फैलाना (phailaanaa)
verb
The causative counterpart of फैलना (phailnaa, 'to spread/expand' intransitively) -- फैलाना (phailaanaa) means to spread, extend, or stretch out something, and by extension, to spread news, rumors, or disease. All senses share this core 'cause to spread' meaning.
Sense
1
:
to spread out / stretch out (something physical)
verb, transitive
Synonyms: बिछाना (bichhaanaa, for laying out flat things like a mat or sheet), पसारना (pasaarnaa, for limbs/hands)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will hear this in very physical, everyday contexts -- a mother telling a child हाथ फैलाओ (haath phailaao, 'spread out your hands') to receive something, or someone spreading out clothes to dry, कपड़े फैलाना (kapde phailaanaa, 'to spread out clothes'), a common sight on Delhi rooftops and balconies.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes confuse this with बिछाना (bichhaanaa): फैलाना (phailaanaa) is broader and works for hands, arms, legs, wings, or any material being stretched out, while बिछाना (bichhaanaa) is specifically for laying something flat like a bedsheet or mat.
Sample Sentences:
माँ ने बच्चे से कहा, "हाथ फैलाओ, मैं तुम्हें मिठाई दूँगी।"
The mother told the child, "Spread out your hands, I'll give you sweets."
(maan ne bachche se kahaa, "haath phailaao, main tumhen mithaaii doongii।")
वह छत पर कपड़े फैला रही है।
She is spreading out the clothes on the roof.
(vah chhat par kapde phailaa rahii hai।)
हर सुबह वह बालकनी में चादर फैलाती है ताकि धूप लगे।
Every morning she spreads out the sheet on the balcony so it gets sun.
(har subah vah baalaknii men chaadar phailaatii hai taaki dhoop lage।)
उसने नक्शा मेज़ पर फैला दिया।
He spread out the map on the table.
(usne nakshaa mez par phailaa diyaa।)
पक्षी ने अपने पंख पूरी तरह फैला लिए।
The bird fully spread out its wings.
(pakshii ne apne pankh poorii tarah phailaa lie।)
कल हम पिकनिक के लिए दरी फैलाएँगे।
Tomorrow we will spread out the mat for the picnic.
(kal ham piknik ke lie darii phailaaenge।)
अगर बारिश न होती तो हम गद्दे धूप में फैला देते।
If it hadn't rained, we would have spread the mattresses out in the sun.
(agar baarish n hotii to ham gadde dhoop men phailaa dete।)
कृपया कागज़ को मेज़ पर फैलाइए, ताकि सब देख सकें।
Please spread out the paper on the table so everyone can see it.
(kripyaa kaagaz ko mez par phailaaie, taaki sab dekh saken।)
दुकानदार ने साड़ियाँ ग्राहक के सामने फैला दीं।
The shopkeeper spread out the saris in front of the customer.
(dukaandaar ne saadiyaan graahak ke saamne phailaa diin।)
आँगन में गद्दा फैलाया गया था ताकि बच्चे उस पर खेल सकें।
The mattress had been spread out in the courtyard so the children could play on it.
(aangan men gaddaa phailaayaa gayaa thaa taaki bachche us par khel saken।)
मुझे यह चटाई फैलानी है, थोड़ा हाथ बँटा दो।
I need to spread out this mat, give me a hand.
(mujhe yah chataaii phailaanii hai, thodaa haath bantaa do।)
Sense
2
:
to spread (news, rumors, ideas, disease)
verb, transitive
Synonyms: प्रसारित करना (prasaarit karnaa, formal, used for broadcasting/media), फैलना (phailnaa, intransitive counterpart -- what spreads on its own)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This sense is everywhere in Hindi news and daily conversation -- अफ़वाह फैलाना (afvaah phailaanaa, 'to spread rumors'), बीमारी फैलाना (biimaarii phailaanaa, 'to spread disease'), and जागरूकता फैलाना (jaagrooktaa phailaanaa, 'to spread awareness') are all extremely common collocations, the last one especially in public health and social campaigns.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for फैलना (phailnaa) when they actually need the causative: अफ़वाह फैल गई (afvaah phail gaii, 'the rumor spread') describes the rumor spreading on its own, while उसने अफ़वाह फैलाई (usne afvaah phailaaii, 'he spread the rumor') requires the causative फैलाना (phailaanaa) because there's an agent doing the spreading.
Sample Sentences:
कृपया अफ़वाह मत फैलाओ।
Please don't spread rumors.
(kripyaa afvaah mat phailaao।)
यह मच्छर डेंगू फैलाते हैं।
These mosquitoes spread dengue.
(yah machchhar dengoo phailaate hain।)
सरकार गाँव-गाँव में स्वच्छता को लेकर जागरूकता फैला रही है।
The government is spreading awareness about cleanliness in every village.
(sarkaar gaanv-gaanv men svachchhtaa ko lekar jaagrooktaa phailaa rahii hai।)
किसी ने दफ़्तर में यह ख़बर फैला दी कि कंपनी बिकने वाली है।
Someone spread the news in the office that the company was about to be sold.
(kisii ne daftar men yah khabar phailaa dii ki kampnii bikne vaalii hai।)
सोशल मीडिया पर झूठी ख़बरें बहुत तेज़ी से फैलाई जाती हैं।
Fake news is spread very quickly on social media.
(soshal miidiyaa par jhoothii khabren bahut tezii se phailaaii jaatii hain।)
अगर तुमने यह बात फैलाई, तो सबको पता चल जाएगा।
If you spread this, everyone will find out.
(agar tumne yah baat phailaaii, to sabko pataa chal jaaegaa।)
काश वह इतनी ग़लत जानकारी न फैलाता।
I wish he hadn't spread so much wrong information.
(kaash vah itnii ghalat jaankaarii n phailaataa।)
एनजीओ चाहता है कि लोग एड्स के बारे में सही जानकारी फैलाएँ, न कि डर।
The NGO wants people to spread correct information about AIDS, not fear.
(enjiio chaahtaa hai ki log eds ke baare men sahii jaankaarii phailaaen, n ki dar।)
पहले ज़माने में बीमारियाँ इतनी तेज़ी से नहीं फैलाई जा सकती थीं, क्योंकि लोग कम सफ़र करते थे।
In earlier times, diseases could not be spread so quickly, because people traveled less.
(pahle zamaane men biimaariyaan itnii tezii se nahiin phailaaii jaa saktii thiin, kyonki log kam safar karte the।)
क्या तुम जान-बूझकर यह अफ़वाह फैला रहे हो?
Are you spreading this rumor deliberately?
(kyaa tum jaan-boojhkar yah afvaah phailaa rahe ho?)
मीडिया का काम है सच फैलाना, न कि सनसनी।
The media's job is to spread truth, not sensationalism.
(miidiyaa kaa kaam hai sach phailaanaa, n ki sanasnii।)
Sense
3
:
to cause a mess or disorder (figurative extension)
verb, transitive Often used in the frame सामान फैलाना (saamaan phailaanaa, 'to scatter things around') or गंदगी फैलाना (gandgii phailaanaa, 'to spread filth/mess').
Synonyms: बिखेरना (bikhernaa, to scatter/strew)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: A very domestic, scolding-mother phrase: कमरे में सामान मत फैलाओ (kamre men saamaan mat phailaao, 'don't scatter your things around the room') is something almost every Indian kid has heard growing up.
Sample Sentences:
कमरे में सामान मत फैलाओ।
Don't scatter your things around the room.
(kamre men saamaan mat phailaao।)
बच्चे हर जगह खिलौने फैला देते हैं।
Kids scatter their toys everywhere.
(bachche har jagah khilaune phailaa dete hain।)
तुमने पूरे घर में कपड़े फैला दिए हैं।
You've scattered clothes all over the house.
(tumne poore ghar men kapde phailaa die hain।)
मेज़ पर काग़ज़ फैला मत करो, बाद में ढूँढना मुश्किल हो जाता है।
Don't scatter papers on the table, it becomes hard to find them later.
(mez par kaaghaz phailaa mat karo, baad men dhoondhnaa mushkil ho jaataa hai।)
अगर वह इतना सामान न फैलाता तो सफ़ाई करना आसान होता।
If he hadn't scattered so much stuff around, cleaning would have been easier.
(agar vah itnaa saamaan n phailaataa to safaaii karnaa aasaan hotaa।)
रसोई में आटा मत फैलाओ, माँ अभी डाँटेगी।
Don't scatter flour all over the kitchen, Mom will scold you right now.
(rasoii men aataa mat phailaao, maan abhii daantegii।)
इतना सामान क्यों फैला रखा है तुमने?
Why have you left all this stuff scattered around?
(itnaa saamaan kyon phailaa rakhaa hai tumne?)
सामान इतना फैला दिया गया है कि चलना भी मुश्किल है।
The things have been scattered around so much that it's even hard to walk.
(saamaan itnaa phailaa diyaa gayaa hai ki chalnaa bhii mushkil hai।)
जब तुम बड़े हो जाओगे, तब भी क्या यूँ ही सामान फैलाओगे?
Even when you grow up, will you still scatter your things around like this?
(jab tum bade ho jaaoge, tab bhii kyaa yoon hii saamaan phailaaoge?)
प्लीज़ इतना मत फैलाओ, मेहमान आने वाले हैं।
Please don't make such a mess, guests are about to arrive.
(pliiz itnaa mat phailaao, mehmaan aane vaale hain।)
Morphology
Verb
infinitive:
फैलाना
(phailaanaa)
infinitive oblique:
फैलाने
(phailaane)
habitual/simple (sg.m):
फैलाता
(phailaataa)
habitual/simple (pl.m):
फैलाते
(phailaate)
habitual/simple (sg.f):
फैलाती
(phailaatii)
habitual/simple (pl.f):
फैलातीं
(phailaatiin)
continuous (sg.m):
फैला रहा
(phailaa rahaa)
continuous (pl.m):
फैला रहे
(phailaa rahe)
continuous (sg.f):
फैला रही
(phailaa rahii)
continuous (pl.f):
फैला रहीं
(phailaa rahiin)
perfective (sg.m):
फैलाया
(phailaayaa)
perfective (pl.m):
फैलाए
(phailaae)
perfective (sg.f):
फैलाई
(phailaaii)
perfective (pl.f):
फैलाईं
(phailaaiin)
imperative (informal):
फैला
(phailaa)
imperative (neutral):
फैलाओ
(phailaao)
imperative (formal):
फैलाइए
(phailaaie)
future (1sg.m):
फैलाऊँगा
(phailaaoongaa)
future (1sg.f):
फैलाऊँगी
(phailaaoongii)
future (1pl.m):
फैलाएँगे
(phailaaenge)
future (1pl.f):
फैलाएँगी
(phailaaengii)
future (2sg.m):
फैलाएगा
(phailaaegaa)
future (2sg.f):
फैलाएगी
(phailaaegii)
future (2pl.m):
फैलाओगे
(phailaaoge)
future (2pl.f):
फैलाओगी
(phailaaogii)
future (3sg.m):
फैलाएगा
(phailaaegaa)
future (3sg.f):
फैलाएगी
(phailaaegii)
future (3pl.m):
फैलाएँगे
(phailaaenge)
future (3pl.f):
फैलाएँगी
(phailaaengii)
subjunctive (1sg):
फैलाऊँ
(phailaaoon)
subjunctive (1pl):
फैलाएँ
(phailaaen)
subjunctive (2sg):
फैलाए
(phailaae)
subjunctive (2pl):
फैलाओ
(phailaao)
subjunctive (3sg):
फैलाए
(phailaae)
subjunctive (3pl):
फैलाएँ
(phailaaen)