English · Everyday verbs
Khelna in English: To play (खेलना)
to play
Hindi (Devanagari)
खेलना
Hindi (English letters)
khelna
खेलना (khelna) can be expressed as “to play” in English. For example: “The kids are playing football outside.”
“khelna” kehna ho, to English mein “to play” use karein. Neeche poore sentences aur Hindi meanings saath diye hain. Context dekhkar apna sentence chunein.
Park
The kids are playing football outside.
बच्चे बाहर फ़ुटबॉल खेल रहे हैं।
bachche bahar football khel rahe hain.
How to pronounce “to play”
Say it in English
too play
This is a sound guide for English, using a common American pronunciation. CAPITAL letters mark the stronger syllable in a longer word. Say the example sentence at a comfortable pace; Hindi spelling does not map sound for sound to English.
to play: Hindi meaning and useful expressions
| English | Hindi meaning | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| to play | खेलना khelna The basic verb form; compare the complete expressions below. | The basic verb form; compare the complete expressions below. |
| The kids are playing football outside. | बच्चे बाहर फ़ुटबॉल खेल रहे हैं। bachche bahar football khel rahe hain. Park | Park |
| I play badminton in the evening. | मैं शाम को बैडमिंटन खेलता हूँ। main shaam ko badminton khelta hoon. Hobby | Hobby |
The dictionary expression is “to play”. In a sentence, choose the verb form for the subject and time; the examples show three complete patterns.
To is part of an infinitive such as to go, but it does not appear before every English verb. After can, could, will or should, use the base form directly.
How to use “to play” in English sentences
1. Park
The kids are playing football outside.
बच्चे बाहर फ़ुटबॉल खेल रहे हैं।
bachche bahar football khel rahe hain.
2. Hobby
I play badminton in the evening.
मैं शाम को बैडमिंटन खेलता हूँ।
main shaam ko badminton khelta hoon.
3. Invite
Please play cards with us.
आप हमारे साथ ताश खेलिए।
aap hamare saath taash kheliye.
Common mistakes with “to play”
Instead of
The kids is playing football outside.
Say this
The kids are playing football outside.
Keep are with you or a plural subject in this sentence. Check the complete subject before choosing is or are.
Instead of
Me play badminton in the evening.
Say this
I play badminton in the evening.
Use I for the person doing or experiencing the action. Me cannot replace I as the subject of this sentence.
Organizing an evening game
Read both roles. Say the English lines out loud before checking the Hindi meaning.
Partner
When would you like to play today?
Show Hindi meaning
आज आप कब खेलना चाहेंगे?
aaj aap kab khelna chahenge?
You
I play cricket at six.
Show Hindi meaning
छह बजे क्रिकेट खेलता हूँ मैं।
chhah baje cricket khelta hoon main.
Partner
Come on — we'll play along too.
Show Hindi meaning
चलो, हम भी खेलते हैं साथ।
chalo, ham bhi khelte hain saath.
You
Great — playing on the field is fun.
Show Hindi meaning
बढ़िया, मैदान पर खेलना मज़ेदार है।
badhiya, maidan par khelna mazedaar hai.
Your turn: use “to play”
Say this in English: मैं शाम को बैडमिंटन खेलता हूँ। (main shaam ko badminton khelta hoon.)
Reveal sample answer
I play badminton in the evening.
मैं शाम को बैडमिंटन खेलता हूँ।
main shaam ko badminton khelta hoon.
Compare your word order with “I play badminton in the evening.” Then use the same pattern to say something about your own day.
Questions about “to play” in English
Khelna ko English mein kya kehte hain?
खेलना (khelna) can be expressed as “to play” in English. For example: “The kids are playing football outside.”
What does “to play” mean in Hindi?
In the sense taught here, “to play” means खेलना (khelna). The sentence “The kids are playing football outside.” shows it in context.
How do I use “to play” in a sentence?
I play badminton in the evening. Hindi meaning: मैं शाम को बैडमिंटन खेलता हूँ। (main shaam ko badminton khelta hoon.). The dictionary expression is “to play”. In a sentence, choose the verb form for the subject and time; the examples show three complete patterns.
What should I watch for when using “to play”?
To is part of an infinitive such as to go, but it does not appear before every English verb. After can, could, will or should, use the base form directly.
