छीनना (chhiinnaa)
verb
A transitive verb meaning 'to snatch, grab, or seize' something from someone, usually by force; it also extends figuratively to taking away opportunities, rights, or abstract things like happiness or freedom.
Sense
1
:
to snatch/grab something physically from someone
verb, transitive The person deprived is marked with से (se): किसी से कुछ छीनना (kisii se kuchh chhiinnaa, 'to snatch something from someone').
Synonyms: झपटना (jhapatnaa, quicker/more sudden), लूटना (lootnaa, to loot/rob)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Picture a child's toy being grabbed by another kid at a park -- that sudden, forceful pull is exactly the image छीनना (chhiinnaa) evokes. It is a very physical, visceral verb, often used in news reports about theft or snatching (mobile-छीनना mobaail chhiinnaa cases are common tabloid fare in Delhi).
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often mark the person from whom something is taken with को (ko) instead of से (se) -- छीनना (chhiinnaa) takes से (se) for the source, unlike verbs like देना (denaa) which take को (ko) for the recipient. 2) Do not confuse with लेना (lenaa, 'to take'), which is neutral -- छीनना (chhiinnaa) always implies force or unwillingness on the other side.
Sample Sentences:
उस लड़के ने मेरे हाथ से मोबाइल छीन लिया।
That boy snatched the phone from my hand.
(us ladke ne mere haath se mobaail chhiin liyaa।)
बाइक सवार बदमाश महिलाओं के गले से चेन छीनते हैं।
Bike-riding thugs snatch chains from women's necks.
(baaik savaar badmaash mahilaaon ke gale se chen chhiinte hain।)
पार्क में एक बच्चा दूसरे बच्चे से खिलौना छीन रहा था।
In the park, one kid was snatching the toy from another kid.
(paark men ek bachchaa doosre bachche se khilaunaa chhiin rahaa thaa।)
मेरा बैग मत छीनो, मैं खुद दे दूँगा!
Don't snatch my bag, I'll give it myself!
(meraa baig mat chhiino, main khud de doongaa!)
पुलिस ने बताया कि चोर ने चलती कार से पर्स छीना और भाग गया।
Police said the thief snatched the purse from the moving car and ran away.
(pulis ne bataayaa ki chor ne chaltii kaar se pars chhiinaa aur bhaag gayaa।)
दिल्ली में मोबाइल छीनने की घटनाएँ आम हो गई हैं।
Mobile-snatching incidents have become common in Delhi.
(dillii men mobaail chhiinne kii ghatnaaen aam ho gaii hain।)
अगर वह छीनने की कोशिश करे तो चिल्लाना।
If he tries to snatch it, scream.
(agar vah chhiinne kii koshish kare to chillaanaa।)
छीनाझपटी की इस घटना में एक महिला घायल हो गई।
In this snatching-and-scuffling incident, a woman was injured.
(chhiinaajhaptii kii is ghatnaa men ek mahilaa ghaayal ho gaii।)
अगर पुलिस समय पर पहुँच जाती तो चेन नहीं छीनी जाती।
If the police had arrived on time, the chain wouldn't have been snatched.
(agar pulis samay par pahunch jaatii to chen nahiin chhiinii jaatii।)
बच्ची के हाथ से आइसक्रीम छीनी गई और वह रोने लगी।
The ice cream was snatched from the little girl's hand and she started crying.
(bachchii ke haath se aaisakriim chhiinii gaii aur vah rone lagii।)
सावधान रहिए, यहाँ छीनकर भाग जाने वाले बहुत हैं।
Be careful, there are many people here who snatch things and run off.
(saavdhaan rahie, yahaan chhiinkar bhaag jaane vaale bahut hain।)
Sense
2
:
to take away something abstract (rights, freedom, happiness, opportunity) by force or unfairly
verb, transitive Common with abstract nouns: हक़ छीनना (haq chhiinnaa, 'to snatch away rights'), खुशी छीनना (khushii chhiinnaa, 'to take away happiness'), मौका छीनना (maukaa chhiinnaa, 'to snatch an opportunity').
Synonyms: वंचित करना (vanchit karnaa, more formal, 'to deprive')
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This figurative extension shows up a lot in emotional or political speech -- a mother might say किसी ने मेरे बच्चे की मुस्कान छीन ली (kisii ne mere bachche kii muskaan chhiin lii, 'someone snatched away my child's smile'), and activists talk about हक़ छीनना (haq chhiinnaa) when demanding rights that were denied rather than given.
Sample Sentences:
उन्होंने मज़दूरों से उनका हक़ छीन लिया।
They took away the workers' rights.
(unhonne mazdooron se unkaa haq chhiin liyaa।)
किसी ने मेरे बच्चे की मुस्कान छीन ली।
Someone snatched away my child's smile.
(kisii ne mere bachche kii muskaan chhiin lii।)
यह सरकार हमारी आज़ादी छीन रही है।
This government is taking away our freedom.
(yah sarkaar hamaarii aazaadii chhiin rahii hai।)
कोई भी तुमसे तुम्हारा आत्मविश्वास नहीं छीन सकता।
No one can take away your self-confidence.
(koii bhii tumse tumhaaraa aatmvishvaas nahiin chhiin saktaa।)
अगर हम एकजुट न होते, तो वे हमसे हमारा हक़ छीन लेते।
If we hadn't been united, they would have taken away our rights.
(agar ham ekjut n hote, to ve hamse hamaaraa haq chhiin lete।)
अपना हक़ छीन लो, कोई तुम्हें देगा नहीं।
Take your rights by force -- no one is going to give them to you.
(apnaa haq chhiin lo, koii tumhen degaa nahiin।)
उसकी नौकरी छीन ली गई, बिना किसी वजह के।
His job was taken away from him, without any reason.
(uskii naukrii chhiin lii gaii, binaa kisii vajah ke।)
डर है कि यह बीमारी उसकी ज़िंदगी की सारी खुशियाँ छीन लेगी।
There is a fear that this illness will take away all the happiness from his life.
(dar hai ki yah biimaarii uskii zindgii kii saarii khushiyaan chhiin legii।)
क्या किसी को उसका सपना छीनने का हक़ है?
Does anyone have the right to take away someone's dream?
(kyaa kisii ko uskaa sapnaa chhiinne kaa haq hai?)
हो सकता है कि यह फ़ैसला उससे उसकी आज़ादी छीन ले।
It's possible that this decision might take away her freedom.
(ho saktaa hai ki yah faislaa usse uskii aazaadii chhiin le।)
गरीबों का हक़ छीनना कोई नई बात नहीं है, यह सदियों से होता आया है।
Taking away the rights of the poor is nothing new -- it has been happening for centuries.
(gariibon kaa haq chhiinnaa koii naii baat nahiin hai, yah sadiyon se hotaa aayaa hai।)
Morphology
Verb
infinitive:
छीनना
(chhiinnaa)
infinitive oblique:
छीनने
(chhiinne)
habitual/simple (sg.m):
छीनता
(chhiintaa)
habitual/simple (pl.m):
छीनते
(chhiinte)
habitual/simple (sg.f):
छीनती
(chhiintii)
habitual/simple (pl.f):
छीनतीं
(chhiintiin)
continuous (sg.m):
छीन रहा
(chhiin rahaa)
continuous (pl.m):
छीन रहे
(chhiin rahe)
continuous (sg.f):
छीन रही
(chhiin rahii)
continuous (pl.f):
छीन रहीं
(chhiin rahiin)
perfective (sg.m):
छीना
(chhiinaa)
perfective (pl.m):
छीने
(chhiine)
perfective (sg.f):
छीनी
(chhiinii)
perfective (pl.f):
छीनीं
(chhiiniin)
imperative (informal):
छीन
(chhiin)
imperative (neutral):
छीनो
(chhiino)
imperative (formal):
छीनिए
(chhiinie)
future (1sg.m):
छीनूँगा
(chhiinoongaa)
future (1sg.f):
छीनूँगी
(chhiinoongii)
future (1pl.m):
छीनेंगे
(chhiinenge)
future (1pl.f):
छीनेंगी
(chhiinengii)
future (2sg.m):
छीनेगा
(chhiinegaa)
future (2sg.f):
छीनेगी
(chhiinegii)
future (2pl.m):
छीनोगे
(chhiinoge)
future (2pl.f):
छीनोगी
(chhiinogii)
future (3sg.m):
छीनेगा
(chhiinegaa)
future (3sg.f):
छीनेगी
(chhiinegii)
future (3pl.m):
छीनेंगे
(chhiinenge)
future (3pl.f):
छीनेंगी
(chhiinengii)
subjunctive (1sg):
छीनूँ
(chhiinoon)
subjunctive (1pl):
छीनें
(chhiinen)
subjunctive (2sg):
छीने
(chhiine)
subjunctive (2pl):
छीनो
(chhiino)
subjunctive (3sg):
छीने
(chhiine)
subjunctive (3pl):
छीनें
(chhiinen)