हिलाना (hilaanaa)

verb The causative of हिलना (hilnaa, 'to shake/move'), meaning 'to shake, wave, or stir something.' Covers both physical shaking (a hand, a bottle) and figuratively unsettling something.
Sense 1 : to shake, wave, wiggle (a body part or object)
verb, transitive
Synonyms: हिलाना-डुलाना (hilaanaa-dulaanaa, emphatic repetition, 'to shake about')
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: सिर हिलाना (sir hilaanaa) is a great one to watch for: a side-to-side head wobble in India can mean agreement, not disagreement, so the verb alone doesn't tell you the meaning -- context and the accompanying gesture do.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes use हिलना (hilnaa) when they mean to shake *something* -- हिलना (hilnaa) is intransitive ('to shake/tremble' by itself), while हिलाना (hilaanaa) needs an object: हाथ हिलाना (haath hilaanaa, 'to wave a hand'). 2) पूँछ हिलाना (poonchh hilaanaa, 'to wag a tail') and सिर हिलाना (sir hilaanaa, 'to nod/shake the head') are the two most common collocations -- learn them as set phrases rather than building them from scratch.
Sample Sentences:
वह अपनी पूँछ हिला रहा है। He is wagging his tail.
(vah apnii poonchh hilaa rahaa hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
बच्चे ने हाथ हिलाकर सबको बाय बोला। The child waved his hand and said bye to everyone.
(bachche ne haath hilaakar sabko baay bolaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
उसने सिर हिलाकर हामी भर दी। He nodded his head in agreement.
(usne sir hilaakar haamii bhar dii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
पेड़ की टहनी को हिलाओ मत, चिड़िया डर जाएगी। Don't shake the tree branch, the bird will get scared.
(ped kii tahnii ko hilaao mat, chidiyaa dar jaaegii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
मैं रोज़ सुबह अपनी उँगलियाँ हिलाकर व्यायाम करता हूँ। I exercise every morning by wiggling my fingers.
(main roz subah apnii ungliyaan hilaakar vyaayaam kartaa hoon।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर वह अपनी टांग हिलाता तो शायद खून का दौरा ठीक रहता। If he had shaken his leg, his blood circulation might have been better.
(agar vah apnii taang hilaataa to shaayad khoon kaa dauraa thiik rahtaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
तेज़ हवा से खिड़की का पर्दा हिल रहा था। The window curtain was swaying because of the strong wind.
(tez havaa se khidkii kaa pardaa hil rahaa thaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
डॉक्टर ने कहा कि मरीज़ को हल्के-हल्के अपने पैर हिलाने चाहिए। The doctor said the patient should gently wiggle his feet.
(doktar ne kahaa ki mariiz ko halke-halke apne pair hilaane chaahie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
मेज़ को इतना मत हिलाओ, गिलास गिर जाएगा। Don't shake the table so much, the glass will fall.
(mez ko itnaa mat hilaao, gilaas gir jaaegaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
पत्ते हवा में धीरे-धीरे हिलाए जा रहे थे। The leaves were being gently swayed by the wind.
(patte havaa men dhiire-dhiire hilaae jaa rahe the।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
जब तक वह अपनी मुट्ठी नहीं हिलाएगा, दर्द कम नहीं होगा। Until he moves his fist, the pain won't lessen.
(jab tak vah apnii mutthii nahiin hilaaegaa, dard kam nahiin hogaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
Sense 2 : to stir, agitate (a liquid or mixture)
verb, transitive
Synonyms: चलाना (chalaanaa, used for stirring with a spoon in cooking contexts)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: In the kitchen you'll hear this with चम्मच (chammach, 'spoon'): चम्मच से हिलाना (chammach se hilaanaa, 'to stir with a spoon') -- a mother telling a child to stir the दाल (daal) so it doesn't stick.
Sample Sentences:
दाल को चम्मच से हिलाओ, नहीं तो जल जाएगी। Stir the lentils with a spoon, or they will burn.
(daal ko chammach se hilaao, nahiin to jal jaaegii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
वह पतीले में सब्ज़ी हिला रही है। She is stirring the vegetables in the pot.
(vah patiile men sabzii hilaa rahii hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
माँ रोज़ सुबह दलिया हिलाती है ताकि वह चिपके नहीं। Mom stirs the porridge every morning so that it doesn't stick.
(maan roz subah daliyaa hilaatii hai taaki vah chipke nahiin।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
मैंने चाय में चीनी डालकर उसे अच्छे से हिलाया। I added sugar to the tea and stirred it well.
(mainne chaay men chiinii daalkar use achchhe se hilaayaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
पेंट को इस्तेमाल करने से पहले उसे हिलाना ज़रूरी है। It is necessary to stir the paint before using it.
(pent ko istemaal karne se pahle use hilaanaa zaroorii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर तुम इसे लगातार नहीं हिलाओगे तो गुठलियाँ पड़ जाएँगी। If you don't keep stirring it continuously, it will get lumpy.
(agar tum ise lagaataar nahiin hilaaoge to guthliyaan pad jaaengii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
इस मिश्रण को धीरे-धीरे हिलाओ, तेज़ हाथ से नहीं। Stir this mixture slowly, not with a fast hand.
(is mishran ko dhiire-dhiire hilaao, tez haath se nahiin।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
कढ़ी को बिना हिलाए छोड़ दिया जाता तो वह फट जाती। If the kadhi had been left without stirring, it would have curdled.
(kadhii ko binaa hilaae chhod diyaa jaataa to vah phat jaatii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Perfective -- Voice: Passive
रसोइये ने बड़े इत्मीनान से मसाला हिलाया। The cook stirred the spices with great calm.
(rasoiye ne bade itmiinaan se masaalaa hilaayaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
घोल को इतनी तेज़ी से हिलाया गया कि झाग बनने लगा। The solution was stirred so fast that foam started forming.
(ghol ko itnii tezii se hilaayaa gayaa ki jhaag banne lagaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
Sense 3 : to unsettle, disturb, shake (someone's resolve, faith, position)
verb, transitive Takes an abstract object like इरादा (iraadaa, 'resolve') or विश्वास (vishvaas, 'faith'), as in इरादा हिलाना (iraadaa hilaanaa).
Synonyms: विचलित करना (vichlit karnaa, more formal/literary)
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: This figurative sense mirrors English quite closely -- 'to shake someone's confidence' -- so it's an easy one for learners to pick up once they know the literal sense.
Sample Sentences:
उस घटना ने उसका विश्वास हिला दिया। That incident shook his faith.
(us ghatnaa ne uskaa vishvaas hilaa diyaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
कोई भी आलोचना उसका इरादा नहीं हिला सकती। No criticism can shake his resolve.
(koii bhii aalochnaa uskaa iraadaa nahiin hilaa saktii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
यह खबर उसकी नींव हिला देगी। This news will shake the very foundation of his beliefs.
(yah khabar uskii niinv hilaa degii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
अगर वह सच जान लेता, तो उसका आत्मविश्वास हिल जाता। If he had known the truth, his self-confidence would have been shaken.
(agar vah sach jaan letaa, to uskaa aatmvishvaas hil jaataa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Perfective -- Voice: Active
उसके शब्दों से मेरा भरोसा हिल गया है। My trust has been shaken by his words.
(uske shabdon se meraa bharosaa hil gayaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उसकी हिम्मत को कोई नहीं हिला पाया। No one was able to shake his courage.
(uskii himmat ko koii nahiin hilaa paayaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
बार-बार असफलताओं ने उसके संकल्प को हिला दिया था। Repeated failures had shaken his determination.
(baar-baar asphaltaaon ne uske sankalp ko hilaa diyaa thaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
क्या इतनी छोटी बात उसका मन हिला सकती है? Can such a small thing shake his resolve?
(kyaa itnii chhotii baat uskaa man hilaa saktii hai?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उसके धर्म पर विश्वास को कोई ताकत नहीं हिला सकती थी। No power could shake his faith in his religion.
(uske dharm par vishvaas ko koii taakat nahiin hilaa saktii thii।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Verb
infinitive: हिलाना (hilaanaa)
infinitive oblique: हिलाने (hilaane)
habitual/simple (sg.m): हिलाता (hilaataa)
habitual/simple (pl.m): हिलाते (hilaate)
habitual/simple (sg.f): हिलाती (hilaatii)
habitual/simple (pl.f): हिलातीं (hilaatiin)
continuous (sg.m): हिला रहा (hilaa rahaa)
continuous (pl.m): हिला रहे (hilaa rahe)
continuous (sg.f): हिला रही (hilaa rahii)
continuous (pl.f): हिला रहीं (hilaa rahiin)
perfective (sg.m): हिलाया (hilaayaa)
perfective (pl.m): हिलाए (hilaae)
perfective (sg.f): हिलाई (hilaaii)
perfective (pl.f): हिलाईं (hilaaiin)
imperative (informal): हिला (hilaa)
imperative (neutral): हिलाओ (hilaao)
imperative (formal): हिलाइए (hilaaie)
future (1sg.m): हिलाऊँगा (hilaaoongaa)
future (1sg.f): हिलाऊँगी (hilaaoongii)
future (1pl.m): हिलाएँगे (hilaaenge)
future (1pl.f): हिलाएँगी (hilaaengii)
future (2sg.m): हिलाएगा (hilaaegaa)
future (2sg.f): हिलाएगी (hilaaegii)
future (2pl.m): हिलाओगे (hilaaoge)
future (2pl.f): हिलाओगी (hilaaogii)
future (3sg.m): हिलाएगा (hilaaegaa)
future (3sg.f): हिलाएगी (hilaaegii)
future (3pl.m): हिलाएँगे (hilaaenge)
future (3pl.f): हिलाएँगी (hilaaengii)
subjunctive (1sg): हिलाऊँ (hilaaoon)
subjunctive (1pl): हिलाएँ (hilaaen)
subjunctive (2sg): हिलाए (hilaae)
subjunctive (2pl): हिलाओ (hilaao)
subjunctive (3sg): हिलाए (hilaae)
subjunctive (3pl): हिलाएँ (hilaaen)