आज्ञा देना (aagyaa denaa)
verb
A formal, respectful way to say 'to permit/give permission' -- literally 'to give an order/command.' Compare the more everyday इजाज़त देना (ijaazat denaa) and अनुमति देना (anumti denaa).
Sense
1
:
to grant permission, to allow (formal)
verb, transitive The person granted permission is marked with को (ko): माँ ने मुझे जाने की आज्ञा दी (maan ne mujhe jaane kii aagyaa dii, 'Mother gave me permission to go').
Synonyms: इजाज़त देना (ijaazat denaa), अनुमति देना (anumti denaa), मंज़ूरी देना (manzoorii denaa)
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: आज्ञा (aagyaa) evokes the world of traditional hierarchy -- a guru giving आज्ञा (aagyaa) to a disciple, a king to a subject, parents to children in old joint-family settings. In modern Delhi speech, इजाज़त देना (ijaazat denaa) is what you'll actually hear at home or work; आज्ञा देना (aagyaa denaa) shows up more in formal, literary, or devotional registers, and in respectful address to elders.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes reach for आज्ञा देना (aagyaa denaa) in casual contexts where इजाज़त देना (ijaazat denaa) sounds far more natural -- आज्ञा (aagyaa) carries a formal, almost old-fashioned or authoritative flavor, like a king, elder, or superior granting leave. 2) The thing permitted is usually expressed with a की (kii) + infinitive construction (जाने की आज्ञा, jaane kii aagyaa, 'permission to go'), not a plain infinitive.
Sample Sentences:
गुरु ने शिष्य को आश्रम छोड़ने की आज्ञा दी।
The guru granted the disciple permission to leave the ashram.
(guru ne shishy ko aashram chhodne kii aagyaa dii।)
राजा प्रजा को नगर में प्रवेश करने की आज्ञा देते हैं।
The king grants the subjects permission to enter the city.
(raajaa prajaa ko nagar men pravesh karne kii aagyaa dete hain।)
पिताजी, कृपया मुझे विवाह करने की आज्ञा दीजिए।
Father, please grant me permission to marry.
(pitaajii, kripyaa mujhe vivaah karne kii aagyaa diijie।)
यदि गुरुदेव आज्ञा दें, तो मैं यह कार्य आरंभ करूँ।
If the revered teacher grants permission, I would begin this task.
(yadi gurudev aagyaa den, to main yah kaary aarambh karoon।)
यदि स्वामीजी आज्ञा देते, तो शिष्य तीर्थयात्रा पर निकल जाता।
If the master had granted permission, the disciple would have set out on the pilgrimage.
(yadi svaamiijii aagyaa dete, to shishy tiirthyaatraa par nikal jaataa।)
आचार्य ने घोषणा की थी कि सबको यज्ञ में भाग लेने की आज्ञा दी जाएगी।
The teacher had announced that everyone would be granted permission to take part in the yagna.
(aachaary ne ghoshnaa kii thii ki sabko yagy men bhaag lene kii aagyaa dii jaaegii।)
प्रभु, अपने भक्त को अपने चरणों में रहने की आज्ञा दें।
O Lord, grant your devotee permission to remain at your feet.
(prabhu, apne bhakt ko apne charnon men rahne kii aagyaa den।)
सभा ने उसे अपनी बात रखने की आज्ञा दी।
The assembly granted him permission to state his case.
(sabhaa ne use apnii baat rakhne kii aagyaa dii।)
Sense
2
:
to command, to order
verb, transitive
Synonyms: हुक्म देना (hukm denaa), आदेश देना (aadesh denaa)
Frequency: literary
Cultural Note: This is the older, more literal sense behind आज्ञा (aagyaa, 'order, command'), still visible in phrases like आज्ञा का पालन करना (aagyaa kaa paalan karnaa, 'to obey an order/command'). It carries the same respectful-hierarchy flavor as the permission sense, since in traditional settings a superior's 'permission' and 'command' were often one and the same act.
Common Mistakes: 1) This sense overlaps closely with the 'permission' sense above -- context (a superior instructing a subordinate vs. someone granting leave to do something) is what distinguishes 'command' from 'permit' here, not any change in grammar.
Sample Sentences:
राजा ने सैनिकों को आगे बढ़ने की आज्ञा दी।
The king commanded the soldiers to advance.
(raajaa ne sainikon ko aage badhne kii aagyaa dii।)
गुरु ने शिष्य को तपस्या करने की आज्ञा दी।
The guru instructed the disciple to perform penance.
(guru ne shishy ko tapasyaa karne kii aagyaa dii।)
एक सच्चा सेवक अपने स्वामी की आज्ञा का पालन करता है।
A true servant obeys his master's command.
(ek sachchaa sevak apne svaamii kii aagyaa kaa paalan kartaa hai।)
यदि सम्राट आज्ञा दें, तो सेना कल ही प्रस्थान करेगी।
If the emperor commands, the army will depart tomorrow.
(yadi samraat aagyaa den, to senaa kal hii prasthaan karegii।)
देवताओं ने मुनि को यह वचन कहने की आज्ञा दी थी।
The gods had commanded the sage to speak these words.
(devtaaon ne muni ko yah vachan kahne kii aagyaa dii thii।)
यदि पिता आज्ञा देते, तो पुत्र युद्ध में अवश्य जाता।
If the father had commanded it, the son would certainly have gone to war.
(yadi pitaa aagyaa dete, to putr yuddh men avashy jaataa।)
प्रजा को दंड देने की आज्ञा मंत्री द्वारा दी गई।
The order to punish the subjects was given by the minister.
(prajaa ko dand dene kii aagyaa mantrii dvaaraa dii gaii।)
हे वत्स, जा, और जो आज्ञा दी गई है उसका पालन कर।
O child, go, and obey the command that has been given.
(he vats, jaa, aur jo aagyaa dii gaii hai uskaa paalan kar।)
आचार्य नित्य ही अपने शिष्यों को शास्त्रों के अध्ययन की आज्ञा देते थे।
The teacher used to instruct his disciples daily to study the scriptures.
(aachaary nity hii apne shishyon ko shaastron ke adhyyan kii aagyaa dete the।)
Morphology
Verb (irregular)
infinitive:
आज्ञा देना
(aagyaa denaa)
infinitive oblique:
आज्ञा देने
(aagyaa dene)
habitual/simple (sg.m):
आज्ञा देता
(aagyaa detaa)
habitual/simple (pl.m):
आज्ञा देते
(aagyaa dete)
habitual/simple (sg.f):
आज्ञा देती
(aagyaa detii)
habitual/simple (pl.f):
आज्ञा देतीं
(aagyaa detiin)
continuous (sg.m):
आज्ञा दे रहा
(aagyaa de rahaa)
continuous (pl.m):
आज्ञा दे रहे
(aagyaa de rahe)
continuous (sg.f):
आज्ञा दे रही
(aagyaa de rahii)
continuous (pl.f):
आज्ञा दे रहीं
(aagyaa de rahiin)
perfective (sg.m):
आज्ञा दिया
(aagyaa diyaa)
perfective (pl.m):
आज्ञा दिए
(aagyaa die)
perfective (sg.f):
आज्ञा दी
(aagyaa dii)
perfective (pl.f):
आज्ञा दीं
(aagyaa diin)
imperative (informal):
आज्ञा दे
(aagyaa de)
imperative (neutral):
आज्ञा दो
(aagyaa do)
imperative (formal):
आज्ञा दीजिए
(aagyaa diijie)
future (1sg.m):
आज्ञा दूँगा
(aagyaa doongaa)
future (1sg.f):
आज्ञा दूँगी
(aagyaa doongii)
future (1pl.m):
आज्ञा देंगे
(aagyaa denge)
future (1pl.f):
आज्ञा देंगी
(aagyaa dengii)
future (2sg.m):
आज्ञा देगा
(aagyaa degaa)
future (2sg.f):
आज्ञा देगी
(aagyaa degii)
future (2pl.m):
आज्ञा दोगे
(aagyaa doge)
future (2pl.f):
आज्ञा दोगी
(aagyaa dogii)
future (3sg.m):
आज्ञा देगा
(aagyaa degaa)
future (3sg.f):
आज्ञा देगी
(aagyaa degii)
future (3pl.m):
आज्ञा देंगे
(aagyaa denge)
future (3pl.f):
आज्ञा देंगी
(aagyaa dengii)
subjunctive (1sg):
आज्ञा दूँ
(aagyaa doon)
subjunctive (1pl):
आज्ञा दें
(aagyaa den)
subjunctive (2sg):
आज्ञा दे
(aagyaa de)
subjunctive (2pl):
आज्ञा दो
(aagyaa do)
subjunctive (3sg):
आज्ञा दे
(aagyaa de)
subjunctive (3pl):
आज्ञा दें
(aagyaa den)