-ने देना

Letting Someone Do Something

Level 3Sounds Like nē dēnā

The -ने form plus देना means to let someone do something.

How It Works

To let someone do something, put the action in the -ने form and add देना. The person who gets permission takes को.

RequestMeaning
मुझे जाने दोLet me go
उसे सोने दीजिएPlease let him sleep
बच्चों को खेलने दोLet the children play

देना carries everything else: tense, politeness and negation. In the past, the one who allows takes ने: माँ ने बच्चे को बाहर खेलने दिया. In the negative, नहीं usually comes just before देना: वे हमें अंदर आने नहीं देंगे.

Two everyday phrases use this pattern: जाने दो (let it go, forget it) and रहने दो (leave it, never mind).

Keep the -ने. मुझे लिखने दो means let me write. मेरा नाम लिख दो, with the bare stem लिख, means write my name down (for me).

Examples (5)

  1. माँ ने बच्चे को बाहर खेलने दिया।

    Mom let the child play outside.

    माँ allows, बच्चे को is allowed, and खेलने is the action.

  2. मुझे पहले अपनी बात कहने दीजिए।

    Please let me say what I want to say first.

    कहने दीजिए is a polite request for permission.

  3. वे हमें अंदर आने नहीं देंगे।

    They won't let us in.

    नहीं comes just before देंगे.

  4. क्या आप बच्चों को खेलने देंगे?

    Will you let the children play?

    देंगे carries the future and the polite आप form.

  5. रहने दो, मैं ख़ुद कर लूँगा।

    Never mind, I'll do it myself.

    रहने दो is a set phrase: leave it.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the bare stem instead of the -ने form.

    मुझे जा दो।
    मुझे जाने दो।

    For let, the action must be in the -ने form.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

-ने देनाLevel 3Letting Someone Do Something

Learn This First

Letting combines the -ने form with देना, which is different from stem plus देना.

Words in This Pattern

देना-नाको