काँपना (kaampnaa)

verb One core sense: to shake or tremble, whether from cold, fear, weakness, or strong emotion.
Sense 1 : to shake, tremble (from cold, fear, weakness, or emotion)
verb, intransitive
Synonyms: थरथराना (tharathraanaa), डगमगाना (dagamgaanaa, to waver/shake, more about balance than trembling), सिहरना (siharnaa, a lighter shiver, often from cold or a thrill)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: Delhi winters give this word constant real-world use -- you'll hear ठंड से काँप रहा हूँ (thand se kaamp rahaa hoon, 'I'm shivering from the cold') on any January morning waiting for a bus. It's also the natural word for trembling hands or a shaking voice from fear or old age, so it carries real physical vividness rather than being an abstract 'to be afraid' word.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for डरना (darnaa) when they mean 'to tremble with fear' -- डरना (darnaa) is the state of being afraid, while काँपना (kaampnaa) is the physical trembling that fear (or cold) produces; a sentence like डर से काँपना (dar se kaampnaa, 'to tremble with fear') keeps both ideas separate. 2) The cause is usually marked with से (se) -- ठंड से काँपना (thand se kaampnaa, 'to shiver from cold') -- not से पहले (se pahle) or a bare noun.
Sample Sentences:
ठंड से काँप रहा हूँ। I'm shivering from the cold.
(thand se kaamp rahaa hoon।)
Listen: M85
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
बस स्टॉप पर खड़े-खड़े वह ठंड से काँपने लगी। Standing at the bus stop, she started shivering from the cold.
(bas stop par khade-khade vah thand se kaampne lagii।)
Listen: F85
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
डर के मारे उसके हाथ काँप रहे थे। His hands were trembling out of fear.
(dar ke maare uske haath kaamp rahe the।)
Listen: M85
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
बुढ़ापे में उनकी आवाज़ काँपने लगी है। In old age, his voice has started to tremble.
(budhaape men unkii aavaaz kaampne lagii hai।)
Listen: M85
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर तुम बिना जैकेट बाहर जाओगे तो काँपोगे। If you go outside without a jacket, you'll be shivering.
(agar tum binaa jaiket baahar jaaoge to kaampoge।)
Listen: M85
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
इतनी ठंड मत खा, वरना रातभर काँपते रहोगे। Don't get chilled so much, or you'll keep trembling all night.
(itnii thand mat khaa, varnaa raatbhar kaampte rahoge।)
Listen: M85
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
अगर बिजली न होती तो हम इस ठंड में काँपते। If there were no electricity, we would be shivering in this cold.
(agar bijlii n hotii to ham is thand men kaampte।)
Listen: M85
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
मत काँप, मैं यहीं हूँ। Don't tremble, I'm right here.
(mat kaamp, main yahiin hoon।)
Listen: M85
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
जनवरी की सुबहों में दिल्ली वाले अक्सर काँपते हुए बस का इंतज़ार करते हैं। On January mornings, Delhi folks often wait for the bus while trembling.
(janavrii kii subahon men dillii vaale aksar kaampte hue bas kaa intzaar karte hain।)
Listen: F85
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
बिजली गिरने की आवाज़ से पूरा घर काँप उठा। The whole house shook at the sound of the lightning strike.
(bijlii girne kii aavaaz se pooraa ghar kaamp uthaa।)
Listen: F85
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
उस मासूम बच्चे की काँपती हुई आवाज़ सुनकर सबका दिल पसीज गया। Hearing that innocent child's trembling voice, everyone's heart softened.
(us maasoom bachche kii kaamptii huii aavaaz sunkar sabkaa dil pasiij gayaa।)
Listen: M85
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Verb
infinitive: काँपना (kaampnaa)
infinitive oblique: काँपने (kaampne)
habitual/simple (sg.m): काँपता (kaamptaa)
habitual/simple (pl.m): काँपते (kaampte)
habitual/simple (sg.f): काँपती (kaamptii)
habitual/simple (pl.f): काँपतीं (kaamptiin)
continuous (sg.m): काँप रहा (kaamp rahaa)
continuous (pl.m): काँप रहे (kaamp rahe)
continuous (sg.f): काँप रही (kaamp rahii)
continuous (pl.f): काँप रहीं (kaamp rahiin)
perfective (sg.m): काँपा (kaampaa)
perfective (pl.m): काँपे (kaampe)
perfective (sg.f): काँपी (kaampii)
perfective (pl.f): काँपीं (kaampiin)
imperative (informal): काँप (kaamp)
imperative (neutral): काँपो (kaampo)
imperative (formal): काँपिए (kaampie)
future (1sg.m): काँपूँगा (kaampoongaa)
future (1sg.f): काँपूँगी (kaampoongii)
future (1pl.m): काँपेंगे (kaampenge)
future (1pl.f): काँपेंगी (kaampengii)
future (2sg.m): काँपेगा (kaampegaa)
future (2sg.f): काँपेगी (kaampegii)
future (2pl.m): काँपोगे (kaampoge)
future (2pl.f): काँपोगी (kaampogii)
future (3sg.m): काँपेगा (kaampegaa)
future (3sg.f): काँपेगी (kaampegii)
future (3pl.m): काँपेंगे (kaampenge)
future (3pl.f): काँपेंगी (kaampengii)
subjunctive (1sg): काँपूँ (kaampoon)
subjunctive (1pl): काँपें (kaampen)
subjunctive (2sg): काँपे (kaampe)
subjunctive (2pl): काँपो (kaampo)
subjunctive (3sg): काँपे (kaampe)
subjunctive (3pl): काँपें (kaampen)