लटकाना (latkaanaa)
verb
The causative of लटकना (lataknaa, 'to hang/dangle') -- means 'to hang (something) up' literally, and also 'to keep someone hanging' or delay a matter figuratively.
Sense
1
:
to hang, suspend (something)
verb, transitive
Synonyms: टांगना (taangnaa)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Picture hanging a coat on a hook -- कोट को खूँटी पर लटकाना (kot ko khoontii par latkaanaa, 'to hang the coat on the peg') -- or garlands and lights during a festival. This is the everyday, concrete sense you will hear most often around the house.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes use लटकना (lataknaa) when they mean the transitive act of hanging something up -- लटकना (lataknaa) describes the coat dangling on its own, while लटकाना (latkaanaa) describes you putting it there.
Sample Sentences:
माँ ने कोट को खूँटी पर लटकाया।
Mother hung the coat on the peg.
(maan ne kot ko khoontii par latkaayaa।)
वह हर दिवाली दरवाज़े पर बंदनवार लटकाती है।
She hangs a decorative garland on the door every Diwali.
(vah har divaalii darvaaze par bandanvaar latkaatii hai।)
अपना बैग उस हुक पर लटका दो।
Hang your bag on that hook.
(apnaa baig us huk par latkaa do।)
बच्चे छत से गुब्बारे लटका रहे हैं।
The children are hanging balloons from the ceiling.
(bachche chhat se gubbaare latkaa rahe hain।)
दीवार पर एक तस्वीर लटकाई गई है।
A picture has been hung on the wall.
(diivaar par ek tasviir latkaaii gaii hai।)
अगर तुम्हारे पास जगह हो तो झूमर वहाँ लटका देना।
If you have space, hang the chandelier there.
(agar tumhaare paas jagah ho to jhoomar vahaan latkaa denaa।)
काश हम भी बालकनी में इतनी सुंदर लाइटें लटका पाते।
If only we could also hang such beautiful lights on the balcony.
(kaash ham bhii baalaknii men itnii sundar laaiten latkaa paate।)
दुकानदार ने दुकान के बाहर नए कपड़े लटका दिए हैं।
The shopkeeper has hung new clothes outside the shop.
(dukaandaar ne dukaan ke baahar nae kapde latkaa die hain।)
कल हम पर्दे नए रॉड पर लटकाएँगे।
Tomorrow we will hang the curtains on the new rod.
(kal ham parde nae rod par latkaaenge।)
कृपया अपने कोट को वहाँ न लटकाएँ, वह जगह खराब है।
Please do not hang your coat there, that spot is damaged.
(kripyaa apne kot ko vahaan n latkaaen, vah jagah kharaab hai।)
मंदिर के प्रवेश द्वार पर घंटियाँ लटकाई जाती हैं।
Bells are hung at the temple's entrance.
(mandir ke pravesh dvaar par ghantiyaan latkaaii jaatii hain।)
Sense
2
:
to keep someone waiting, delay/stall (a person or matter)
verb, transitive Often used with a person as object plus a time expression, e.g. महीनों लटकाना (mahiinon latkaanaa, 'to string along for months'), describing an unresolved case, application, or promise.
Synonyms: टालना (taalnaa, to postpone/put off), लटकाए रखना (latkaae rakhnaa, to keep dangling, phrase variant)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You'll hear this constantly about government offices and paperwork: फ़ाइल को महीनों से लटका रखा है (faail ko mahiinon se latkaa rakhaa hai, 'they've kept the file hanging for months'). It captures that very Indian bureaucratic frustration of a case that just never gets closed.
Common Mistakes: 1) This figurative sense is about people or pending matters, not physical objects -- don't confuse it with sense 1's literal hanging. 2) It carries a mildly negative, frustrated tone, as if someone is being unfairly made to wait; it's not neutral like 'postpone.'
Sample Sentences:
अफ़सर ने मेरी फ़ाइल को महीनों से लटका रखा है।
The officer has kept my file hanging for months.
(afsar ne merii faail ko mahiinon se latkaa rakhaa hai।)
वे जानबूझकर मेरा काम लटकाते हैं ताकि मैं रिश्वत दूँ।
They deliberately keep stalling my work so that I'll pay a bribe.
(ve jaanboojhkar meraa kaam latkaate hain taaki main rishvat doon।)
उसने मेरी शादी की बात को दो साल तक लटकाया।
He/she strung along the matter of my marriage for two years.
(usne merii shaadii kii baat ko do saal tak latkaayaa।)
बैंक वाले लोन की फ़ाइल को क्यों लटका रहे हैं?
Why are the bank people stalling on the loan file?
(baink vaale lon kii faail ko kyon latkaa rahe hain?)
प्लीज़ इस मामले को मत लटकाओ, आज ही फ़ैसला कर दो।
Please don't keep stalling this matter, just decide today.
(pliiz is maamle ko mat latkaao, aaj hii faislaa kar do।)
अगर उसने मेरी अर्ज़ी लटकाई तो मैं सीधे कोर्ट जाऊँगा।
If he/she strings along my application, I'll go straight to court.
(agar usne merii arzii latkaaii to main siidhe kort jaaoongaa।)
यह केस सालों से इसलिए लटका है क्योंकि विभाग जवाब ही नहीं देता।
This case has been hanging for years because the department just doesn't respond.
(yah kes saalon se islie latkaa hai kyonki vibhaag javaab hii nahiin detaa।)
कर्मचारी को इस तरह लटकाया नहीं जा सकता, यह गलत है।
An employee can't be strung along like this, it's wrong.
(karmchaarii ko is tarah latkaayaa nahiin jaa saktaa, yah galat hai।)
काश वे मेरी फ़ाइल को इतना न लटकाते।
I wish they hadn't kept my file hanging for so long.
(kaash ve merii faail ko itnaa n latkaate।)
सरकारी दफ़्तरों में फ़ाइलें ऐसे ही लटकाई जाती हैं।
In government offices, files are strung along just like this.
(sarkaarii daftron men faailen aise hii latkaaii jaatii hain।)
Morphology
Verb
infinitive:
लटकाना
(latkaanaa)
infinitive oblique:
लटकाने
(latkaane)
habitual/simple (sg.m):
लटकाता
(latkaataa)
habitual/simple (pl.m):
लटकाते
(latkaate)
habitual/simple (sg.f):
लटकाती
(latkaatii)
habitual/simple (pl.f):
लटकातीं
(latkaatiin)
continuous (sg.m):
लटका रहा
(latkaa rahaa)
continuous (pl.m):
लटका रहे
(latkaa rahe)
continuous (sg.f):
लटका रही
(latkaa rahii)
continuous (pl.f):
लटका रहीं
(latkaa rahiin)
perfective (sg.m):
लटकाया
(latkaayaa)
perfective (pl.m):
लटकाए
(latkaae)
perfective (sg.f):
लटकाई
(latkaaii)
perfective (pl.f):
लटकाईं
(latkaaiin)
imperative (informal):
लटका
(latkaa)
imperative (neutral):
लटकाओ
(latkaao)
imperative (formal):
लटकाइए
(latkaaie)
future (1sg.m):
लटकाऊँगा
(latkaaoongaa)
future (1sg.f):
लटकाऊँगी
(latkaaoongii)
future (1pl.m):
लटकाएँगे
(latkaaenge)
future (1pl.f):
लटकाएँगी
(latkaaengii)
future (2sg.m):
लटकाएगा
(latkaaegaa)
future (2sg.f):
लटकाएगी
(latkaaegii)
future (2pl.m):
लटकाओगे
(latkaaoge)
future (2pl.f):
लटकाओगी
(latkaaogii)
future (3sg.m):
लटकाएगा
(latkaaegaa)
future (3sg.f):
लटकाएगी
(latkaaegii)
future (3pl.m):
लटकाएँगे
(latkaaenge)
future (3pl.f):
लटकाएँगी
(latkaaengii)
subjunctive (1sg):
लटकाऊँ
(latkaaoon)
subjunctive (1pl):
लटकाएँ
(latkaaen)
subjunctive (2sg):
लटकाए
(latkaae)
subjunctive (2pl):
लटकाओ
(latkaao)
subjunctive (3sg):
लटकाए
(latkaae)
subjunctive (3pl):
लटकाएँ
(latkaaen)