# Hindi/Urdu and Panjabi: to fidget



## panjabigator

I cannot think of a word of phrase for this right now.  I think my mother says something that sounds like "uchar puchar," but I may have misheard.  Any ideas?  I was thinking of a context that encapsulates an inability to sit still, a behavior that is commonplace to families with children.


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## francais2008

"Uchar puchar" is squirming, like something uncomfortable or uninterested children might do. You can also use "tuppi". "Tuppi" is most commonly used as "hopping around" but it is many times used to mean fidgeting.


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## BP.

PG, is 'uchar puchar' how it is written phonetically? Could you write it for me in Urdu script?

Urdu:
Being fidgety indicates a state of _iztiraab_-اضطراب-, I think _kasmasaahaT_-کسمساھٹ- works better even if its not a bookish word.


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## panjabigator

Beligerent, I'm not too sure of it right now.  I'll have to ask my parents to say it.  Perhaps it is اچر پچر.


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## Faylasoof

In Urdu, apart from مُضطرَب ہونا ۔ muz_T_arib hon_ā_ (BP mentioned < _iztiraab_ اضطراب >- noun), we also have in Hindi-Urdu:

چلبلاناचुलबुलाना_chulbulānā_ = to be restless or fidgety, to fidget

This and _kasmasānā_ are better than مُضطرَب ہونا ۔ muz_T_arib hona:

کسمساناकसमसाना_kasmasānā_ = to wriggle / writhe; to fidget, be restless.

Then there is ۔ بيقَرار ہونا_beqar honā_. All of these we use a lot. 

But there is also:
کلملاناकलमलाना_kalmalānā_ = to flutter, to fidget*;* to be restless or uneasy, toss about, writhe, wriggle.

تانا بانا کرنا۔ _tānā b__ā__nā honā __._

These we don’t use much.


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## BP.

Never heard _taanaa baanaa_ before. But it looks like everyday vocabulary like _uhcar puchar_, the latter not sounding Urdu.

Interesting that _kalmalaana_ and _kasmasaana_ differ only between l and s at the same positions.

But I don't quiet agree with the use of _beqaraar hona_ (or _be chayn_/_be kal_/etc _hona_) in this case. Yes it fits the meaning, but it is more apt for greater distress.


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## Cilquiestsuens

Faylasoof said:


> چلبلاناचुलबुलाना_chulbulānā_ = to be restless or fidgety, to fidget
> 
> .


 
This one is very much used, especially its adjective chulbula...

I've even heard of someone nicknamed *chulbul*...


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## bakshink

Can't think of many words in Punjabi for "Fidget" Kasmasana, chulbulana may be used and understood. Bearami, Chinta, Fikar (fikr), Bechainee are some other words which are used.
Tappi Jana, BhuRRkna, Kudhakna, Fudhakna, Uchhlna may describe the state of restlessness. But they are more close in meaning to caper, gambol than fidget. They don't convey the anxiety which the word fidget conveys. 
Uchar-Puchar I think is used for beating about the bush, prevaricate or wasting time before doing the intended work. I know of  Chhangan-Maangan being used in such situations. 
Tana-bana, I can find in the dictionary for fidget but haven't heard it ever. There are words like Ttal-mattol, Heela- havala


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## Faylasoof

BelligerentPacifist said:


> Never heard _taanaa baanaa_ before. But it looks like everyday vocabulary like _uhcar puchar_, the latter not sounding Urdu.



Well, _taanaa baanaa _is pretty rare!



> Interesting that _kalmalaana_ and _kasmasaana_ differ only between l and s at the same positions.



The two quite likely have the same etymology. 



> But I don't quiet agree with the use of _beqaraar hona_ (or _be chayn_/_be kal_/etc _hona_) in this case. Yes it fits the meaning,





> but it is more apt for greater distress.




So also for  مُضطرَب ہونا muz_T_arib hon_ā _and _iztiraab_ اضطراب. In fact, we use it more to mean _distress_ as we take the original Arabic meaning of <disturbed, perturbed, upset etc.>.While _beqaraar hona _and_be qaraarii_ / _be chaynii _are used idiomatically by us to mean also fidgety  behaviour.


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## Faylasoof

Cilquiestsuens said:


> This one is very much used, especially its adjective chulbula...
> 
> I've even heard of someone nicknamed *chulbul*...



Yes, absolutely! 

... and there is also _chul hona_!


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## panjabigator

Very interesting.  
Faylasoof, maybe you can correct me, but is the word اضطراب used in the Mīr poem ھستی اپنی حباب كی سی ھے؟


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## BP.

gator could you please post that poem? It used to be a personal favourite but I forgot it over time. Thanks.

Am I right _Habaab_ is the proper word for a _bulbula_?


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## Faylasoof

panjabigator said:


> Very interesting.
> Faylasoof, maybe you can correct me, but is the word اضطراب used in the Mīr poem ھستی اپنی حباب كی سی ھے؟



... and right you are! Here it is:

ھستی اپنی حباب كی سی ہے 
یہ نُمائش سراب كی سی ہے 

TRANSLIT:
_hastii apnii Habāb kii sii hai
yeh numā'ish sarāb kii sii hai_

.....
بار بار اُس كے درپہ جاتا ہوں
حالت اب اضتراب كی سی ہے

TRANSLIT:
_bār bār us ke dar pah jātā hoo.n
Hālat ab izTirāb kii sii hai_

The above is a highly truncated ghazal of Mir. We are allowed to quote at most 4 lines!




BelligerentPacifist said:


> gator could you please post that poem? It used to be a personal favourite but I forgot it over time. Thanks.
> 
> Am I right Habaab is the proper word for a bulbula?



Well, حَباب _Habāb_ is from Arabic =  بُلبُلا  _bulbulā_ (derived apprently from Sanskrit  بدبد बुद् बुद _bud-bud_) =  هپهولا फफोला _phapholā (this _also means_ <blister>)._


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## nishabda

When I heard the word bekar/bekraar, I immediately thought of 

_bekraar dil...tarha..._something, verse from a song, meaning, the heart is restless

then, Belligerent indicated this word is intended for a larger distress, right on!

Question: Which part of the verb is ending in -aar?

Thank you.


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## Faylasoof

There is no verb here in either <_be_ _q*a*raar _/ _beq*a*raar_> or <_be_ _kaar_ / _bekaar>_!

If you wish to use them as verbs you'll need to add the verbs _<hona_ = to be> or _<karna_ = to do>, e.g. _be qaraar hona_ = to be restless / fidgety; _be kaar hona_ = to be useless / be out of work. 


बेक्रार _be qaraar_ is derived from _qaraar_ قرار = rest, tranquility; consistency, stability, firmness; agreement. Which in turn comes from the Arabic verb, قَرَّ _qarra_.
[the क needs a dot -> <q> and not <k>, although now in common Hindi pronunciation they use the <k> sound. In Urdu we keep the original <q>]. The addition of _be_ means without. So بے قرار / بیقرار _be qaraar_ = restless, fidgety etc.


Similarly, बेकार _be kaar_ is derived from _kaar_كار = work - from Persian. Addition of _be_ here has the same effect, giving it the meaning of without. So again, _be kaar_ بے كار / بیكار = without work _or_ useless. 
[The exact meaning will depend on the context.] 

So, to answer your question in another way, the _-aar_ is part of the word and not a suffix. The only addition is the prefix _be_ بے in both to mean _without_.


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## Qureshpor

panjabigator said:


> I cannot think of a word of phrase for this right now.  I think my mother says something that sounds like "uchar puchar," but I may have misheard.  Any ideas?  I was thinking of a context that encapsulates an inability to sit still, a behavior that is commonplace to families with children.



*Would 'khujtaaN karnaa" fit the bill?*


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## panjabigator

QURESHPOR said:


> *Would 'khujtaaN karnaa" fit the bill?*


 
Fidgety, in the sense of scratching all over?


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## Qureshpor

According to one dictionary "nichal puNRaa karnaa"


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