चौंकना (chaunknaa)
verb
A single-sense verb meaning 'to be startled, to jolt/flinch in surprise' -- describes the involuntary physical reaction of being startled, not a calm or deliberate emotional state.
Sense
1
:
to be startled, to jump/flinch in surprise
verb, intransitive
Synonyms: चकित होना (chakit honaa, more literary), हड़बड़ाना (hadabdaanaa, flustered/jumpy reaction)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Picture someone deep in thought over chai when a scooter horn blares outside -- वह चौंक गया (vah chaunk gayaa, 'he was startled') is exactly that jolt. It very often pairs with जाना (jaanaa) as चौंक जाना (chaunk jaanaa) to sharpen the sense of suddenness, a pattern you'll meet constantly with this verb.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for आश्चर्य होना (aashchary honaa) or हैरान होना (hairaan honaa) for all kinds of 'surprise,' but चौंकना (chaunknaa) specifically carries the sense of a sudden bodily jolt or flinch, like when a loud noise or unexpected sight makes you jump -- it's not used for calm intellectual surprise like learning surprising news. 2) It is intransitive and takes से (se) for the stimulus, as in आवाज़ से चौंकना (aavaaz se chaunknaa, 'to be startled by a sound') -- learners sometimes try को (ko) here by analogy with other reaction verbs.
Sample Sentences:
अचानक आवाज़ सुनकर वह चौंक गया।
He was startled on suddenly hearing the sound.
(achaanak aavaaz sunkar vah chaunk gayaa।)
दरवाज़े पर ज़ोर की दस्तक सुनकर मैं चौंक जाती हूँ।
I get startled whenever there's a loud knock on the door.
(darvaaze par zor kii dastak sunkar main chaunk jaatii hoon।)
फोन की घंटी बजते ही वह चौंक उठी।
The moment the phone rang, she was startled.
(phon kii ghantii bajte hii vah chaunk uthii।)
मत चौंको, यह सिर्फ़ पटाखे की आवाज़ है।
Don't be startled, it's just the sound of a firecracker.
(mat chaunko, yah sirf pataakhe kii aavaaz hai।)
पीछे से किसी के छूने पर वह चौंक रहा था।
He was flinching in surprise as someone touched him from behind.
(piichhe se kisii ke chhoone par vah chaunk rahaa thaa।)
अगर बिजली अचानक चली जाए तो बच्चे चौंक सकते हैं।
If the power suddenly goes out, the children might be startled.
(agar bijlii achaanak chalii jaae to bachche chaunk sakte hain।)
अगर वह अचानक सामने आ जाता, तो मैं ज़रूर चौंक जाता।
If he had suddenly appeared in front of me, I would definitely have been startled.
(agar vah achaanak saamne aa jaataa, to main zaroor chaunk jaataa।)
जब उसने अपना नाम पुकारा जाना सुना, तो वह चौंक गई।
When she heard her name being called out, she was startled.
(jab usne apnaa naam pukaaraa jaanaa sunaa, to vah chaunk gaii।)
बिजली की तेज़ चमक से सब चौंक जाएँगे।
Everyone will be startled by the bright flash of lightning.
(bijlii kii tez chamak se sab chaunk jaaenge।)
उसकी अचानक हँसी सुनकर पूरी कक्षा चौंक उठी थी।
The whole class had been startled on hearing his sudden laughter.
(uskii achaanak hansii sunkar poorii kakshaa chaunk uthii thii।)
साँप को देखकर वह इतना चौंका कि उसके हाथ से गिलास छूट गया।
He was so startled at seeing the snake that the glass slipped from his hand.
(saamp ko dekhkar vah itnaa chaunkaa ki uske haath se gilaas chhoot gayaa।)
Morphology
Verb
infinitive:
चौंकना
(chaunknaa)
infinitive oblique:
चौंकने
(chaunkne)
habitual/simple (sg.m):
चौंकता
(chaunktaa)
habitual/simple (pl.m):
चौंकते
(chaunkte)
habitual/simple (sg.f):
चौंकती
(chaunktii)
habitual/simple (pl.f):
चौंकतीं
(chaunktiin)
continuous (sg.m):
चौंक रहा
(chaunk rahaa)
continuous (pl.m):
चौंक रहे
(chaunk rahe)
continuous (sg.f):
चौंक रही
(chaunk rahii)
continuous (pl.f):
चौंक रहीं
(chaunk rahiin)
perfective (sg.m):
चौंका
(chaunkaa)
perfective (pl.m):
चौंके
(chaunke)
perfective (sg.f):
चौंकी
(chaunkii)
perfective (pl.f):
चौंकीं
(chaunkiin)
imperative (informal):
चौंक
(chaunk)
imperative (neutral):
चौंको
(chaunko)
imperative (formal):
चौंकिए
(chaunkie)
future (1sg.m):
चौंकूँगा
(chaunkoongaa)
future (1sg.f):
चौंकूँगी
(chaunkoongii)
future (1pl.m):
चौंकेंगे
(chaunkenge)
future (1pl.f):
चौंकेंगी
(chaunkengii)
future (2sg.m):
चौंकेगा
(chaunkegaa)
future (2sg.f):
चौंकेगी
(chaunkegii)
future (2pl.m):
चौंकोगे
(chaunkoge)
future (2pl.f):
चौंकोगी
(chaunkogii)
future (3sg.m):
चौंकेगा
(chaunkegaa)
future (3sg.f):
चौंकेगी
(chaunkegii)
future (3pl.m):
चौंकेंगे
(chaunkenge)
future (3pl.f):
चौंकेंगी
(chaunkengii)
subjunctive (1sg):
चौंकूँ
(chaunkoon)
subjunctive (1pl):
चौंकें
(chaunken)
subjunctive (2sg):
चौंके
(chaunke)
subjunctive (2pl):
चौंको
(chaunko)
subjunctive (3sg):
चौंके
(chaunke)
subjunctive (3pl):
चौंकें
(chaunken)