धूप खाना (dhoop khaanaa)

verb A fixed expression built on धूप (dhoop, sunshine) plus खाना (khaanaa, to eat), used idiomatically to mean sitting or basking in the sun -- not literally 'eating' sunlight.
Sense 1 : to sit/bask in the sunshine
verb, transitive Functions as a fixed collocation with खाना (khaanaa) rather than a literal eating sense; धूप (dhoop) is the object but the verb here is best learned as a set phrase meaning to bask.
Synonyms: धूप सेंकना (dhoop senknaa), धूप में बैठना (dhoop men baithnaa)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: In North Indian winters, you will often see grandparents or elderly neighbors sitting on a cot in the courtyard or on the terrace in the late morning sun -- that scene is exactly what धूप खाना (dhoop khaanaa) captures. It has a cozy, homely feel, very different from the recreational 'sunbathing' connotation of the English phrase.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes translate this too literally as 'eating sunshine,' but it simply means sitting out in the sun to warm up, often on a cold winter morning. 2) Do not confuse with धूप सेंकना (dhoop senknaa), which is the more literal, slightly more deliberate 'sunbathing' verb; धूप खाना (dhoop khaanaa) has a more casual, everyday feel, like an elderly person sitting on a charpai in the courtyard.
Sample Sentences:
सर्दियों में दादी छत पर बैठकर धूप खाती हैं। In winter, grandma sits on the terrace and basks in the sun.
(sardiyon men daadii chhat par baithkar dhoop khaatii hain।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
आज सुबह हम सब आँगन में धूप खा रहे थे। This morning we were all basking in the sun in the courtyard.
(aaj subah ham sab aangan men dhoop khaa rahe the।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
बाबा जी ने चारपाई निकाली और धूप खाई। Grandpa pulled out the cot and basked in the sun.
(baabaa jii ne chaarpaaii nikaalii aur dhoop khaaii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
चलो, थोड़ी देर छत पर बैठकर धूप खाते हैं। Come on, let's sit on the terrace for a while and bask in the sun.
(chalo, thodii der chhat par baithkar dhoop khaate hain।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
इतवार को धूप खाओ, अच्छा लगेगा। Bask in the sun on Sunday, it'll feel nice.
(itvaar ko dhoop khaao, achchhaa lagegaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
अगर मौसम अच्छा होगा तो हम बाहर धूप खाएँगे। If the weather is good, we will sit outside and bask in the sun.
(agar mausam achchhaa hogaa to ham baahar dhoop khaaenge।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
अगर मेरे पास वक्त होता तो मैं भी हर सुबह धूप खाता। If I had time, I too would bask in the sun every morning.
(agar mere paas vakt hotaa to main bhii har subah dhoop khaataa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
नानी को अपने बगीचे में धूप खाना बहुत पसंद है। Grandma loves basking in the sun in her garden.
(naanii ko apne bagiiche men dhoop khaanaa bahut pasand hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
जनवरी की सर्दी में सब बुज़ुर्ग गली में कुर्सियाँ लगाकर धूप खा रहे होते हैं। In the January cold, all the elderly folk set out chairs in the lane and are basking in the sun.
(janavrii kii sardii men sab buzurg galii men kursiyaan lagaakar dhoop khaa rahe hote hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Verb
infinitive: धूप खाना (dhoop khaanaa)
infinitive oblique: धूप खाने (dhoop khaane)
habitual/simple (sg.m): धूप खाता (dhoop khaataa)
habitual/simple (pl.m): धूप खाते (dhoop khaate)
habitual/simple (sg.f): धूप खाती (dhoop khaatii)
habitual/simple (pl.f): धूप खातीं (dhoop khaatiin)
continuous (sg.m): धूप खा रहा (dhoop khaa rahaa)
continuous (pl.m): धूप खा रहे (dhoop khaa rahe)
continuous (sg.f): धूप खा रही (dhoop khaa rahii)
continuous (pl.f): धूप खा रहीं (dhoop khaa rahiin)
perfective (sg.m): धूप खाया (dhoop khaayaa)
perfective (pl.m): धूप खाए (dhoop khaae)
perfective (sg.f): धूप खाई (dhoop khaaii)
perfective (pl.f): धूप खाईं (dhoop khaaiin)
imperative (informal): धूप खा (dhoop khaa)
imperative (neutral): धूप खाओ (dhoop khaao)
imperative (formal): धूप खाइए (dhoop khaaie)
future (1sg.m): धूप खाऊँगा (dhoop khaaoongaa)
future (1sg.f): धूप खाऊँगी (dhoop khaaoongii)
future (1pl.m): धूप खाएँगे (dhoop khaaenge)
future (1pl.f): धूप खाएँगी (dhoop khaaengii)
future (2sg.m): धूप खाएगा (dhoop khaaegaa)
future (2sg.f): धूप खाएगी (dhoop khaaegii)
future (2pl.m): धूप खाओगे (dhoop khaaoge)
future (2pl.f): धूप खाओगी (dhoop khaaogii)
future (3sg.m): धूप खाएगा (dhoop khaaegaa)
future (3sg.f): धूप खाएगी (dhoop khaaegii)
future (3pl.m): धूप खाएँगे (dhoop khaaenge)
future (3pl.f): धूप खाएँगी (dhoop khaaengii)
subjunctive (1sg): धूप खाऊँ (dhoop khaaoon)
subjunctive (1pl): धूप खाएँ (dhoop khaaen)
subjunctive (2sg): धूप खाए (dhoop khaae)
subjunctive (2pl): धूप खाओ (dhoop khaao)
subjunctive (3sg): धूप खाए (dhoop khaae)
subjunctive (3pl): धूप खाएँ (dhoop khaaen)