गले लगाना (gale lagaanaa)
verb
A compound expression built on गला (galaa, 'throat/neck') plus लगाना (lagaanaa, 'to attach'), literally 'to attach to the neck' -- used both for the physical act of embracing and, figuratively, for accepting or welcoming an idea, change, or person.
Sense
1
:
to hug, to embrace (physically)
verb, transitive The person embraced is marked with को (ko): उसे गले लगाया (use gale lagaayaa, 'hugged him/her').
Synonyms: आलिंगन करना (aalingan karnaa, formal/literary), भेंटना (bhentnaa, literary)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is the standard, warm way to describe hugging in Hindi -- at airports, weddings, and family reunions across Delhi-NCR, you will hear relatives say आओ, गले लगो (aao, gale lago, 'come, hug me') rather than any word borrowed from English. It carries real emotional weight, especially between family members meeting after a long time.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes try to use से (se) for the person being hugged; the correct marking is को (ko), e.g. दोस्त को गले लगाया (dost ko gale lagaayaa, 'hugged the friend'). 2) The verb is गले लगाना (gale lagaanaa) as a unit -- learners sometimes drop लगाना (lagaanaa) and just say गला (galaa) plus another verb, which does not work.
Sample Sentences:
जब वह एयरपोर्ट पर आई, तो मैंने उसे गले लगा लिया।
When she arrived at the airport, I hugged her.
(jab vah eyarport par aaii, to mainne use gale lagaa liyaa।)
आओ, गले लगो!
Come, hug me!
(aao, gale lago!)
दादी हर बार मिलने पर मुझे गले लगाती हैं।
Grandma hugs me every time we meet.
(daadii har baar milne par mujhe gale lagaatii hain।)
वह रो रही थी और मैं बस उसे गले लगाए हुए था।
She was crying and I was just holding her in a hug.
(vah ro rahii thii aur main bas use gale lagaae hue thaa।)
क्या तुम मुझे एक बार गले लगाओगे?
Will you hug me once?
(kyaa tum mujhe ek baar gale lagaaoge?)
काश मैं उससे आखिरी बार मिलते वक्त उसे गले लगा पाता।
I wish I had been able to hug him the last time we met.
(kaash main usse aakhirii baar milte vakt use gale lagaa paataa।)
बेटे ने बरसों बाद घर लौटकर अपनी माँ को गले लगाया।
The son hugged his mother after returning home after years.
(bete ne barson baad ghar lautkar apnii maan ko gale lagaayaa।)
अतिथि को गले लगाकर स्वागत किया गया।
The guest was welcomed with a hug.
(atithi ko gale lagaakar svaagat kiyaa gayaa।)
अगर वह उदास दिखे, तो उसे गले लगा लेना।
If she seems sad, hug her.
(agar vah udaas dikhe, to use gale lagaa lenaa।)
दोनों भाई इतने सालों बाद मिलकर फूट-फूटकर रोते हुए एक-दूसरे को गले लगा रहे थे।
Meeting after so many years, both brothers were hugging each other and weeping.
(donon bhaaii itne saalon baad milkar phoot-phootkar rote hue ek-doosre ko gale lagaa rahe the।)
शादी में दुल्हन ने अपनी सहेलियों को बारी-बारी से गले लगाया।
At the wedding, the bride hugged her friends one by one.
(shaadii men dulhan ne apnii saheliyon ko baarii-baarii se gale lagaayaa।)
Sense
2
:
to embrace, accept, or welcome (an idea, change, responsibility, or person figuratively)
verb, transitive Used with abstract objects marked by को (ko) or implied by context: बदलाव को गले लगाना (badlaav ko gale lagaanaa, 'to embrace change').
Synonyms: अपनाना (apnaanaa), स्वीकार करना (sviikaar karnaa, formal)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You will often hear this in motivational or inspirational Hindi speeches -- अपनी गलतियों को गले लगाओ (apnii galtiyon ko gale lagaao, 'embrace your mistakes') -- borrowing the tenderness of a physical hug to describe accepting something difficult.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often default to अपनाना (apnaanaa) for 'embrace change' and don't realize गले लगाना (gale lagaanaa) works just as naturally and sounds more heartfelt in speeches or personal reflection. 2) This figurative sense is less used in casual daily chat than in speeches, self-help talk, or motivational writing -- overusing it in ordinary conversation can sound slightly dramatic.
Sample Sentences:
अपनी गलतियों को गले लगाओ, यही सीखने का सही तरीका है।
Embrace your mistakes, that's the right way to learn.
(apnii galtiyon ko gale lagaao, yahii siikhne kaa sahii tariikaa hai।)
हमें बदलाव को गले लगाना चाहिए, न कि उससे डरना चाहिए।
We should embrace change, not be afraid of it.
(hamen badlaav ko gale lagaanaa chaahie, n ki usse darnaa chaahie।)
उसने नई ज़िम्मेदारी को खुले दिल से गले लगाया।
He embraced the new responsibility with an open heart.
(usne naii zimmedaarii ko khule dil se gale lagaayaa।)
अगर तुम अपनी कमज़ोरियों को गले लगाओगे, तो वे तुम्हारी ताकत बन जाएँगी।
If you embrace your weaknesses, they will become your strength.
(agar tum apnii kamzoriyon ko gale lagaaoge, to ve tumhaarii taakat ban jaaengii।)
काश हम सब एक-दूसरे के मतभेदों को गले लगा पाते।
I wish we could all embrace each other's differences.
(kaash ham sab ek-doosre ke matbhedon ko gale lagaa paate।)
समाज में नई सोच को गले लगाया जा रहा है।
New ways of thinking are being embraced in society.
(samaaj men naii soch ko gale lagaayaa jaa rahaa hai।)
कंपनी हमेशा नई तकनीक को गले लगाती है।
The company always embraces new technology.
(kampnii hameshaa naii takniik ko gale lagaatii hai।)
वक्ता ने कहा कि हमें अनिश्चितता को गले लगाना सीखना चाहिए।
The speaker said that we should learn to embrace uncertainty.
(vaktaa ne kahaa ki hamen anishchittaa ko gale lagaanaa siikhnaa chaahie।)
क्या तुम कभी अपने डर को गले लगा सकते हो?
Can you ever embrace your own fear?
(kyaa tum kabhii apne dar ko gale lagaa sakte ho?)
जब तक हम अपने अतीत को गले नहीं लगाएँगे, हम आगे नहीं बढ़ पाएँगे।
Until we embrace our past, we won't be able to move forward.
(jab tak ham apne atiit ko gale nahiin lagaaenge, ham aage nahiin badh paaenge।)
Morphology
Verb
infinitive:
गले लगाना
(gale lagaanaa)
infinitive oblique:
गले लगाने
(gale lagaane)
habitual/simple (sg.m):
गले लगाता
(gale lagaataa)
habitual/simple (pl.m):
गले लगाते
(gale lagaate)
habitual/simple (sg.f):
गले लगाती
(gale lagaatii)
habitual/simple (pl.f):
गले लगातीं
(gale lagaatiin)
continuous (sg.m):
गले लगा रहा
(gale lagaa rahaa)
continuous (pl.m):
गले लगा रहे
(gale lagaa rahe)
continuous (sg.f):
गले लगा रही
(gale lagaa rahii)
continuous (pl.f):
गले लगा रहीं
(gale lagaa rahiin)
perfective (sg.m):
गले लगाया
(gale lagaayaa)
perfective (pl.m):
गले लगाए
(gale lagaae)
perfective (sg.f):
गले लगाई
(gale lagaaii)
perfective (pl.f):
गले लगाईं
(gale lagaaiin)
imperative (informal):
गले लगा
(gale lagaa)
imperative (neutral):
गले लगाओ
(gale lagaao)
imperative (formal):
गले लगाइए
(gale lagaaie)
future (1sg.m):
गले लगाऊँगा
(gale lagaaoongaa)
future (1sg.f):
गले लगाऊँगी
(gale lagaaoongii)
future (1pl.m):
गले लगाएँगे
(gale lagaaenge)
future (1pl.f):
गले लगाएँगी
(gale lagaaengii)
future (2sg.m):
गले लगाएगा
(gale lagaaegaa)
future (2sg.f):
गले लगाएगी
(gale lagaaegii)
future (2pl.m):
गले लगाओगे
(gale lagaaoge)
future (2pl.f):
गले लगाओगी
(gale lagaaogii)
future (3sg.m):
गले लगाएगा
(gale lagaaegaa)
future (3sg.f):
गले लगाएगी
(gale lagaaegii)
future (3pl.m):
गले लगाएँगे
(gale lagaaenge)
future (3pl.f):
गले लगाएँगी
(gale lagaaengii)
subjunctive (1sg):
गले लगाऊँ
(gale lagaaoon)
subjunctive (1pl):
गले लगाएँ
(gale lagaaen)
subjunctive (2sg):
गले लगाए
(gale lagaae)
subjunctive (2pl):
गले लगाओ
(gale lagaao)
subjunctive (3sg):
गले लगाए
(gale lagaae)
subjunctive (3pl):
गले लगाएँ
(gale lagaaen)