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सड़ना

A2 verb 9 min read

सड़ना

sadna

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips सड़ना in 30 Seconds

Explanation सड़ना in your Level:

At the A1 level, you only need to know 'सड़ना' as a word for 'rotting' in the context of food. Think of it as the opposite of 'ताज़ा' (fresh). You might use it in simple sentences like 'The apple is rotten' (सेब सड़ा है). It's a useful word to know when shopping for vegetables or checking the fridge. At this stage, don't worry about metaphorical meanings. Just remember that it sounds like 'saḍ-nā' and it means something is no longer good to eat because it has gone bad and smells. You will mostly see it in the past form 'सड़ गया' (rotted) or the adjective form 'सड़ा हुआ' (rotten). It's a basic survival word for daily life in India, especially in the heat where food spoils quickly.

At the A2 level, you begin to use 'सड़ना' in more varied sentences. You can talk about the weather causing things to rot, like 'The rain made the wood rot' (बारिश से लकड़ी सड़ गई). You also learn the continuous form 'सड़ रहा है' to describe an ongoing process. You might start hearing it in simple figurative ways, like 'rotting in one place' (एक जगह सड़ना), meaning staying somewhere boring for too long. You should also be able to distinguish 'सड़ना' from 'खराब होना' (to break down/go bad). You'll notice that 'सड़ना' is specifically for organic things that smell when they go bad. This level also involves understanding basic warnings like 'Don't eat this, it's rotting' (इसे मत खाओ, यह सड़ रहा है).

At the B1 level, you can use 'सड़ना' to describe more complex situations. You might talk about environmental issues, like garbage 'rotting' in the streets and causing diseases. You understand the difference between the intransitive 'सड़ना' (to rot) and the transitive 'सड़ाना' (to cause to rot). You can use the word in the context of health, such as a wound 'rotting' (infection). You also begin to understand its use in social and political contexts, such as 'corruption rotting the system'. Your vocabulary expands to include the noun 'सड़न' (rot/stench). You can express hypothetical situations: 'If we don't clean this, it will start to rot' (अगर हम इसे साफ़ नहीं करेंगे, तो यह सड़ने लगेगा).

At the B2 level, you use 'सड़ना' with more nuance and in abstract discussions. You can participate in debates about social decay or the 'rotting' of institutional integrity. You are comfortable with various idiomatic expressions like 'जेल में सड़ना' (to rot in jail) or 'फाइलों में सड़ना' (to be buried/rot in paperwork). You can describe the biological process of decomposition in more detail, perhaps using related terms like 'अपघटन' (decomposition). You understand the cultural connotations of the word—how it implies neglect and a lack of dignity. You can also use it to describe the stagnation of one's career or creative life with more descriptive flair.

At the C1 level, 'सड़ना' becomes a tool for literary and philosophical expression. You can analyze how authors use the imagery of 'rot' to symbolize moral bankruptcy or the passage of time in Hindi literature. You can use the word in highly formal contexts, such as discussing the 'biological decay' of an ecosystem or the 'systemic rot' in a complex bureaucracy. You understand the subtle differences between 'सड़ना' and its synonyms like 'क्षय' or 'विघटन' in academic writing. You can use the word in sophisticated metaphors, describing how a secret can 'rot' a person from the inside. Your usage is indistinguishable from a native speaker's, including the correct emotional tone.

At the C2 level, you have a complete mastery of 'सड़ना'. You can play with the word in poetry or high-level rhetoric, using it to evoke specific visceral reactions. You understand its etymological roots and how it relates to similar words in other Indo-Aryan languages. You can discuss the word's historical usage and how its connotations have evolved in modern Hindi. You can use it in puns or dry humor, perhaps ironically. You are aware of regional variations in its usage across the Hindi belt. Whether you are writing a scientific paper on decomposition or a searing critique of modern society, you use 'सड़ना' and its derivatives with absolute precision and creative power.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

सड़ना in 30 Seconds

सड़ना means 'to rot' or 'to decay' literally for food and organic matter.
It is also used figuratively for people languishing in bad situations like jail or a dead-end job.
The word implies a foul smell, loss of quality, and a sense of neglect or stagnation.
Grammatically, it is an intransitive verb, often paired with the auxiliary verb 'जाना' as 'सड़ जाना'.

The Hindi verb सड़ना (saḍnā) is a fundamental term used to describe the biological process of decay, decomposition, and putrefaction. At its most literal level, it refers to organic matter—such as food, vegetation, or animal remains—breaking down due to the action of bacteria, fungi, or environmental factors. However, in the rich tapestry of the Hindi language, its utility extends far beyond the compost heap. It is a word that carries sensory weight, often evoking the smell of pungent gases or the sight of changing textures. When an apple turns brown and mushy, it is सड़ रहा है (saḍ rahā hai). When leaves turn into mulch on the forest floor, the same verb applies. It is an intransitive verb, meaning the action happens to the subject without an external agent 'doing' the rotting in a direct grammatical sense (though one can 'cause' something to rot using the causative form सड़ाना).

Literal Decomposition: This refers to the physical breakdown of organic substances. For example, 'गर्मी में सब्जियां जल्दी सड़ जाती हैं' (Vegetables rot quickly in the heat).
Figurative Languishing: Used to describe a person stuck in a miserable, stagnant, or unproductive situation for a long time. For example, 'वह सालों से जेल में सड़ रहा है' (He has been rotting in jail for years).
Societal Decay: In political or social discourse, it describes the corruption or moral decline of an institution. 'यह सिस्टम अंदर से सड़ चुका है' (This system has rotted from within).

टोकरी में रखे सारे फल सड़ गए हैं। (All the fruits kept in the basket have rotted.)

अगर तुम मेहनत नहीं करोगे, तो इसी दफ्तर में सड़ते रहोगे। (If you don't work hard, you will keep rotting in this office.)

The emotional resonance of सड़ना is almost always negative. It implies waste, neglect, and the passage of time without care. In literature, it is used to highlight the plight of the marginalized—those whose lives are 'rotting' in poverty. In environmental science contexts in Hindi, it is the process that leads to the formation of 'खाद' (compost), showing that while the word is negative in a culinary sense, it is vital in a biological one. Understanding the nuance between सड़ना (to rot) and खराब होना (to go bad/spoil) is key; while all rotting is spoiling, not all spoiling is rotting. For instance, milk 'spoils' (फटता है or खराब होता है), but it doesn't usually 'rot' (सड़ता है) in the same way a piece of meat does.

बाढ़ के पानी में फसलें सड़ गईं। (The crops rotted in the floodwater.)

पुरानी यादों को मन में दबाए रखने से इंसान अंदर ही अंदर सड़ने लगता है। (By suppressing old memories in the mind, a person starts rotting from within.)

Using सड़ना correctly requires understanding its conjugation as a regular '-nā' ending verb and its specific contexts. It follows the standard rules for intransitive verbs in Hindi. Because it usually refers to a process that takes time, you will frequently see it in the continuous aspect (सड़ रहा है) or the perfective aspect (सड़ गया). It is rarely used in the imperative (you wouldn't tell someone to rot, unless you are cursing them), but it is common in conditional and future tenses to warn about the consequences of neglect.

Present Continuous (Ongoing process): खाना बाहर मत छोड़ो, वह सड़ रहा है। (Don't leave the food outside, it is rotting.)
Past Perfect (Completed state): जब तक हम पहुँचे, मांस सड़ चुका था। (By the time we arrived, the meat had already rotted.)
Future Warning (Consequence): अगर फ्रिज ठीक नहीं हुआ, तो सारा सामान सड़ जाएगा। (If the fridge isn't fixed, everything will rot.)

कूड़े के ढेर से सड़ने की बदबू आ रही है। (A smell of rotting is coming from the garbage pile.)

In a metaphorical sense, the word is used to describe stagnation. If you are 'rotting' in a job, you use the oblique form सड़ने with a postposition or as a gerund. For example, 'एक ही जगह सड़ते रहना अच्छी बात नहीं है' (It is not a good thing to keep rotting in one place). Here, the verb describes a lack of growth and a sense of being trapped. It is also used to describe things that are 'rotting away' due to rust or chemical decay, though जंग लगना is more specific for metal. In the context of wood, सड़ना implies the damp rot caused by water and fungus.

बारिश की वजह से दरवाजे की लकड़ी सड़ रही है। (The wood of the door is rotting because of the rain.)

When discussing health, सड़ना is used for gangrene or severe infection where tissue dies. 'उसका घाव सड़ गया था' (His wound had rotted/become gangrenous). This is a very serious medical context. In contrast, for a simple tooth cavity, we say 'दाँत में कीड़ा लगना' or 'दाँत सड़ना'. So, 'मेरे दाँत सड़ रहे हैं' means 'My teeth are decaying/rotting'. This shows the versatility of the word from household chores to medical emergencies to existential crises.

You will encounter सड़ना in several distinct environments in India. The most common is the kitchen or the marketplace (Sabzi Mandi). Vendors might shout about how their produce is fresh and not 'rotting'. Housewives might complain to their domestic help about vegetables 'rotting' in the back of the pantry. It is a word of daily survival and household management. If you walk past a municipal waste bin (dhalao) in a city like Delhi or Mumbai, the smell is often described using this verb.

At the Market: 'ये टमाटर तो सड़े हुए हैं!' (These tomatoes are rotten!) - A common complaint during price negotiations.
In News and Media: News anchors often use it to describe government apathy: 'अनाज गोदामों में सड़ रहा है, जबकि गरीब भूखा है' (Grain is rotting in godowns while the poor are hungry).
In Bollywood Movies: Villains are often told, 'तू जेल में सड़ेगा!' (You will rot in jail!), a classic trope in crime dramas.

इतनी गर्मी है कि दूध एक घंटे में सड़ जाएगा। (It's so hot that the milk will rot in an hour - though 'fat jayega' is more common for milk, 'sadna' is used for the smell.)

Beyond the literal, you'll hear it in social commentary. Intellectuals and writers use सड़ना to describe the 'rotting' of traditional values or the 'decay' of urban infrastructure. In monsoon seasons, the word is everywhere—referring to the 'rotting' garbage on flooded streets or the 'rotting' smell of damp clothes that haven't dried properly. It is a word that captures the visceral reality of tropical climates where decomposition happens rapidly. It is also used in the context of 'teeth decay' in dental advertisements: 'सड़न से बचाए' (Protects from decay).

For English speakers, the biggest challenge with सड़ना is distinguishing it from other verbs that mean 'to spoil' or 'to break down'. Hindi has specific verbs for different types of 'going bad'. Using सड़ना for everything can make you sound unnatural. Another common mistake is the pronunciation of the retroflex 'ड़', which if pronounced as a dental 'द' (sadna vs. sad-na), changes the word entirely or makes it unintelligible.

Mistaking 'सड़ना' for 'खराब होना': 'खराब होना' (Kharāb honā) is a general term for 'breaking down' or 'going bad'. You can say a machine is 'खराब', but you can't say a machine is 'सड़ना' unless it is literally decomposing (which machines don't do).
Confusing with 'गलना' (Galnā): 'गलना' means to melt or to become soft/mushy. While rotting involves softening, 'गलना' is often positive (like meat getting tender) or neutral (ice melting), whereas 'सड़ना' is always negative.
Transitive vs. Intransitive: Don't say 'मैंने खाना सड़ाया' (I rotted the food) unless you did it on purpose (like making compost). Usually, the food rots on its own: 'खाना सड़ गया'.

Incorrect: मेरा फोन सड़ गया है। (My phone has rotted.)
Correct: मेरा फोन खराब हो गया है। (My phone has stopped working.)

Another nuance is with liquids. While you can say 'पानी सड़ गया' (the water has become stagnant and foul), for milk, 'फट जाना' (curdling) or 'खराब होना' is preferred. If you say 'दूध सड़ गया', it implies a very advanced state of foulness, perhaps with a stench, rather than just being sour. Beginners also often forget to use the auxiliary verb 'जाना' with 'सड़ना'. In Hindi, change-of-state verbs often take 'जाना' to indicate completion: 'सड़ गया' (rotted) rather than just 'सड़ा'.

To expand your Hindi vocabulary, it's helpful to know words that are related to सड़ना but offer different shades of meaning. Depending on whether you are talking about chemistry, cooking, or social issues, you might choose a different term. The most common alternative is the general 'खराब होना', but there are much more specific ones used in formal or scientific Hindi.

अपघटित होना (Apghaṭit honā): This is the formal/scientific word for 'to decompose'. You will see this in biology textbooks or environmental reports.
गलना (Galnā): Specifically means 'to dissolve' or 'to overcook to a mush'. If you leave a potato in water too long, it might 'gal' (soften), but if it starts smelling, it is 'saḍ'.
बासी होना (Bāsī honā): Means 'to become stale'. This is used for bread or leftovers that are no longer fresh but haven't necessarily started rotting yet.
दुर्गंध आना (Durgandh ānā): Means 'to emit a foul smell'. This often accompanies 'सड़ना', but focuses on the olfactory aspect.

Comparison: 'बर्फ गल रही है' (Ice is melting) vs 'फल सड़ रहा है' (Fruit is rotting).

In a more poetic or literary context, you might use 'क्षय होना' (kṣay honā), which means 'to erode' or 'to waste away', often used for the body (as in tuberculosis) or for values. If you want to describe a person who is wasting their life, you could say 'ज़िन्दगी बर्बाद करना' (wasting life) or 'ज़िन्दगी सड़ाना' (rotting life). The latter is much more visceral and suggests a sense of filth or extreme neglect. Knowing these alternatives allows you to tailor your speech to the level of formality and the specific type of 'decay' you wish to describe.

Formal usage: 'जैविक कचरा सड़कर खाद बन जाता है।' (Organic waste rots and becomes manure.)

How Formal Is It?

Fun Fact

The retroflex 'ड़' (ṛ) in 'सड़ना' is a characteristic sound of Indo-Aryan languages that developed from earlier 'd' sounds between vowels. It gives the word its 'crunchy' or visceral sound, which native speakers find very expressive of the physical process of rotting.

Pronunciation Guide

UK /səɽ.nɑː/

US /səɽ.nɑː/

The stress is slightly more on the second syllable '-nā', but Hindi generally has even syllable stress.

Rhymes With

पड़ना (paḍnā - to fall) लड़ना (laḍnā - to fight) चढ़ना (caḍhnā - to climb) बढ़ना (baḍhnā - to grow) गड़ना (gaḍnā - to be buried) झड़ना (jhaḍnā - to shed) सड़ना (saḍnā - to rot) कड़ना (kaḍnā - to harden/rare)

Common Errors

Pronouncing 'ड़' (ṛ) as a simple English 'd'. This makes it sound like 'sadna', which is incorrect.
Pronouncing 'ड़' (ṛ) as a rolled 'r'. It should be a single flap.
Making the first 'a' too long (like 'saadna'). It should be short.
Nasalizing the 'nā' too much.
Failing to flap the tongue, resulting in a 't' sound.

Difficulty Rating

Reading 2/5

The word is common in newspapers and stories, easy to recognize.

Writing 3/5

Requires correct spelling of the retroflex 'ड़'.

Speaking 4/5

The retroflex flap 'ड़' is very difficult for English speakers to master.

Listening 3/5

Can be confused with 'सराना' (to praise) if not heard clearly.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

खाना (food) खराब (bad) बदबू (smell) जाना (to go - as auxiliary) होना (to be)

Learn Next

सड़ाना (to cause to rot) गलना (to melt/dissolve) बासी (stale) दुर्गंध (foul smell) सड़न (rot - noun)

Advanced

अपघटन (decomposition) विघटन (disintegration) पतन (decline/fall) वीभत्स (gruesome/loathsome)

Grammar to Know

Intransitive Verb Usage

The subject undergoes the action: 'आम सड़ गया' (The mango rotted).

Auxiliary 'जाना' for Completion

Most change-of-state verbs in Hindi take 'जाना': 'सड़ जाना'.

Retroflex Flap 'ड़'

This sound never starts a word in Hindi. It always appears in the middle or end, as in 'सड़ना'.

Causative Formation

To make someone/something rot: 'सड़ना' (to rot) -> 'सड़ाना' (to cause to rot).

Gerundive Use

'सड़ने की बदबू' - Here 'सड़ने' acts as a noun (the act of rotting).

Examples by Level

यह केला सड़ गया है।

This banana has rotted.

Uses the past perfect 'सड़ गया'.

सड़ा हुआ खाना मत खाओ।

Don't eat rotten food.

Uses 'सड़ा हुआ' as an adjective.

क्या यह सेब सड़ रहा है?

Is this apple rotting?

Present continuous interrogative.

टोकरी में फल सड़ रहे हैं।

Fruits are rotting in the basket.

Plural subject with 'रहे हैं'.

यहाँ सड़ने की बदबू है।

There is a smell of rotting here.

Uses the gerund 'सड़ने' with 'की'.

गर्मी में खाना सड़ जाता है।

Food rots in the heat.

Habitual present 'सड़ जाता है'.

सड़ा हुआ आलू फेंक दो।

Throw away the rotten potato.

Imperative sentence.

सब्जी सड़ गई है।

The vegetable has rotted.

Feminine subject 'सब्जी' matches 'सड़ गई'.

बारिश की वजह से लकड़ी सड़ रही है।

The wood is rotting because of the rain.

Shows cause with 'की वजह से'.

अगर तुम खाना फ्रिज में नहीं रखोगे, तो वह सड़ जाएगा।

If you don't put the food in the fridge, it will rot.

Conditional 'अगर... तो' with future tense.

वह सालों से इस छोटे कमरे में सड़ रहा है।

He has been rotting in this small room for years.

Figurative use for languishing.

कूड़े के ढेर को मत छुओ, वह सड़ चुका है।

Don't touch the garbage pile, it has already rotted.

Past perfect 'सड़ चुका है'.

पौधों की जड़ें पानी में सड़ गईं।

The roots of the plants rotted in the water.

Plural feminine subject 'जड़ें'.

तुम्हारे दाँत सड़ रहे हैं, डॉक्टर के पास जाओ।

Your teeth are decaying, go to the doctor.

Context of dental decay.

पुरानी किताबें बक्से में सड़ रही थीं।

Old books were rotting in the box.

Past continuous 'सड़ रही थीं'.

बासी खाना सड़ने लगता है।

Stale food starts to rot.

Inceptive 'लगने' construction.

जब सरकार ध्यान नहीं देती, तो अनाज गोदामों में सड़ने लगता है।

When the government doesn't pay attention, grain starts rotting in warehouses.

Complex sentence with 'जब... तो'.

घाव को साफ़ रखो वरना वह सड़ जाएगा।

Keep the wound clean, otherwise it will rot (become gangrenous).

Medical context/warning.

भ्रष्टाचार की वजह से पूरा सिस्टम अंदर से सड़ रहा है।

The whole system is rotting from within because of corruption.

Abstract/metaphorical use.

नदी का पानी रुकने की वजह से सड़ गया है।

The river water has rotted (become stagnant) because it stopped flowing.

Describes stagnation.

क्या सड़ी हुई पत्तियों से अच्छी खाद बनती है?

Does good compost come from rotted leaves?

Scientific/Agricultural context.

वह अपनी प्रतिभा को इस बेकार नौकरी में सड़ा रहा है।

He is rotting (wasting) his talent in this useless job.

Transitive 'सड़ा रहा' used metaphorically.

मछली बहुत जल्दी सड़ने लगती है।

Fish starts to rot very quickly.

General fact/habitual.

बाढ़ के बाद सड़ते हुए जानवरों की वजह से बीमारियाँ फैल गईं।

After the flood, diseases spread because of rotting animals.

Participial adjective 'सड़ते हुए'.

नैतिकता के बिना समाज सड़ने लगता है।

Without morality, society begins to rot.

Sociological context.

कैदी दस साल से कालकोठरी में सड़ रहा था।

The prisoner had been rotting in the dungeon for ten years.

Emphasizes duration and suffering.

अगर जड़ों में सड़न लग जाए, तो पेड़ को बचाना मुश्किल होता है।

If rot sets into the roots, it's hard to save the tree.

Uses noun form 'सड़न'.

फिल्म में दिखाया गया है कि कैसे सत्ता इंसानों को अंदर से सड़ा देती है।

The movie shows how power rots humans from the inside.

Causative 'सड़ा देना' for effect.

सड़ते हुए कचरे का प्रबंधन एक बड़ी चुनौती है।

Management of rotting waste is a big challenge.

Formal/Technical context.

उसकी लाश जंगलों में सड़ती रही और किसी को पता भी नहीं चला।

His body kept rotting in the forests and no one even found out.

Continuative aspect 'सड़ती रही'.

अमीर देशों में बहुत सारा खाना सड़कर बर्बाद हो जाता है।

In rich countries, a lot of food rots and goes to waste.

Conjunctive participle 'सड़कर'.

बिना हवा के बीज सड़ सकते हैं।

Without air, seeds can rot.

Possibility with 'सकते हैं'.

इस व्यवस्था की जड़ें इतनी सड़ चुकी हैं कि सुधार नामुमकिन है।

The roots of this system have rotted so much that reform is impossible.

Highly metaphorical and intense.

लेखक ने समाज की सड़न को अपनी कहानी का मुख्य विषय बनाया है।

The author has made the rot of society the main theme of his story.

Literary analysis.

जैसे-जैसे शव सड़ने लगता है, रासायनिक परिवर्तन होने लगते हैं।

As the corpse begins to rot, chemical changes start to occur.

Scientific/Forensic context.

आलस्य मनुष्य के दिमाग को सड़ा देता है।

Laziness rots a person's brain.

Philosophical warning.

वह अपनी पुरानी नफरतों में सड़ रहा है।

He is rotting in his old hatreds.

Metaphor for psychological state.

दलदली इलाकों में वनस्पतियों के सड़ने से मीथेन गैस निकलती है।

Methane gas is released from the rotting of vegetation in marshy areas.

Environmental science.

इतिहास गवाह है कि जो सभ्यताएँ नहीं बदलीं, वे अंदर से सड़कर खत्म हो गईं।

History is witness that civilizations that didn't change rotted from within and perished.

Historical/Rhetorical.

उसकी आँखों में एक सड़ती हुई उम्मीद दिखाई दे रही थी।

A rotting hope was visible in his eyes.

Poetic/Abstract imagery.

अस्तित्ववाद के अनुसार, अर्थहीनता में सड़ना ही आधुनिक मनुष्य की नियति है।

According to existentialism, rotting in meaninglessness is the fate of modern man.

Philosophical discourse.

उपन्यासकार ने महानगर की सड़न को बहुत ही वीभत्स तरीके से चित्रित किया है।

The novelist has depicted the rot of the metropolis in a very gruesome manner.

Advanced literary criticism.

क्या यह संभव है कि प्रेम भी समय के साथ सड़ जाए और नफरत में बदल जाए?

Is it possible that love too might rot over time and turn into hatred?

Contemplative/Abstract.

राजनीतिक पतन की यह सड़न अब असहनीय हो चुकी है।

This rot of political decline has now become unbearable.

Strong political rhetoric.

कोशिकाओं के सड़ने की प्रक्रिया को एपोप्टोसिस से अलग समझा जाना चाहिए।

The process of cell rotting (necrosis) should be understood as distinct from apoptosis.

Medical/Biological precision.

वह अपनी ही महानता के बोझ तले सड़ रहा था।

He was rotting under the burden of his own greatness.

Paradoxical metaphor.

भाषा की सड़न तब शुरू होती है जब शब्द अपना अर्थ खोने लगते हैं।

The rot of language begins when words start losing their meaning.

Linguistic philosophy.

इस सड़न के बीच ही नए जीवन के अंकुर फूटेंगे।

Amidst this rot, the sprouts of new life will burst forth.

Spiritual/Cyclical imagery.

Common Collocations

सड़ा हुआ

सड़ने की बदबू

अंदर से सड़ना

जेल में सड़ना

जड़ें सड़ना

दाँत सड़ना

सड़-गल जाना

सड़ने लगना

पूरी तरह सड़ना

सड़न पैदा होना

Common Phrases

सड़ जाना

— To rot completely. This is the most common way to use the verb in the past tense.

सारा खाना सड़ गया।

सड़न मारना

— To stink of rot. Used when a place smells very bad.

यहाँ तो सड़न मार रही है!

सड़ते रहना

— To keep rotting or to keep languishing in a bad state.

वह अपनी गरीबी में सड़ता रहा।

सड़ा-भुना

— Rotten and burnt (figuratively used for something in very bad shape).

उसकी सड़ी-भुनी बातें मुझे पसंद नहीं।

सड़न रोकना

— To stop the rot or decay.

अचार में नमक सड़न रोकता है।

सड़ने की प्रक्रिया

— The process of rotting/decomposition.

सड़ने की प्रक्रिया धीमी है।

सड़ी हुई बदबू

— A rotten smell.

सड़ी हुई बदबू से मेरा सिर चकरा गया।

सड़कर राख होना

— To rot away into nothing (often used for wood or organic matter).

लकड़ी सड़कर राख हो गई।

सड़ने से बचाना

— To save from rotting.

फलों को सड़ने से बचाना ज़रूरी है।

सड़न की समस्या

— The problem of rot/decay.

शहर में सड़न की समस्या बढ़ रही है।

Often Confused With

सड़ना vs सराना

Means 'to praise'. It sounds similar but has a dental 'n' and a different 'r' sound.

सड़ना vs सड़ना vs गलना

'Galna' is melting or softening; 'Sadna' is rotting and smelling. A candle 'gals', but it doesn't 'sad'.

सड़ना vs सड़ना vs खराब होना

'Kharab hona' is general. A TV goes 'kharab', but it never 'sads'.

Idioms & Expressions

"जेल में सड़ना"

— To spend a long, miserable time in prison without hope.

गुनाह करोगे तो जेल में सड़ोगे।

Informal/Common

"फाइलों में सड़ना"

— For a project or request to be stuck in bureaucratic delays for years.

मेरी अर्जी दो साल से फाइलों में सड़ रही है।

Political/Administrative

"घर में सड़ना"

— To stay at home for too long without going out or being productive.

पूरा दिन घर में सड़ने की ज़रूरत नहीं है, बाहर जाओ।

Informal

"अंदर ही अंदर सड़ना"

— To be consumed by a negative emotion like guilt or jealousy.

वह अपनी ईर्ष्या में अंदर ही अंदर सड़ रहा है।

Literary/Psychological

"सड़ी हुई किस्मत"

— Extremely bad luck (literally 'rotten luck').

मेरी तो किस्मत ही सड़ी हुई है।

Slang/Informal

"सड़ा हुआ मुँह बनाना"

— To make a grumpy or displeased face.

सड़ा हुआ मुँह क्यों बना रखा है?

Informal

"सड़ी-गली व्यवस्था"

— A completely corrupt and failing system.

हमें इस सड़ी-गली व्यवस्था को बदलना होगा।

Political

"दिमाग सड़ना"

— To lose one's sanity or to have one's thinking corrupted.

उसका दिमाग सड़ गया है जो ऐसी बातें कर रहा है।

Informal/Aggressive

"सड़न पैदा करना"

— To create trouble or cause a situation to deteriorate.

झूठ रिश्तों में सड़न पैदा करता है।

Metaphorical

"सड़कर खाद होना"

— To eventually become useful after a period of decay (often used for people's efforts or life cycle).

पुरानी परंपराएं सड़कर ही नए विचारों की खाद बनती हैं।

Philosophical

Easily Confused

सड़ना vs गलना (Galnā)

Both involve a change in texture and softness.

Galnā means melting or overcooking (often positive/neutral). Saḍnā means biological decay (always negative).

बर्फ गल गई (Ice melted). फल सड़ गया (Fruit rotted).

सड़ना vs बासी (Bāsī)

Both relate to food not being fresh.

Bāsī means stale (kept overnight). Saḍnā means actually decomposing with bacteria.

बासी खाना मत खाओ, वह सड़ सकता है।

सड़ना vs फटना (Phaṭnā)

Both are used for food going bad.

Phaṭnā is specifically for milk curdling. Saḍnā is for solid food rotting.

दूध फट गया। फल सड़ गया।

सड़ना vs जंग लगना (Jaṅg lagnā)

Both describe the decay of materials.

Jaṅg lagnā is for metal rusting. Saḍnā is for organic matter rotting.

लोहे में जंग लग गया। लकड़ी सड़ गई।

सड़ना vs सूखना (Sūkhnā)

Both happen to old plants or food.

Sūkhnā is drying out. Saḍnā is rotting with moisture.

रोटी सूख गई। सब्जी सड़ गई।

Sentence Patterns

[Noun] सड़ गया है।

केला सड़ गया है।

[Noun] सड़ रहा है।

खाना सड़ रहा है।

अगर [Condition], तो [Noun] सड़ जाएगा।

अगर धूप में रखोगे, तो मांस सड़ जाएगा।

यहाँ [Verb-ne] की बदबू है।

यहाँ सड़ने की बदबू है।

[Noun] सड़कर [Result] बन गया।

पत्तियाँ सड़कर खाद बन गईं।

[Abstract Noun] की सड़न [Verb].

समाज की सड़न बढ़ रही है।

[Person] [Place] में सड़ रहा है।

वह गरीबी में सड़ रहा है।

[Metaphorical Subject] अंदर से सड़ चुका है।

यह कानून अंदर से सड़ चुका है।

Word Family

Nouns

सड़न Rot, putrefaction, or the smell of decay.

सड़ांध A very strong, nauseating smell of rotting matter.

Verbs

सड़ाना To cause something to rot (causative).

सड़ना-गलना To rot and decompose (compound verb).

Adjectives

सड़ा Rotten (short form).

सड़ा हुआ Rotten (participial form).

सड़ियल Rotten, old, or of very poor quality (slang/informal).

बदबू (badbū - bad smell)

कूड़ा (kūḍā - garbage)

खाद (khād - fertilizer/compost)

गंदगी (gandagī - dirt/filth)

कीड़ा (kīḍā - worm/maggot)

How to Use It

frequency

Common in daily speech regarding food and in political rhetoric.

Common Mistakes

Using 'सड़ना' for a broken car. → कार खराब हो गई है।
Machines don't rot; they break down (kharāb honā).
Pronouncing it as 'sad-na' (like the English word 'sad'). → saḍ-nā (with a retroflex flap).
The 'ड़' sound is crucial for meaning and clarity.
Saying 'दूध सड़ गया' for sour milk. → दूध फट गया।
Milk curdles (phaṭnā), it doesn't rot like a piece of fruit.
Using 'सड़ना' for melting ice. → बर्फ गल रही है।
'Galnā' is for melting; 'Saḍnā' is for biological decay.
Confusing 'सड़ना' (intransitive) with 'सड़ाना' (transitive). → उसने खाना सड़ा दिया (He rotted the food).
Use the correct causative form when an agent is involved.

Tips

Always use 'जाना'

When using 'सड़ना' in the past tense to mean 'rotted', always add 'गया' (from 'जाना'). 'सड़ गया' sounds natural; just 'सड़ा' sounds like an incomplete adjective.

Food specific verbs

Remember: Milk 'phat-ta' (curdles), bread 'sookh-ta' (dries) or 'bāsī' (stale), and fruits/veggies 'saḍ-te' (rot).

The 'Sadiyal' insult

The word 'सड़ियल' (saḍiyal) is a common slang for something old, broken, or pathetic. 'ये सड़ियल फोन फेंक दो' (Throw away this pathetic phone).

Retroflex Spelling

In Hindi, 'ड़' always has a dot underneath. Without the dot, it becomes 'ड' (da), and 'सडना' is not a word.

Bureaucracy and Rot

In India, people often say 'files are rotting' to complain about slow government work. It's a very effective way to show frustration.

Serious Contexts

If a doctor says 'घाव सड़ रहा है', it is very serious. It means the tissue is dying (necrosis/gangrene).

Composting

To sound like an expert, use 'सड़ाकर खाद बनाना' (making manure by rotting/composting).

The Flap Sound

If you struggle with 'ड़', try saying 'sud-na' very fast. The 'd' will naturally start to flap.

Stagnation

Use 'सड़ना' for any situation where there is no progress. 'पानी रुकने से सड़ जाता है' (Water rots when it stops) is a common proverb for life.

Tone of voice

Native speakers usually say 'सड़ गया' with a tone of disgust. This helps you identify the word even in fast speech.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Imagine a 'SAD' (सड़) apple that is rotting. The sound 'Saḍ' is like 'SAD' because rotting food makes everyone unhappy.

Visual Association

Picture a brown, mushy banana with flies around it. Associate that visual with the sound 'Saḍ-nā'.

Word Web

Rot Decay Smell Stagnant Jail Corruption Compost Bacteria

Challenge

Try to find three things in your kitchen today that might start to 'सड़ना' if left out. Say the word 'सड़ना' every time you look at the trash can.

Word Origin

The word 'सड़ना' originates from the Middle Indo-Aryan 'saḍ-'. It is likely derived from the Sanskrit root 'स्रंस्' (sraṃs), which means 'to fall down, drop, or decay'.

Original meaning: To fall apart or to lose integrity through decay.

Indo-Aryan

Cultural Context

Be careful using 'सड़ना' for people or their work, as it is very insulting. It implies filth and total worthlessness.

English speakers might use 'spoil' or 'go bad' more broadly, whereas Hindi speakers use 'सड़ना' specifically for the smelly, physical decay of organic matter.

Premchand's stories often describe the 'rotting' lives of peasants. The phrase 'Jail mein sadoge' is a legendary Bollywood dialogue. Modern Hindi poems use 'sadna' to describe the decay of urban morality.

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

In the Kitchen

सब्जी सड़ गई है।
इसे सड़ने से बचाओ।
सड़ा हुआ टमाटर
फ्रिज में सड़ना

Waste Management

कूड़ा सड़ रहा है।
सड़ने की बदबू
सड़कर खाद बनना
सड़न की समस्या

Health/Dentistry

दाँत सड़ना
घाव का सड़ना
सड़न रोकना
संक्रमण और सड़न

Social Critique

सिस्टम का सड़ना
जेल में सड़ना
समाज की सड़न
अंदर से सड़ना

Agriculture

फसल का सड़ना
जड़ें सड़ना
गोबर का सड़ना
सड़न-रोधी दवा

Conversation Starters

"क्या आपको लगता है कि हमारा शिक्षा तंत्र सड़ रहा है?"

"गर्मी में आप खाने को सड़ने से कैसे बचाते हैं?"

"क्या आपने कभी सड़ी हुई मछली की बदबू सूँघी है?"

"अगर कोई सालों तक जेल में सड़ता रहे, तो उसकी मानसिक स्थिति क्या होगी?"

"क्या सड़ी हुई पत्तियों से खाद बनाना मुश्किल है?"

Journal Prompts

आज मैंने रसोई में एक सड़ा हुआ फल देखा और सोचा...

मेरे जीवन का वह कौन सा हिस्सा है जो मुझे लगता है कि 'सड़' रहा है और उसे ताज़गी की ज़रूरत है?

क्या भ्रष्टाचार वाकई किसी देश को अंदर से सड़ा सकता है? विस्तार से लिखें।

प्रकृति में सड़ना (decay) क्यों ज़रूरी है? इसके फायदों पर विचार करें।

एक ऐसी कहानी लिखें जिसका शीर्षक हो 'जेल में सड़ते दस साल'।

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

Technically, you can say 'दूध सड़ गया' if it's extremely old and smells terrible, but the standard word for milk going sour is 'खराब होना' or 'फट जाना'. 'सड़ना' is usually reserved for solids.

It is neutral when talking about food or biology, but very rude when used figuratively for people or their efforts. Saying 'तुम्हारी सोच सड़ी हुई है' (Your thinking is rotten) is a strong insult.

'सड़ना' is intransitive (the thing rots by itself), while 'सड़ाना' is transitive (someone causes the thing to rot). For example, 'Leaves rot' (पत्तियाँ सड़ती हैं) vs 'He rotted the leaves for compost' (उसने खाद के लिए पत्तियाँ सड़ाईं).

You can say 'दाँतों की सड़न' (noun) or 'दाँत सड़ना' (verb). Example: 'मीठा खाने से दाँत सड़ जाते हैं' (Teeth rot/decay from eating sweets).

In literal contexts, yes. The word strongly evokes the 'सड़न की बदबू' (smell of rot). In metaphorical contexts, it implies stagnation or corruption, which is like a 'moral' bad smell.

The most direct opposite is 'ताज़ा' (fresh). For example, 'ताज़ा फल' (fresh fruit) vs 'सड़ा हुआ फल' (rotten fruit).

Yes, if clothes are kept wet for a long time and start to smell and decompose, you can say 'कपड़े सड़ रहे हैं'. This is common during the monsoon season.

Yes, the noun is 'सड़न' (saḍan), which means 'rot' or 'decay'. Another word is 'सड़ांध' (saḍāndh), which specifically means the foul smell of rotting.

No. For machines, use 'खराब होना'. 'सड़ना' only applies to organic materials like wood, food, and bodies.

It's a retroflex flap. Curl your tongue back and quickly hit the roof of your mouth as you bring it forward. It's similar to the 'tt' in the American pronunciation of 'butter'.