तनना (tannaa)
verb
An intransitive verb meaning 'to stretch, become taut/tense' -- used both literally (a rope, a wire, a muscle going tight) and figuratively (a person's mood or relations turning tense/strained). Related to the transitive तानना (taannaa, 'to stretch/pull taut'), which is its causative-like counterpart.
Sense
1
:
to become taut, stretch tight (of a rope, wire, muscle, etc.)
verb, intransitive
Synonyms: खिंचना (khinchnaa)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: Think of a clothesline or a tent rope: रस्सी तन गई (rassii tan gaii, 'the rope became taut') is the everyday image Hindi speakers reach for. The same verb extends naturally to a body part going stiff, like a neck or a nerve, before it extends further into the emotional sense below.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes reach for तानना (taannaa) when they mean तनना (tannaa); तानना (taannaa) is transitive ('to pull/stretch something taut'), while तनना (tannaa) is what the rope or wire itself does on its own.
Sample Sentences:
धूप में सूखने से रस्सी तन गई।
The rope became taut from drying in the sun.
(dhoop men sookhne se rassii tan gaii।)
जब हवा तेज़ चलती है तो तार तन जाते हैं।
When the wind blows hard, the wires become taut.
(jab havaa tez chaltii hai to taar tan jaate hain।)
देखो, तंबू की रस्सी अभी भी तन रही है।
Look, the tent's rope is still becoming taut.
(dekho, tamboo kii rassii abhii bhii tan rahii hai।)
इतनी देर बैठे रहने से मेरी गर्दन की नस तन गई है।
From sitting so long, the nerve in my neck has become stiff.
(itnii der baithe rahne se merii gardan kii nas tan gaii hai।)
रस्सी को इतना खींचो कि वह पूरी तन जाए।
Pull the rope enough that it becomes fully taut.
(rassii ko itnaa khiincho ki vah poorii tan jaae।)
अगर रस्सी और ज़्यादा तनती तो टूट जाती।
If the rope had become any more taut, it would have broken.
(agar rassii aur zyaadaa tantii to toot jaatii।)
कल रात ठंड से मेरी पीठ की मांसपेशियाँ तन गई थीं।
Last night, my back muscles had become stiff from the cold.
(kal raat thand se merii piith kii maanspeshiyaan tan gaii thiin।)
मशीन के भार से केबल तन जाएगी।
The cable will become taut under the weight of the machine.
(mashiin ke bhaar se kebal tan jaaegii।)
व्यायाम के दौरान उसकी पिंडलियों की नस तन जाती है।
During exercise, the tendon in her calf becomes taut.
(vyaayaam ke dauraan uskii pindliyon kii nas tan jaatii hai।)
Sense
2
:
to become tense, strained (of mood, relations, or atmosphere)
verb, intransitive
Synonyms: बिगड़ना (bigadnaa, of relations turning sour), तनातनी होना (tanaatnii honaa, to have tension/friction)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This is the same physical image as the literal sense, just applied to people: a strained relationship or a stiff, unfriendly face is described as if it were a rope pulled taut, तना हुआ (tanaa huaa). The related noun तनाव (tanaav, 'tension, stress') comes directly from this root and is one of the most common words for stress in modern Hindi.
Common Mistakes: 1) This figurative sense is often used with रिश्ते (rishte, 'relations') or माहौल (maahaul, 'atmosphere') as the subject, not with a person directly -- learners tend to say 'वह तन गया' (vah tan gayaa) to mean 'he got tense,' when a native speaker is more likely to say उसका चेहरा तन गया (uskaa chehraa tan gayaa, 'his face went taut/tense') or describe the relationship or mood itself as तना हुआ (tanaa huaa, 'strained').
Sample Sentences:
दोनों देशों के बीच रिश्ते तन गए हैं।
Relations between the two countries have turned tense.
(donon deshon ke biich rishte tan gae hain।)
जैसे ही पैसों की बात हुई, माहौल तन गया।
As soon as the talk of money came up, the atmosphere turned tense.
(jaise hii paison kii baat huii, maahaul tan gayaa।)
उसका चेहरा तना हुआ था, जैसे कोई बात मन में दबाए बैठा हो।
His face was tight and strained, as if he were holding something back.
(uskaa chehraa tanaa huaa thaa, jaise koii baat man men dabaae baithaa ho।)
बात-बात पर उनका रिश्ता तनता रहता है।
Their relationship keeps getting strained over every little thing.
(baat-baat par unkaa rishtaa tantaa rahtaa hai।)
अगर वह माफी न मांगे तो मामला और तन जाएगा।
If he doesn't apologize, the situation will get even more tense.
(agar vah maaphii n maange to maamlaa aur tan jaaegaa।)
कमरे में सन्नाटा छा गया और माहौल तन गया।
A silence fell over the room, and the atmosphere turned tense.
(kamre men sannaataa chhaa gayaa aur maahaul tan gayaa।)
मत तनो, बात इतनी बड़ी नहीं है।
Don't get so uptight, it's not that big a deal.
(mat tano, baat itnii badii nahiin hai।)
काश दोनों भाइयों के बीच यह रिश्ता इतना न तनता।
If only the relationship between the two brothers hadn't grown so strained.
(kaash donon bhaaiyon ke biich yah rishtaa itnaa n tantaa।)
बॉस के सामने जाते ही उसका मन तनने लगता है।
The moment he goes in front of the boss, he starts feeling tense.
(bos ke saamne jaate hii uskaa man tanne lagtaa hai।)
Morphology
Verb
infinitive:
तनना
(tannaa)
infinitive oblique:
तनने
(tanne)
habitual/simple (sg.m):
तनता
(tantaa)
habitual/simple (pl.m):
तनते
(tante)
habitual/simple (sg.f):
तनती
(tantii)
habitual/simple (pl.f):
तनतीं
(tantiin)
continuous (sg.m):
तन रहा
(tan rahaa)
continuous (pl.m):
तन रहे
(tan rahe)
continuous (sg.f):
तन रही
(tan rahii)
continuous (pl.f):
तन रहीं
(tan rahiin)
perfective (sg.m):
तना
(tanaa)
perfective (pl.m):
तने
(tane)
perfective (sg.f):
तनी
(tanii)
perfective (pl.f):
तनीं
(taniin)
imperative (informal):
तन
(tan)
imperative (neutral):
तनो
(tano)
imperative (formal):
तनिए
(tanie)
future (1sg.m):
तनूँगा
(tanoongaa)
future (1sg.f):
तनूँगी
(tanoongii)
future (1pl.m):
तनेंगे
(tanenge)
future (1pl.f):
तनेंगी
(tanengii)
future (2sg.m):
तनेगा
(tanegaa)
future (2sg.f):
तनेगी
(tanegii)
future (2pl.m):
तनोगे
(tanoge)
future (2pl.f):
तनोगी
(tanogii)
future (3sg.m):
तनेगा
(tanegaa)
future (3sg.f):
तनेगी
(tanegii)
future (3pl.m):
तनेंगे
(tanenge)
future (3pl.f):
तनेंगी
(tanengii)
subjunctive (1sg):
तनूँ
(tanoon)
subjunctive (1pl):
तनें
(tanen)
subjunctive (2sg):
तने
(tane)
subjunctive (2pl):
तनो
(tano)
subjunctive (3sg):
तने
(tane)
subjunctive (3pl):
तनें
(tanen)