जपना (japnaa)
verb
A verb meaning to chant or repeat something quietly, especially a name, mantra, or prayer, over and over; it also has a common figurative extension for going on and on about the same thing.
Sense
1
:
to chant or repeat (a mantra, name, prayer) silently or in a low murmur
verb, transitive
Synonyms: रटना (ratnaa, to repeat mechanically, often used for rote memorization), गुनगुनाना (gungunaanaa, to hum/murmur, softer nuance)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This word lives close to the practice of जाप (jaap), the repeated chanting of a deity's name or a mantra, often done with a माला (maalaa, prayer beads) while sitting quietly early in the morning. You will hear elders describe grandparents who माला फेरते हुए राम-नाम जपते थे (maalaa pherte hue raam-naam japte the, 'used to chant Ram's name while turning prayer beads') -- it evokes a specific devotional image of quiet, private repetition rather than public recitation.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for पढ़ना (padhnaa) or बोलना (bolnaa) to say 'chant,' but जपना (japnaa) specifically implies quiet, repetitive, meditative recitation, not reading aloud once. 2) The object is usually a name or mantra -- राम नाम जपना (raam naam japnaa, to chant Ram's name) -- rather than a sentence or story, which would not fit this verb.
Sample Sentences:
दादी हर सुबह माला फेरते हुए राम-नाम जपती थीं।
Grandmother used to chant Ram's name every morning while turning her prayer beads.
(daadii har subah maalaa pherte hue raam-naam japtii thiin।)
वह मंदिर के कोने में बैठा मंत्र जप रहा है।
He is sitting in the corner of the temple, chanting the mantra.
(vah mandir ke kone men baithaa mantr jap rahaa hai।)
रोज़ सुबह उठकर भगवान का नाम जपो।
Get up every morning and chant God's name.
(roz subah uthkar bhagvaan kaa naam japo।)
साधु ने आँखें बंद करके पूरी रात मंत्र जपा।
The ascetic chanted the mantra all night with his eyes closed.
(saadhu ne aankhen band karke poorii raat mantr japaa।)
अगर मन शांत करना है तो थोड़ी देर नाम जपो।
If you want to calm your mind, chant the name for a little while.
(agar man shaant karnaa hai to thodii der naam japo।)
माँ चाहती है कि मैं भी रोज़ थोड़ा जप लूँ।
Mother wants me to chant a little every day too.
(maan chaahtii hai ki main bhii roz thodaa jap loon।)
यदि वह भी उन दिनों साधना करता तो हर सुबह नाम जपता।
If he too had practiced meditation in those days, he would have chanted the name every morning.
(yadi vah bhii un dinon saadhnaa kartaa to har subah naam japtaa।)
जब तक हवन पूरा नहीं होता, पंडित जी मंत्र जपते रहेंगे।
Until the havan is complete, the priest will keep chanting the mantra.
(jab tak havan pooraa nahiin hotaa, pandit jii mantr japte rahenge।)
गुरु जी के आश्रम में मंत्र चुपचाप जपा जाता है, ऊँची आवाज़ में नहीं।
In the guru's ashram, the mantra is chanted quietly, not in a loud voice.
(guru jii ke aashram men mantr chupchaap japaa jaataa hai, oonchii aavaaz men nahiin।)
बुज़ुर्ग महिला सुबह-सुबह छत पर बैठी मंत्र जप रही थी।
The elderly woman was sitting on the terrace early in the morning, chanting a mantra.
(buzurg mahilaa subah-subah chhat par baithii mantr jap rahii thii।)
Sense
2
:
to go on repeating the same thing (a complaint, idea, or word) over and over, figuratively
verb, transitive This figurative sense usually appears with an abstract object like बात (baat, a matter/thing said) or a fixed phrase, rather than a mantra or name.
Synonyms: रटना (ratnaa, to repeat mechanically), रट लगाना (rat lagaanaa, to keep harping on, compound-verb idiom)
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: This is a natural metaphorical stretch from the devotional sense above: just as one chants a mantra tirelessly, a person can 'chant' the same complaint or excuse tirelessly, often with a note of mild exasperation from the speaker.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners may not realize जपना (japnaa) can be used mildly critically about a person who won't stop repeating the same complaint or excuse, e.g. वही बात जपे जा रहा है (vahii baat jape jaa rahaa hai, 'he keeps harping on the same thing') -- this is an extension from the devotional sense, not a separate unrelated word.
Sample Sentences:
वह दिन-रात यही शिकायत जपता रहता है।
He keeps harping on the same complaint day and night.
(vah din-raat yahii shikaayat japtaa rahtaa hai।)
तुम कब से एक ही बात जप रही हो, अब बंद करो।
You've been repeating the same thing forever now, stop it already.
(tum kab se ek hii baat jap rahii ho, ab band karo।)
उसने पूरी मीटिंग में अपनी वही पुरानी दलील जपी।
He harped on the same old excuse throughout the meeting.
(usne poorii miiting men apnii vahii puraanii daliil japii।)
बस यही घिसा-पिटा बहाना मत जपो, कुछ नया सोचो।
Just stop harping on this same worn-out excuse, think of something new.
(bas yahii ghisaa-pitaa bahaanaa mat japo, kuchh nayaa socho।)
अगर वह अपनी शिकायत बार-बार जपता, तो बॉस भी चिढ़ जाता।
If he had kept harping on his complaint again and again, even the boss would have gotten irritated.
(agar vah apnii shikaayat baar-baar japtaa, to bos bhii chidh jaataa।)
क्या ज़रूरी है कि तुम वही एक शब्द बार-बार जपो?
Is it really necessary that you keep repeating that same one word over and over?
(kyaa zaroorii hai ki tum vahii ek shabd baar-baar japo?)
दफ्तर में सबको यह बात मालूम है कि वह अपनी तनख्वाह की शिकायत जपता रहता है।
Everyone in the office knows that he keeps harping on his complaint about his salary.
(daphtar men sabko yah baat maaloom hai ki vah apnii tanakhvaah kii shikaayat japtaa rahtaa hai।)
मुझे आपसे यह नहीं कहना कि आप वही सवाल जपते रहें, पर सच बताइए।
I don't mean to say that you should keep harping on the same question, but please tell the truth.
(mujhe aapse yah nahiin kahnaa ki aap vahii savaal japte rahen, par sach bataaie।)
पूरे भाषण में नेता ने वही घोषणा जपी जो पिछले साल की थी।
Throughout the speech, the leader kept harping on the very same announcement from last year.
(poore bhaashan men netaa ne vahii ghoshnaa japii jo pichhle saal kii thii।)
Morphology
Verb
infinitive:
जपना
(japnaa)
infinitive oblique:
जपने
(japne)
habitual/simple (sg.m):
जपता
(japtaa)
habitual/simple (pl.m):
जपते
(japte)
habitual/simple (sg.f):
जपती
(japtii)
habitual/simple (pl.f):
जपतीं
(japtiin)
continuous (sg.m):
जप रहा
(jap rahaa)
continuous (pl.m):
जप रहे
(jap rahe)
continuous (sg.f):
जप रही
(jap rahii)
continuous (pl.f):
जप रहीं
(jap rahiin)
perfective (sg.m):
जपा
(japaa)
perfective (pl.m):
जपे
(jape)
perfective (sg.f):
जपी
(japii)
perfective (pl.f):
जपीं
(japiin)
imperative (informal):
जप
(jap)
imperative (neutral):
जपो
(japo)
imperative (formal):
जपिए
(japie)
future (1sg.m):
जपूँगा
(japoongaa)
future (1sg.f):
जपूँगी
(japoongii)
future (1pl.m):
जपेंगे
(japenge)
future (1pl.f):
जपेंगी
(japengii)
future (2sg.m):
जपेगा
(japegaa)
future (2sg.f):
जपेगी
(japegii)
future (2pl.m):
जपोगे
(japoge)
future (2pl.f):
जपोगी
(japogii)
future (3sg.m):
जपेगा
(japegaa)
future (3sg.f):
जपेगी
(japegii)
future (3pl.m):
जपेंगे
(japenge)
future (3pl.f):
जपेंगी
(japengii)
subjunctive (1sg):
जपूँ
(japoon)
subjunctive (1pl):
जपें
(japen)
subjunctive (2sg):
जपे
(jape)
subjunctive (2pl):
जपो
(japo)
subjunctive (3sg):
जपे
(jape)
subjunctive (3pl):
जपें
(japen)