HINDI VERB

चाहना

to want

#12 most used
Transitive verb (ने in the past)

Conjugation

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Present

वर्तमान काल · now and habits: the -ता forms (जाता हूँ)

Form	Masculine	Feminine
मैंI want
तुमyou want
आपyou want (politely)
वहhe/she wants
हमwe want
वेthey want

Continuous

अपूर्ण वर्तमान · happening right now: रहा, रही, रहे (जा रहा हूँ)

Form	Masculine	Feminine
मैंI am wanting
तुमyou are wanting
आपyou are wanting (politely)
वहhe/she is wanting
हमwe are wanting
वेthey are wanting

Past

सामान्य भूत · finished actions (गया, गई); a transitive verb puts ने on its subject and agrees with its object

Form	Masculine	Feminine
मैंनेI wanted (agrees with the object)
तुमनेyou wanted (agrees with the object)
आपनेyou wanted (agrees with the object) (politely)
उसनेhe/she wanted (agrees with the object)
हमनेwe wanted (agrees with the object)
उन्होंनेthey wanted (agrees with the object)

Imperfect

अपूर्ण भूत · “used to” and “was …ing”: the -ता forms with था (जाता था)

Form	Masculine	Feminine
मैंI used to want
तुमyou used to want
आपyou used to want (politely)
वहhe/she used to want
हमwe used to want
वेthey used to want

Future

भविष्यत् काल · plans and promises (जाऊँगा, जाएंगे)

Form	Masculine	Feminine
मैंI will want
तुमyou will want
आपyou will want (politely)
वहhe/she will want
हमwe will want
वेthey will want

Subjunctive

संभावनार्थ · wishes, “shall I”, “so that”: जाऊँ, जाएं

मैं (that) I want
तुम (that) you want
आप (that) you want (politely)
वह (that) he/she want
हम (that) we want
वे (that) they want

How to use चाहना

One sentence for each tense, the way people say it.

Present

मैं हिंदी अच्छी तरह सीखना चाहती हूँ.

I want to learn Hindi well.
Continuous

मैं यही कहना चाह रहा हूँ.

That's just what I'm trying to say.
Past

मैंने तुम्हें फ़ोन करना चाहा, पर नंबर नहीं था.

I wanted to call you, but I didn't have the number.
Imperfect

बचपन में मैं पायलट बनना चाहता था.

As a child I wanted to become a pilot.
Future

नेहा कल भी आना चाहेगी.

Neha will want to come tomorrow too.
Subjunctive

जो तुम चाहो, वही करो.

Do just what you want.

Good to know

Wanting to do something is the infinitive plus चाहना: मैं जाना चाहता हूँ.
Wanting a thing is said with चाहिए instead: मुझे चाय चाहिए.

Where you hear चाहना

The lessons that teach a form of it, and how they say it.

Hindi · Beginner Level 1

मैं दिल्ली में रुकना चाहता हूँ. I want to stay in Delhi.
मैं एक अच्छा कुर्ता चाहती थी. I wanted a good kurta.
तुम कल और चाय चाहोगे. You'll want more chai tomorrow.

Hindi · Intermediate Level 2

मैं दिल्ली में रुकना चाहता हूँ. I want to stay in Delhi.
मैं एक अच्छा कुर्ता चाहती थी. I wanted a good kurta.
तुम कल और चाय चाहोगे. You'll want more chai tomorrow.

Stay Through the Winter

Beginner Level 1 · पोर्टलैंड बाद में! तुम क्या चाहते हो? · आप क्या चाहते हैं?

The family's wishes

Intermediate Level 2 · पापा जी, आप क्या चाहते हैं? · पापा जी, मैं चाहता हूँ कि आप आराम करें. · मैं चाहता हूँ कि कार्ड गुरुवार तक छप जाएं. · मैं चाहता हूँ कि तुम मुझे डांस सिखाओ.

Dadi ji's Blessing

Intermediate Level 3 · मॉम आपकी एक रेसिपी सीखना चाहती हैं.

Lunch in Agra

Intermediate Level 3 · डैड तीखी दाल चखना चाहते हैं.

The Road Back

Intermediate Level 3 · डैड आगे बैठना चाहते हैं.

Rohan's Advice

Intermediate Level 3 · मैं प्रिया से शादी करना चाहता हूँ.

The complaint that isn't one

Advanced Level 2 · जैसा आप चाहें. मैंने कुछ नहीं कहा.

Two Dates on the Calendar

Fluency Level 3 · अभी नवासी की हैं. पार्टी अपने आँगन में चाहती हैं.