हिलना (hilnaa)
verb
An intransitive verb covering physical movement/shaking, and by extension emotional/mental disturbance; its causative counterpart हिलाना (hilaanaa, 'to shake something') is a separate lemma.
Sense
1
:
to move, shake, sway, wobble
verb, intransitive
Synonyms: काँपना (kaampnaa, to tremble), हिलना-डुलना (hilnaa-dulnaa, to stir/budge, common paired form)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Think of a loose tooth (दाँत हिल रहा है, daant hil rahaa hai, 'the tooth is wobbly'), a table that wobbles, or a leaf shaking in the wind -- this is the everyday physical sense every learner meets early. It contrasts neatly with its causative pair हिलाना (hilaanaa), 'to shake something (else)' -- e.g. सिर हिलाना (sir hilaanaa, 'to nod/shake the head') is something you do to your own head using the transitive verb.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for हिलाना (hilaanaa) when they mean 'don't move' -- but the command is मत हिलो (mat hilo, 'don't move') using हिलना (hilnaa) itself, since the subject is moving on its own, not moving something else. 2) In the negative/imperative sense of 'stay still,' native speakers almost always pair it with the doubled form हिलना-डुलना (hilnaa-dulnaa) rather than हिलना (hilnaa) alone, e.g. मत हिलो-डुलो (mat hilo-dulo, 'don't budge').
Sample Sentences:
मेरा दाँत हिल रहा है।
My tooth is wobbly.
(meraa daant hil rahaa hai।)
हवा से पत्ते हिल रहे थे।
The leaves were swaying in the wind.
(havaa se patte hil rahe the।)
यह मेज़ बहुत हिलती है, इसे ठीक करवा लो।
This table wobbles a lot, get it fixed.
(yah mez bahut hiltii hai, ise thiik karvaa lo।)
प्लीज़ हिलना मत, फोटो खिंच रही है।
Please don't move, the photo is being taken.
(pliiz hilnaa mat, photo khinch rahii hai।)
अगर कुर्सी की टाँग ढीली न होती, तो वह इतनी न हिलती।
If the chair's leg weren't loose, it wouldn't wobble so much.
(agar kursii kii taang dhiilii n hotii, to vah itnii n hiltii।)
भूकंप के झटके से पूरी इमारत हिल गई।
The whole building shook from the earthquake tremor.
(bhookamp ke jhatke se poorii imaarat hil gaii।)
इतनी तेज़ हवा में पेड़ की डाल हिल-हिल जाएगी।
In such strong wind, the tree branch will keep swaying.
(itnii tez havaa men ped kii daal hil-hil jaaegii।)
शायद रस्सी हिलती रहे, इसलिए मज़बूती से बाँधो।
The rope might keep moving, so tie it securely.
(shaayad rassii hiltii rahe, islie mazbootii se baandho।)
नाव पानी की लहरों के साथ धीरे-धीरे हिल रही थी।
The boat was slowly rocking with the waves.
(naav paanii kii lahron ke saath dhiire-dhiire hil rahii thii।)
बच्चा झूले में बैठा हिल रहा था।
The child sat swinging back and forth in the swing.
(bachchaa jhoole men baithaa hil rahaa thaa।)
उसकी कुर्सी इतनी हिली कि वह गिर पड़ा।
His chair wobbled so much that he fell down.
(uskii kursii itnii hilii ki vah gir padaa।)
Sense
2
:
to be shaken, disturbed, unsettled (emotionally/mentally)
verb, intransitive Often used with मन (man, 'mind/heart') or इरादा (iraadaa, 'resolve') as the subject: मन हिल जाना (man hil jaanaa, 'to be shaken/unsettled at heart').
Synonyms: विचलित होना (vichlit honaa, more formal/literary), घबराना (ghabraanaa, to be flustered/panic)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This is the same physical image of wobbling or shaking extended inward -- your resolve (इरादा, iraadaa) or heart (मन, man) 'wobbles' under pressure, much like English 'shaken' after bad news. It is a good example of how Hindi often maps physical verbs onto emotional states rather than coining separate abstract vocabulary.
Common Mistakes: 1) This figurative sense is almost always seen with the compound form हिल जाना (hil jaanaa) rather than bare हिलना (hilnaa) -- the जाना (jaanaa) marks the sudden, complete nature of being shaken.
Sample Sentences:
यह खबर सुनकर उसका मन हिल गया।
Hearing this news, his heart was shaken.
(yah khabar sunkar uskaa man hil gayaa।)
इतनी आलोचना के बावजूद उसका इरादा नहीं हिला।
Despite so much criticism, his resolve did not waver.
(itnii aalochnaa ke baavjood uskaa iraadaa nahiin hilaa।)
बुरी खबरें सुनकर उसका दिल हिल जाता है।
His heart gets shaken whenever he hears bad news.
(burii khabren sunkar uskaa dil hil jaataa hai।)
उसकी बातें सुनकर मेरा विश्वास हिल रहा है।
Hearing what he says, my faith is being shaken.
(uskii baaten sunkar meraa vishvaas hil rahaa hai।)
अगर वह डरा-धमकाए तो भी उसका इरादा नहीं हिलेगा।
Even if he threatens him, his resolve will not be shaken.
(agar vah daraa-dhamkaae to bhii uskaa iraadaa nahiin hilegaa।)
काश उसका मन इतनी आसानी से न हिलता।
I wish his heart did not get shaken so easily.
(kaash uskaa man itnii aasaanii se n hiltaa।)
अगर उसे सच पता चलता, तो उसका भरोसा हिल जाता।
If he had found out the truth, his trust would have been shaken.
(agar use sach pataa chaltaa, to uskaa bharosaa hil jaataa।)
उसकी हिम्मत ज़रा भी नहीं हिली, चाहे कितनी भी मुश्किलें आईं।
His courage did not waver even a bit, no matter how many difficulties came.
(uskii himmat zaraa bhii nahiin hilii, chaahe kitnii bhii mushkilen aaiin।)
ऐसे कठिन समय में भी संतों का मन नहीं हिलता।
Even in such difficult times, the hearts of saints do not waver.
(aise kathin samay men bhii santon kaa man nahiin hiltaa।)
उम्मीद है कि यह झटका सुनकर उसका मन न हिले।
I hope his heart doesn't get shaken hearing this jolt.
(ummiid hai ki yah jhatkaa sunkar uskaa man n hile।)
Morphology
Verb
infinitive:
हिलना
(hilnaa)
infinitive oblique:
हिलने
(hilne)
habitual/simple (sg.m):
हिलता
(hiltaa)
habitual/simple (pl.m):
हिलते
(hilte)
habitual/simple (sg.f):
हिलती
(hiltii)
habitual/simple (pl.f):
हिलतीं
(hiltiin)
continuous (sg.m):
हिल रहा
(hil rahaa)
continuous (pl.m):
हिल रहे
(hil rahe)
continuous (sg.f):
हिल रही
(hil rahii)
continuous (pl.f):
हिल रहीं
(hil rahiin)
perfective (sg.m):
हिला
(hilaa)
perfective (pl.m):
हिले
(hile)
perfective (sg.f):
हिली
(hilii)
perfective (pl.f):
हिलीं
(hiliin)
imperative (informal):
हिल
(hil)
imperative (neutral):
हिलो
(hilo)
imperative (formal):
हिलिए
(hilie)
future (1sg.m):
हिलूँगा
(hiloongaa)
future (1sg.f):
हिलूँगी
(hiloongii)
future (1pl.m):
हिलेंगे
(hilenge)
future (1pl.f):
हिलेंगी
(hilengii)
future (2sg.m):
हिलेगा
(hilegaa)
future (2sg.f):
हिलेगी
(hilegii)
future (2pl.m):
हिलोगे
(hiloge)
future (2pl.f):
हिलोगी
(hilogii)
future (3sg.m):
हिलेगा
(hilegaa)
future (3sg.f):
हिलेगी
(hilegii)
future (3pl.m):
हिलेंगे
(hilenge)
future (3pl.f):
हिलेंगी
(hilengii)
subjunctive (1sg):
हिलूँ
(hiloon)
subjunctive (1pl):
हिलें
(hilen)
subjunctive (2sg):
हिले
(hile)
subjunctive (2pl):
हिलो
(hilo)
subjunctive (3sg):
हिले
(hile)
subjunctive (3pl):
हिलें
(hilen)