थपथपाना (thapathpaanaa)
verb
A tactile, sound-imitative verb meaning to pat or tap gently and repeatedly -- on a back, shoulder, cheek, or drum-like surface. One core sense, with an easy extension to comforting or encouraging gestures.
Sense
1
:
to pat, tap gently (with hand, repeatedly)
verb, transitive
Synonyms: थपकी देना (thapkii denaa, said especially of patting a child to sleep), सहलाना (sahlaanaa, more of a stroking motion than a pat)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This word is onomatopoeic -- थप-थप (thap-thap) mimics the soft repeated sound of patting, much like Hindi's other reduplicated sound-words (खटखटाना (khatakhtaanaa, 'to knock'), टटोलना (tatolnaa, 'to feel around')). Patting someone's back (पीठ थपथपाना (piith thapathpaanaa)) is a very common gesture of encouragement or praise in India, roughly like an English pat on the back, and is used just as often figuratively as literally.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes reach for थपथपाना (thapathpaanaa) for any touch, but it specifically implies a rhythmic, repeated patting motion, not a single touch or a stroke -- for the latter, सहलाना (sahlaanaa) or छूना (chhoonaa) fit better. 2) The object of the patting takes को (ko), as with most transitive verbs acting on a person: उसकी पीठ थपथपाई (uskii piith thapathpaaii, 'patted his/her back') is more natural than making 'back' the subject of focus -- Hindi tends to name the body part directly rather than saying 'patted him on the back.'
Sample Sentences:
माँ ने बच्चे को सुलाने के लिए उसकी पीठ थपथपाई।
The mother patted the child's back to put him to sleep.
(maan ne bachche ko sulaane ke lie uskii piith thapathpaaii।)
वह रोज़ सुबह अपने कुत्ते को थपथपाता है।
He pats his dog every morning.
(vah roz subah apne kutte ko thapathpaataa hai।)
वह अभी भी उसका सिर थपथपा रही है।
She is still patting his head gently.
(vah abhii bhii uskaa sir thapathpaa rahii hai।)
उसकी पीठ थपथपाओ, वह डरा हुआ है।
Pat his back, he's scared.
(uskii piith thapathpaao, vah daraa huaa hai।)
अगर वह रो रहा होता तो मैं उसकी पीठ थपथपाता।
If he had been crying, I would have patted his back.
(agar vah ro rahaa hotaa to main uskii piith thapathpaataa।)
नर्स ने बच्चे को डकार दिलाने के लिए उसकी पीठ थपथपाई।
The nurse patted the baby's back to make him burp.
(nars ne bachche ko dakaar dilaane ke lie uskii piith thapathpaaii।)
शायद वह तुम्हें चुप कराने के लिए तुम्हारी पीठ थपथपाए।
Maybe she will pat your back to quiet you down.
(shaayad vah tumhen chup karaane ke lie tumhaarii piith thapathpaae।)
बच्चे को थपथपाकर सुलाया गया।
The child was patted to sleep.
(bachche ko thapathpaakar sulaayaa gayaa।)
वह उसके गाल थपथपाकर मुस्कुराया।
He smiled while gently patting her cheek.
(vah uske gaal thapathpaakar muskuraayaa।)
कृपया धीरे से उसकी पीठ थपथपाइए, वह बहुत छोटा है।
Please pat his back gently, he is very small.
(kripyaa dhiire se uskii piith thapathpaaie, vah bahut chhotaa hai।)
जब तक वह सो नहीं जाता, दादी उसे थपथपाती रहती हैं।
Grandmother keeps patting him until he falls asleep.
(jab tak vah so nahiin jaataa, daadii use thapathpaatii rahtii hain।)
Sense
2
:
to praise, encourage, commend (figurative extension of patting the back)
verb, transitive Almost always occurs as the fixed idiom पीठ थपथपाना (piith thapathpaanaa, 'to pat [someone's] back') -- the figurative sense rarely stands on the bare verb alone without पीठ (piith).
Synonyms: पीठ थपथपाना (piith thapathpaanaa, fixed idiom, 'to pat on the back'), सराहना (saraahnaa, more general word for 'to praise', not tied to the gesture)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: Just as in English, 'to pat someone on the back' in Hindi doubles as literal gesture and as a stand-in for verbal praise or encouragement -- a teacher, coach, or boss 'patting the back' (पीठ थपथपाना (piith thapathpaanaa)) of a student or employee is a everyday image of approval in Hindi as much as in English.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners may drop पीठ (piith) and just say थपथपाना (thapathpaanaa) expecting the praise meaning to carry through, but without पीठ (piith) the sentence reads as literal patting, not commendation.
Sample Sentences:
टीचर ने उसकी पीठ थपथपाई।
The teacher patted him on the back (in praise).
(tiichar ne uskii piith thapathpaaii।)
बॉस हमेशा अच्छे काम पर पीठ थपथपाता है।
The boss always commends good work.
(bos hameshaa achchhe kaam par piith thapathpaataa hai।)
कोच खिलाड़ियों की पीठ थपथपा रहा था।
The coach was praising the players.
(koch khilaadiyon kii piith thapathpaa rahaa thaa।)
बेटा, अगर तू यह इम्तिहान पास कर ले, तो मैं तेरी पीठ थपथपाऊँगा।
Son, if you pass this exam, I will pat you on the back.
(betaa, agar too yah imtihaan paas kar le, to main terii piith thapathpaaoongaa।)
अगर तुम मेहनत करते, तो सब तुम्हारी पीठ थपथपाते।
If you had worked hard, everyone would have commended you.
(agar tum mehnat karte, to sab tumhaarii piith thapathpaate।)
उसकी मेहनत देखकर मैनेजर ने उसकी पीठ थपथपाई है।
Seeing his hard work, the manager has commended him.
(uskii mehnat dekhkar mainejar ne uskii piith thapathpaaii hai।)
बेटा, अच्छा काम किया, चलो मैं तुम्हारी पीठ थपथपाता हूँ।
Son, you did well -- come, let me pat you on the back.
(betaa, achchhaa kaam kiyaa, chalo main tumhaarii piith thapathpaataa hoon।)
अच्छा काम करने वालों की पीठ थपथपाई जानी चाहिए।
Those who do good work should be commended.
(achchhaa kaam karne vaalon kii piith thapathpaaii jaanii chaahie।)
प्रधानाचार्य जी ने समारोह में विजेता छात्रों की पीठ थपथपाई।
The principal commended the winning students at the ceremony.
(pradhaanaachaary jii ne samaaroh men vijetaa chhaatron kii piith thapathpaaii।)
काश कोई मेरी भी पीठ थपथपाता।
I wish someone would praise me too.
(kaash koii merii bhii piith thapathpaataa।)
Morphology
Verb
infinitive:
थपथपाना
(thapathpaanaa)
infinitive oblique:
थपथपाने
(thapathpaane)
habitual/simple (sg.m):
थपथपाता
(thapathpaataa)
habitual/simple (pl.m):
थपथपाते
(thapathpaate)
habitual/simple (sg.f):
थपथपाती
(thapathpaatii)
habitual/simple (pl.f):
थपथपातीं
(thapathpaatiin)
continuous (sg.m):
थपथपा रहा
(thapathpaa rahaa)
continuous (pl.m):
थपथपा रहे
(thapathpaa rahe)
continuous (sg.f):
थपथपा रही
(thapathpaa rahii)
continuous (pl.f):
थपथपा रहीं
(thapathpaa rahiin)
perfective (sg.m):
थपथपाया
(thapathpaayaa)
perfective (pl.m):
थपथपाए
(thapathpaae)
perfective (sg.f):
थपथपाई
(thapathpaaii)
perfective (pl.f):
थपथपाईं
(thapathpaaiin)
imperative (informal):
थपथपा
(thapathpaa)
imperative (neutral):
थपथपाओ
(thapathpaao)
imperative (formal):
थपथपाइए
(thapathpaaie)
future (1sg.m):
थपथपाऊँगा
(thapathpaaoongaa)
future (1sg.f):
थपथपाऊँगी
(thapathpaaoongii)
future (1pl.m):
थपथपाएँगे
(thapathpaaenge)
future (1pl.f):
थपथपाएँगी
(thapathpaaengii)
future (2sg.m):
थपथपाएगा
(thapathpaaegaa)
future (2sg.f):
थपथपाएगी
(thapathpaaegii)
future (2pl.m):
थपथपाओगे
(thapathpaaoge)
future (2pl.f):
थपथपाओगी
(thapathpaaogii)
future (3sg.m):
थपथपाएगा
(thapathpaaegaa)
future (3sg.f):
थपथपाएगी
(thapathpaaegii)
future (3pl.m):
थपथपाएँगे
(thapathpaaenge)
future (3pl.f):
थपथपाएँगी
(thapathpaaengii)
subjunctive (1sg):
थपथपाऊँ
(thapathpaaoon)
subjunctive (1pl):
थपथपाएँ
(thapathpaaen)
subjunctive (2sg):
थपथपाए
(thapathpaae)
subjunctive (2pl):
थपथपाओ
(thapathpaao)
subjunctive (3sg):
थपथपाए
(thapathpaae)
subjunctive (3pl):
थपथपाएँ
(thapathpaaen)