भटकना (bhataknaa)
verb
One core meaning: to wander or roam aimlessly, which extends naturally into a figurative sense of being confused or led astray (mentally, morally, or in an argument).
Sense
1
:
to wander, roam aimlessly (physically)
verb, intransitive
Synonyms: घूमना (ghoomnaa, broader: also just 'to roam/go around' without the lost feel), आवारा फिरना (aavaaraa phirnaa, colloquial)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Picture someone lost in the narrow lanes of old Delhi asking रास्ता भटक गया (raastaa bhatak gayaa, 'I lost my way') -- this verb is the go-to for that specific feeling of having no clear path, not just casual roaming.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for घूमना (ghoomnaa) for any 'wandering,' but भटकना (bhataknaa) specifically carries a sense of being lost or directionless -- you would not use it for a pleasant evening stroll.
Sample Sentences:
वह रास्ता भटक गया।
He lost his way.
(vah raastaa bhatak gayaa।)
मैं पुरानी दिल्ली की गलियों में भटकता रहा।
I kept wandering through the lanes of old Delhi.
(main puraanii dillii kii galiyon men bhataktaa rahaa।)
बच्चे मेले में भटक रहे हैं, उन्हें ढूँढो।
The children are wandering around at the fair, go find them.
(bachche mele men bhatak rahe hain, unhen dhoondho।)
जंगल में मत भटको, अंधेरा होने वाला है।
Don't wander around in the forest, it's about to get dark.
(jangal men mat bhatko, andheraa hone vaalaa hai।)
अगर नक्शा साथ होता तो हम इतना नहीं भटकते।
If we had had the map with us, we wouldn't have wandered so much.
(agar nakshaa saath hotaa to ham itnaa nahiin bhatakte।)
यात्री रेगिस्तान में तीन दिन तक भटकते रहे।
The travelers kept wandering in the desert for three days.
(yaatrii registaan men tiin din tak bhatakte rahe।)
शायद वह भूख से परेशान होकर सड़कों पर भटके।
Perhaps he wandered the streets, troubled by hunger.
(shaayad vah bhookh se pareshaan hokar sadkon par bhatke।)
मुझे लगता है हम गलत मोड़ पर भटक जाएँगे।
I feel we'll end up wandering off at the wrong turn.
(mujhe lagtaa hai ham galat mod par bhatak jaaenge।)
आपसे निवेदन है कि इस क्षेत्र में अकेले न भटकें।
You are requested not to wander alone in this area.
(aapse nivedan hai ki is kshetr men akele n bhatken।)
खोए हुए यात्री को स्टेशन के पास भटकते देखा गया।
The lost traveler was seen wandering near the station.
(khoe hue yaatrii ko steshan ke paas bhatakte dekhaa gayaa।)
पहाड़ों में भटकते हुए साधु अक्सर इन गाँवों से गुज़रते हैं।
Wandering ascetics roaming the mountains often pass through these villages.
(pahaadon men bhatakte hue saadhu aksar in gaanvon se guzarte hain।)
Sense
2
:
to be confused, go astray (mentally, morally, or in reasoning)
verb, intransitive
Synonyms: भ्रमित होना (bhramit honaa, more formal/bookish), बहकना (bahaknaa, leans toward moral straying)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will hear parents or teachers say बच्चा भटक गया है (bachchaa bhatak gayaa hai, 'the kid has gone astray') about a young person who has drifted from studies or good company -- it is a gentle but worried way of describing someone losing direction in life, not a harsh accusation.
Common Mistakes: 1) This figurative sense is very common in speech about someone's thinking or life choices, e.g. दिमाग भटक गया (dimaag bhatak gayaa, 'my mind wandered/got confused') -- learners sometimes think भटकना (bhataknaa) is only physical and miss this everyday abstract use.
Sample Sentences:
बच्चा भटक गया है, उसे सही राह दिखाने की ज़रूरत है।
The kid has gone astray; he needs to be shown the right path.
(bachchaa bhatak gayaa hai, use sahii raah dikhaane kii zaroorat hai।)
बुरे दोस्तों की वजह से वह पूरी तरह भटक गया।
Because of bad friends, he went completely astray.
(bure doston kii vajah se vah poorii tarah bhatak gayaa।)
इतना पैसा और शोहरत मिलने के बाद बहुत से लोग भटक जाते हैं।
After getting so much money and fame, many people go astray.
(itnaa paisaa aur shohrat milne ke baad bahut se log bhatak jaate hain।)
बेटा, गलत रास्ते पर मत भटकना, अपनी पढ़ाई पर ध्यान दो।
Son, don't go astray onto the wrong path -- focus on your studies.
(betaa, galat raaste par mat bhataknaa, apnii padhaaii par dhyaan do।)
अगर उसे सही समय पर कोई सलाह न मिली होती, तो वह ज़रूर भटक जाता।
If he hadn't gotten some advice at the right time, he would surely have gone astray.
(agar use sahii samay par koii salaah n milii hotii, to vah zaroor bhatak jaataa।)
मुझे डर है कि बिना किसी मार्गदर्शन के वह भटक न जाए।
I'm afraid that without any guidance, he might go astray.
(mujhe dar hai ki binaa kisii maargdarshan ke vah bhatak n jaae।)
इस बहस में हम मूल मुद्दे से भटक गए हैं।
In this argument, we've strayed from the main issue.
(is bahas men ham mool mudde se bhatak gae hain।)
बिना गुरु के मार्गदर्शन के, मनुष्य का मन सत्य से भटक जाता है।
Without a guru's guidance, the human mind strays from the truth.
(binaa guru ke maargdarshan ke, manushy kaa man saty se bhatak jaataa hai।)
जब भी वह अकेला होता है, उसका मन इधर-उधर भटकने लगता है और वह गलत फैसले ले लेता है।
Whenever he's alone, his mind starts wandering off and he ends up making wrong decisions.
(jab bhii vah akelaa hotaa hai, uskaa man idhar-udhar bhatakne lagtaa hai aur vah galat phaisle le letaa hai।)
अच्छे संस्कारों के बिना बच्चे आसानी से भटकाए जा सकते हैं।
Without good values, children can easily be led astray.
(achchhe sanskaaron ke binaa bachche aasaanii se bhatkaae jaa sakte hain।)
काश वह गलत लोगों की बातों में न आकर भटकता नहीं।
I wish he hadn't gotten swept up by the wrong people and gone astray.
(kaash vah galat logon kii baaton men n aakar bhataktaa nahiin।)
Morphology
Verb
infinitive:
भटकना
(bhataknaa)
infinitive oblique:
भटकने
(bhatakne)
habitual/simple (sg.m):
भटकता
(bhataktaa)
habitual/simple (pl.m):
भटकते
(bhatakte)
habitual/simple (sg.f):
भटकती
(bhataktii)
habitual/simple (pl.f):
भटकतीं
(bhataktiin)
continuous (sg.m):
भटक रहा
(bhatak rahaa)
continuous (pl.m):
भटक रहे
(bhatak rahe)
continuous (sg.f):
भटक रही
(bhatak rahii)
continuous (pl.f):
भटक रहीं
(bhatak rahiin)
perfective (sg.m):
भटका
(bhatkaa)
perfective (pl.m):
भटके
(bhatke)
perfective (sg.f):
भटकी
(bhatkii)
perfective (pl.f):
भटकीं
(bhatkiin)
imperative (informal):
भटक
(bhatak)
imperative (neutral):
भटको
(bhatko)
imperative (formal):
भटकिए
(bhatkie)
future (1sg.m):
भटकूँगा
(bhatkoongaa)
future (1sg.f):
भटकूँगी
(bhatkoongii)
future (1pl.m):
भटकेंगे
(bhatkenge)
future (1pl.f):
भटकेंगी
(bhatkengii)
future (2sg.m):
भटकेगा
(bhatkegaa)
future (2sg.f):
भटकेगी
(bhatkegii)
future (2pl.m):
भटकोगे
(bhatkoge)
future (2pl.f):
भटकोगी
(bhatkogii)
future (3sg.m):
भटकेगा
(bhatkegaa)
future (3sg.f):
भटकेगी
(bhatkegii)
future (3pl.m):
भटकेंगे
(bhatkenge)
future (3pl.f):
भटकेंगी
(bhatkengii)
subjunctive (1sg):
भटकूँ
(bhatkoon)
subjunctive (1pl):
भटकें
(bhatken)
subjunctive (2sg):
भटके
(bhatke)
subjunctive (2pl):
भटको
(bhatko)
subjunctive (3sg):
भटके
(bhatke)
subjunctive (3pl):
भटकें
(bhatken)