बताना (bataanaa)
verb
The everyday verb for 'to tell/say/inform' -- it covers giving information, explaining, and pointing something out. Causative-flavored in origin (related to बतलाना (batlaanaa)) but functions as a plain transitive verb in modern speech.
Sense
1
:
to tell, inform, say (convey information)
verb, transitive Takes an indirect object marked with को (ko) for the person being told: उसे बताना (use bataanaa), and the thing told as a direct object or clause.
Synonyms: बतलाना (batlaanaa, variant form), कहना (kahnaa)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is one of the first 'useful' verbs a learner reaches for -- रास्ता बताना (raastaa bataanaa, 'to tell/show the way') is the classic phrase you'd use asking a stranger for directions in any Delhi market or metro station.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for कहना (kahnaa) when they mean बताना (bataanaa) -- कहना (kahnaa) is 'to say' something (often reporting speech), while बताना (bataanaa) is 'to inform/tell' someone a fact; ask 'मुझे बताओ' (mujhe bataao, 'tell me'), not 'मुझसे कहो' (mujhse kaho) in that context. 2) The person being told takes को (ko), not से (se) -- मुझे बताओ (mujhe bataao) is correct, not मुझसे बताओ.
Sample Sentences:
क्या आप मुझे रास्ता बता सकते हैं?
Can you tell me the way?
(kyaa aap mujhe raastaa bataa sakte hain?)
उसने मुझे अपना नाम नहीं बताया।
He did not tell me his name.
(usne mujhe apnaa naam nahiin bataayaa।)
मुझे मेरी उड़ान का समय बता दो।
Tell me my flight time.
(mujhe merii udaan kaa samay bataa do।)
वह हमेशा सबको सच बताती है।
She always tells everyone the truth.
(vah hameshaa sabko sach bataatii hai।)
मैं तुम्हें कल की बात बता रहा था।
I was telling you about yesterday's matter.
(main tumhen kal kii baat bataa rahaa thaa।)
अगर उसे पता होता तो वह मुझे जरूर बताता।
If he had known, he would definitely have told me.
(agar use pataa hotaa to vah mujhe jaroor bataataa।)
कृपया मुझे मेट्रो स्टेशन का रास्ता बता दीजिए।
Please tell me the way to the metro station.
(kripyaa mujhe metro steshan kaa raastaa bataa diijie।)
मुझे यह बात पहले बताई जानी चाहिए थी।
This should have been told to me earlier.
(mujhe yah baat pahle bataaii jaanii chaahie thii।)
उम्मीद है कि वह हमें अपना फैसला जल्दी बताएगा।
Hopefully he will tell us his decision soon.
(ummiid hai ki vah hamen apnaa phaislaa jaldii bataaegaa।)
यह खबर सबको बताई गई।
This news was told to everyone.
(yah khabar sabko bataaii gaii।)
मैं चाहता हूँ कि तुम मुझे सारी बात बताओ।
I want you to tell me the whole matter.
(main chaahtaa hoon ki tum mujhe saarii baat bataao।)
Sense
2
:
to explain, describe, point out
verb, transitive Used when the content is more involved than a simple fact -- explaining how something works or describing something in detail, still with the को-marked (ko) listener.
Synonyms: समझाना (samjhaanaa, to make understand -- broader than बताना (bataanaa))
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: A teacher or elder saying ज़रा बताओ तो (zaraa bataao to, 'go on, explain/tell me') has a gently prompting tone, inviting someone to walk through something rather than just state a fact.
Sample Sentences:
क्या तुम मुझे यह सवाल बता सकते हो?
Can you explain this question to me?
(kyaa tum mujhe yah savaal bataa sakte ho?)
ज़रा बताओ तो, यह मशीन कैसे काम करती है।
Go on, explain how this machine works.
(zaraa bataao to, yah mashiin kaise kaam kartii hai।)
शिक्षक ने विद्यार्थियों को समीकरण हल करने का तरीका बताया।
The teacher explained the method of solving the equation to the students.
(shikshak ne vidyaarthiyon ko samiikran hal karne kaa tariikaa bataayaa।)
गाइड पर्यटकों को हर इमारत का इतिहास बता रहा था।
The guide was explaining the history of every building to the tourists.
(gaaid paryatkon ko har imaarat kaa itihaas bataa rahaa thaa।)
अगर तुम मुझे नक्शे पर रास्ता बता देते, तो मैं भटकता नहीं।
If you had shown me the way on the map, I wouldn't have gotten lost.
(agar tum mujhe nakshe par raastaa bataa dete, to main bhataktaa nahiin।)
कृपया मुझे बताइए कि यह फॉर्म कैसे भरा जाता है।
Please explain to me how this form is filled out.
(kripyaa mujhe bataaie ki yah phorm kaise bharaa jaataa hai।)
प्रोफेसर साहब हमें हमेशा हर सिद्धांत बहुत सरलता से बताते हैं।
The professor always explains every theory to us very simply.
(prophesar saahab hamen hameshaa har siddhaant bahut saraltaa se bataate hain।)
डॉक्टर इस दवा के दुष्प्रभाव मरीज़ को ज़रूर बताएँगे।
The doctor will definitely explain the side effects of this medicine to the patient.
(doktar is davaa ke dushprbhaav mariiz ko zaroor bataaenge।)
सेमिनार में यह बताया गया कि जलवायु परिवर्तन का असर खेती पर कैसे पड़ता है।
It was explained in the seminar how climate change affects farming.
(seminaar men yah bataayaa gayaa ki jalvaayu parivartan kaa asar khetii par kaise padtaa hai।)
क्या तुम मुझे बता सकती हो कि यह पहेली कैसे सुलझती है?
Can you explain to me how this puzzle is solved?
(kyaa tum mujhe bataa saktii ho ki yah pahelii kaise sulajhtii hai?)
काश कोई मुझे यह नियम ठीक से बता पाता।
I wish someone could have explained this rule to me properly.
(kaash koii mujhe yah niyam thiik se bataa paataa।)
Morphology
Verb
infinitive:
बताना
(bataanaa)
infinitive oblique:
बताने
(bataane)
habitual/simple (sg.m):
बताता
(bataataa)
habitual/simple (pl.m):
बताते
(bataate)
habitual/simple (sg.f):
बताती
(bataatii)
habitual/simple (pl.f):
बतातीं
(bataatiin)
continuous (sg.m):
बता रहा
(bataa rahaa)
continuous (pl.m):
बता रहे
(bataa rahe)
continuous (sg.f):
बता रही
(bataa rahii)
continuous (pl.f):
बता रहीं
(bataa rahiin)
perfective (sg.m):
बताया
(bataayaa)
perfective (pl.m):
बताए
(bataae)
perfective (sg.f):
बताई
(bataaii)
perfective (pl.f):
बताईं
(bataaiin)
imperative (informal):
बता
(bataa)
imperative (neutral):
बताओ
(bataao)
imperative (formal):
बताइए
(bataaie)
future (1sg.m):
बताऊँगा
(bataaoongaa)
future (1sg.f):
बताऊँगी
(bataaoongii)
future (1pl.m):
बताएँगे
(bataaenge)
future (1pl.f):
बताएँगी
(bataaengii)
future (2sg.m):
बताएगा
(bataaegaa)
future (2sg.f):
बताएगी
(bataaegii)
future (2pl.m):
बताओगे
(bataaoge)
future (2pl.f):
बताओगी
(bataaogii)
future (3sg.m):
बताएगा
(bataaegaa)
future (3sg.f):
बताएगी
(bataaegii)
future (3pl.m):
बताएँगे
(bataaenge)
future (3pl.f):
बताएँगी
(bataaengii)
subjunctive (1sg):
बताऊँ
(bataaoon)
subjunctive (1pl):
बताएँ
(bataaen)
subjunctive (2sg):
बताए
(bataae)
subjunctive (2pl):
बताओ
(bataao)
subjunctive (3sg):
बताए
(bataae)
subjunctive (3pl):
बताएँ
(bataaen)