लूटना (lootnaa)
verb
One core sense: to loot, rob, or plunder -- used literally for dacoity/robbery and very commonly in extended/figurative senses for being overcharged or 'robbed' in a transaction.
Sense
1
:
to loot, rob, plunder (people, a place, wealth)
verb, transitive
Synonyms: डाका डालना (daakaa daalnaa, to commit dacoity), चोरी करना (chorii karnaa, to steal)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is the verb behind डाकू (daakoo, 'dacoit/bandit'), a figure deeply embedded in Hindi cinema and folklore -- think of the countless films about dacoits of the Chambal region looting villages and travelers. It carries a sense of dramatic, often violent robbery, distinct from quieter theft.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often use चोरी करना (chorii karnaa) and लूटना (lootnaa) interchangeably, but लूटना (lootnaa) implies open, often violent seizure (like dacoits robbing a bank or travelers), while चोरी (chorii) is stealthy theft where the victim doesn't see it happen. 2) The object of लूटना (lootnaa) can be the victim or the goods: बैंक लूटना (baink lootnaa, 'to rob the bank') and पैसे लूटना (paise lootnaa, 'to loot money') are both correct.
Sample Sentences:
डाकुओं ने रात में पूरे गाँव को लूट लिया।
The dacoits looted the entire village at night.
(daakuon ne raat men poore gaanv ko loot liyaa।)
चंबल के डाकू पहले यात्रियों को लूटते थे।
The dacoits of Chambal used to rob travelers in the past.
(chambal ke daakoo pahle yaatriyon ko lootte the।)
कुछ लोग बैंक लूटने की कोशिश कर रहे हैं।
Some people are trying to rob the bank.
(kuchh log baink lootne kii koshish kar rahe hain।)
अगर पुलिस समय पर नहीं आती, तो लुटेरे सारा खजाना लूट लेते।
If the police hadn't arrived in time, the robbers would have looted the entire treasure.
(agar pulis samay par nahiin aatii, to lutere saaraa khajaanaa loot lete।)
मत डरो, कोई तुम्हें नहीं लूटेगा।
Don't be afraid, no one will rob you.
(mat daro, koii tumhen nahiin lootegaa।)
उस मंदिर को सदियों पहले आक्रमणकारियों ने लूटा था।
That temple was looted by invaders centuries ago.
(us mandir ko sadiyon pahle aakrmankaariyon ne lootaa thaa।)
पूरा शहर उस रात लूट लिया गया।
The entire city was looted that night.
(pooraa shahar us raat loot liyaa gayaa।)
उसे डर था कि कहीं डाकू उसका घर न लूट लें।
He was afraid that the bandits might loot his house.
(use dar thaa ki kahiin daakoo uskaa ghar n loot len।)
इस काफिले को मत लूटो, इसमें बीमारों की दवाइयाँ हैं।
Don't loot this caravan, it has medicines for the sick.
(is kaaphile ko mat looto, ismen biimaaron kii davaaiyaan hain।)
इतिहास में कई साम्राज्यों ने पड़ोसी राज्यों को लूटकर अपनी सत्ता बढ़ाई।
In history, many empires expanded their power by plundering neighboring kingdoms.
(itihaas men kaii saamraajyon ne padosii raajyon ko lootkar apnii sattaa badhaaii।)
सुनी है कि उन दिनों लुटेरे रात होते ही कारवानों को लूट लेते थे।
I've heard that in those days, robbers would loot caravans as soon as night fell.
(sunii hai ki un dinon lutere raat hote hii kaarvaanon ko loot lete the।)
Sense
2
:
to rip off, overcharge, fleece (figurative)
verb, transitive
Synonyms: ठगना (thagnaa, to cheat/con), चूना लगाना (choonaa lagaanaa, colloquial idiom for cheating someone financially)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You'll hear this constantly in Delhi markets and auto-rickshaw haggling -- अरे, ये तो लूट है! (are, ye to loot hai, 'hey, this is daylight robbery!') is a everyday exclamation over an inflated price, using the noun form लूट (loot) rather than the verb, but the two are closely linked in the same breath of complaint.
Common Mistakes: 1) This figurative sense is extremely common in everyday complaints about shopping, taxis, or restaurants -- दुकानदार ने मुझे लूट लिया (dukaandaar ne mujhe loot liyaa, 'the shopkeeper ripped me off') -- and learners who only know the literal 'dacoity' meaning may miss this casual, non-violent use. 2) Often paired with the compound लूट लेना (loot lenaa) to emphasize the completed, decisive 'fleecing' rather than the plain verb alone.
Sample Sentences:
यार, ये दुकान वाले तो लूट लेते हैं।
Man, these shopkeepers just rip you off.
(yaar, ye dukaan vaale to loot lete hain।)
ऑटो वाले टूरिस्टों को देखकर लूट लेते हैं।
Auto drivers see tourists and fleece them.
(oto vaale tooriston ko dekhkar loot lete hain।)
उस रेस्टोरेंट ने हमें कल रात पूरा लूट लिया।
That restaurant totally ripped us off last night.
(us restorent ne hamen kal raat pooraa loot liyaa।)
मुझे नहीं पता था कि मुझे इतना लूटा जाएगा।
I didn't know I'd be ripped off this badly.
(mujhe nahiin pataa thaa ki mujhe itnaa lootaa jaaegaa।)
अगर तुम भाव नहीं करोगे, तो दुकानदार तुम्हें लूट लेगा।
If you don't haggle, the shopkeeper will fleece you.
(agar tum bhaav nahiin karoge, to dukaandaar tumhen loot legaa।)
अरे, ये तो लूट है! सौ रुपये का पानी की बोतल?
Hey, this is daylight robbery! A hundred rupees for a water bottle?
(are, ye to loot hai! sau rupye kaa paanii kii botal?)
अगर मुझे मोलभाव करना नहीं आता, तो हर बार लूटा जाता।
If I didn't know how to bargain, I'd get ripped off every time.
(agar mujhe molbhaav karnaa nahiin aataa, to har baar lootaa jaataa।)
ध्यान रखना, इस बाज़ार में विदेशियों को खुलेआम लूटा जाता है।
Be careful, foreigners get openly fleeced in this market.
(dhyaan rakhnaa, is baazaar men videshiyon ko khuleaam lootaa jaataa hai।)
मुझे डर है कि नई दुकान वाले ग्राहकों को लूट न लें।
I'm worried the new shopkeepers might fleece the customers.
(mujhe dar hai ki naii dukaan vaale graahkon ko loot n len।)
कुछ बीमा कंपनियाँ ग्राहकों को छिपी हुई शर्तों से लूटती हैं।
Some insurance companies fleece customers with hidden clauses.
(kuchh biimaa kampniyaan graahkon ko chhipii huii sharton se loottii hain।)
मीटर बंद ऑटो में बैठते ही आप लुट जाते हो।
The moment you get into a meter-off auto, you get fleeced.
(miitar band oto men baithte hii aap lut jaate ho।)
Morphology
Verb
infinitive:
लूटना
(lootnaa)
infinitive oblique:
लूटने
(lootne)
habitual/simple (sg.m):
लूटता
(loottaa)
habitual/simple (pl.m):
लूटते
(lootte)
habitual/simple (sg.f):
लूटती
(loottii)
habitual/simple (pl.f):
लूटतीं
(loottiin)
continuous (sg.m):
लूट रहा
(loot rahaa)
continuous (pl.m):
लूट रहे
(loot rahe)
continuous (sg.f):
लूट रही
(loot rahii)
continuous (pl.f):
लूट रहीं
(loot rahiin)
perfective (sg.m):
लूटा
(lootaa)
perfective (pl.m):
लूटे
(loote)
perfective (sg.f):
लूटी
(lootii)
perfective (pl.f):
लूटीं
(lootiin)
imperative (informal):
लूट
(loot)
imperative (neutral):
लूटो
(looto)
imperative (formal):
लूटिए
(lootie)
future (1sg.m):
लूटूँगा
(lootoongaa)
future (1sg.f):
लूटूँगी
(lootoongii)
future (1pl.m):
लूटेंगे
(lootenge)
future (1pl.f):
लूटेंगी
(lootengii)
future (2sg.m):
लूटेगा
(lootegaa)
future (2sg.f):
लूटेगी
(lootegii)
future (2pl.m):
लूटोगे
(lootoge)
future (2pl.f):
लूटोगी
(lootogii)
future (3sg.m):
लूटेगा
(lootegaa)
future (3sg.f):
लूटेगी
(lootegii)
future (3pl.m):
लूटेंगे
(lootenge)
future (3pl.f):
लूटेंगी
(lootengii)
subjunctive (1sg):
लूटूँ
(lootoon)
subjunctive (1pl):
लूटें
(looten)
subjunctive (2sg):
लूटे
(loote)
subjunctive (2pl):
लूटो
(looto)
subjunctive (3sg):
लूटे
(loote)
subjunctive (3pl):
लूटें
(looten)