मिलाना (milaanaa)

verb The causative of मिलना (milnaa, 'to meet/be found'), covering physical mixing/combining, connecting people or calls, matching things up, and reconciling accounts.
Sense 1 : to mix, blend, combine (substances)
verb, transitive
Synonyms: मिश्रित करना (mishrit karnaa, formal), घोलना (gholnaa, mixing into a liquid)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Picture a chai-wallah calling out दूध में चाय मिलाओ (doodh men chaay milaao, 'mix the tea into the milk') -- this is the everyday kitchen sense you will hear constantly around food and drink prep.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes use घोलना (gholnaa) interchangeably, but घोलना (gholnaa) specifically implies dissolving something into a liquid (like sugar in water), while मिलाना (milaanaa) is the general word for combining any two things, wet or dry.
Sample Sentences:
दूध में चाय मिलाओ। Mix the tea into the milk.
(doodh men chaay milaao।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
वह सब्जी में नमक मिलाती है। She mixes salt into the vegetables.
(vah sabjii men namak milaatii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
माँ आटे में पानी मिला रही है। Mom is mixing water into the dough.
(maan aate men paanii milaa rahii hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उसने रंग में थोड़ा सफेद मिलाया। He mixed a little white into the paint.
(usne rang men thodaa saphed milaayaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
कल मैं शरबत में बर्फ मिलाऊँगा। Tomorrow I will mix ice into the sherbet.
(kal main sharbat men barph milaaoongaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
यदि तुम इसमें थोड़ी शक्कर मिला दो, तो स्वाद बेहतर होगा। If you mix in a little sugar, the taste will be better.
(yadi tum ismen thodii shakkar milaa do, to svaad behtar hogaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
अगर मैंने दवा में शहद मिलाया होता, तो बच्चा आसानी से पी लेता। If I had mixed honey into the medicine, the child would have drunk it easily.
(agar mainne davaa men shahad milaayaa hotaa, to bachchaa aasaanii se pii letaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Perfective -- Voice: Active
आटे में सूजी मिलाई जाती है ताकि पूड़ी कड़क बने। Semolina is mixed into the dough so that the puri turns out crisp.
(aate men soojii milaaii jaatii hai taaki poodii kadak bane।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
रसोइये ने मसालों को तेल में मिला दिया। The cook mixed the spices into the oil.
(rasoiye ne masaalon ko tel men milaa diyaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
कृपया इस मिश्रण में पानी सावधानी से मिलाएँ। Please mix the water into this mixture carefully.
(kripyaa is mishran men paanii saavdhaanii se milaaen।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
रसायनशास्त्री दो द्रवों को धीरे-धीरे मिला रहा था। The chemist was slowly mixing the two liquids.
(rasaayanshaastrii do dravon ko dhiire-dhiire milaa rahaa thaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Sense 2 : to connect a call, put someone on the phone/line
verb, transitive Common frame: फ़ोन मिलाना (fon milaanaa, 'to dial/connect a call') or किसी से बात मिलाना (kisii se baat milaanaa, 'to put someone on the line with someone').
Synonyms: जोड़ना (jodnaa, connecting/linking generally)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Before smartphones normalized डायल करना (daayal karnaa), नंबर मिलाना (nambar milaanaa, 'to dial the number') was the standard phrase for dialing a phone -- you'll still hear it from an older generation.
Sample Sentences:
जरा मम्मी को फोन मिला दो। Just connect the call to Mom for me.
(jaraa mammii ko phon milaa do।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
पापा हमेशा खुद नंबर मिलाते हैं, स्पीड डायल इस्तेमाल नहीं करते। Dad always dials the number himself, he doesn't use speed dial.
(paapaa hameshaa khud nambar milaate hain, spiid daayal istemaal nahiin karte।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
ऑपरेटर आपकी कॉल मैनेजर से मिला रहा है, लाइन पर रहिए। The operator is connecting your call to the manager, please stay on the line.
(opretar aapkii kol mainejar se milaa rahaa hai, laain par rahie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
मैंने उसका नंबर तीन बार मिलाया, पर लगा ही नहीं। I dialed his number three times, but it just wouldn't connect.
(mainne uskaa nambar tiin baar milaayaa, par lagaa hii nahiin।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
रिसेप्शनिस्ट ने कॉल एच.आर. डिपार्टमेंट को मिला दी। The receptionist connected the call to the HR department.
(risepshnist ne kol ech.aar. dipaartment ko milaa dii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
क्या आप जरा दादी जी से फोन मिला देंगे? Could you please connect the phone to Grandma for me?
(kyaa aap jaraa daadii jii se phon milaa denge?)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
अगर सिग्नल ठीक होता तो कॉल आराम से मिल जाती। If the signal were good, the call would connect easily.
(agar signal thiik hotaa to kol aaraam se mil jaatii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Perfective -- Voice: Active
पहले टेलीफोन एक्सचेंज वाले खुद नंबर मिलाते थे। Earlier, the people at the telephone exchange used to connect the numbers themselves.
(pahle teliiphon ekschenj vaale khud nambar milaate the।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
मैडम, मैं आपकी कॉल सर से मिलाए देता हूँ, एक मिनट रुकिए। Madam, let me connect your call to sir right away, please hold for a minute.
(maidam, main aapkii kol sar se milaae detaa hoon, ek minat rukie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उसने गलत नंबर मिला दिया और किसी और से बात हो गई। He dialed the wrong number and ended up talking to someone else.
(usne galat nambar milaa diyaa aur kisii aur se baat ho gaii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
बॉस ने कहा, कॉल तुरंत क्लाइंट से मिलाओ। The boss said, connect the call to the client immediately.
(bos ne kahaa, kol turant klaaint se milaao।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
Sense 3 : to introduce or bring people together, arrange a meeting
verb, transitive
Synonyms: परिचय कराना (parichay karaanaa, formal, introducing formally)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: At a family gathering someone might say मैं तुम्हें अपने दोस्त से मिलाता हूँ (main tumhen apne dost se milaataa hoon, 'let me introduce you to my friend') -- a very natural, warm way to make introductions in Hindi.
Common Mistakes: 1) This is the true causative sense of मिलना (milnaa) -- learners who know मिलना (milnaa, 'to meet') sometimes forget मिलाना (milaanaa) means 'to make X meet Y', not 'to meet' itself.
Sample Sentences:
मैं तुम्हें अपने दोस्त से मिलाता हूँ। Let me introduce you to my friend.
(main tumhen apne dost se milaataa hoon।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उसने मुझे अपने परिवार से मिलाया। He introduced me to his family.
(usne mujhe apne parivaar se milaayaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम मुझे अपनी बहन से मिलाओगे? Will you introduce me to your sister?
(kyaa tum mujhe apnii bahan se milaaoge?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
पार्टी में मुझे सबसे मिलाइए, प्लीज़। Please introduce me to everyone at the party.
(paartii men mujhe sabse milaaie, pliiz।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
काश कोई मुझे उस लेखक से मिला देता। I wish someone would have introduced me to that author.
(kaash koii mujhe us lekhak se milaa detaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
अगर वह यहाँ होता, तो मैं उसे तुमसे मिला देता। If he were here, I would have introduced him to you.
(agar vah yahaan hotaa, to main use tumse milaa detaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Perfective -- Voice: Active
शादी में दुल्हन के मामा ने सबको एक-दूसरे से मिलाया। At the wedding, the bride's uncle introduced everyone to each other.
(shaadii men dulhan ke maamaa ne sabko ek-doosre se milaayaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
मेज़बान द्वारा मेहमानों को आपस में मिलाया गया। The guests were introduced to one another by the host.
(mezbaan dvaaraa mehmaanon ko aapas men milaayaa gayaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
मैं चाहता हूँ कि तुम मुझे अपने बॉस से मिलाओ। I want you to introduce me to your boss.
(main chaahtaa hoon ki tum mujhe apne bos se milaao।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
वह हमेशा नए लोगों को एक-दूसरे से मिलाती रहती है। She always keeps introducing new people to each other.
(vah hameshaa nae logon ko ek-doosre se milaatii rahtii hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
आपसे मिलकर बहुत अच्छा लगा; क्या आप मुझे अपनी टीम से मिला सकते हैं? It was very nice to meet you; could you introduce me to your team?
(aapse milkar bahut achchhaa lagaa; kyaa aap mujhe apnii tiim se milaa sakte hain?)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Sense 4 : to match, compare, or check things against each other
verb, transitive Common in frames like हिसाब मिलाना (hisaab milaanaa, 'to reconcile/tally accounts') and घड़ी मिलाना (ghadii milaanaa, 'to synchronize watches').
Synonyms: तुलना करना (tulnaa karnaa, comparing more formally), जांचना (jaanchnaa, checking/verifying)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You'll hear हिसाब मिलाना (hisaab milaanaa) all the time in shops and homes when tallying up money at the end of the day -- it captures the idea of 'making the numbers meet' rather than just 'checking' them.
Sample Sentences:
दुकानदार शाम को अपना हिसाब मिलाता है। The shopkeeper checks his accounts every evening.
(dukaandaar shaam ko apnaa hisaab milaataa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
मैंने दोनों बिलों को मिलाया और गलती पकड़ ली। I compared both bills and caught the mistake.
(mainne donon bilon ko milaayaa aur galtii pakad lii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अपना जवाब किताब के आखिर में दिए गए उत्तरों से मिला लो। Check your answer against the ones given at the back of the book.
(apnaa javaab kitaab ke aakhir men die gae uttron se milaa lo।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
अगर वह रसीदें मिला लेता तो उसे घाटे का पता चल जाता। If he had matched up the receipts, he would have found out about the loss.
(agar vah rasiiden milaa letaa to use ghaate kaa pataa chal jaataa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Perfective -- Voice: Active
क्लर्क फाइलों के नंबर मिला रहा है। The clerk is matching up the file numbers.
(klark phaailon ke nambar milaa rahaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
स्टॉक की गिनती गोदाम के रिकॉर्ड से मिलाई जाती है। The stock count is checked against the warehouse records.
(stok kii gintii godaam ke rikord se milaaii jaatii hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
कृपया भुगतान से पहले चालान की राशि मिला लें। Please verify the invoice amount before making the payment.
(kripyaa bhugtaan se pahle chaalaan kii raashi milaa len।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
मुझे शक है कि यह हस्ताक्षर असली है या नहीं, ज़रा मिलाकर देखो। I doubt whether this signature is genuine, just compare it and see.
(mujhe shak hai ki yah hastaakshar aslii hai yaa nahiin, zaraa milaakar dekho।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
पिछले महीने हमने हर एक रसीद मिलाई थी, फिर भी फर्क निकल आया। Last month we had checked every single receipt, yet a discrepancy showed up.
(pichhle mahiine hamne har ek rasiid milaaii thii, phir bhii phark nikal aayaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Sense 5 : to shake hands, join hands/palms (in greeting)
verb, transitive Frame: हाथ मिलाना (haath milaanaa, 'to shake hands'); can also extend figuratively to mean 'to team up' or 'collude with' someone.
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: दुश्मन से हाथ मिलाना (dushman se haath milaanaa, 'to shake hands with the enemy') is a common idiomatic way to accuse someone of secretly siding with an opponent -- you'll see this phrase often in political commentary.
Common Mistakes: 1) हाथ मिलाना (haath milaanaa) figuratively can mean 'to collude/join forces with someone', often with a negative shade (e.g., conspiring) -- learners taking it only literally as 'shaking hands' can miss this extended meaning in news or conversation.
Sample Sentences:
उसने मुस्कुराते हुए मेरे साथ हाथ मिलाया। He shook my hand while smiling.
(usne muskuraate hue mere saath haath milaayaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
मेहमानों से मिलते समय हाथ मिलाओ, यह शिष्टाचार है। Shake hands when you meet guests, it's good manners.
(mehmaanon se milte samay haath milaao, yah shishtaachaar hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
भारत में लोग अक्सर मिलते वक़्त हाथ मिलाते हैं या नमस्ते करते हैं। In India people often shake hands or say namaste when they meet.
(bhaarat men log aksar milte vaqt haath milaate hain yaa namaste karte hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
दोनों नेता कैमरों के सामने हाथ मिला रहे थे। The two leaders were shaking hands in front of the cameras.
(donon netaa kaimron ke saamne haath milaa rahe the।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
विपक्षी नेता पर आरोप है कि उसने दुश्मन से हाथ मिला लिया है। The opposition leader is accused of having shaken hands with the enemy.
(vipakshii netaa par aarop hai ki usne dushman se haath milaa liyaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगर वह मुझसे मिलता, तो शायद हाथ भी मिलाता। If he had met me, he might have shaken hands too.
(agar vah mujhse miltaa, to shaayad haath bhii milaataa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
समझौते के बाद दोनों कंपनियों के मालिकों ने हाथ मिलाया। After the agreement, the owners of both companies shook hands.
(samjhaute ke baad donon kampniyon ke maalikon ne haath milaayaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम उससे हाथ मिलाना पसंद करोगे या सिर्फ़ नमस्ते कहोगे? Would you prefer to shake his hand or just say namaste?
(kyaa tum usse haath milaanaa pasand karoge yaa sirf namaste kahoge?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
पत्रकारों से कहा गया कि वे मंत्री से हाथ न मिलाएँ। The journalists were told not to shake hands with the minister.
(patrkaaron se kahaa gayaa ki ve mantrii se haath n milaaen।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
जब उसने हाथ मिलाया, तो उसकी पकड़ बहुत मज़बूत थी। When he shook hands, his grip was very firm.
(jab usne haath milaayaa, to uskii pakad bahut mazboot thii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Verb
infinitive: मिलाना (milaanaa)
infinitive oblique: मिलाने (milaane)
habitual/simple (sg.m): मिलाता (milaataa)
habitual/simple (pl.m): मिलाते (milaate)
habitual/simple (sg.f): मिलाती (milaatii)
habitual/simple (pl.f): मिलातीं (milaatiin)
continuous (sg.m): मिला रहा (milaa rahaa)
continuous (pl.m): मिला रहे (milaa rahe)
continuous (sg.f): मिला रही (milaa rahii)
continuous (pl.f): मिला रहीं (milaa rahiin)
perfective (sg.m): मिलाया (milaayaa)
perfective (pl.m): मिलाए (milaae)
perfective (sg.f): मिलाई (milaaii)
perfective (pl.f): मिलाईं (milaaiin)
imperative (informal): मिला (milaa)
imperative (neutral): मिलाओ (milaao)
imperative (formal): मिलाइए (milaaie)
future (1sg.m): मिलाऊँगा (milaaoongaa)
future (1sg.f): मिलाऊँगी (milaaoongii)
future (1pl.m): मिलाएँगे (milaaenge)
future (1pl.f): मिलाएँगी (milaaengii)
future (2sg.m): मिलाएगा (milaaegaa)
future (2sg.f): मिलाएगी (milaaegii)
future (2pl.m): मिलाओगे (milaaoge)
future (2pl.f): मिलाओगी (milaaogii)
future (3sg.m): मिलाएगा (milaaegaa)
future (3sg.f): मिलाएगी (milaaegii)
future (3pl.m): मिलाएँगे (milaaenge)
future (3pl.f): मिलाएँगी (milaaengii)
subjunctive (1sg): मिलाऊँ (milaaoon)
subjunctive (1pl): मिलाएँ (milaaen)
subjunctive (2sg): मिलाए (milaae)
subjunctive (2pl): मिलाओ (milaao)
subjunctive (3sg): मिलाए (milaae)
subjunctive (3pl): मिलाएँ (milaaen)