-ना

Inherited from Prakrit -𑀅𑀡 (-aṇa) + Middle Indo-Aryan -𑀓- (-ka-), from Sanskrit -अन (-ana), from Proto-Indo-Iranian *-anam, from Proto-Indo-European *-onom, from *-o- (thematic vowel) + *-nom (verbal noun suffix). Doublet of -अन (-an). Cognate with German -en (“infinitive ending”).

• (Delhi Hindi) IPA^(key): /nɑː/, [näː]

-ना • (-nā)

1. used to form the infinitive

   ‎कर (kar, “do (stem)”) + ‎-ना (-nā) → ‎करना (karnā, “to do”)

2. forms verbs from nouns or adjectives

   ‎छेद (ched, “hole”) + ‎-ना (-nā) → ‎छेदना (chednā, “to bore, dig a hole”)

   ‎ललकार (lalkār, “challenge”) + ‎-ना (-nā) → ‎ललकारना (lalkārnā, “to challenge”)

   ‎महक (mahak, “fragrant”) + ‎-ना (-nā) → ‎महकना (mahaknā, “to be fragrant”)

Almost all Perso-Arabic and learned Sanskrit tatsama borrowings are nominal. Most of these nominals are verbalized as compound verbs with some base verb, usually करना (karnā), as in साफ़ करना (sāf karnā, “to clean”). A smaller number of verbs are formed directly from the noun with suffixes like -आना (-ānā) and this one.

• McGregor, Ronald Stuart (1993), “-ना”, in The Oxford Hindi-English Dictionary, London: Oxford University Press

Borrowed from Indo-Aryan.

-ना (-nā)

1. used to form the infinitive
2. forms verbs from nouns or adjectives

   ‎[script needed] (pińj, “name”) + ‎-ना (-nā) → ‎[script needed] (pińjnā, “to name”)

-ना • (-nā)

1. nominative singular feminine of -न (-na)
2. (Vedic) # instrumental singular feminine of -न (-na)