जवाब देना

You treat dena as the part that changes. If you are talking about the past, use diya. For the future, use doonga or doongi. It usually takes an object, like a sawal (question) or message. For example, "I gave an answer" becomes Maine jawab diya. It is a transitive verb, so keep an eye on your pronouns.

Use it in the classroom when the teacher calls on you. Use it at work during a big presentation. It is perfect for texting when you finally reply to a friend. You can even use it when someone calls your name. If someone is waiting for a response, you need to jawab dena. It is a neutral phrase that fits almost everywhere.

Do not use it for physical reactions like sneezing. If you are reacting to a movie, use reaction dena instead. Be careful with the phrase jawab de dena. Sometimes, this means a machine has stopped working or "given up." You do not want to say your car "answered" when it actually broke down! Avoid using it for long, formal speeches where bhashan is better.

In Indian culture, giving a prompt answer is seen as respectful. Silence can sometimes be misinterpreted as being rude or uninterested. However, answering back to elders in a sassy way is called zaban ladana. That is a big no-no in traditional households! Jawab dena itself is polite, but your tone makes all the difference. The word jawab actually comes from Arabic, showing India's rich linguistic history.

You might hear uttar dena in very formal settings or news. Uttar is the pure Hindi (Sanskrit-derived) word for answer. In casual slang, people might just say reply dena. However, jawab dena remains the most natural choice for daily life. If you want to sound like a local, stick with jawab.