ढलना (dhalnaa)
verb
Primarily a physical-process verb: to be cast/molded (metal, idols), and by extension to slope, decline, or gradually turn into something -- covering the sun setting, the evening falling, and one's age or mood shifting. Causative is ढालना (dhaalnaa).
Sense
1
:
for the sun/day/light to decline, for evening to fall
verb, intransitive Common in the fixed phrase दिन ढलना (din dhalnaa, 'for the day to draw to a close') and सूरज ढलना (sooraj dhalnaa, 'for the sun to set').
Synonyms: डूबना (doobnaa, to sink, used for sun setting)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: ढलती शाम (dhaltii shaam, 'the fading evening') is a favorite image in Hindi film lyrics and shayari (shaayrii) for that golden, slightly melancholic hour -- it evokes the same mood as 'dusk' or 'twilight' in English romantic poetry.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes default to डूबना (doobnaa) for any sunset image, but ढलना (dhalnaa) is the word for time itself gently declining -- ढलती शाम (dhaltii shaam, 'the fading evening') carries a soft, literary feel that डूबना (doobnaa) doesn't.
Sample Sentences:
सूरज ढल रहा है।
The sun is setting.
(sooraj dhal rahaa hai।)
शाम ढल चुकी थी जब हम घर से निकले।
Evening had already fallen by the time we left home.
(shaam dhal chukii thii jab ham ghar se nikle।)
ढलती शाम में नदी का किनारा बड़ा सुहाना लगता है।
In the fading evening, the riverbank feels wonderfully pleasant.
(dhaltii shaam men nadii kaa kinaaraa badaa suhaanaa lagtaa hai।)
दिन ढलते ही पंछी अपने घरों को लौट आते हैं।
As soon as the day declines, the birds return to their nests.
(din dhalte hii panchhii apne gharon ko laut aate hain।)
अगर सूरज इतनी जल्दी ढल जाता, तो हम रास्ता भूल जाते।
If the sun had set this early, we would have lost our way.
(agar sooraj itnii jaldii dhal jaataa, to ham raastaa bhool jaate।)
पहाड़ों में सूरज बहुत तेज़ी से ढल जाता है।
In the mountains, the sun sets very quickly.
(pahaadon men sooraj bahut tezii se dhal jaataa hai।)
जब तक सूरज पूरी तरह ढल न जाए, तब तक यहीं रुको।
Wait right here until the sun has completely set.
(jab tak sooraj poorii tarah dhal n jaae, tab tak yahiin ruko।)
शाम ढलने से पहले हमें वापस लौट आना चाहिए।
We should return before evening falls.
(shaam dhalne se pahle hamen vaapas laut aanaa chaahie।)
उस शायर ने ढलती शाम की तन्हाई पर एक ग़ज़ल लिखी।
That poet wrote a ghazal on the loneliness of the fading evening.
(us shaayar ne dhaltii shaam kii tanhaaii par ek ghazal likhii।)
दिन ढलते-ढलते बाज़ार की भीड़ कम हो गई।
As the day gradually declined, the crowd in the market thinned out.
(din dhalte-dhalte baazaar kii bhiid kam ho gaii।)
Sense
2
:
to gradually turn into, to age, to pass (of time/life/mood)
verb, intransitive Often used with ढलती उम्र (dhaltii umr, 'advancing/declining age') and ढलना में (dhalnaa men) constructions describing one state slowly becoming another.
Synonyms: बदलना (badalnaa, to change), गुजरना (gujarnaa, to pass, of time)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: ढलती उम्र में (dhaltii umr men, 'in one's declining years') is a gentle, respectful way Hindi speakers talk about old age -- similar in warmth to English 'in his twilight years,' and often paired with respect for a parent or grandparent's wisdom rather than any negative judgment.
Common Mistakes: 1) ढलती उम्र (dhaltii umr) means someone is getting older/past their prime -- it's not neutral like उम्र बढ़ना (umr badhnaa, 'age increasing'); it carries a wistful sense of decline that learners should not use carelessly about someone's age to their face.
Sample Sentences:
मेरे दादाजी अब ढलती उम्र में भी हर सुबह सैर पर जाते हैं।
My grandfather still goes for a walk every morning even in his declining years.
(mere daadaajii ab dhaltii umr men bhii har subah sair par jaate hain।)
ढलती उम्र में इंसान का गुस्सा अक्सर धीरज में ढल जाता है।
In one's declining years, a person's anger often gradually turns into patience.
(dhaltii umr men insaan kaa gussaa aksar dhiiraj men dhal jaataa hai।)
पिछले कुछ सालों में उनका स्वभाव बहुत बदल गया, गुस्सैल लड़का एक शांत बुज़ुर्ग में ढल गया।
Over the past few years his nature changed a lot -- the angry boy gradually became a calm old man.
(pichhle kuchh saalon men unkaa svabhaav bahut badal gayaa, gussail ladkaa ek shaant buzurg men dhal gayaa।)
समय के साथ हर तेज़ जोश धीरे-धीरे ठहराव में ढल जाता है।
With time, every burning passion gradually turns into calm.
(samay ke saath har tez josh dhiire-dhiire thahraav men dhal jaataa hai।)
जब तुम ढलती उम्र में पहुँचोगे, तब समझोगे कि सेहत का ख़याल रखना कितना ज़रूरी है।
When you reach your declining years, you will understand how important it is to take care of your health.
(jab tum dhaltii umr men pahunchoge, tab samjhoge ki sehat kaa khayaal rakhnaa kitnaa zaroorii hai।)
काश उनकी ढलती उम्र इतनी तनहा न होती।
If only his declining years were not so lonely.
(kaash unkii dhaltii umr itnii tanahaa n hotii।)
अगर वह इतनी मेहनत न करते तो शायद उनका जोश इतनी जल्दी थकान में न ढलता।
If he hadn't worked so hard, perhaps his energy wouldn't have turned into exhaustion so quickly.
(agar vah itnii mehnat n karte to shaayad unkaa josh itnii jaldii thakaan men n dhaltaa।)
ऐसा लगता है जैसे उसकी जवानी अचानक ही ढल गई हो।
It seems as if his youth has suddenly waned.
(aisaa lagtaa hai jaise uskii javaanii achaanak hii dhal gaii ho।)
बड़े-बुज़ुर्ग कहते हैं कि ढलती उम्र में इंसान का मन बच्चों जैसा हो जाता है।
Elders say that in one's declining years, a person's heart becomes like a child's.
(bade-buzurg kahte hain ki dhaltii umr men insaan kaa man bachchon jaisaa ho jaataa hai।)
देखते-देखते उनका दर्द भी सहनशीलता में ढल गया।
Right before our eyes, his pain too gradually turned into tolerance.
(dekhte-dekhte unkaa dard bhii sahanshiiltaa men dhal gayaa।)
Sense
3
:
to be cast or molded (metal, statues)
verb, intransitive
Synonyms: बनना (bannaa, general 'to be made')
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: Think of the murtikar (moortikaar, 'idol-maker') pouring molten metal into a mold before a big Ganesh Chaturthi or Durga Puja season -- मूर्ति ढल रही है (moorti dhal rahii hai, 'the idol is being cast') is the kind of line you'd hear near a workshop in Old Delhi or in Moradabad's brass-work lanes.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for बनना (bannaa) for anything 'made,' but ढलना (dhalnaa) is specific to shaping via a mold or cast (metal statues, bells, bangles) -- it carries the image of molten material taking a fixed form. 2) The causative ढालना (dhaalnaa, 'to cast/mold something') is the transitive partner; ढलना (dhalnaa) itself is intransitive and describes the material undergoing the process, not the person doing it.
Sample Sentences:
मूर्ति ढल रही है।
The idol is being cast.
(moorti dhal rahii hai।)
मोरादाबाद की इस गली में हर घंटे पीतल के बर्तन ढलते हैं।
In this lane of Moradabad, brass utensils are cast every hour.
(moraadaabaad kii is galii men har ghante piital ke bartan dhalte hain।)
गणेश चतुर्थी से पहले सैकड़ों मूर्तियाँ ढाली गई थीं।
Hundreds of idols had been cast before Ganesh Chaturthi.
(ganesh chaturthii se pahle saikdon moortiyaan dhaalii gaii thiin।)
यह घंटी शुद्ध काँसे से ढाली गई थी।
This bell had been cast from pure bronze.
(yah ghantii shuddh kaanse se dhaalii gaii thii।)
मूर्तिकार चाहता है कि मूर्ति एक ही सांचे में ढले।
The idol-maker wants the idol to be cast in a single mold.
(moortikaar chaahtaa hai ki moorti ek hii saanche men dhale।)
अगर धातु ठीक से गरम होती, तो मूर्ति बेहतर ढलती।
If the metal had been heated properly, the idol would have been cast better.
(agar dhaatu thiik se garam hotii, to moorti behtar dhaltii।)
कारखाने में मूर्तियाँ अभी भी उसी पुरानी विधि से ढलती हैं।
In the workshop, idols are still cast using that same old method.
(kaarkhaane men moortiyaan abhii bhii usii puraanii vidhi se dhaltii hain।)
अगले महीने तक यह प्रतिमा ढल जाएगी।
By next month, this statue will have been cast.
(agle mahiine tak yah pratimaa dhal jaaegii।)
पुराने समय में तोपें भी इसी तरह ढाली जाती थीं।
In olden times, cannons too used to be cast this way.
(puraane samay men topen bhii isii tarah dhaalii jaatii thiin।)
Sense
4
:
to slope or slant downward
verb, intransitive
Synonyms: झुकना (jhuknaa, to bend/tilt)
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: Used for a roof, a hillside, or a piece of land that slants down -- छत ढलवाँ है (chhat dhalvaan hai, 'the roof is sloped') uses the related adjective ढलवाँ (dhalvaan), showing how this physical-shape sense of ढलना (dhalnaa) branches into descriptive words too.
Sample Sentences:
यह ज़मीन नदी की तरफ़ ढलती है।
This land slopes toward the river.
(yah zamiin nadii kii taraf dhaltii hai।)
पहाड़ी का यह हिस्सा एकदम तेज़ी से ढलता है।
This part of the hillside slopes down quite steeply.
(pahaadii kaa yah hissaa ekdam tezii se dhaltaa hai।)
छत पीछे की तरफ़ ढल रही है ताकि बारिश का पानी निकल जाए।
The roof is sloping toward the back so that rainwater can drain off.
(chhat piichhe kii taraf dhal rahii hai taaki baarish kaa paanii nikal jaae।)
खेत का किनारा नाले की ओर ढल गया था, इसलिए वहाँ पानी जमा हो जाता था।
The edge of the field had sloped toward the drain, so water used to collect there.
(khet kaa kinaaraa naale kii or dhal gayaa thaa, islie vahaan paanii jamaa ho jaataa thaa।)
अगर यह रास्ता थोड़ा और ढलता, तो साइकिल चलाना मुश्किल हो जाता।
If this path sloped down a bit more, riding a bicycle would become difficult.
(agar yah raastaa thodaa aur dhaltaa, to saaikil chalaanaa mushkil ho jaataa।)
छत को इस तरह ढलने दो कि पानी सीधे नाली में गिरे।
Let the roof slope in such a way that the water falls straight into the drain.
(chhat ko is tarah dhalne do ki paanii siidhe naalii men gire।)
मिस्त्री ने कहा कि छत थोड़ी ढले, वरना पानी अंदर आ सकता है।
The mason said that the roof should slope a little, otherwise water might come inside.
(mistrii ne kahaa ki chhat thodii dhale, varnaa paanii andar aa saktaa hai।)
इस मैदान का ढलना ही इसे बरसाती नाले जैसा बना देता है।
The very slope of this field makes it seem like a monsoon channel.
(is maidaan kaa dhalnaa hii ise barsaatii naale jaisaa banaa detaa hai।)
Morphology
Verb
infinitive:
ढलना
(dhalnaa)
infinitive oblique:
ढलने
(dhalne)
habitual/simple (sg.m):
ढलता
(dhaltaa)
habitual/simple (pl.m):
ढलते
(dhalte)
habitual/simple (sg.f):
ढलती
(dhaltii)
habitual/simple (pl.f):
ढलतीं
(dhaltiin)
continuous (sg.m):
ढल रहा
(dhal rahaa)
continuous (pl.m):
ढल रहे
(dhal rahe)
continuous (sg.f):
ढल रही
(dhal rahii)
continuous (pl.f):
ढल रहीं
(dhal rahiin)
perfective (sg.m):
ढला
(dhalaa)
perfective (pl.m):
ढले
(dhale)
perfective (sg.f):
ढली
(dhalii)
perfective (pl.f):
ढलीं
(dhaliin)
imperative (informal):
ढल
(dhal)
imperative (neutral):
ढलो
(dhalo)
imperative (formal):
ढलिए
(dhalie)
future (1sg.m):
ढलूँगा
(dhaloongaa)
future (1sg.f):
ढलूँगी
(dhaloongii)
future (1pl.m):
ढलेंगे
(dhalenge)
future (1pl.f):
ढलेंगी
(dhalengii)
future (2sg.m):
ढलेगा
(dhalegaa)
future (2sg.f):
ढलेगी
(dhalegii)
future (2pl.m):
ढलोगे
(dhaloge)
future (2pl.f):
ढलोगी
(dhalogii)
future (3sg.m):
ढलेगा
(dhalegaa)
future (3sg.f):
ढलेगी
(dhalegii)
future (3pl.m):
ढलेंगे
(dhalenge)
future (3pl.f):
ढलेंगी
(dhalengii)
subjunctive (1sg):
ढलूँ
(dhaloon)
subjunctive (1pl):
ढलें
(dhalen)
subjunctive (2sg):
ढले
(dhale)
subjunctive (2pl):
ढलो
(dhalo)
subjunctive (3sg):
ढले
(dhale)
subjunctive (3pl):
ढलें
(dhalen)