डाल (daal)

verb/noun Two distinct words share this spelling: the noun for a tree 'branch' (daal), and the imperative/stem form of the verb डालना (daalnaa, 'to put/pour/insert').
Sense 1 : put in / pour / insert / add (imperative and verb-stem form)
verb, transitive This is the bare stem of डालना (daalnaa) used as the intimate/direct imperative (e.g. नमक डाल (namak daal, 'put in the salt')) and as the base to which compound-verb helpers attach, as in कर डालना (kar daalnaa, 'to just go ahead and do').
Synonyms: रखना (rakhnaa, 'to place', broader meaning), भरना (bharnaa, 'to fill', overlapping in some contexts)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: डालना (daalnaa) is one of the most useful 'workhorse' verbs in Hindi kitchens and daily life -- मसाला डाल दो (masaalaa daal do, 'put in the spices') is something you'll hear constantly if you spend time around a Hindi-speaking kitchen. Its compound-verb use (as in पी डालना, pii daalnaa, 'to down/drink up') is worth learning early since it shows up in casual speech to add drama or finality to an action.
Common Mistakes: 1) As a bare imperative, यह डाल (yah daal) is quite blunt/informal -- learners should reach for डालो (daalo) or डालिए (daalie) in most polite speech. 2) In the compound verb pattern (verb stem + डालना), डाल doesn't mean 'put' at all -- it adds a sense of forceful or decisive completion, as in खा डाला (khaa daalaa, 'ate it all up/finished it off').
Sample Sentences:
नमक डाल दो। Put in the salt.
(namak daal do।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
पहले तेल डालो, फिर प्याज़। First put in the oil, then the onions.
(pahle tel daalo, phir pyaaz।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
मसाला डाल कर अच्छे से मिला दो। Put in the spices and mix well.
(masaalaa daal kar achchhe se milaa do।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
वह गिलास में पानी डाल रहा है। He is pouring water into the glass.
(vah gilaas men paanii daal rahaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उसने चाय में चीनी डाल दी। She put sugar in the tea.
(usne chaay men chiinii daal dii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगर तुम थोड़ा और नींबू डाल देते, तो स्वाद बेहतर होता। If you had added a bit more lemon, the taste would have been better.
(agar tum thodaa aur niimboo daal dete, to svaad behtar hotaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Perfective -- Voice: Active
बर्तन में पानी डाल दिया जाता है, फिर उसे उबाला जाता है। Water is poured into the pot, then it is boiled.
(bartan men paanii daal diyaa jaataa hai, phir use ubaalaa jaataa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
प्यास लगी तो उसने पूरी बोतल पी डाली। He was so thirsty that he downed the whole bottle.
(pyaas lagii to usne poorii botal pii daalii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
क्या मैं इसमें थोड़ा दही डाल दूँ? Should I add a little yogurt to this?
(kyaa main ismen thodaa dahii daal doon?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
आटे में पानी डालते जाओ और गूँधते रहो। Keep adding water to the dough and keep kneading.
(aate men paanii daalte jaao aur goondhte raho।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
कृपया इस फॉर्म में अपना नाम डालें। Please enter your name in this form.
(kripyaa is phorm men apnaa naam daalen।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
Sense 2 : branch (of a tree)
noun, feminine
Synonyms: शाखा (shaakhaa, formal)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You will hear this in the common phrase डाल-डाल पर (daal-daal par, 'on every branch'), often evoking birds hopping from branch to branch -- a classic image in Hindi songs and poetry about spring or freedom.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes confuse this with दाल (daal, 'lentils') because of the similar sound; the retroflex ड़ vs plain द makes them completely different words. 2) Don't confuse with डाल (daal) as a verb form, which appears in a totally different grammatical slot (after a verb stem, not after a possessive/adjective).
Sample Sentences:
पेड़ की डाल हवा में झूल रही थी। The tree's branch was swaying in the wind.
(ped kii daal havaa men jhool rahii thii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
चिड़िया डाल-डाल पर फुदक रही है। The bird is hopping from branch to branch.
(chidiyaa daal-daal par phudak rahii hai।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
एक सूखी डाल तूफान में टूट गई। A dry branch broke off in the storm.
(ek sookhii daal toophaan men toot gaii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
डाल इतनी नीची है कि तुम आसानी से पहुँच सकते हो। The branch is so low that you can easily reach it.
(daal itnii niichii hai ki tum aasaanii se pahunch sakte ho।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उस डाल को मत तोड़ो, वहाँ चिड़िया का घोंसला है। Don't break that branch, there's a bird's nest there.
(us daal ko mat todo, vahaan chidiyaa kaa ghonslaa hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
अगर वह डाल मज़बूत होती, तो झूला यहाँ बाँध देते। If that branch were sturdy, we would have tied the swing here.
(agar vah daal mazboot hotii, to jhoolaa yahaan baandh dete।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
माली ने डाल को धीरे से काट दिया। The gardener carefully cut off the branch.
(maalii ne daal ko dhiire se kaat diyaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
पतझड़ में डाल पर एक भी पत्ता नहीं बचता। In autumn, not a single leaf remains on the branch.
(patjhad men daal par ek bhii pattaa nahiin bachtaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
बसंत आते ही हर डाल पर नई कलियाँ खिल उठती हैं। As soon as spring arrives, new buds bloom on every branch.
(basant aate hii har daal par naii kaliyaan khil uthtii hain।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
आँधी में कई डालें ज़मीन पर बिछ गई थीं। In the storm, many branches had scattered across the ground.
(aandhii men kaii daalen zamiin par bichh gaii thiin।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Verb
infinitive: डाल (daal)
infinitive oblique: डाने (daane)
habitual/simple (sg.m): डाता (daataa)
habitual/simple (pl.m): डाते (daate)
habitual/simple (sg.f): डाती (daatii)
habitual/simple (pl.f): डातीं (daatiin)
continuous (sg.m): डा रहा (daa rahaa)
continuous (pl.m): डा रहे (daa rahe)
continuous (sg.f): डा रही (daa rahii)
continuous (pl.f): डा रहीं (daa rahiin)
perfective (sg.m): डाया (daayaa)
perfective (pl.m): डाए (daae)
perfective (sg.f): डाई (daaii)
perfective (pl.f): डाईं (daaiin)
imperative (informal): डा (daa)
imperative (neutral): डाओ (daao)
imperative (formal): डाइए (daaie)
future (1sg.m): डाऊँगा (daaoongaa)
future (1sg.f): डाऊँगी (daaoongii)
future (1pl.m): डाएँगे (daaenge)
future (1pl.f): डाएँगी (daaengii)
future (2sg.m): डाएगा (daaegaa)
future (2sg.f): डाएगी (daaegii)
future (2pl.m): डाओगे (daaoge)
future (2pl.f): डाओगी (daaogii)
future (3sg.m): डाएगा (daaegaa)
future (3sg.f): डाएगी (daaegii)
future (3pl.m): डाएँगे (daaenge)
future (3pl.f): डाएँगी (daaengii)
subjunctive (1sg): डाऊँ (daaoon)
subjunctive (1pl): डाएँ (daaen)
subjunctive (2sg): डाए (daae)
subjunctive (2pl): डाओ (daao)
subjunctive (3sg): डाए (daae)
subjunctive (3pl): डाएँ (daaen)
Noun
(sg.f.direct): डाल (daal)
(sg.f.oblique): डाल (daal)
(pl.f.direct): डालें (daalen)
(pl.f.oblique): डालों (daalon)