नाना (naanaa)
noun/adjective
Primarily a kinship noun for one's maternal grandfather (naanaa); there is also a much rarer adjective sense meaning 'various, of many kinds', now mostly confined to set phrases.
Sense
1
:
maternal grandfather
noun, masculine
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: In most North Indian families a mother's parents' house, नाना-नानी का घर (naanaa-naanii kaa ghar, 'maternal grandparents' house'), is a beloved childhood destination for summer holidays, distinct in feel from the father's side (दादा-दादी, daadaa-daadii). The idiom नानी याद आना (naanii yaad aanaa, 'to remember one's grandmother', i.e. to be in serious trouble or pain) is extremely common in speech, even though it uses नानी (naanii) rather than नाना (naanaa) itself -- worth knowing as the family-word connects the two.
Common Mistakes: 1) Hindi distinguishes maternal from paternal grandfather where English just says 'grandfather': नाना (naanaa) is mother's father, दादा (daadaa) is father's father -- learners often default to दादा (daadaa) for both. 2) The feminine counterpart is नानी (naanii, maternal grandmother), not a form of नाना (naanaa) itself -- they are paired terms, not gendered forms of one word.
Sample Sentences:
मेरे नाना बहुत सख्त आदमी थे।
My maternal grandfather was a very strict man.
(mere naanaa bahut sakht aadmii the।)
हर गर्मी की छुट्टियों में हम नाना के घर जाते हैं।
Every summer vacation we go to our maternal grandfather's house.
(har garmii kii chhuttiyon men ham naanaa ke ghar jaate hain।)
नाना इस वक़्त बगीचे में बैठे हैं।
My maternal grandfather is sitting in the garden right now.
(naanaa is vaqt bagiiche men baithe hain।)
अगर नाना ज़िंदा होते, तो उन्हें यह देखकर बहुत खुशी होती।
If my maternal grandfather were alive, he would have been very happy to see this.
(agar naanaa zindaa hote, to unhen yah dekhkar bahut khushii hotii।)
नाना, मुझे वो पुरानी कहानी फिर से सुनाइए।
Grandpa, tell me that old story again.
(naanaa, mujhe vo puraanii kahaanii phir se sunaaie।)
शायद नाना को यह ख़बर अभी तक न पता हो।
Perhaps my maternal grandfather doesn't know this news yet.
(shaayad naanaa ko yah khabar abhii tak n pataa ho।)
नाना ने मुझे साइकिल चलाना सिखाया था।
My maternal grandfather had taught me how to ride a bicycle.
(naanaa ne mujhe saaikil chalaanaa sikhaayaa thaa।)
नाना के घर की छत पर पतंग उड़ाना मुझे बहुत पसंद था।
I used to love flying kites on the roof of my maternal grandfather's house.
(naanaa ke ghar kii chhat par patang udaanaa mujhe bahut pasand thaa।)
नाना और नानी का घर हमेशा रिश्तेदारों से भरा रहता था।
My maternal grandparents' house was always full of relatives.
(naanaa aur naanii kaa ghar hameshaa rishtedaaron se bharaa rahtaa thaa।)
अगली दिवाली पर नाना हमारे साथ रहेंगे।
My maternal grandfather will stay with us next Diwali.
(aglii divaalii par naanaa hamaare saath rahenge।)
पूजा में नाना ने अपने पूर्वजों को याद करते हुए दीप जलाया।
During the prayer, my maternal grandfather lit a lamp while remembering his ancestors.
(poojaa men naanaa ne apne poorvjon ko yaad karte hue diip jalaayaa।)
Sense
2
:
various, of many kinds
adjective Almost always appears in the fixed pair नाना प्रकार (naanaa prakaar, 'many kinds/types') or नाना प्रकार के/की/का (naanaa prakaar ke, 'of various kinds'); rarely used as a free-standing adjective outside this collocation.
Synonyms: विभिन्न (vibhinn), तरह-तरह का (tarah-tarah kaa)
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: This sense survives mainly in slightly formal or written registers, in the set phrase नाना प्रकार के (naanaa prakaar ke, 'of various kinds') -- you will meet it in essays, speeches, or older narration more than in casual chat.
Common Mistakes: 1) This नाना (naanaa) is unrelated in meaning to the grandfather sense -- it is a homophone, not a related meaning, so do not look for a family connection.
Sample Sentences:
इस दुकान में नाना प्रकार के कपड़े मिलते हैं।
This shop has various kinds of clothes.
(is dukaan men naanaa prakaar ke kapde milte hain।)
मेले में नाना प्रकार के लोग इकट्ठा हुए थे।
People of various kinds had gathered at the fair.
(mele men naanaa prakaar ke log ikatthaa hue the।)
लेखक ने अपने निबंध में नाना विषयों पर विचार व्यक्त किए हैं।
The writer has expressed views on various subjects in his essay.
(lekhak ne apne nibandh men naanaa vishyon par vichaar vyakt kie hain।)
समाज में नाना प्रकार की समस्याएँ व्याप्त हैं।
Various kinds of problems are prevalent in society.
(samaaj men naanaa prakaar kii samasyaaen vyaapt hain।)
यदि नाना प्रकार के विचारों को सुना जाए, तो निर्णय बेहतर होगा।
If various kinds of opinions were heard, the decision would be better.
(yadi naanaa prakaar ke vichaaron ko sunaa jaae, to nirnay behtar hogaa।)
प्राचीन ग्रंथों में नाना प्रकार के देवताओं का वर्णन मिलता है।
Descriptions of various kinds of deities are found in ancient texts.
(praachiin granthon men naanaa prakaar ke devtaaon kaa varnan miltaa hai।)
सभा में नाना प्रकार के सुझाव प्रस्तुत किए गए।
Various kinds of suggestions were presented in the assembly.
(sabhaa men naanaa prakaar ke sujhaav prastut kie gae।)
कृपया इस विषय पर नाना दृष्टिकोणों को ध्यान में रखें।
Please keep in mind the various perspectives on this subject.
(kripyaa is vishay par naanaa drishtikonon ko dhyaan men rakhen।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
नाना
(naanaa)
(sg.m.oblique):
नाना
(naanaa)
(pl.m.direct):
नाना
(naanaa)
(pl.m.oblique):
नानाओं
(naanaaon)
Adjective (invariant)
invariant:
नाना
(naanaa)