बुलाना (bulaanaa)

verb One core sense: to call or summon someone, in the physical sense of getting them to come (by voice, invitation, or message). Related to बोलना (bolnaa, 'to speak') but not interchangeable with it -- बुलाना (bulaanaa) is causative in feel: you cause someone to come.
Sense 1 : to call/summon someone (to come)
verb, transitive
Synonyms: आमंत्रित करना (aamantrit karnaa, formal, for invitations), डाकना (daaknaa, colloquial/regional)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Think of a mother standing at the door shouting खाना खाओ, अंदर आ जाओ (khaanaa khaao, andar aa jaao, 'eat food, come inside') -- that summoning action is बुलाना (bulaanaa) in its purest everyday form. It is also the word used when you invite someone to a wedding or function: उसे शादी में बुलाया था (use shaadii men bulaayaa thaa, 'he/she was invited to the wedding'), which is why it does double duty for both 'call over' and 'invite.'
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners confuse बुलाना (bulaanaa) with बोलना (bolnaa, 'to speak') because they look and sound similar -- बुलाना (bulaanaa) is about summoning someone, not speaking. 2) The person summoned is marked with को (ko): उसे बुलाओ (use bulaao, 'call him/her'), not से (se). 3) For inviting someone to an event (a wedding, a party), बुलाना (bulaanaa) is the everyday choice; आमंत्रित करना (aamantrit karnaa) sounds formal/written, like on a printed card.
Sample Sentences:
माँ बच्चों को खाना खाने के लिए बुला रही है। Mother is calling the children to eat food.
(maan bachchon ko khaanaa khaane ke lie bulaa rahii hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उसने कल अपने दोस्तों को घर पर बुलाया था। He had called his friends over to the house yesterday.
(usne kal apne doston ko ghar par bulaayaa thaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
हम हर साल अपने रिश्तेदारों को दिवाली पर बुलाते हैं। We invite our relatives over every year for Diwali.
(ham har saal apne rishtedaaron ko divaalii par bulaate hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उसे शादी में बुलाया था, पर वह नहीं आया। He was invited to the wedding, but he didn't come.
(use shaadii men bulaayaa thaa, par vah nahiin aayaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
ज़रा उसे अंदर बुला लाओ, बात करनी है। Go call him inside for a moment, I need to talk to him.
(zaraa use andar bulaa laao, baat karnii hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
अगर तुम्हें ज़रूरत पड़े तो मुझे बुला लेना। If you need me, call me over.
(agar tumhen zaroorat pade to mujhe bulaa lenaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
अगली बैठक में सभी विभागों के प्रमुखों को बुलाया जाएगा। All the department heads will be called to the next meeting.
(aglii baithak men sabhii vibhaagon ke pramukhon ko bulaayaa jaaegaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Passive
काश मैंने उसे भी पार्टी में बुलाया होता। I wish I had invited him to the party too.
(kaash mainne use bhii paartii men bulaayaa hotaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Perfective -- Voice: Active
अगर पैसे होते तो मैं पूरे मोहल्ले को खाने पर बुलाता। If I had the money, I would invite the whole neighborhood over for a meal.
(agar paise hote to main poore mohalle ko khaane par bulaataa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
प्रबंधन ने कर्मचारियों को एक ज़रूरी सूचना देने के लिए बुलाया है। The management has called the employees to give an important notice.
(prabandhan ne karmchaariyon ko ek zaroorii soochnaa dene ke lie bulaayaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
डॉक्टर ने कहा है कि मरीज़ के परिवार वालों को तुरंत बुलाया जाए। The doctor has said that the patient's family should be called immediately.
(doktar ne kahaa hai ki mariiz ke parivaar vaalon ko turant bulaayaa jaae।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Passive
Morphology
Verb
infinitive: बुलाना (bulaanaa)
infinitive oblique: बुलाने (bulaane)
habitual/simple (sg.m): बुलाता (bulaataa)
habitual/simple (pl.m): बुलाते (bulaate)
habitual/simple (sg.f): बुलाती (bulaatii)
habitual/simple (pl.f): बुलातीं (bulaatiin)
continuous (sg.m): बुला रहा (bulaa rahaa)
continuous (pl.m): बुला रहे (bulaa rahe)
continuous (sg.f): बुला रही (bulaa rahii)
continuous (pl.f): बुला रहीं (bulaa rahiin)
perfective (sg.m): बुलाया (bulaayaa)
perfective (pl.m): बुलाए (bulaae)
perfective (sg.f): बुलाई (bulaaii)
perfective (pl.f): बुलाईं (bulaaiin)
imperative (informal): बुला (bulaa)
imperative (neutral): बुलाओ (bulaao)
imperative (formal): बुलाइए (bulaaie)
future (1sg.m): बुलाऊँगा (bulaaoongaa)
future (1sg.f): बुलाऊँगी (bulaaoongii)
future (1pl.m): बुलाएँगे (bulaaenge)
future (1pl.f): बुलाएँगी (bulaaengii)
future (2sg.m): बुलाएगा (bulaaegaa)
future (2sg.f): बुलाएगी (bulaaegii)
future (2pl.m): बुलाओगे (bulaaoge)
future (2pl.f): बुलाओगी (bulaaogii)
future (3sg.m): बुलाएगा (bulaaegaa)
future (3sg.f): बुलाएगी (bulaaegii)
future (3pl.m): बुलाएँगे (bulaaenge)
future (3pl.f): बुलाएँगी (bulaaengii)
subjunctive (1sg): बुलाऊँ (bulaaoon)
subjunctive (1pl): बुलाएँ (bulaaen)
subjunctive (2sg): बुलाए (bulaae)
subjunctive (2pl): बुलाओ (bulaao)
subjunctive (3sg): बुलाए (bulaae)
subjunctive (3pl): बुलाएँ (bulaaen)