हाँफना (haamphnaa)
verb
A single-sense verb meaning 'to pant, to gasp for breath' -- typically from exertion, running, or exhaustion.
Sense
1
:
to pant, to gasp for breath
verb, intransitive
Synonyms: हांफना (haamphnaa, variant spelling without chandrabindu), सांस फूलना (saans phoolnaa, 'to be out of breath')
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You will hear this used affectionately about dogs and about people after climbing stairs or running for a bus -- कुत्ta हाँफ रहा है (kuttaa haamph rahaa hai, 'the dog is panting') is a very common everyday image in Delhi, where strays pant heavily in the summer heat. It pairs naturally with थकना (thaknaa, 'to get tired') in describing physical exhaustion.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes reach for सांस लेना (saans lenaa, 'to breathe') when they mean हाँफना (haamphnaa) -- the latter specifically implies labored, heavy breathing from exertion, not ordinary breathing. 2) The nasalization (chandrabindu) is often dropped in casual writing, giving हांफना (haamphnaa) -- both are seen and accepted.
Sample Sentences:
गर्मी में कुत्ता सड़क के किनारे हाँफ रहा है।
In the heat, the dog is panting by the side of the road.
(garmii men kuttaa sadak ke kinaare haamph rahaa hai।)
चार मंज़िल सीढ़ियाँ चढ़ते-चढ़ते वह हाँफने लगा।
Climbing four floors of stairs, he started panting.
(chaar manzil siidhiyaan chadhte-chadhte vah haamphne lagaa।)
बस पकड़ने के लिए मैं इतना दौड़ा कि हाँफते-हाँफते बोल भी नहीं पा रहा था।
I ran so much to catch the bus that, panting, I couldn't even speak.
(bas pakadne ke lie main itnaa daudaa ki haamphte-haamphte bol bhii nahiin paa rahaa thaa।)
बूढ़े आदमी थोड़ी दूर चलने पर ही हाँफने लगते हैं।
Old men start panting after walking just a short distance.
(boodhe aadmii thodii door chalne par hii haamphne lagte hain।)
इतना मत दौड़ो, हाँफने लगोगे।
Don't run so much, you'll start panting.
(itnaa mat daudo, haamphne lagoge।)
थोड़ा रुक जाओ, तुम हाँफ रहे हो।
Stop for a bit, you're panting.
(thodaa ruk jaao, tum haamph rahe ho।)
अगर तुम इतना तेज़ भागते तो अब तक हाँफते।
If you had run that fast, you'd be panting by now.
(agar tum itnaa tez bhaagte to ab tak haamphte।)
थककर और हाँफते हुए वह घर पहुँचा।
Tired and panting, he reached home.
(thakkar aur haamphte hue vah ghar pahunchaa।)
मुझे डर है कि मैराथन के बीच में मैं हाँफने लगूँ।
I'm afraid that I might start panting in the middle of the marathon.
(mujhe dar hai ki mairaathan ke biich men main haamphne lagoon।)
दौड़ के बाद खिलाड़ी मैदान में हाँफते हुए बैठ गए।
After the race, the players sat down on the field panting.
(daud ke baad khilaadii maidaan men haamphte hue baith gae।)
Morphology
Verb
infinitive:
हाँफना
(haamphnaa)
infinitive oblique:
हाँफने
(haamphne)
habitual/simple (sg.m):
हाँफता
(haamphtaa)
habitual/simple (pl.m):
हाँफते
(haamphte)
habitual/simple (sg.f):
हाँफती
(haamphtii)
habitual/simple (pl.f):
हाँफतीं
(haamphtiin)
continuous (sg.m):
हाँफ रहा
(haamph rahaa)
continuous (pl.m):
हाँफ रहे
(haamph rahe)
continuous (sg.f):
हाँफ रही
(haamph rahii)
continuous (pl.f):
हाँफ रहीं
(haamph rahiin)
perfective (sg.m):
हाँफा
(haamphaa)
perfective (pl.m):
हाँफे
(haamphe)
perfective (sg.f):
हाँफी
(haamphii)
perfective (pl.f):
हाँफीं
(haamphiin)
imperative (informal):
हाँफ
(haamph)
imperative (neutral):
हाँफो
(haampho)
imperative (formal):
हाँफिए
(haamphie)
future (1sg.m):
हाँफूँगा
(haamphoongaa)
future (1sg.f):
हाँफूँगी
(haamphoongii)
future (1pl.m):
हाँफेंगे
(haamphenge)
future (1pl.f):
हाँफेंगी
(haamphengii)
future (2sg.m):
हाँफेगा
(haamphegaa)
future (2sg.f):
हाँफेगी
(haamphegii)
future (2pl.m):
हाँफोगे
(haamphoge)
future (2pl.f):
हाँफोगी
(haamphogii)
future (3sg.m):
हाँफेगा
(haamphegaa)
future (3sg.f):
हाँफेगी
(haamphegii)
future (3pl.m):
हाँफेंगे
(haamphenge)
future (3pl.f):
हाँफेंगी
(haamphengii)
subjunctive (1sg):
हाँफूँ
(haamphoon)
subjunctive (1pl):
हाँफें
(haamphen)
subjunctive (2sg):
हाँफे
(haamphe)
subjunctive (2pl):
हाँफो
(haampho)
subjunctive (3sg):
हाँफे
(haamphe)
subjunctive (3pl):
हाँफें
(haamphen)