ले जाना

You use ले जाना when you are the one doing the taking. The subject of the sentence is the person or thing doing the moving. The object is what is being moved. The destination is often implied or stated. You can use it for physical objects, like books or bags. You can also use it for people, like taking a friend to the movies. It’s pretty versatile! It’s the action of removal and transport combined.

• At home: "मैं ये किताबें लाइब्रेरी में ले जाना चाहता हूँ।" (I want to take these books to the library.)
• On the street: "क्या आप इस भारी बैग को ले जाना चाहेंगे?" (Would you like to take this heavy bag?)
• With friends: "चलो, हम सब पिकनिक पर चलते हैं, मैं खाना ले जाना भूल गया।" (Let's all go for a picnic, I forgot to take the food.)
• In a store: "क्या मैं इस शर्ट को घर ले जाना चाहता हूँ?" (Do I want to take this shirt home?)

Use ले जाना when you are actively moving something from one place to another. Think about the entire process: picking it up, carrying it, and arriving somewhere else with it. If you are giving something to someone else to move, you might use a different phrase. If you are just picking something up but not moving it elsewhere, that’s also different. It's for the full 'take and go' experience. You'd use it when you're the mover, not just the giver or receiver.

Don't use ले जाना if you are simply *giving* something to someone. For example, if you hand a pen to a friend, you don't ले जाना the pen; you देना (give) it. Also, if you are just *bringing* something to a place without the intention of taking it away again, you might use लाना (to bring). ले जाना implies a one-way trip for the object being moved, from the speaker's current location. It’s not for abstract concepts either, like 'taking a decision.' That’s a whole other ballgame!

A very common mix-up is with लाना (to bring). Remember, ले जाना is 'take away' and लाना is 'bring here.' Another mistake is using it for abstract actions. You don't ले जाना a meeting; you attend it. Let's see some examples:

✗ मैं ये किताब घर ले जाना चाहता हूँ। (Meaning: I want to take this book *away* from home.)

✓ मैं ये किताब स्कूल से घर लाना चाहता हूँ। (Meaning: I want to bring this book home *from* school.)

✗ उसने मुझे एक उपहार ले जाना। (Incorrect structure)

✓ उसने मुझे एक उपहार दिया। (He gave me a gift.)

• उठाना (uthana): This means 'to lift' or 'to pick up.' It's just the first part of ले जाना. You lift it, then you ले जाना it.
• रखना (rakhna): This means 'to keep' or 'to put.' It's the opposite of taking something away. You ले जाना something *to* keep it somewhere else.
• देना (dena): Means 'to give.' You give something, but you don't necessarily ले जाना it yourself.
• लाना (lana): Means 'to bring.' This is the opposite direction of ले जाना.

• ले आओ (le aao): This is the imperative form, meaning 'bring (it)!' It's more direct and often used with friends. It's the 'bring it here' counterpart.
• ले चलो (le chalo): This means 'take (it) along' or 'let's take (it).' It implies taking something with you when you are going somewhere.
• ले लेना (le lena): This often means 'to take' in the sense of accepting something offered, or 'to take for oneself.' It can sometimes overlap with ले जाना but has a slightly different nuance of acquisition.

• Q: Is ले जाना always about physical objects?

A: Mostly, yes! It’s primarily for moving tangible things or people. For abstract ideas, you’d use different verbs.

• Q: What's the difference between ले जाना and लाना?

A: ले जाना is 'take away' (from here to there), while लाना is 'bring here' (from there to here). Think of direction!

• Q: Can ले जाना be used for people?

A: Absolutely! You can ले जाना your friend to the cinema or ले जाना your child to school.