What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to 'to me is needed', where mujhe means 'to me' and chāhie means 'is needed/required'.
Which one should you use?
While mujhe chāhie is used for wanting a noun, the phrase मैं चाहता हूँ (main chāhtā hūn) is used to express a continuous desire or the desire to perform an action. Additionally, for males, the related form of want is chāhtā and for females, the form is chāhtī.
How does it change in a sentence?
In Hindi, the object being wanted is placed between the subject mujhe and the verb chāhie or follows mujhe directly.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /mʊ.dʒʱeː tʃɑː.ɦɪ.eː/. The four syllables are pronounced: mu-jhe cha-hie.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly say मैं चाहिए (main chāhie) by translating 'I' directly. However, the correct construction requires the dative mujhe (to me).
Did you know?
- While मुझे चाहिए (mujhe chāhie) expresses a need, using the root word चाहत (chāhat) in poetry or songs shifts the meaning to 'longing' or 'romantic desire'.
- In very formal or polite settings, Hindi speakers may avoid saying मुझे चाहिए (mujhe chāhie) directly to avoid sounding demanding, instead using a phrase that means 'if I could have'.
- Adding the word ही (hī) after the object in मुझे यह ही चाहिए (mujhe yah hī chāhie) signals an absolute insistence, meaning 'I want this and nothing else'.
Examples in context
- मुझे चाहिए।I want it.This sentence is useful for stating that you want a specific thing using मुझे चाहिए.Tatoeba #3621637 by sabretou, translation #1148324 by cntrational
- मुझे जाना हैI want to go
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (मुझे, चाहिए) and can differ in connected speech.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
