उलझाना (uljhaanaa)
verb
The causative/transitive verb 'to entangle, tangle up' -- used both literally for physical things like thread or hair, and figuratively for confusing or embroiling someone in a problem. Related to the intransitive उलझना (ulajhnaa, 'to get tangled/entangled').
Sense
1
:
to confuse, embroil, entangle (a person, in a problem or situation)
verb, transitive Commonly takes the pattern X ko Y mein उलझाना (X ko Y men uljhaanaa) -- 'to entangle X in Y.'
Synonyms: फँसाना (phansaanaa), भ्रमित करना (bhramit karnaa, more formal/bookish)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is the sense you will hear far more often than the literal one -- Hindi speakers love saying बातों में उलझाना (baaton men uljhaanaa, 'to entangle someone in talk') for the classic move of distracting or stalling someone with chatter, whether it is a salesman keeping you busy or a kid stalling before homework.
Common Mistakes: 1) The person being confused/entangled is marked with को (ko), and the problem or situation they're entangled *in* takes में (men) -- learners sometimes drop one or both markers. 2) उलझाना (uljhaanaa) implies deliberately or effectively tangling someone up in a mess, distinct from just भ्रमित करना (bhramit karnaa) which is more purely about mental confusion without the 'stuck in a mess' feel.
Sample Sentences:
वह हमेशा मुझे बातों में उलझा देता है।
He always entangles me in talk to distract me.
(vah hameshaa mujhe baaton men uljhaa detaa hai।)
दुकानदार ने ग्राहक को बातों में उलझा कर उसका ध्यान भटका दिया।
The shopkeeper distracted the customer by entangling him in conversation.
(dukaandaar ne graahak ko baaton men uljhaa kar uskaa dhyaan bhatkaa diyaa।)
बच्चा होमवर्क से बचने के लिए माँ को सवालों में उलझाने की कोशिश कर रहा था।
The child was trying to entangle his mother in questions to avoid his homework.
(bachchaa homvark se bachne ke lie maan ko savaalon men uljhaane kii koshish kar rahaa thaa।)
मुझे मत उलझाओ, सीधा जवाब दो।
Don't confuse me, give a straight answer.
(mujhe mat uljhaao, siidhaa javaab do।)
वकील ने अपने सवालों से गवाह को इस तरह उलझा दिया कि वह अपनी ही बात में फँस गया।
The lawyer confused the witness with his questions so much that he got caught in his own statement.
(vakiil ne apne savaalon se gavaah ko is tarah uljhaa diyaa ki vah apnii hii baat men phans gayaa।)
अगर वह मुझे बातों में उलझाता, तो मैं समय पर नहीं निकल पाता।
If he had entangled me in talk, I would not have been able to leave on time.
(agar vah mujhe baaton men uljhaataa, to main samay par nahiin nikal paataa।)
राजनेता जनता को असली मुद्दों से हटाकर छोटी-छोटी बहसों में उलझा देते हैं।
Politicians divert the public from real issues and entangle them in petty debates.
(raajnetaa jantaa ko aslii muddon se hataakar chhotii-chhotii bahson men uljhaa dete hain।)
ऐसा मत करो कि पूरा परिवार इस झगड़े में उलझ जाए।
Don't do such a thing that the whole family gets embroiled in this quarrel.
(aisaa mat karo ki pooraa parivaar is jhagde men ulajh jaae।)
मैं उसकी चालाक बातों में उलझ कर अपना असली मकसद भूल गया।
I got entangled in his clever talk and forgot my real purpose.
(main uskii chaalaak baaton men ulajh kar apnaa aslii maksad bhool gayaa।)
कर्मचारी को जानबूझकर काग़ज़ी कार्रवाई में उलझाया गया ताकि वह इस्तीफा न दे सके।
The employee was deliberately entangled in paperwork so that he could not resign.
(karmchaarii ko jaanboojhkar kaaghzii kaarrvaaii men uljhaayaa gayaa taaki vah istiiphaa n de sake।)
सेल्समैन इतनी चिकनी-चुपड़ी बातों में उलझाता है कि लोग बिना सोचे-समझे सामान खरीद लेते हैं।
The salesman entangles people in such smooth talk that they buy things without thinking.
(selsmain itnii chiknii-chupdii baaton men uljhaataa hai ki log binaa soche-samjhe saamaan khariid lete hain।)
Sense
2
:
to entangle, tangle up (physically)
verb, transitive
Synonyms: गुंथाना (gunthaanaa, rare)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: Picture a kid's kite string in a knot after a windy afternoon on a Delhi rooftop -- that everyday image is exactly what उलझाना (uljhaanaa) captures literally, before it stretches into the more common figurative sense.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for उलझना (ulajhnaa) when they mean the causative -- if someone or something *causes* the tangling (e.g. the wind tangling your hair), you need उलझाना (uljhaanaa), not the intransitive form.
Sample Sentences:
बच्चे ने पतंग की डोर उलझा दी।
The child tangled up the kite string.
(bachche ne patang kii dor uljhaa dii।)
हवा तेज़ चले तो डोर उलझ ही जाती है, पर उलझाना कोई मुश्किल काम नहीं है, सुलझाना मुश्किल है।
If the wind blows hard, the string tangles up anyway, but tangling it isn't hard -- untangling it is.
(havaa tez chale to dor ulajh hii jaatii hai, par uljhaanaa koii mushkil kaam nahiin hai, suljhaanaa mushkil hai।)
बालों में कंघी मत उलझाओ, आराम से करो।
Don't get the comb tangled in your hair, take it slow.
(baalon men kanghii mat uljhaao, aaraam se karo।)
उसने जल्दी में हेडफोन का तार उलझा लिया।
In her hurry, she got the headphone wire all tangled up.
(usne jaldii men hedphon kaa taar uljhaa liyaa।)
अगर तुम इसे यूँ ही खींचते रहे तो जाल और उलझ जाएगा।
If you keep pulling at it like this, the net will get even more tangled.
(agar tum ise yoon hii khiinchte rahe to jaal aur ulajh jaaegaa।)
धागे को इतना मत उलझाइए, फिर सुलझाना मुश्किल हो जाएगा।
Please don't tangle the thread this much, it will become hard to untangle later.
(dhaage ko itnaa mat uljhaaie, phir suljhaanaa mushkil ho jaaegaa।)
बिल्ली ऊन की गेंद से खेल-खेल में सारा धागा उलझा गई।
Playing with the ball of wool, the cat tangled up the whole thread.
(billii oon kii gend se khel-khel men saaraa dhaagaa uljhaa gaii।)
डोर इस तरह उलझाई गई थी कि उसे काटना ही पड़ा।
The string had been tangled up so badly that it had to be cut.
(dor is tarah uljhaaii gaii thii ki use kaatnaa hii padaa।)
काश वह तार को इतना न उलझाता, तो अभी ठीक करने में इतनी देर न लगती।
If only he hadn't tangled the wire so much, fixing it now wouldn't be taking this long.
(kaash vah taar ko itnaa n uljhaataa, to abhii thiik karne men itnii der n lagtii।)
पेड़ की जड़ों ने तारों को इतना उलझा दिया था कि बिजली विभाग को बुलाना पड़ा।
The tree roots had tangled the wires up so badly that the electricity department had to be called.
(ped kii jadon ne taaron ko itnaa uljhaa diyaa thaa ki bijlii vibhaag ko bulaanaa padaa।)
Morphology
Verb
infinitive:
उलझाना
(uljhaanaa)
infinitive oblique:
उलझाने
(uljhaane)
habitual/simple (sg.m):
उलझाता
(uljhaataa)
habitual/simple (pl.m):
उलझाते
(uljhaate)
habitual/simple (sg.f):
उलझाती
(uljhaatii)
habitual/simple (pl.f):
उलझातीं
(uljhaatiin)
continuous (sg.m):
उलझा रहा
(uljhaa rahaa)
continuous (pl.m):
उलझा रहे
(uljhaa rahe)
continuous (sg.f):
उलझा रही
(uljhaa rahii)
continuous (pl.f):
उलझा रहीं
(uljhaa rahiin)
perfective (sg.m):
उलझाया
(uljhaayaa)
perfective (pl.m):
उलझाए
(uljhaae)
perfective (sg.f):
उलझाई
(uljhaaii)
perfective (pl.f):
उलझाईं
(uljhaaiin)
imperative (informal):
उलझा
(uljhaa)
imperative (neutral):
उलझाओ
(uljhaao)
imperative (formal):
उलझाइए
(uljhaaie)
future (1sg.m):
उलझाऊँगा
(uljhaaoongaa)
future (1sg.f):
उलझाऊँगी
(uljhaaoongii)
future (1pl.m):
उलझाएँगे
(uljhaaenge)
future (1pl.f):
उलझाएँगी
(uljhaaengii)
future (2sg.m):
उलझाएगा
(uljhaaegaa)
future (2sg.f):
उलझाएगी
(uljhaaegii)
future (2pl.m):
उलझाओगे
(uljhaaoge)
future (2pl.f):
उलझाओगी
(uljhaaogii)
future (3sg.m):
उलझाएगा
(uljhaaegaa)
future (3sg.f):
उलझाएगी
(uljhaaegii)
future (3pl.m):
उलझाएँगे
(uljhaaenge)
future (3pl.f):
उलझाएँगी
(uljhaaengii)
subjunctive (1sg):
उलझाऊँ
(uljhaaoon)
subjunctive (1pl):
उलझाएँ
(uljhaaen)
subjunctive (2sg):
उलझाए
(uljhaae)
subjunctive (2pl):
उलझाओ
(uljhaao)
subjunctive (3sg):
उलझाए
(uljhaae)
subjunctive (3pl):
उलझाएँ
(uljhaaen)