लेना-देना (lenaa-denaa)
noun
A fixed compound noun built from लेना (lenaa, 'to take') and देना (denaa, 'to give'), meaning 'connection/concern/dealing with something.' Used almost exclusively in negative or interrogative sentences about relevance or involvement.
Sense
1
:
connection, concern, involvement (usually denied)
noun, masculine Almost always appears with से (se) marking the thing one has (or lacks) concern with, e.g. 'X से कोई लेना-देना नहीं' (X se koii lenaa-denaa nahiin, 'to have nothing to do with X'), and with the verb होना (honaa).
Synonyms: मतलब (matlab), वास्ता (vaastaa), संबंध (sambandh, formal), ताल्लुक़ (taalluq)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will hear this constantly in Delhi arguments and gossip: 'मुझे इससे कोई लेना-देना नहीं है' (mujhe isse koii lenaa-denaa nahiin hai, 'I have nothing to do with this') is the classic way to distance yourself from a mess or a fight that isn't yours. It literally means 'taking-giving,' capturing the idea that any real relationship involves an exchange -- so having 'no लेना-देना' means the relationship itself doesn't exist.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners try to use this word to mean literal 'giving and taking' (like exchanging objects) -- in everyday speech it has shifted almost entirely to the abstract sense of 'concern/relevance,' not physical exchange. 2) The negative form कोई लेना-देना नहीं (koii lenaa-denaa nahiin) is far more common than any positive use, so learners should first learn it as a fixed phrase for denying involvement rather than as a free-standing noun. 3) The postposition is से (se), not को (ko) or का (kaa), which learners sometimes default to by analogy with संबंध (sambandh)।
Sample Sentences:
मुझे इससे कोई लेना-देना नहीं है।
I have nothing to do with this.
(mujhe isse koii lenaa-denaa nahiin hai।)
उसका इस झगड़े से कोई लेना-देना नहीं था।
He had nothing to do with this quarrel.
(uskaa is jhagde se koii lenaa-denaa nahiin thaa।)
मेरा उससे कोई लेना-देना नहीं रहेगा।
I will have nothing to do with him from now on.
(meraa usse koii lenaa-denaa nahiin rahegaa।)
अगर मेरा इससे कोई लेना-देना होता, तो मैं शुरू में ही बता देता।
If I had any connection to this, I would have told you right at the start.
(agar meraa isse koii lenaa-denaa hotaa, to main shuroo men hii bataa detaa।)
क्या तुम्हारा इस मामले से कोई लेना-देना है?
Do you have any connection to this matter?
(kyaa tumhaaraa is maamle se koii lenaa-denaa hai?)
साफ़ बता दो कि तुम्हारा इस चोरी से कोई लेना-देना तो नहीं।
Tell me clearly whether you have any connection to this theft or not.
(saaf bataa do ki tumhaaraa is chorii se koii lenaa-denaa to nahiin।)
पुलिस को शक है कि उसका इस गैंग से कोई लेना-देना हो सकता है।
The police suspect that he may have some connection to this gang.
(pulis ko shak hai ki uskaa is gaing se koii lenaa-denaa ho saktaa hai।)
यह समझा जाता है कि कंपनी का इस घोटाले से कोई लेना-देना नहीं है।
It is understood that the company has no connection to this scam.
(yah samjhaa jaataa hai ki kampnii kaa is ghotaale se koii lenaa-denaa nahiin hai।)
मुझे नहीं लगता कि उसका इस साजिश से कोई लेना-देना रहा हो।
I don't think he had any connection to this conspiracy.
(mujhe nahiin lagtaa ki uskaa is saajish se koii lenaa-denaa rahaa ho।)
वकील ने अदालत में कहा कि उसके मुवक्किल का इस अपराध से कोई लेना-देना नहीं है।
The lawyer told the court that his client has no connection to this crime.
(vakiil ne adaalat men kahaa ki uske muvakkil kaa is apraadh se koii lenaa-denaa nahiin hai।)
तुम बीच में क्यों बोल रहे हो, जब तुम्हारा इससे कोई लेना-देना ही नहीं है?
Why are you butting in when you have no connection to this at all?
(tum biich men kyon bol rahe ho, jab tumhaaraa isse koii lenaa-denaa hii nahiin hai?)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
लेना-देना
([[लेना-देना]])
(sg.m.oblique):
लेना-देने
([[लेना-देने]])
(pl.m.direct):
लेना-देने
([[लेना-देने]])
(pl.m.oblique):
लेना-देनों
([[लेना-देनों]])