चला आना (chalaa aanaa)
verb
A compound verb built from चलना (chalnaa, 'to move/walk') plus आना (aanaa, 'to come'), describing something that has been going on continuously since the past up to now, or someone who has come along/arrived after a journey. One core sense, with a closely related idiomatic extension about long-standing customs or traditions.
Sense
1
:
to have been going on continuously (a practice, custom, or state persisting from the past to now)
verb, intransitive Typically used with a time expression (से (se) 'since') to frame a habit, custom, or situation as unbroken continuity reaching into the present, often in perfective forms like चला आ रहा है (chalaa aa rahaa hai) or चला आया है (chalaa aayaa hai).
Synonyms: जारी रहना (jaarii rahnaa), चलते रहना (chalte rahnaa)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You will hear this constantly about family or social traditions: यह रिवाज़ पुराने समय से चला आ रहा है (yah rivaaz puraane samay se chalaa aa rahaa hai, 'this custom has been continuing since olden times'). It carries a gentle reverence for continuity -- the sense that something has survived the passage of time on its own momentum, almost like the custom itself is walking forward through history.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often drop आना (aanaa) and just say चल रहा है (chal rahaa hai), which only means 'is happening/running' right now -- it loses the sense of an unbroken thread from the past. 2) This sense is almost always intransitive and impersonal in feel (a custom, tradition, or situation is the subject), not used with a personal ने (ne)-marked agent doing the continuing.
Sample Sentences:
यह रिवाज़ पुराने समय से चला आ रहा है।
This custom has been continuing since olden times.
(yah rivaaz puraane samay se chalaa aa rahaa hai।)
यह परंपरा सदियों से चली आ रही है।
This tradition has been going on for centuries.
(yah parampraa sadiyon se chalii aa rahii hai।)
यह झगड़ा दोनों परिवारों के बीच बरसों से चला आ रहा था।
This feud had been going on between the two families for years.
(yah jhagdaa donon parivaaron ke biich barson se chalaa aa rahaa thaa।)
यह प्रथा हमारे खानदान में पीढ़ियों से चली आती है।
This practice has continued in our family for generations.
(yah prathaa hamaare khaandaan men piidhiyon se chalii aatii hai।)
क्या यह रस्म वाकई इतने लंबे समय से चली आ रही है?
Has this ritual really been going on for so long?
(kyaa yah rasm vaakaii itne lambe samay se chalii aa rahii hai?)
अगर यह प्रथा पहले से चली आती तो हमें अब इतनी हैरानी न होती।
If this practice had been continuing since before, we wouldn't be so surprised now.
(agar yah prathaa pahle se chalii aatii to hamen ab itnii hairaanii n hotii।)
यह विवाद न जाने कब से चला आ रहा है।
Who knows since when this dispute has been dragging on.
(yah vivaad n jaane kab se chalaa aa rahaa hai।)
यह संबंध वर्षों से बड़े प्रेम से चला आ रहा है।
This relationship has continued with great affection for years.
(yah sambandh varshon se bade prem se chalaa aa rahaa hai।)
यह मान्यता सदियों से इस मंदिर में चली आती है कि यहाँ माँगी हर इच्छा पूरी होती है।
This belief has continued in this temple for centuries, that every wish asked here is fulfilled.
(yah maanytaa sadiyon se is mandir men chalii aatii hai ki yahaan maangii har ichchhaa poorii hotii hai।)
Sense
2
:
to come along, arrive after moving/walking (literal motion completed by arrival)
verb, intransitive Here चलना (chalnaa) contributes the sense of having set out or moved, and आना (aanaa) completes it with arrival -- used for a person or vehicle that travels and then arrives.
Synonyms: चलकर आना (chalkar aanaa), आ पहुँचना (aa pahunchnaa)
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: Said of a guest or relative who has traveled some distance to reach you: वह दिल्ली से चला आया (vah dillii se chalaa aayaa, 'he came along from Delhi') -- it has a slightly folksy, storytelling warmth, as if narrating someone's journey rather than just stating arrival.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes confuse this with the 'ongoing custom' sense; context (a person as subject, a concrete destination) signals this literal-motion reading instead.
Sample Sentences:
वह दिल्ली से चला आया।
He came along from Delhi.
(vah dillii se chalaa aayaa।)
वह इतनी दूर से पैदल चली आई थी।
She had come all that way on foot.
(vah itnii door se paidal chalii aaii thii।)
गाँव से शहर तक चला आना कोई आसान बात नहीं।
Coming all the way from the village to the city is no easy thing.
(gaanv se shahar tak chalaa aanaa koii aasaan baat nahiin।)
अगर वह चला आए तो हमें बहुत खुशी होगी।
If he comes along, we will be very happy.
(agar vah chalaa aae to hamen bahut khushii hogii।)
तुम इतनी रात को चले आओ, कोई बात नहीं।
Come along even this late at night, it's fine.
(tum itnii raat ko chale aao, koii baat nahiin।)
अगर रास्ता पता होता तो वह भी चला आता।
If he had known the way, he would have come along too.
(agar raastaa pataa hotaa to vah bhii chalaa aataa।)
बुढ़िया अपने बेटे के घर तक चली आई।
The old woman made her way all the way to her son's house.
(budhiyaa apne bete ke ghar tak chalii aaii।)
सुना है वह बिना बताए ही चला आया।
I heard he just showed up without telling anyone.
(sunaa hai vah binaa bataae hii chalaa aayaa।)
क्या तुम कल शाम को चले आओगे?
Will you come along tomorrow evening?
(kyaa tum kal shaam ko chale aaoge?)
Morphology
Verb
infinitive:
चला आना
(chalaa aanaa)
infinitive oblique:
चला आने
(chalaa aane)
habitual/simple (sg.m):
चला आता
(chalaa aataa)
habitual/simple (pl.m):
चला आते
(chalaa aate)
habitual/simple (sg.f):
चला आती
(chalaa aatii)
habitual/simple (pl.f):
चला आतीं
(chalaa aatiin)
continuous (sg.m):
चला आ रहा
(chalaa aa rahaa)
continuous (pl.m):
चला आ रहे
(chalaa aa rahe)
continuous (sg.f):
चला आ रही
(chalaa aa rahii)
continuous (pl.f):
चला आ रहीं
(chalaa aa rahiin)
perfective (sg.m):
चला आया
(chalaa aayaa)
perfective (pl.m):
चला आए
(chalaa aae)
perfective (sg.f):
चला आई
(chalaa aaii)
perfective (pl.f):
चला आईं
(chalaa aaiin)
imperative (informal):
चला आ
(chalaa aa)
imperative (neutral):
चला आओ
(chalaa aao)
imperative (formal):
चला आइए
(chalaa aaie)
future (1sg.m):
चला आऊँगा
(chalaa aaoongaa)
future (1sg.f):
चला आऊँगी
(chalaa aaoongii)
future (1pl.m):
चला आएँगे
(chalaa aaenge)
future (1pl.f):
चला आएँगी
(chalaa aaengii)
future (2sg.m):
चला आएगा
(chalaa aaegaa)
future (2sg.f):
चला आएगी
(chalaa aaegii)
future (2pl.m):
चला आओगे
(chalaa aaoge)
future (2pl.f):
चला आओगी
(chalaa aaogii)
future (3sg.m):
चला आएगा
(chalaa aaegaa)
future (3sg.f):
चला आएगी
(chalaa aaegii)
future (3pl.m):
चला आएँगे
(chalaa aaenge)
future (3pl.f):
चला आएँगी
(chalaa aaengii)
subjunctive (1sg):
चला आऊँ
(chalaa aaoon)
subjunctive (1pl):
चला आएँ
(chalaa aaen)
subjunctive (2sg):
चला आए
(chalaa aae)
subjunctive (2pl):
चला आओ
(chalaa aao)
subjunctive (3sg):
चला आए
(chalaa aae)
subjunctive (3pl):
चला आएँ
(chalaa aaen)