सोचना means think, consider, plan, or mentally suppose. It can take a कि clause, a noun object, an indirect question, or a topic marked by के बारे में/पर. Formal विचार करना overlaps with “consider,” but its register and preferred contexts differ.
Stem and principal forms
The stem is सोच-.
| Category | Forms |
|---|---|
| infinitive | सोचना |
| habitual | सोचता / सोचती / सोचते |
| progressive | सोच रहा / सोच रही / सोच रहे |
| perfective | सोचा / सोची / सोचे / सोचीं |
| conjunctive | सोचकर |
| simultaneous participle | सोचते हुए |
| prospective | सोचने वाला / सोचने वाली / सोचने वाले |
मैं अभी छुट्टी की योजना के बारे में सोच रहा हूँ।
maĩ abhī chuṭṭī kī yojnā ke bāre meṃ soc rahā hū̃.
I'm thinking about the vacation plan right now. (male speaker)
वह हर फ़ैसले के संभावित नतीजों के बारे में सोचती है।
vah har faisle ke sambhāvit natījoṃ ke bāre meṃ soctī hai.
She thinks about the possible consequences of every decision.
The progressive is natural for an active thought process. Habitual सोचना describes a characteristic mental practice or repeated judgment.
कि clauses and embedded questions
सोचना कि... introduces a thought, belief, or plan. Hindi does not obligatorily backshift the embedded tense after past सोचा. An indirect question retains its question word.
मैंने सोचा कि आप कल आएँगे।
maĩne socā ki āp kal āẽge.
I thought that you would come tomorrow.
हम सोच रहे हैं कि अगली बैठक कहाँ रखें।
ham soc rahe haiṃ ki aglī baiṭhak kahā̃ rakheṃ.
We're thinking about where to hold the next meeting.
The second clause uses a subjunctive because the location is being deliberated, not reported as settled. See कि complement clauses.
Topic marking and plans
Use के बारे में for a topic one is thinking about and पर for an issue under consideration, especially in more compact or formal phrasing. A contemplated action often appears as an infinitive or a कि clause.
क्या आपने नौकरी बदलने के बारे में सोचा है?
kyā āpne naukrī badalne ke bāre meṃ socā hai?
Have you thought about changing jobs?
समिति कल नए प्रस्ताव पर सोचेगी।
samiti kal nae prastāv par socegī.
The committee will consider the new proposal tomorrow.
English “think of” and “think about” do not map to one invariant Hindi marker; learn the topic phrase with the intended style.
Perfective transitivity
सोचना generally patterns transitively in the perfective: the thinker takes ने. Clausal or omitted content gives default masculine singular सोचा. An unmarked noun object can control agreement in suitable contexts: तरकीब सोची, योजनाएँ सोचीं.
टीम ने समस्या सुलझाने की नई तरकीब सोची।
ṭīm ne samasyā suljhāne kī naī tarkīb socī.
The team thought of a new way to solve the problem.
मैंने बहुत सोचा, फिर जवाब दिया।
maĩne bahut socā, phir javāb diyā.
I thought for a long time, then answered.
Feminine तरकीब selects सोची; the objectless second clause uses default सोचा.
Future and subjunctive
| Person | Subjunctive | Future masculine | Future feminine |
|---|---|---|---|
| मैं | सोचूँ | सोचूँगा | सोचूँगी |
| तुम | सोचो | सोचोगे | सोचोगी |
| यह / वह | सोचे | सोचेगा | सोचेगी |
| हम / आप / ये / वे | सोचें | सोचेंगे | सोचेंगी |
पहले मैं विकल्पों के बारे में सोचूँगी, फिर आपको बताऊँगी।
pahle maĩ vikalpoṃ ke bāre meṃ socū̃gī, phir āpko batāū̃gī.
First I'll think about the options, then I'll tell you. (female speaker)
ज़रूरी है कि हम परिणामों के बारे में भी सोचें।
zarūrī hai ki ham pariṇāmoṃ ke bāre meṃ bhī soceṃ.
It is important that we think about the consequences too.
Imperatives and participles
The imperatives are intimate सोच, familiar सोचो, and respectful सोचिए. Participles include सोचकर, सोचते हुए, सोचा हुआ, and सोचने वाला.
जवाब देने से पहले अच्छी तरह सोचिए।
javāb dene se pahle acchī tarah socie.
Please think carefully before answering.
यह बहुत सोच-समझकर लिया गया फ़ैसला है।
yah bahut soc-samajhkar liyā gayā faislā hai.
This is a very carefully considered decision.
सोच लेना, सोच पाना, and विचार करना
सोच लेना means think through, decide mentally, or settle on a plan. सोच पाना means manage to think or imagine. Neither is a causative.
तुम कोई तारीख़ सोच लो; जगह मैं तय कर दूँगा।
tum koī tārīx soc lo; jagah maĩ tay kar dū̃gā.
You decide on a date; I'll settle the venue. (familiar; male speaker)
मैं सोच भी नहीं पाया कि इतनी जल्दी सब बदल जाएगा।
maĩ soc bhī nahīṃ pāyā ki itnī jaldī sab badal jāegā.
I couldn't even imagine that everything would change so quickly. (male speaker)
विचार करना is (formal/academic) for consider, deliberate on, or reflect upon. Everyday personal thought normally favors सोचना. There is no ordinary productive causative सोचाना; use सोचने पर मजबूर करना “make someone think” or विचार करवाना in an arranged deliberation context.
An idiom सोच में पड़ना means become puzzled or lost in thought.
Common Mistakes
❌ मैंने कि वह आएगा सोचा।
Incorrect neutral clause order — कि content normally follows सोचना.
✅ मैंने सोचा कि वह आएगा।
maĩne socā ki vah āegā.
I thought that he would come.
❌ मैं इस समस्या को सोच रहा हूँ।
Unnatural topic marking — use के बारे में or पर for thinking about an issue.
✅ मैं इस समस्या के बारे में सोच रहा हूँ।
maĩ is samasyā ke bāre meṃ soc rahā hū̃.
I'm thinking about this problem. (male speaker)
❌ टीम ने नई तरकीब सोचा।
Incorrect — unmarked feminine तरकीब controls सोची.
✅ टीम ने नई तरकीब सोची।
ṭīm ne naī tarkīb socī.
The team thought of a new strategy.
❌ आप इस पर सोचो।
Incorrect honorific agreement — आप requires the respectful imperative सोचिए.
✅ आप इस पर सोचिए।
āp is par socie.
Please think about this.
Key Takeaways
सोचना takes कि clauses, indirect questions, noun objects, and topic phrases with के बारे में or पर. Perfective thinkers generally take ने, with noun objects sometimes controlling agreement. सोच लेना adds a settled mental result, while formal विचार करना suits institutional or academic deliberation.
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