Hindi · Everyday Verbs
"to live" in Hindi: रहना
रहनाrahna
Note: to be alive: जीना (jeena)
To live in the sense of reside is रहना (rahna). Present रहता / रहती and past रहा / रही count. जीना means to be alive — different verb.
New city
मैं दिल्ली में रहता हूँ।main Dilli mein rehta hoon.
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How to pronounce रहना
Say it
RAH-na
/rəɦnɑː/
Rahna is RAH-na. Soft dental r, open ah, light na. Two short beats.
"to live" in Hindi: quick reference
| Hindi | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| रहनाrahna | to live; to stay; to reside Infinitive. | Infinitive. |
| रहता हूँrehta hoon | I live (m.) Present masculine. | Present masculine. |
| रहती हूँrehti hoon | I live (f.) Present feminine. | Present feminine. |
| कहाँ रहते हैं?kahaan rehte hain? | where do you live? Polite aap question. | Polite aap question. |
| रहा / रहीraha / rahi | lived; stayed Past forms. | Past forms. |
How to use रहना in real life
- 1New city
मैं दिल्ली में रहता हूँ।
main Dilli mein rehta hoon.
I live in Delhi.
Masculine present.
- 2Asking politely
आप कहाँ रहती हैं?
aap kahaan rehti hain?
Where do you live?
Feminine aap form.
- 3Guest stay
हम दो रात यहाँ रहे।
ham do raat yahaan rahe.
We stayed here two nights.
Past plural रहे.
Mistakes English speakers make with रहना
Incorrect: Using जीना for city address
Correct: City: मैं मुंबई में रहता हूँ
जीना is be-alive; residence is रहना.
Incorrect: आप कहाँ रहता है?
Correct: आप कहाँ रहते हैं?
Aap takes plural: rehte hain / rehti hain.
Good to know
कहाँ रहते हैं is early small talk. People answer with city, area, or society name. रहना also covers temporary stays: होटल में रहना.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Meeting a new flatmate
ChatPal
आप इस फ़्लैट में कब से रहते हैं?
aap is flat mein kab se rehte hain?
How long have you lived in this flat?
You
मैं तीन महीने से रह रहा हूँ।
main teen mahine se rah raha hoon.
I've been living here three months.
ChatPal
पहले कहाँ रहते थे?
pahle kahaan rehte the?
Where did you live before?
You
पुणे में रहता था।
Pune mein rehta tha.
I used to live in Pune.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to live" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to live" in Hindi
रहना vs जीना?
रहना = reside/stay. जीना = be alive / live life.
How do I ask where you live?
Aap kahaan rehte hain? / rehti hain?
Hotel stay?
Hum hotel mein rah rahe hain.
Does रहा count?
Yes: रहा, रही, रहे, रहता, रहती all count.
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