# Hindi/Urdu: Bolnaa vs Kehnaa



## Kahaani

Hi,

I always thought that _bolnaa_ meant 'to tell' and _kehnaa _'to speak'. But I've recently discovered that _bolnaa_ is looked down upon or associated with certain stereotypes no matter the context in which it's used. 

I.e. _Jaanwar bolte hain, insaan kehte hain. 


_What is your opinion on the matter?

Thank you,


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## littlepond

There is no element of looking down upon, Kahaani jii: it is just that you were thinking the other way round. bolnaa means to speak, and kaihnaa means to tell. So, considering that many think that humans are superior species, humans tell, animals only speak.


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## Alfaaz

Relevant thread: South Asian Languages: <bolnaa> and transitivity


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## Qureshpor

Kahaani said:


> Hi,
> 
> I always thought that _bolnaa_ meant 'to tell' and _kehnaa _'to speak'. But I've recently discovered that _bolnaa_ is looked down upon or associated with certain stereotypes no matter the context in which it's used.
> 
> I.e. _Jaanwar bolte hain, insaan kehte hain.
> 
> 
> _What is your opinion on the matter?
> 
> Thank you,


My answer is linked only to the language known as Urdu-i-mu3allaa.

I would simply say that "kahnaa" is "to say", "bolnaa" is "to speak/to utter" and "bataanaa" is "to tell". Having said this, there is always going to be some overlap. As for being looked down upon when using "bolnaa" it depends on what you say. If you said, "maiN ne bolaa", then you have your answer. 

kal shab mujhe be-shakl kii aavaaz ne chaunkaa diyaa
maiN ne *kahaa*, tuu kaun hai, us ne *kahaa*, "aavaaragii"!

Muhsin Naqvi

jise sun ke ruuH mahak uThe, jise pii ke dard chahak uThe,
tire saaz meN vuh sadaa nahiiN tire maikade meN vuh mai nahiiN.

kahaaN ab vuh mausam-i-raNg-o-buu, kih ragoN meN *bol* uThe lahuu
yuuN hii naagavaar chubhan sii hai kih jo shaamil-i-rag-o-pai naheeN

Nasir Kazimi

ai des se aane vaale *bataa* kis Haal meN haiN yaaraan-i-vatan
aavaarah-i-Ghurbat ko bhii sunaa kis raNg meN haiN kan3aan-i-vatan
vuh BaaG-i-vatan, firdaus-i-vatan, vuh sarv-i-vatan, raiHaan-i-vatan
ai de se aane vaale *bataa*.....

Akhtar Sherani

This thread has some interesting discussion on the subject. 

http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=1208582&highlight=bolnaa+vs+kahnaa


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## mundiya

Qureshpor said:


> I would simply say that "kahnaa" is "to say", "bolnaa" is "to speak/to utter" and "bataanaa" is "to tell". Having said this, there is always going to be some overlap.



I agree with this.


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## Kahaani

Thank you very much


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## Stranger_

Is "bataanaa" used in spoken language?

I have only heard "kahnaa" and "bolnaa". 

Take this sentence for example: [Tell him to come home early/quickly], in Persian: [بهش بگو زود بیاد خونه ~ behesh beguu zuud biaad xuune]

→ us ko/us se bolo jaldii ghar aa'e
→ us se kaho jaldii ghar aa'e

Could we use "bataanaa" in this instance?


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## BP.

boolnaa - to speak
kahnaa - to say


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## marrish

Stranger_ said:


> Is "bataanaa" used in spoken language?
> I have only heard "kahnaa" and "bolnaa".
> Take this sentence for example: [Tell him to come home early/quickly], in Persian: [بهش بگو زود بیاد خونه ~ behesh beguu zuud biaad xuune]
> → us ko/us se bolo jaldii ghar aa'e
> → us se kaho jaldii ghar aa'e
> Could we use "bataanaa" in this instance?


_bataanaa_ is used very much in spoken language (Urdu). Edit: in order to address your other questions, let me say (mujhe kahne diijiye) that I agree with, QP, mundiya and BP SaaHib. I not only agree but support their cause and wish to subscribe to their posts. I think I wouldn't agree with littlepond jii because he said " kahnaa/to tell" *I made a mistake and wrote here "bolnaa/to speak" which is obviously right. Sorry* but of course, as the more knowledgeable contributors have emphasised, there is a certain overlap so I would not oppose LP's post. After all it is about Hindi.

[Urdu:]
_us se jaldii ghar aane ko kaho!
us se kaho kih wuh jaldii ghar aa'e!
BUT
us ko bataa'o kih wuh (maiN chaahtaa huuN kiH) jaldii ghar aa'e.

us ko bataa'o kih use jaldii ghar aanaa chaahiye.
us ko bataa'o (kih maiN ne kahaa) kih wuh jaldii ghar aa'e.
_
_maiN ne tum se jaldii aane kaa kahaa thaa. kyaa kahte ho? (no answer) bolo to sahii!_


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## mundiya

Stranger_ said:


> Is "bataanaa" used in spoken language?
> 
> I have only heard "kahnaa" and "bolnaa".
> 
> Take this sentence for example: [Tell him to come home early/quickly], in Persian: [بهش بگو زود بیاد خونه ~ behesh beguu zuud biaad xuune]
> 
> → us ko/us se bolo jaldii ghar aa'e
> → us se kaho jaldii ghar aa'e
> 
> Could we use "bataanaa" in this instance?



"bataanaa" is very common in Hindi.  It is a necessary verb.  Besides the answers marrish provided about the specific examples you asked about, here is another example.

mujhe bataao ki vahaa.n kaun thaa - Tell me who was there

Only "bataanaa" fits in this sentence, not "kahnaa" or "bolnaa".


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## littlepond

"bataanaa" is indeed a very common word in Hindi, and for want of a better word in English, it can often be indeed translated as "to tell". However, at least for me, "bataanaa" always implies a kind of "specify" in it: a telling that involves specifying (something to someone). "kaihnaa" is indeed "to say", but it can often be also "to tell". "bolnaa" is by default is "to speak", but just as in English, it can sometimes mean "to tell".

mundiya jii, aapka vaakya "mujhe bataao ki vahaa.n kaun thaa" mere hisaab se anya tarah se bhii likha jaa sakta hai, maslan:

(1) mujh se bolna zaraa ki vahaan kaun thaa
(2) kaho ki vahaan kaun tha

One could say that (2) above is more mapping to "say", but then is the line between "say" and "tell" so clear, so rigid?

However, one cannot use "kaihna" in the following sentence:
aap mujhe raastaa bataayenge kyaa? (will you show me the way?)

So, as I said about the "specifying" element above, "bataanaa" can often be even translated as "to show".

One can however use "aap mujhe raastaa kahenge kyaa", but the meaning changes (even if the end result might be the same): now raastaa has become a food recipe, which is being told, not shown (not specified).


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## Stranger_

Thank you guys, really well explained.



> _maiN ne tum se jaldii aane kaa kahaa thaa. kyaa kahte ho? (no answer) bolo to sahii!_


marrish jii, could you translate the last two parts?


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## Kahaani

I would translate it as;

Kyaa kahte ho? = 'What do you say' ('what are you saying')?
Bolo to sahii! = 'Tell it truthfully' or 'say it correctly/right'

Is this correct?


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## Stranger_

Oh how dumb of me not to remember that "tum" is simply omitted in spoken language! Let us wait to see what the second phrase means.


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## marrish

The second phrase's meaning is different than Kahaani's suggestion. I don't have any obvious translation at the moment; the part "_to sahii_" is quite idiomatic and difficult for me so I wish other friends can do it.


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## Alfaaz

Kahaani said:
			
		

> Bolo to sahii! = 'Tell it truthfully' or 'say it correctly/right'
> 
> Is this correct?


 As marrish SaaHib has pointed out, it is سہی -_ sahii _(not صحیح - _SaHeeH_).





			
				marrish said:
			
		

> _maiN ne tum se jaldii aane kaa kahaa thaa. kyaa kahte ho? (no answer) bolo to sahii!
> _
> I don't have any obvious translation at the moment; the part "to sahii" is quite idiomatic and difficult for me so I wish other friends can do it.


Do the following seem appropriate? 

_bolo to sahii!_ - (with a tone of requesting/pleading rather than ordering): 

_At least speak up/say something! _
_Come on! Just/please say something! _


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## marrish

Alfaaz said:


> As marrish SaaHib has pointed out, it is سہی -_ sahii _(not صحیح - _SaHeeH_).
> Do the following seem appropriate?
> 
> _bolo to sahii!_ - (with a tone of requesting/pleading rather than ordering):
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _At least speak up/say something! _
> 
> _Come on! Just/please say something! _


janaab Alfaaz SaaHib's both translations are spot-on. The translation of bolnaa likewise. Thank you.


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## marrish

Is this sentence incorrect? (a quiz question )

_wuh achchhii urduu kahtaa hae_.


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## Qureshpor

marrish said:


> Is this sentence incorrect? (a quiz question )
> 
> _wuh achchhii urduu kahtaa hae_.


I would say, you know the answer which is "Yes". However, if you replace "Urdu" by "Ghazal", the answer would be "No".


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## littlepond

marrish said:


> Is this sentence incorrect? (a quiz question )
> 
> _wuh achchhii urduu kahtaa hae_.



I would say, yes, incorrect.


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