)
शायद वह इस साल शादी करने की सोचे।
Maybe he's considering getting married this year.
(shaayad vah is saal shaadii karne kii soche।)
वह हमेशा बड़ा सोचता है और उसी हिसाब से योजना बनाता है।
He always thinks big and plans accordingly.
(vah hameshaa badaa sochtaa hai aur usii hisaab se yojnaa banaataa hai।)
Sense
3
:
to worry, to fret (mulling anxiously)
verb, transitive
Synonyms: चिंता करना (chintaa karnaa, to worry -- more explicit), फ़िक्र करना (fikr karnaa, to worry/fret)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: A mother telling her child मत सोचो (mat socho, 'don't think/worry [about it]') is comfort-speak heard in almost every Hindi household -- it leans on this worry-flavored shade of the verb, not the neutral 'think' sense.
Common Mistakes: 1) सोचना (sochnaa) alone is milder than चिंता करना (chintaa karnaa) -- calling it 'worrying' can overstate the anxiety; context (tone, repetition, बहुत (bahut)) signals whether it means neutral thinking or genuine worry, e.g. बहुत सोचती रहती है (bahut sochtii rahtii hai, 'she keeps worrying a lot').
Sample Sentences:
मत सोचो, सब ठीक हो जाएगा।
Don't worry, everything will be fine.
(mat socho, sab thiik ho jaaegaa।)
माँ हर समय मेरी नौकरी के बारे में सोचती रहती है।
Mom keeps worrying about my job all the time.
(maan har samay merii naukrii ke baare men sochtii rahtii hai।)
वह रात भर अपने बेटे की तबीयत के बारे में सोचती रही।
She kept worrying about her son's health all night.
(vah raat bhar apne bete kii tabiiyat ke baare men sochtii rahii।)
पैसों की इतनी चिंता मत सोचिए, कुछ न कुछ हो ही जाएगा।
Please don't fret so much about money, something will work out.
(paison kii itnii chintaa mat sochie, kuchh n kuchh ho hii jaaegaa।)
अगर तुम इतना सोचोगे तो बीमार पड़ जाओगे।
If you keep worrying this much, you will fall sick.
(agar tum itnaa sochoge to biimaar pad jaaoge।)
काश वह अपने भविष्य के बारे में इतना न सोचता।
I wish he didn't worry so much about his future.
(kaash vah apne bhavishy ke baare men itnaa n sochtaa।)
अम्मा ने रोते हुए कहा, मत सोचो, वह लौट आएगी।
Mother said through tears, don't worry, she will come back.
(ammaa ne rote hue kahaa, mat socho, vah laut aaegii।)
बेटा, इम्तिहान के बारे में मत सोच, अपनी पूरी कोशिश करो।
Son, don't worry about the exam, just do your best.
(betaa, imtihaan ke baare men mat soch, apnii poorii koshish karo।)
जब तक रिपोर्ट नहीं आती, वह सोचती रहेगी कि कहीं कुछ गलत तो नहीं।
Until the report comes, she will keep worrying that something might be wrong.
(jab tak riport nahiin aatii, vah sochtii rahegii ki kahiin kuchh galat to nahiin।)
Morphology
Verb
infinitive:
सोचना
(sochnaa)
infinitive oblique:
सोचने
(sochne)
habitual/simple (sg.m):
सोचता
(sochtaa)
habitual/simple (pl.m):
सोचते
(sochte)
habitual/simple (sg.f):
सोचती
(sochtii)
habitual/simple (pl.f):
सोचतीं
(sochtiin)
continuous (sg.m):
सोच रहा
(soch rahaa)
continuous (pl.m):
सोच रहे
(soch rahe)
continuous (sg.f):
सोच रही
(soch rahii)
continuous (pl.f):
सोच रहीं
(soch rahiin)
perfective (sg.m):
सोचा
(sochaa)
perfective (pl.m):
सोचे
(soche)
perfective (sg.f):
सोची
(sochii)
perfective (pl.f):
सोचीं
(sochiin)
imperative (informal):
सोच
(soch)
imperative (neutral):
सोचो
(socho)
imperative (formal):
सोचिए
(sochie)
future (1sg.m):
सोचूँगा
(sochoongaa)
future (1sg.f):
सोचूँगी
(sochoongii)
future (1pl.m):
सोचेंगे
(sochenge)
future (1pl.f):
सोचेंगी
(sochengii)
future (2sg.m):
सोचेगा
(sochegaa)
future (2sg.f):
सोचेगी
(sochegii)
future (2pl.m):
सोचोगे
(sochoge)
future (2pl.f):
सोचोगी
(sochogii)
future (3sg.m):
सोचेगा
(sochegaa)
future (3sg.f):
सोचेगी
(sochegii)
future (3pl.m):
सोचेंगे
(sochenge)
future (3pl.f):
सोचेंगी
(sochengii)
subjunctive (1sg):
सोचूँ
(sochoon)
subjunctive (1pl):
सोचें
(sochen)
subjunctive (2sg):
सोचे
(soche)
subjunctive (2pl):
सोचो
(socho)
subjunctive (3sg):
सोचे
(soche)
subjunctive (3pl):
सोचें
(sochen)