धुलना (dhulnaa)
verb
This is the intransitive/passive-flavored partner of धोना (dhonaa, 'to wash') -- धुलना (dhulnaa) means 'to get washed' or 'to be washed', describing something undergoing the washing rather than someone doing the washing.
Sense
1
:
to get washed, to be washed (clothes, dishes, etc.)
verb, intransitive The doer of the washing, if mentioned, takes से (se): कपड़े साबुन से धुलते हैं (kapde saabun se dhulte hain, 'the clothes get washed with soap').
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Hindi loves this kind of intransitive partner verb -- खुलना (khulnaa)/खोलना (kholnaa), टूटना (tootnaa)/तोड़ना (todnaa) -- where the thing itself is framed as undergoing the change, not being acted upon by a stated agent. You will hear this constantly around laundry: कपड़े धुल गए (kapde dhul gae, 'the clothes got washed') is what a mother announces when the wash is done, with no need to say who washed them.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for the passive construction of धोना (dhonaa) (धोया जाता है, dhoyaa jaataa hai) when धुलना (dhulnaa) already does this job more naturally and simply. 2) Do not confuse with धोना (dhonaa) itself -- धुलना (dhulnaa) cannot take a direct object of its own; the cloth or dish is the subject, not the object.
Sample Sentences:
कपड़े धुल गए हैं।
The clothes have been washed.
(kapde dhul gae hain।)
रोज़ सुबह यहाँ बर्तन धुलते हैं।
Every morning the dishes get washed here.
(roz subah yahaan bartan dhulte hain।)
अभी चादरें धुल रही हैं, थोड़ी देर लगेगी।
The sheets are being washed right now, it'll take a little while.
(abhii chaadren dhul rahii hain, thodii der lagegii।)
इतने मोटे दाग वाली शर्ट शायद ही धुले।
A shirt with such a thick stain probably won't get washed clean.
(itne mote daag vaalii shart shaayad hii dhule।)
कल तक सारे कपड़े धुल जाएँगे।
All the clothes will be washed by tomorrow.
(kal tak saare kapde dhul jaaenge।)
पर्दे धुल तो गए पर ठीक से सूखे नहीं।
The curtains did get washed, but they didn't dry properly.
(parde dhul to gae par thiik se sookhe nahiin।)
अगर मशीन में डाल देते तो कपड़े जल्दी धुल जाते।
If we had put them in the machine, the clothes would have gotten washed faster.
(agar mashiin men daal dete to kapde jaldii dhul jaate।)
बर्तन धुलने के बाद रैक में रख दो।
After the dishes are washed, put them on the rack.
(bartan dhulne ke baad raik men rakh do।)
मुझे लगा तौलिए धुल गए होंगे, पर वे तो अभी टोकरी में पड़े हैं।
I thought the towels would have been washed by now, but they're still sitting in the basket.
(mujhe lagaa taulie dhul gae honge, par ve to abhii tokrii men pade hain।)
जब तक बरतन न धुलें, कोई किचन से न निकले।
Until the dishes get washed, no one should leave the kitchen.
(jab tak bartan n dhulen, koii kichan se n nikle।)
इस साबुन से कपड़े अच्छे से धुलते हैं।
Clothes get washed well with this soap.
(is saabun se kapde achchhe se dhulte hain।)
Sense
2
:
to be worn away, washed out, faded (of color, ink, writing)
verb, intransitive
Synonyms: मिटना (mitnaa, of writing/marks fading), फीका पड़ना (phiikaa padnaa, of color fading)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This is a natural extension of the washing sense: just as water washes fabric, rain or repeated washing 'washes away' ink, color, or writing -- स्याही धुल गई (syaahii dhul gaii, 'the ink washed away/faded') is a common thing to say about a rain-smudged letter or a faded sign.
Sample Sentences:
बारिश में स्याही धुल गई।
The ink washed away in the rain.
(baarish men syaahii dhul gaii।)
पुराने बोर्ड पर लिखा नाम धुल गया है।
The name written on the old board has faded away.
(puraane bord par likhaa naam dhul gayaa hai।)
अगर तुम कागज़ को पानी से बचाओ, तो लिखाई नहीं धुलेगी।
If you keep the paper away from water, the writing won't wash out.
(agar tum kaagaz ko paanii se bachaao, to likhaaii nahiin dhulegii।)
धूप में रंग धीरे-धीरे धुलता रहता है।
The color keeps fading slowly in the sun.
(dhoop men rang dhiire-dhiire dhultaa rahtaa hai।)
अगर बारिश तेज़ होती, तो दीवार पर लिखा नारा पूरी तरह धुल जाता।
If the rain had been heavier, the slogan written on the wall would have washed away completely.
(agar baarish tez hotii, to diivaar par likhaa naaraa poorii tarah dhul jaataa।)
पत्र भीग गया था और उसके अक्षर धुल रहे थे।
The letter had gotten wet and its letters were fading away.
(patr bhiig gayaa thaa aur uske akshar dhul rahe the।)
इस स्याही से मत लिखो, यह पानी लगने से जल्दी धुल जाती है।
Don't write with this ink, it fades quickly when water touches it.
(is syaahii se mat likho, yah paanii lagne se jaldii dhul jaatii hai।)
समय के साथ पुरानी तस्वीरों के रंग धुल जाते हैं।
With time, the colors of old photographs fade away.
(samay ke saath puraanii tasviiron ke rang dhul jaate hain।)
शायद तेज़ धूप से पोस्टर का रंग धुल जाए।
Perhaps the poster's color will fade in the harsh sun.
(shaayad tez dhoop se postar kaa rang dhul jaae।)
Morphology
Verb
infinitive:
धुलना
(dhulnaa)
infinitive oblique:
धुलने
(dhulne)
habitual/simple (sg.m):
धुलता
(dhultaa)
habitual/simple (pl.m):
धुलते
(dhulte)
habitual/simple (sg.f):
धुलती
(dhultii)
habitual/simple (pl.f):
धुलतीं
(dhultiin)
continuous (sg.m):
धुल रहा
(dhul rahaa)
continuous (pl.m):
धुल रहे
(dhul rahe)
continuous (sg.f):
धुल रही
(dhul rahii)
continuous (pl.f):
धुल रहीं
(dhul rahiin)
perfective (sg.m):
धुला
(dhulaa)
perfective (pl.m):
धुले
(dhule)
perfective (sg.f):
धुली
(dhulii)
perfective (pl.f):
धुलीं
(dhuliin)
imperative (informal):
धुल
(dhul)
imperative (neutral):
धुलो
(dhulo)
imperative (formal):
धुलिए
(dhulie)
future (1sg.m):
धुलूँगा
(dhuloongaa)
future (1sg.f):
धुलूँगी
(dhuloongii)
future (1pl.m):
धुलेंगे
(dhulenge)
future (1pl.f):
धुलेंगी
(dhulengii)
future (2sg.m):
धुलेगा
(dhulegaa)
future (2sg.f):
धुलेगी
(dhulegii)
future (2pl.m):
धुलोगे
(dhuloge)
future (2pl.f):
धुलोगी
(dhulogii)
future (3sg.m):
धुलेगा
(dhulegaa)
future (3sg.f):
धुलेगी
(dhulegii)
future (3pl.m):
धुलेंगे
(dhulenge)
future (3pl.f):
धुलेंगी
(dhulengii)
subjunctive (1sg):
धुलूँ
(dhuloon)
subjunctive (1pl):
धुलें
(dhulen)
subjunctive (2sg):
धुले
(dhule)
subjunctive (2pl):
धुलो
(dhulo)
subjunctive (3sg):
धुले
(dhule)
subjunctive (3pl):
धुलें
(dhulen)