जलना (jalnaa)
verb
An intransitive verb centered on burning: (1) literal combustion or being on fire, (2) a body part or skin stinging/burning from heat or spice, and (3) a common figurative sense of burning with jealousy or envy. Its transitive causative partner is जलाना (jalaanaa, 'to burn something').
Sense
1
:
to burn, be on fire
verb, intransitive
Synonyms: भड़कना (bhadaknaa, to flare up), सुलगना (sulagnaa, to smolder)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will hear this constantly around Diwali and everyday cooking talk -- दीया जल रहा है (diiyaa jal rahaa hai, 'the lamp is burning') or गैस जल रही है (gais jal rahii hai, 'the gas [stove] is on'). Note how Hindi treats a lit stove or lamp as 'burning' rather than 'being on,' which feels natural once you get used to it.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes reach for जलाना (jalaanaa) when describing a fire that is simply burning on its own -- घर जल रहा है (ghar jal rahaa hai, 'the house is burning') needs जलना (jalnaa), the transitive जलाना (jalaanaa) is only for someone burning something. 2) As an intransitive verb, it never takes ने (ne) in the past tense -- लकड़ी जली (lakdii jalii, 'the wood burned'), not लकड़ी ने जली (lakdii ne jalii).
Sample Sentences:
दीया जल रहा है।
The lamp is burning.
(diiyaa jal rahaa hai।)
गैस जल रही है, खाना बनाते वक्त उसे बंद कर देना।
The gas is on -- turn it off after you're done cooking.
(gais jal rahii hai, khaanaa banaate vakt use band kar denaa।)
रात को घर के बाहर एक बल्ब जलता है।
A bulb burns outside the house at night.
(raat ko ghar ke baahar ek balb jaltaa hai।)
पूरा जंगल जल गया।
The entire forest burned down.
(pooraa jangal jal gayaa।)
अगर बिजली नहीं जाती, तो मंदिर की सारी बत्तियाँ जलती रहतीं।
If the power hadn't gone out, all the lights in the temple would have kept burning.
(agar bijlii nahiin jaatii, to mandir kii saarii battiyaan jaltii rahtiin।)
दिवाली पर हर घर के बाहर दीये जलेंगे।
On Diwali, lamps will burn outside every house.
(divaalii par har ghar ke baahar diiye jalenge।)
इतना पेट्रोल डालेगा तो पूरी गाड़ी जल जाएगी!
If you pour that much petrol, the whole car will catch fire!
(itnaa petrol daalegaa to poorii gaadii jal jaaegii!)
श्मशान में चिता जल रही थी और लोग खड़े देख रहे थे।
The funeral pyre was burning at the cremation ground while people stood watching.
(shmashaan men chitaa jal rahii thii aur log khade dekh rahe the।)
सुनिश्चित करें कि निकलने से पहले सभी दीप बुझा दिए जाएँ, कहीं वे रातभर जलते न रहें।
Please ensure all the lamps are extinguished before leaving, lest they keep burning all night.
(sunishchit karen ki nikalne se pahle sabhii diip bujhaa die jaaen, kahiin ve raatbhar jalte n rahen।)
मंदिर में अखंड ज्योति सदियों से जल रही है।
The eternal flame has been burning in the temple for centuries.
(mandir men akhand jyoti sadiyon se jal rahii hai।)
पहले दीया जला लो, फिर आरती शुरू करो।
First light the lamp, then start the aarti.
(pahle diiyaa jalaa lo, phir aartii shuroo karo।)
Sense
2
:
to sting, feel a burning sensation
verb, intransitive Common with a को (ko)-marked experiencer: आँखों में जलन हो रही है (aankhon men jalan ho rahii hai, 'my eyes are burning/stinging') or मुझे आँख जल रही है (mujhe aankh jal rahii hai, 'my eye is stinging').
Synonyms: चुभना (chubhnaa, to prick/sting), जलन होना (jalan honaa, phrase form)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Very alive in kitchen and body-talk: बहुत मिर्च है, मुँह जल रहा है (bahut mirch hai, munh jal rahaa hai, 'it's too spicy, my mouth is burning') is something you'll hear at almost any dinner table with a bit too much chili.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often default to दर्द होना (dard honaa, 'to hurt') for any discomfort, but a burning/stinging sensation -- from chili, soap, or a wound -- specifically calls for जलना (jalnaa) or the noun phrase जलन होना (jalan honaa).
Sample Sentences:
मिर्च ज़्यादा है, मुँह जल रहा है।
There's too much chili, my mouth is burning.
(mirch zyaadaa hai, munh jal rahaa hai।)
आँखों में साबुन चला गया, बहुत जल रही हैं।
Soap got into my eyes, they're stinging a lot.
(aankhon men saabun chalaa gayaa, bahut jal rahii hain।)
चोट पर दवाई लगाते ही घाव जलने लगा।
As soon as I applied the medicine on the wound, it started stinging.
(chot par davaaii lagaate hii ghaav jalne lagaa।)
धूप में इतना घूमने से त्वचा जल रही है।
From wandering around in the sun so much, my skin is stinging.
(dhoop men itnaa ghoomne se tvachaa jal rahii hai।)
अगर मिर्च ज़्यादा डाल दी तो सबका मुँह जलेगा।
If you put in too much chili, everyone's mouth will burn.
(agar mirch zyaadaa daal dii to sabkaa munh jalegaa।)
पसीने के साथ आँखों में जो नमक गया, उससे आँखें जल गईं।
The salt that got into my eyes with the sweat made them sting.
(pasiine ke saath aankhon men jo namak gayaa, usse aankhen jal gaiin।)
अगर हाथ में यह लोशन लगाओ तो थोड़ी देर जलेगा, फिर ठीक हो जाएगा।
If you apply this lotion on your hand, it'll sting for a while, then it'll be fine.
(agar haath men yah loshan lagaao to thodii der jalegaa, phir thiik ho jaaegaa।)
अगर वह मरहम न होता तो घाव अब भी जलता।
If that ointment hadn't been there, the wound would still be stinging.
(agar vah maraham n hotaa to ghaav ab bhii jaltaa।)
कुछ ठंडा पी लो, मुँह की जलन कम हो जाएगी।
Drink something cold, the burning in your mouth will lessen.
(kuchh thandaa pii lo, munh kii jalan kam ho jaaegii।)
मसालेदार खाना खाने के बाद अक्सर पेट में जलन होती है।
After eating spicy food, there's often a burning sensation in the stomach.
(masaaledaar khaanaa khaane ke baad aksar pet men jalan hotii hai।)
डॉक्टर ने कहा कि अगर पेशाब करते वक़्त जले तो तुरंत बताना।
The doctor said that if it stings while urinating, tell him right away.
(doktar ne kahaa ki agar peshaab karte vaqt jale to turant bataanaa।)
Sense
3
:
to burn with envy or jealousy
verb, intransitive Frequently used with से (se) marking the cause: उसकी तरक्की से जलना (uskii tarakkii se jalnaa, 'to burn [with envy] over his promotion').
Synonyms: कुढ़ना (kudhnaa, to fret/sulk with envy), ईर्ष्या करना (iirshyaa karnaa, more formal phrase)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is the verb behind the common jibe जलने वाले जलते रहेंगे (jalne vaale jalte rahenge, 'the jealous ones will keep burning'), a phrase people toss around lightly when teasing a friend who is envious of their good news.
Common Mistakes: 1) This figurative sense can be missed entirely by learners who only know the literal 'burn' meaning -- वह मुझसे जलता है (vah mujhse jaltaa hai) means 'he is jealous of me,' not that he is literally on fire because of you.
Sample Sentences:
मेरी तरक्की देखकर वो जलता है।
He gets jealous seeing my progress.
(merii tarakkii dekhkar vo jaltaa hai।)
जलने वाले जलते रहेंगे, हमें क्या फर्क पड़ता है।
The jealous ones will keep burning, what difference does it make to us.
(jalne vaale jalte rahenge, hamen kyaa phark padtaa hai।)
जब उसने सुना कि मुझे प्रमोशन मिला है, तो वो अंदर से जल गई।
When she heard that I got a promotion, she burned with envy inside.
(jab usne sunaa ki mujhe pramoshan milaa hai, to vo andar se jal gaii।)
तू क्यों जल रहा है, तुझे भी मौका मिलेगा।
Why are you seething with jealousy, you'll get a chance too.
(too kyon jal rahaa hai, tujhe bhii maukaa milegaa।)
अगर उसे मेरी शादी के बारे में पता चलता तो वो जलती।
If she found out about my wedding, she would be jealous.
(agar use merii shaadii ke baare men pataa chaltaa to vo jaltii।)
इतना मत जलो, सबका समय आता है।
Don't be so jealous, everyone's time comes.
(itnaa mat jalo, sabkaa samay aataa hai।)
मुझे नहीं लगता कि वो सच में जलता होगा, वो तो बस मजाक कर रहा था।
I don't think he's really jealous, he was just joking.
(mujhe nahiin lagtaa ki vo sach men jaltaa hogaa, vo to bas majaak kar rahaa thaa।)
दफ्तर में सब मेरी सफलता से जलते हैं।
Everyone at the office is jealous of my success.
(daphtar men sab merii saphaltaa se jalte hain।)
उसकी ईर्ष्या का कोई कारण नहीं था, फिर भी वह जलता रहा।
There was no reason for his envy, yet he kept burning with jealousy.
(uskii iirshyaa kaa koii kaaran nahiin thaa, phir bhii vah jaltaa rahaa।)
क्या तुम मेरी नई गाड़ी देखकर जल रहे हो?
Are you seething with envy seeing my new car?
(kyaa tum merii naii gaadii dekhkar jal rahe ho?)
यह देखकर अच्छा लगा कि तुम बिना जले उसकी तारीफ कर सके।
It was nice to see that you could praise him without being jealous.
(yah dekhkar achchhaa lagaa ki tum binaa jale uskii taariiph kar sake।)
Morphology
Verb
infinitive:
जलना
(jalnaa)
infinitive oblique:
जलने
(jalne)
habitual/simple (sg.m):
जलता
(jaltaa)
habitual/simple (pl.m):
जलते
(jalte)
habitual/simple (sg.f):
जलती
(jaltii)
habitual/simple (pl.f):
जलतीं
(jaltiin)
continuous (sg.m):
जल रहा
(jal rahaa)
continuous (pl.m):
जल रहे
(jal rahe)
continuous (sg.f):
जल रही
(jal rahii)
continuous (pl.f):
जल रहीं
(jal rahiin)
perfective (sg.m):
जला
(jalaa)
perfective (pl.m):
जले
(jale)
perfective (sg.f):
जली
(jalii)
perfective (pl.f):
जलीं
(jaliin)
imperative (informal):
जल
(jal)
imperative (neutral):
जलो
(jalo)
imperative (formal):
जलिए
(jalie)
future (1sg.m):
जलूँगा
(jaloongaa)
future (1sg.f):
जलूँगी
(jaloongii)
future (1pl.m):
जलेंगे
(jalenge)
future (1pl.f):
जलेंगी
(jalengii)
future (2sg.m):
जलेगा
(jalegaa)
future (2sg.f):
जलेगी
(jalegii)
future (2pl.m):
जलोगे
(jaloge)
future (2pl.f):
जलोगी
(jalogii)
future (3sg.m):
जलेगा
(jalegaa)
future (3sg.f):
जलेगी
(jalegii)
future (3pl.m):
जलेंगे
(jalenge)
future (3pl.f):
जलेंगी
(jalengii)
subjunctive (1sg):
जलूँ
(jaloon)
subjunctive (1pl):
जलें
(jalen)
subjunctive (2sg):
जले
(jale)
subjunctive (2pl):
जलो
(jalo)
subjunctive (3sg):
जले
(jale)
subjunctive (3pl):
जलें
(jalen)