प्रार्थना (praarthnaa)

noun/verb Mainly a noun meaning 'prayer' or 'request/appeal', with a related verb sense meaning 'to pray' or 'to request' -- the noun is far more common in daily speech.
Sense 1 : prayer (religious)
noun, feminine
Synonyms: दुआ (duaa), विनती (vintii, formal/pleading tone), अर्चना (archnaa, literary)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Almost every Hindi-medium school day begins with प्रार्थना (praarthnaa) -- students line up in rows for the morning assembly and sing a prayer song, so for many Indians this word carries a strong childhood association with school mornings, not just temple visits.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes assume प्रार्थना (praarthnaa) is used only for structured religious prayer like in a temple or church; in schools across North India, the morning assembly itself is called प्रार्थना सभा (praarthnaa sabhaa, 'prayer assembly'), a very everyday civic use.
Sample Sentences:
सुबह स्कूल में हम सब मिलकर प्रार्थना करते हैं। In the morning at school, we all pray together.
(subah skool men ham sab milkar praarthnaa karte hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
मंदिर में पुजारी ने भगवान से प्रार्थना की। The priest offered a prayer to God in the temple.
(mandir men pujaarii ne bhagvaan se praarthnaa kii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
बच्चे प्रार्थना गा रहे हैं। The children are singing the prayer.
(bachche praarthnaa gaa rahe hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
कृपया सब लोग प्रार्थना के लिए खड़े हो जाएँ। Everyone please stand up for the prayer.
(kripyaa sab log praarthnaa ke lie khade ho jaaen।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
अगर हम रोज़ प्रार्थना करते तो शायद मन को शांति मिलती। If we prayed every day, perhaps our minds would find peace.
(agar ham roz praarthnaa karte to shaayad man ko shaanti miltii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
स्कूल की प्रार्थना पूरे स्कूल में गूँज रही थी। The school prayer was echoing throughout the whole school.
(skool kii praarthnaa poore skool men goonj rahii thii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
प्रार्थना समाप्त होने के बाद कक्षाएँ शुरू हुईं। After the prayer ended, classes began.
(praarthnaa samaapt hone ke baad kakshaaen shuroo huiin।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
प्रार्थना सभा में सभी छात्र पंक्तियों में खड़े थे। At the prayer assembly, all the students stood in rows.
(praarthnaa sabhaa men sabhii chhaatr panktiyon men khade the।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
यह भजन कई मंदिरों में प्रार्थना के रूप में गाया जाता है। This hymn is sung as a prayer in many temples.
(yah bhajan kaii mandiron men praarthnaa ke roop men gaayaa jaataa hai।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
हे प्रभु, हमारी प्रार्थना सुन लीजिए। O Lord, please hear our prayer.
(he prabhu, hamaarii praarthnaa sun liijie।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
उसने आँखें बंद करके गहरी प्रार्थना में डूबी हुई थी। She had closed her eyes and was immersed in deep prayer.
(usne aankhen band karke gahrii praarthnaa men doobii huii thii।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Sense 2 : request, appeal, petition
noun, feminine Common in polite, formal register -- letters, announcements, and official requests often open with इस प्रार्थना के साथ (is praarthnaa ke saath, 'with this request') or similar framing.
Synonyms: निवेदन (nivedan, formal), विनती (vintii), अपील (apiil, loanword, formal contexts)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You will often see this sense in the opening line of a formal application or letter, such as प्रार्थना है कि (praarthnaa hai ki, 'the request/petition is that'), a fixed bureaucratic phrase still taught in school letter-writing exercises.
Common Mistakes: 1) In casual daily conversation, learners should reach for कहना (kahnaa) or पूछना (poochhnaa) rather than प्रार्थना (praarthnaa), which sounds notably formal or even old-fashioned if used for a small everyday favor.
Sample Sentences:
प्रार्थना है कि मेरा अवकाश स्वीकृत किया जाए। The request is that my leave be approved.
(praarthnaa hai ki meraa avkaash sviikrit kiyaa jaae।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
उसने प्राचार्य को अपनी प्रार्थना भेजी। He sent his request to the principal.
(usne praachaary ko apnii praarthnaa bhejii।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
मेरी प्रार्थना पर ध्यान दिया जाए। May attention be paid to my request.
(merii praarthnaa par dhyaan diyaa jaae।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
कर्मचारी अक्सर तनख्वाह बढ़ाने की प्रार्थना करते हैं। Employees often submit requests for a salary increase.
(karmchaarii aksar tanakhvaah badhaane kii praarthnaa karte hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर तुम अपनी प्रार्थना ठीक से लिखते तो शायद स्वीकार हो जाती। If you had written your request properly, it might have been accepted.
(agar tum apnii praarthnaa thiik se likhte to shaayad sviikaar ho jaatii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Passive
यह प्रार्थना जिलाधिकारी के कार्यालय में जमा की गई थी। This petition had been submitted at the district magistrate's office.
(yah praarthnaa jilaadhikaarii ke kaaryaalay men jamaa kii gaii thii।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
कृपया मेरी प्रार्थना पर विचार करें। Please consider my request.
(kripyaa merii praarthnaa par vichaar karen।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
छात्रों ने फीस माफ़ करने की प्रार्थना की। The students made a request for the fee to be waived.
(chhaatron ne phiis maaf karne kii praarthnaa kii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
शायद उसकी प्रार्थना पर कोई कार्रवाई हो। Perhaps some action will be taken on his petition.
(shaayad uskii praarthnaa par koii kaarrvaaii ho।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
मैं यह प्रार्थना लेकर बैंक मैनेजर के पास गया। I took this request to the bank manager.
(main yah praarthnaa lekar baink mainejar ke paas gayaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Sense 3 : to pray, to request earnestly
verb, transitive Functions as a noun-plus-करना (karnaa) compound verb, प्रार्थना करना (praarthnaa karnaa) -- प्रार्थना (praarthnaa) itself does not conjugate directly as a verb.
Synonyms: प्रार्थना करना (praarthnaa karnaa), विनती करना (vintii karnaa), निवेदन करना (nivedan karnaa, formal)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This verbal use shows up in devotional contexts (praying to God) as well as in polite formal speech (earnestly requesting someone), so context tells you whether it means spiritual prayer or a heartfelt appeal.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes try to conjugate प्रार्थना (praarthnaa) alone as if it were a verb root; it must always pair with करना (karnaa) to function verbally, e.g. मैंने प्रार्थना की (mainne praarthnaa kii, 'I prayed/requested').
Sample Sentences:
वह हर सुबह भगवान से प्रार्थना करता है। He prays to God every morning.
(vah har subah bhagvaan se praarthnaa kartaa hai।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
कृपया शांत रहें, हम प्रार्थना कर रहे हैं। Please stay quiet, we are praying.
(kripyaa shaant rahen, ham praarthnaa kar rahe hain।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उसने माँ दुर्गा से अपने बेटे की सलामती के लिए प्रार्थना की। She prayed to Mother Durga for her son's safety.
(usne maan durgaa se apne bete kii salaamtii ke lie praarthnaa kii।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
मैं आपसे प्रार्थना करता हूँ कि इस मामले पर फिर से विचार करें। I earnestly request you to reconsider this matter.
(main aapse praarthnaa kartaa hoon ki is maamle par phir se vichaar karen।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
भगवान से प्रार्थना करो कि सब ठीक हो जाए। Pray to God that everything turns out well.
(bhagvaan se praarthnaa karo ki sab thiik ho jaae।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
अगर वह सच में प्रार्थना करता तो शायद उसका मन शांत होता। If he had truly prayed, his mind might have been at peace.
(agar vah sach men praarthnaa kartaa to shaayad uskaa man shaant hotaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
मंदिर में सभी भक्त एक स्वर में प्रार्थना कर रहे थे। All the devotees in the temple were praying in unison.
(mandir men sabhii bhakt ek svar men praarthnaa kar rahe the।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
मैं आपसे प्रार्थना करता हूँ कि मेरी बात एक बार सुन लीजिए। I beg you to hear me out just once.
(main aapse praarthnaa kartaa hoon ki merii baat ek baar sun liijie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
काश वह अपने माता-पिता के लिए प्रार्थना करती। I wish she would pray for her parents.
(kaash vah apne maataa-pitaa ke lie praarthnaa kartii।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
संकट के समय लोग अक्सर अधिक श्रद्धा से प्रार्थना करते हैं। In times of crisis, people often pray with greater devotion.
(sankat ke samay log aksar adhik shraddhaa se praarthnaa karte hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): प्रार्थना (praarthnaa)
(sg.f.oblique): प्रार्थना (praarthnaa)
(pl.f.direct): प्रार्थनाएँ (praarthnaaen)
(pl.f.oblique): प्रार्थनाओं (praarthnaaon)
Verb
infinitive: प्रार्थना (praarthnaa)
infinitive oblique: प्रार्थने (praarthne)
habitual/simple (sg.m): प्रार्थता (praarthtaa)
habitual/simple (pl.m): प्रार्थते (praarthte)
habitual/simple (sg.f): प्रार्थती (praarthtii)
habitual/simple (pl.f): प्रार्थतीं (praarthtiin)
continuous (sg.m): प्रार्थ रहा (praarth rahaa)
continuous (pl.m): प्रार्थ रहे (praarth rahe)
continuous (sg.f): प्रार्थ रही (praarth rahii)
continuous (pl.f): प्रार्थ रहीं (praarth rahiin)
perfective (sg.m): प्रार्था (praarthaa)
perfective (pl.m): प्रार्थे (praarthe)
perfective (sg.f): प्रार्थी (praarthii)
perfective (pl.f): प्रार्थीं (praarthiin)
imperative (informal): प्रार्थ (praarth)
imperative (neutral): प्रार्थो (praartho)
imperative (formal): प्रार्थिए (praarthie)
future (1sg.m): प्रार्थूँगा (praarthoongaa)
future (1sg.f): प्रार्थूँगी (praarthoongii)
future (1pl.m): प्रार्थेंगे (praarthenge)
future (1pl.f): प्रार्थेंगी (praarthengii)
future (2sg.m): प्रार्थेगा (praarthegaa)
future (2sg.f): प्रार्थेगी (praarthegii)
future (2pl.m): प्रार्थोगे (praarthoge)
future (2pl.f): प्रार्थोगी (praarthogii)
future (3sg.m): प्रार्थेगा (praarthegaa)
future (3sg.f): प्रार्थेगी (praarthegii)
future (3pl.m): प्रार्थेंगे (praarthenge)
future (3pl.f): प्रार्थेंगी (praarthengii)
subjunctive (1sg): प्रार्थूँ (praarthoon)
subjunctive (1pl): प्रार्थें (praarthen)
subjunctive (2sg): प्रार्थे (praarthe)
subjunctive (2pl): प्रार्थो (praartho)
subjunctive (3sg): प्रार्थे (praarthe)
subjunctive (3pl): प्रार्थें (praarthen)