If you’re bored of using the same old Urdu verbs, it’s time to spice up your conversations by adding compound verbs in Urdu. Trust me— they’ll enliven your speech by sprinkling some fun and nuance into it. For instance, try saying “to think deeply” – soch bichar karna (سوچ بچار کرنا) instead of simply saying “to think” – sochna (سوچنا). See? The former is more subtle and carries a deeper meaning.
With this in mind, let’s explore some common compound Urdu verbs to bring more life to your conversations as you progress on your Urdu language-learning journey. Don’t worry! They aren’t as difficult as they seem. Let’s master them together!
Table Of Contents
Compound Verbs In Urdu: An Introduction
If you are familiar with Urdu verbs you might have seen that sometimes these verbs appear in pairs, like two best friends who are nothing without each other. These verbs are known as compound verbs – murakkab fail (مُرکب فعل).
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Compound verbs in Urdu combine two verbs that describe the same action. Generally, the first verb conveys the main action, and the other adds flavor or intensifies it.
For instance, when we add flavor to food, it doesn’t change the main dish— It just elevates the taste of it. Urdu compound verbs work the same way.
Think of the first verb as the main dish and the second verb as the flavor.
Let’s look at the example we mentioned in the introduction:
- To think deeply – soch bichar Karna (سوچ بچار کرنا)
Here, soch (سوچ) is the main verb that indicates the action of thinking, and bichar (بچار) intensifies the first verb. We have combined both verbs to make the compound verb “to think deeply” – soch bichar karna (سوچ بچار کرنا).
Let’s look at other examples.
- To blurt out – bol dena (بول دینا)
- To take a look – dekh Lena (دیکھ لینا)
- To inform – bata dena (بتا دینا)
In all these compound verbs, the first verbs describe the action: to speak – bolna (بولنا), to look – dekhna (دیکھنا), and to inform – batana (بتانا), while the second verbs are just intensifying or adding emotions to them: dena (دینا) and lena (لینا).
Both of these verbs work together to make a new verb, which we call compound verbs. These are more profound in meaning than the original verbs.
Below is a list of some simple second verbs that make Urdu’s most common compound verbs. Later on, we’ll explore these verbs in more detail.
| Literal Meaning | Figurative Meaning | Urdu | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| To give | Adds an effect of giving away or taking out | لینا | Lena |
| To take | Makes the action personal | دینا | Dena |
| To rise | Adds the effect of urgency or suddenness | اُٹھنا | Uthna |
| To go | Completes the action | جانا | Jana |
| To sit | Do or say something mistakenly | بیٹھنا | Baithna |
5 Common Compound Verbs In Urdu: Second Verbs
We learn that by combining two verbs in Urdu, we make compound verbs. Basically, the second verb we choose decides if the word is a compound verb or just slang.
Even though second verbs only add emotion and depth to the first verb’s meaning, they also have their own special meaning.
With this in mind, let’s explore the five most common second verbs used in compound verbs in Urdu.
1. To Give – Dena (دینا)
Think of pushing something or someone out. We use this second verb to indicate the same action.
For example, we have the first verb to speak – bolna (بولنا). If you want to specifically indicate that the speaking happened without any careful consideration, combine the second verb “to give” – dena (دینا) with it to make a powerful compound verb:
- To blurt out – bol dena (بول دینا)
See, just by adding the second verb, we have made the first verb more specific and expressive.
A tip to learn how to use this second verb in Urdu effectively is to think of actions being pushed forward.
For instance:
- To push someone – dhaka dena (دھکا دینا)
- To hit someone – maar dena (مار دینا)
- To blurt out – bol dena (بول دینا)
You see, all these three examples indicate the actions that involve moving forward or taking out. For example:
- You take out words from your mouth to blurt out – bol dena (بول دینا)
- You push someone forward by pushing them – dhaka dena (دھکا دینا)
- You make the person move out of his place by hitting them – maar dena (مار دینا)
2. To Take – Lena (لینا)
We use this second verb to show the fullness of the action or to indicate that the action is personal.
Let’s look at some examples to understand it!
Suppose you have a compound verb “To catch” – pakar Lena (پکڑ لینا), and you say: catch the kids on the way – bachon ko raaste main pakar Lena (بچوں کو راستے میں پکڑ لینا).
Here, you used this compound verb to show that you are asking someone to catch the kids.
Similarly, you can use this second verb to make more compound verbs. Let’s see some examples:
- To fully understand – samajh lena (سمجھ لینا)
- To look properly – dekh lena (لینا)
- To grab – le lena (لے لینا)
Let’s look at one last example.
If you want to say, “Get the blanket when you feel cold,” – sardi lage to kambal le lena (سردی لگے تو کمبل لے لینا), we use the verb “to take” – lena (لینا) because the person is being told to take or grab the blanket for themselves.
However, using the verb “to give” – dena (دینا) would be incorrect in this context. That’s because you’re not asking the person to give a blanket to someone else—you’re telling them to get one for themselves if they feel cold.
Have you seen the difference here?
3. To Go – Jana (جانا)
This second verb helps us indicate that we have become aware of something or that the action has been completed. For instance, imagine you are learning Urdu, and your instructor says, You should understand everything by now – tumhe ab tak sab samajh jana chahiye (تمہیں اب تک سب سمجھ جانا چاہیئے)
Here, he used the compound verb to understand – samajh jana (سمجھ جانا ) to emphasize that you should have completed the action by now.
Let’s look at another example using the same compound verb “to understand” – samajh jana (سمجھ جانا):
I should have understood that – mujhe samjh jana chahiye tha (مجھے سمجھ جانا چاہئے تھا)
Here, we used the same compound verb to create the sense of realization in the action of understanding.
In short, we use this second verb to indicate:
- The action’s completeness
- The realization of something
4. To Rise – Uthna (اُٹھنا)
We use this second verb to indicate a sense of urgency or suddenness. Its literal meaning is ‘to rise,’ but we use it to show that something happened suddenly.
For instance, suppose you want to say, “You got startled by seeing him” – me usko dekh kar chonk gaya (میں اُس کو دیکھ کر چونک گیا)
Here, the main action verb is startled – chonkna (چونکنا), which is followed by the past participle form of the auxiliary verb gaya (گیا).
Now, if you want to show that this action happened suddenly, you can use the second verb to rise – uthna (اُٹھنا) before the main verb “startled” – chonkna (چونکنا), and say:
-I got startled suddenly by seeing him– me usy dekh kar chonk utha (میں اُسے دیکھ کر چونک اُٹھا)
Here, “startled” – chonkna (چونکنا) is already the complete action, but by combining it with the second verb to rise – uthna (اُٹھنا), we have just shown that it happened suddenly.
See, you have successfully made the compound verb “to get startled suddenly” – chonk uthna (چونک اُٹھنا).
To remember this second verb, you can think of “boom, surprise!”.
5. To Sit – Baithna (بیٹھنا)
If you have said something unintentionally and are regretting it but you don’t know how to express it in Urdu, simply use this compound verb and say: I didn’t mean that, I just said that in anger – Mera wo matlab nahi tha, me bs gusse main keh betha (میرا وہ مطلب نہیں تھا، میں بس غصے میں کہہ بیٹھا)
Isn’t this sentence giving away the energy of regret?
We use this second verb to do the same. It helps indicate that we didn’t mean to do or say that thing by adding the emotion of regret to the first verb.
Let’s look at other examples.
- To do something impulsively – kar baitha (کربیٹھا)
- To write something mistakenly – likh baitha (لکھ بیٹھا)
- To accept something blindly and regret it later – maan baitha (مان بیٹھا)
See, all these first verbs show the feeling of helplessness or regret by just adding the second verb to sit – baithna (بیٹھنا).
The trick to remember this second verb is to think of the reaction: “Oops! I didn’t mean to do that!”
Why To Use Compound Verbs In Urdu?
We use compound verbs to make our speech more expressive.
Imagine saying: “I wrote the wrong answer in a hurry” – me jaldi main ghalat jawab likh baitha (میں جلدی میں غلط جواب لکھ بیٹھا) instead of, “I wrote the wrong answer in a hurry” – me ne jaldi main ghalat jawab likh dia (میں نے جلدی میں غلط جواب لکھ دیا).
Look at how nuanced and expressive the former sentence is and how rough and direct the latter one is.
Just the slight substitution of the auxiliary verb dia (دیا) with the compound verb baitha (بیٹھا) has made this difference.
Therefore, we use compound verbs in Urdu to make our speech a little exaggerated but more expressive.
Tips To Master Compound Verbs In Urdu
Here are a few tips to help you easily master compound verbs in Urdu.
1. Note how the verbs are positioned. For instance, the first verb indicates the main action, and the second verb only intensifies the action expressed by the first verb.
2. Start with common and simple verb forms. For instance, to catch – pakar Lena (پکڑ لینا), to wake up – uth jana (اُٹھ جانا), and to go – chale jana (چلے جانا), etc.
3. Practice these compound verbs in Urdu by making simple sentences.
4. Listen to native speakers and try to copy them. It is the easiest way to understand how each compound verb works. So, interact with natives through Urdu movies or podcasts.
5. Speak to Urdu-speaking people and listen to them carefully. It will help you understand how they use the same compound verbs in different situations.
6. Use flashcards to learn the meaning of each second verb. For instance, on one side, write the second verb Lena (لینا) and write its meaning “to take” on the other for better retention.
Frequently Asked Questions Related To Compound Verbs In Urdu
1. Do Compound Verbs In Urdu Change The Meaning Of A Sentence?
Compound verbs in Urdu don’t actually change the sentence’s meaning—they only refine it. They do so by making the sentence more expressive or specific by clarifying or emphasizing the action.
For example, the verb study – parhna (پڑھنا) is an action verb, which simply indicates the action of studying. If we add the second verb to take – lena (لینا) with it, it will become a compound verb “do a study” – parh lena (پڑھ لینا). See, by just adding a small verb to take – lena (لینا), we have emphasized the action of studying.
2. Can Compound Verbs In Urdu Express Regret And Unintended Actions?
Yes, we use compound verbs in Urdu to express regret, guilt, or unintended actions. For instance, to accidentally say something that you shouldn’t say – keh baithna (کہہ بیٹھنا). If you have said something wrong and regret it, you can use this compound verb to express it. Like, “I accidentally said something wrong in anger” – me gusse main kuch ghalat keh baitha ( میں غصے میں کچھ غلط کہہ بیٹھا) or to do something impulsively and regret later – kar baithna (کر بیٹھنا)
You can express regret for any impulsive action with this compound verb. You can say, “I did that without thinking and regretted it” – me bagair soche samjhe wo kaam kar baitha (میں بغیر سوچے سمجھے وہ کام کر بیٹھا). Have you spotted another compound verb here? Yes, you got it right. Here, Soche samjhe (سوچے سمجھے) is indicating the action of thinking deeply. For example, to lose something – gawa dena (گوا دینا)
If you have lost something precious, for instance, an opportunity, and want to say, “I lost this opportunity because of my foolishness,” you can use this compound verb and say: I have lost this opportunity in my foolishness – me ne apni nadani main yeh moqa gawa dia (میں نے اپنی نادانی میں یہ موقع گوا دیا). You can learn more Urdu phrases to express regret if you want to advance your Urdu vocabulary.
3. What Is The Difference Between A Compound Slang Word And A Compound Verb In Urdu?
The second verb mainly differentiates between compound slang words and compound verbs in Urdu. Let’s look at them one by one. We have learned that compound verbs in Urdu contain two verbs that both work for the same action. For instance, the compound verb “cry out” – ro dena (رو دینا) has two verbs: Cry – ro (رو) and do – dena (دینا). Here, both verbs have separate meanings, but they collectively indicate one action: crying.
On the other hand, compound slang words in Urdu also combine two words. Yet, out of two, the first word is the main verb, and the other one is simply the repetitive or rhyming word, which we use for emphasis. For example: crying and fussing – rona dhona (رونا دھونا). Here, crying – rona (رونا) is the main verb, and fussing – dhona (دھونا) just rhymes with the first verb. It doesn’t tell anything about the action of crying.
Add Life To Your Conversations
Hopefully, you now have a solid grasp of how to use compound verbs in Urdu to make your conversations more engaging. With regular practice, you’ll find that they aren’t difficult to master.
Just keep in mind that two verbs only form a compound verb when the second verb adds meaning to or intensifies the first one. If it doesn’t serve this purpose, it’s likely just a slang term or a repetitive phrase.
To sum it up, we’ve listed five common second verbs that you can pair with first verbs to create compound verbs in Urdu.
We’ve also included a few quick tips to help you master them effortlessly and start using them in your conversations right away!
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