तैरना (tairnaa)
verb
A single-sense verb meaning 'to swim' or 'to float.'
Sense
1
:
to swim, to float
verb, intransitive
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Delhi kids mostly learn तैरना (tairnaa) at a सरकारी स्विमिंग पूल (sarkaarii sviming pool, 'government swimming pool') in the summer holidays -- ask any local and they'll have a story about learning in a river or canal in their native village instead. The same verb extends nicely to floating objects, like पत्ता पानी पर तैर रहा है (pattaa paanii par tair rahaa hai, 'the leaf is floating on the water'), so don't be surprised to see it used for things that drift rather than actively swim.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often try to add an object directly, e.g. attempting 'to swim the river,' but तैरना (tairnaa) is intransitive -- the river or pool is marked with में (men), as in नदी में तैरना (nadii men tairnaa, 'to swim in the river'), not taken as a direct object. 2) Since it's intransitive, the past tense takes the ordinary subject agreement pattern (वह तैरा vah tairaa) rather than ने-marking -- learners who over-apply ने from other verbs sometimes reach for it here by mistake.
Sample Sentences:
मुझे तैरना नहीं आता।
I don't know how to swim.
(mujhe tairnaa nahiin aataa।)
गर्मियों की छुट्टियों में बच्चे सरकारी स्विमिंग पूल में तैरना सीखते हैं।
In the summer holidays, children learn to swim at the government swimming pool.
(garmiyon kii chhuttiyon men bachche sarkaarii sviming pool men tairnaa siikhte hain।)
पत्ता पानी पर तैर रहा है।
The leaf is floating on the water.
(pattaa paanii par tair rahaa hai।)
वह अपने गाँव की नहर में तैरना सीखा था।
He had learned to swim in his village's canal.
(vah apne gaanv kii nahar men tairnaa siikhaa thaa।)
अगर मुझे तैरना आता, तो मैं नदी पार कर लेता।
If I knew how to swim, I would have crossed the river.
(agar mujhe tairnaa aataa, to main nadii paar kar letaa।)
तुम तैरना सीख लो, गर्मियों में बहुत फ़ायदा होगा।
Learn to swim, it'll be very useful in summer.
(tum tairnaa siikh lo, garmiyon men bahut faaydaa hogaa।)
नदी में इतनी तेज़ धारा है कि कोई भी तैरना जोखिम भरा है।
The current in the river is so strong that swimming at all is risky.
(nadii men itnii tez dhaaraa hai ki koii bhii tairnaa jokhim bharaa hai।)
शायद वह इतनी ठंडी झील में तैर सके।
Maybe he can manage to swim in such a cold lake.
(shaayad vah itnii thandii jhiil men tair sake।)
कागज़ की नाव पानी की सतह पर तैरती रहती है।
The paper boat keeps floating on the surface of the water.
(kaagaz kii naav paanii kii satah par tairtii rahtii hai।)
उस झील में इतना कचरा तैराया जाता है कि पानी देखकर घिन आती है।
So much garbage is made to float in that lake that the water is disgusting to look at.
(us jhiil men itnaa kachraa tairaayaa jaataa hai ki paanii dekhkar ghin aatii hai।)
कवि ने लिखा है कि आत्मा शांत सरोवर में तैरती रहती है।
The poet has written that the soul keeps floating in a tranquil lake.
(kavi ne likhaa hai ki aatmaa shaant sarovar men tairtii rahtii hai।)
कल हम दोस्तों के साथ तैरने जाएँगे।
Tomorrow we will go swimming with friends.
(kal ham doston ke saath tairne jaaenge।)
Morphology
Verb
infinitive:
तैरना
(tairnaa)
infinitive oblique:
तैरने
(tairne)
habitual/simple (sg.m):
तैरता
(tairtaa)
habitual/simple (pl.m):
तैरते
(tairte)
habitual/simple (sg.f):
तैरती
(tairtii)
habitual/simple (pl.f):
तैरतीं
(tairtiin)
continuous (sg.m):
तैर रहा
(tair rahaa)
continuous (pl.m):
तैर रहे
(tair rahe)
continuous (sg.f):
तैर रही
(tair rahii)
continuous (pl.f):
तैर रहीं
(tair rahiin)
perfective (sg.m):
तैरा
(tairaa)
perfective (pl.m):
तैरे
(taire)
perfective (sg.f):
तैरी
(tairii)
perfective (pl.f):
तैरीं
(tairiin)
imperative (informal):
तैर
(tair)
imperative (neutral):
तैरो
(tairo)
imperative (formal):
तैरिए
(tairie)
future (1sg.m):
तैरूँगा
(tairoongaa)
future (1sg.f):
तैरूँगी
(tairoongii)
future (1pl.m):
तैरेंगे
(tairenge)
future (1pl.f):
तैरेंगी
(tairengii)
future (2sg.m):
तैरेगा
(tairegaa)
future (2sg.f):
तैरेगी
(tairegii)
future (2pl.m):
तैरोगे
(tairoge)
future (2pl.f):
तैरोगी
(tairogii)
future (3sg.m):
तैरेगा
(tairegaa)
future (3sg.f):
तैरेगी
(tairegii)
future (3pl.m):
तैरेंगे
(tairenge)
future (3pl.f):
तैरेंगी
(tairengii)
subjunctive (1sg):
तैरूँ
(tairoon)
subjunctive (1pl):
तैरें
(tairen)
subjunctive (2sg):
तैरे
(taire)
subjunctive (2pl):
तैरो
(tairo)
subjunctive (3sg):
तैरे
(taire)
subjunctive (3pl):
तैरें
(tairen)