रुकना (ruknaa)
verb
A basic intransitive verb meaning 'to stop' or 'to halt' -- covers both a moving thing coming to rest and a person pausing or waiting somewhere.
Sense
1
:
to stop moving
verb, intransitive
Synonyms: थमना (thamnaa, of motion/flow slowing to a halt)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You'll hear this constantly from auto and bus drivers -- रुको! (ruko!, 'stop/wait!') or ज़रा रुकिए (zaraa rukie, 'please wait a moment') -- it's one of the first commands learners pick up on the street. Note the close pair रुकना/रोकना (ruknaa/roknaa): the intransitive-transitive split is very productive in Hindi and worth internalizing early.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes reach for बंद होना (band honaa) for 'stop' -- that works for machines, sounds, or processes switching off, but रुकना (ruknaa) is the natural choice for anything in motion (a car, a person walking, rain) coming to a halt. 2) रुकना (ruknaa) is intransitive; to stop something else you need the transitive रोकना (roknaa), a different verb, not just a ने-marked version of this one.
Sample Sentences:
बस अगले स्टॉप पर रुकेगी।
The bus will stop at the next stop.
(bas agle stop par rukegii।)
गाड़ी अचानक बीच रास्ते में रुक गई।
The car suddenly stopped in the middle of the road.
(gaadii achaanak biich raaste men ruk gaii।)
रुको!
Stop!
(ruko!)
ज़रा रुकिए, साहब, गाड़ी अभी स्टार्ट होगी।
Please wait a moment, sir, the car will start now.
(zaraa rukie, saahab, gaadii abhii staart hogii।)
पहिया घूमते-घूमते धीरे-धीरे रुक रहा था।
The wheel was gradually coming to a stop as it spun.
(pahiyaa ghoomte-ghoomte dhiire-dhiire ruk rahaa thaa।)
यह घड़ी हर कुछ घंटों में रुक जाती है।
This clock stops every few hours.
(yah ghadii har kuchh ghanton men ruk jaatii hai।)
अगर ब्रेक ठीक होते, तो गाड़ी समय पर रुक जाती।
If the brakes had been fine, the car would have stopped in time.
(agar brek thiik hote, to gaadii samay par ruk jaatii।)
शायद ट्रेन इस स्टेशन पर न रुके।
Perhaps the train won't stop at this station.
(shaayad tren is steshan par n ruke।)
उसका दिल एक पल के लिए रुक गया।
His heart stopped for a moment.
(uskaa dil ek pal ke lie ruk gayaa।)
लाल बत्ती पर सारी गाड़ियाँ रुक जाती हैं।
All the vehicles stop at the red light.
(laal battii par saarii gaadiyaan ruk jaatii hain।)
मशीन को इस बटन से रुकवाया जा सकता है।
The machine can be made to stop with this button.
(mashiin ko is batan se rukvaayaa jaa saktaa hai।)
Sense
2
:
to pause, wait, or stay briefly
verb, intransitive
Synonyms: ठहरना (thaharnaa, slightly more formal, also used for lodging/staying overnight)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This sense overlaps a lot with ठहरना (thaharnaa); at a friend's house you might say मैं यहाँ रुक जाऊँगा (main yahaan ruk jaaoongaa, 'I'll stay/stop over here') for an informal overnight stay, where ठहरना (thaharnaa) would sound a touch more formal, closer to 'lodging.'
Common Mistakes: 1) In the sense of 'wait a moment,' learners often default to इंतज़ार करना (intzaar karnaa) -- that's fine for waiting *for* something or someone, but रुकना (ruknaa) is what you say for a simple pause in place, as in एक मिनट रुको (ek minat ruko, 'wait/hold on a minute').
Sample Sentences:
क्या तुम एक मिनट रुक सकते हो?
Can you wait a minute?
(kyaa tum ek minat ruk sakte ho?)
आज रात मैं यहीं रुक जाऊँगा।
I'll stay right here tonight.
(aaj raat main yahiin ruk jaaoongaa।)
प्लीज़ थोड़ी देर रुक जाओ, मैं अभी आता हूँ।
Please wait a little while, I'll be right there.
(pliiz thodii der ruk jaao, main abhii aataa hoon।)
वह पिछले हफ्ते हमारे घर रुका था।
He stayed at our place last week.
(vah pichhle haphte hamaare ghar rukaa thaa।)
वह अभी भी दिल्ली में रुका हुआ है।
He's still staying in Delhi.
(vah abhii bhii dillii men rukaa huaa hai।)
अगर बारिश तेज़ होती तो हम वहीं रुक जाते।
If the rain had been heavy, we would have stayed right there.
(agar baarish tez hotii to ham vahiin ruk jaate।)
मैं चाहता हूँ कि तुम कुछ दिन और रुको।
I want you to stay a few more days.
(main chaahtaa hoon ki tum kuchh din aur ruko।)
हम अक्सर रास्ते में किसी ढाबे पर रुक जाते हैं।
We often stop and stay a while at some roadside eatery.
(ham aksar raaste men kisii dhaabe par ruk jaate hain।)
क्या हम कुछ देर के लिए यहाँ रुक सकते हैं?
Could we stay here for a little while?
(kyaa ham kuchh der ke lie yahaan ruk sakte hain?)
यात्रियों को अनुरोध किया जाता है कि वे सीमा शुल्क जाँच के लिए रुकें।
Passengers are requested to wait for the customs check.
(yaatriyon ko anurodh kiyaa jaataa hai ki ve siimaa shulk jaanch ke lie ruken।)
अगर उसने फ़ोन किया तो मैं थोड़ा रुक जाऊँगी।
If he calls, I'll wait around a bit.
(agar usne fon kiyaa to main thodaa ruk jaaoongii।)
Morphology
Verb
infinitive:
रुकना
(ruknaa)
infinitive oblique:
रुकने
(rukne)
habitual/simple (sg.m):
रुकता
(ruktaa)
habitual/simple (pl.m):
रुकते
(rukte)
habitual/simple (sg.f):
रुकती
(ruktii)
habitual/simple (pl.f):
रुकतीं
(ruktiin)
continuous (sg.m):
रुक रहा
(ruk rahaa)
continuous (pl.m):
रुक रहे
(ruk rahe)
continuous (sg.f):
रुक रही
(ruk rahii)
continuous (pl.f):
रुक रहीं
(ruk rahiin)
perfective (sg.m):
रुका
(rukaa)
perfective (pl.m):
रुके
(ruke)
perfective (sg.f):
रुकी
(rukii)
perfective (pl.f):
रुकीं
(rukiin)
imperative (informal):
रुक
(ruk)
imperative (neutral):
रुको
(ruko)
imperative (formal):
रुकिए
(rukie)
future (1sg.m):
रुकूँगा
(rukoongaa)
future (1sg.f):
रुकूँगी
(rukoongii)
future (1pl.m):
रुकेंगे
(rukenge)
future (1pl.f):
रुकेंगी
(rukengii)
future (2sg.m):
रुकेगा
(rukegaa)
future (2sg.f):
रुकेगी
(rukegii)
future (2pl.m):
रुकोगे
(rukoge)
future (2pl.f):
रुकोगी
(rukogii)
future (3sg.m):
रुकेगा
(rukegaa)
future (3sg.f):
रुकेगी
(rukegii)
future (3pl.m):
रुकेंगे
(rukenge)
future (3pl.f):
रुकेंगी
(rukengii)
subjunctive (1sg):
रुकूँ
(rukoon)
subjunctive (1pl):
रुकें
(ruken)
subjunctive (2sg):
रुके
(ruke)
subjunctive (2pl):
रुको
(ruko)
subjunctive (3sg):
रुके
(ruke)
subjunctive (3pl):
रुकें
(ruken)