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A Short Introduction to Hindi

by Poul Williams Namaskar These pages contain information on Hindi. I have written them while learning Hindi myself. Please note that I am not fluent in Hindi and that the pages are probably filled with mistakes. Use them at your own risk. The following abbreviations are used: f m pl r s feminine gender masculine gender plural respectful singular

You are welcome to put a link to my Hindi site on your pages. Please link to the top page http://www.it-c.dk/people/pfw/hindi/ and not to the sub-pages. I might move the pages around and links to sub-pages would then become invalid. If you add a link, drop me an e-mail. These pages ( the pages with URLs starting with http://www.itc.dk/people/pfw/hindi/ and http://www.it.dtu.dk/~pfw/hindi/ ) are copyright (c) 1996-2000 by Poul Williams. You may view them on the Internet. You may make printed copies for your own personal use. Selling or making a profit of these pages is not allowed. You may not modify the pages. You may not put them on another server on the Internet. Basically, treat the pages like you want me to treat your pages! These pages come with absolutely no guarantees of correctness. If you are serious about learning Hindi, buy a book, or even better, take a class. If you have any comments, please feel free to write me at pfw@it-c.dk.

Pronunciation
Hindi is written using the Devanagari script. The Hindi you see on these pages have been transcribed using the English alphabet. Because the Devanagari script contains more letters than the English alphabet, sometimes it is necessary to use two or even three English letters to represent one Devanagari letter. Below is a list of vowels and consonants in Hindi together with guidelines for pronouncing them. Hindi makes widely use of nasal sounds; vowels exist in both a regular and a nasalized version. When transcribing Hindi, one often writes the letter 'n' after a nasalized vowel. Example: Mera naam Poul hai. Kyaa aap John hain? (My name is Poul. Are you John?) The 'ai' in "hai" is a non-nasalized vowel, while the 'ai' in "hain" is nasalized. There are no upper and lower case letters in Hindi; all letters have only one case. Any capitalization of Hindi words on these pages is only to aide the reader. Vowels a aa i u uu e ee ai o oo au normal, formal, woman, popular. father, par, car, far. hit, pin, gin, tin, win, sin. bull, full, pull, put. crucial. set, pet, let. they, hey. said over, lower. mole, pole, post. audit, August, Paul.

Consonants g gh n ch chh jh t th get, gun, mug, give. g + h. sing, wing, bring. much, such. ch + h. j + h. tree, tea. t + h (hard).

d d dh th sh s

day, do, deed. then, this, the. d + h (hard). thin, both. she, show, shop. seen, sun.

Syntax
Hindi uses a different word order than English. The main differences are that verbs are placed at the end of the sentence (like in German) and that Hindi (like other Indian languages) uses postpositions instead of prepositions. Postpositions are like prepositions except that they are written after the noun. Normal sentences English: Subject Verb Object => I learn Hindi Hindi: Subject Object Verb => I Hindi learn English: Subject Verb Preposition Object => I go to the shop Hindi: Subject Object Postposition Verb => I shop to go Imperative sentences English: Verb Place Adverb => Come here now Hindi: Place Adverb Verb => Here now come English: Verb Negative Verb Adverb => Do not eat quickly Hindi: Adverb Negative Verb => Quickly not eat Interrogate sentences English: Adverb Aux.Verb Subject Verb => What are you drawing? Hindi: Subject Adverb Verb => You what draw?

Pronouns
First Person I - main To me - mujhko

My - mera (m) , meri (f) , mere (pl) We - ham To us - hamko hamara (m) , hamari (f) , hamare Our (pl) Second Person You - tum , ap (r) To you - tumko , apko (r) tumhara (m) , tumhari (f) , tumhare Your (pl) Your (r) - apka (m) , apki (f) , apke (pl) Third Person He, she, it (there) - vah , ve (r) He, she, it (here) - yah, ye (r) To him, her, it (there) - usko, unko (r) To him, her, it (here) - isko, inko (r) His, her, its - uska (m) , uski (f) , uske (pl) They - ve To them - unko Their - unka (m) , unki (f) , unke (pl) Demonstrative & relative This - yah This very, this same - yahin That - vah That very, that same - vahin These - ye Those - ve Who - kaun Whom (s) - kis ko Whom (pl or r) - kin ko Whose - kis ka (m) , kis ki (f) Which (s) - kaun si Which (pl) - kis ko Of which (s) - kis ki Of which (pl) - kin ki Pronouns in the direct and indirect cases Singular Plural Direct - Indirect | Direct - Indirect

yah yahin vah vahin kaun koin jo

- is - isin - us - usin - kis - kisin - jis

| ye - in | ye hin - inhin | ve - un | ve hin - unhin | kaun - kin | koin-koin - kinhin | jo - jin

Hindi Verbs
Hindi verbs are inflected with respect to

gender of the subject (masculine, feminine) number of the subject (singular, plural) tense (present, past, future) action (perfect, imperfect, continuous) degree of respect (intimate, familiar, respect)

Verbs are referred to in their infinitive noun form which ends in na. Examples: bolna likhna lena ana to speak to write to take to come

The stem of a verb is the infinitive form minus the na ending. Examples: bol likh le a

Present Tense
Present tense of hona (to be): main hun I am

tu hai yah hai vah hai ham hain tum ho ap hain ye hain ve hain

you are (intimate) this, he, she, it is that, he, she, it is we are you are (familiar) you are (respect) these, they are those, they are

Present Imperfect The present imperfect is used for habitual actions. It is formed by adding ta, te, or ti to the stem of the verb followed by the present tense of hona. Below are shown the forms in the masculine. The feminine forms can be constructed by replacing bolta and bolte with bolti. main bolta hun tu bolta hai yah bolta hai vah bolta hai ham bolte hain tum bolte ho ap bolte hain ye bolte hain ve bolte hain I speak you speak (intimate) this, he, it speaks that, he, it speaks we speak you speak (familiar) you speak (respect) these, they speak those, they speak

Present Continuous The present continuous is used for ongoing actions -- like the "-ing" form in English. It is formed like this: stem + raha/rahe/rahi + present tense of hona Below are shown the forms in the masculine. The feminine forms can be constructed by replacing raha and rahe with rahi. main bol raha hun tu bol raha hai yah bol raha hai vah bol raha hai ham bol rahe hain tum bol rahe ho ap bol rahe hain ye bol rahe hain I am speaking you are speaking (intimate) this, he, it is speaking that, he, it is speaking we are speaking you are speaking (familiar) you are speaking (respect) these, they are speaking

ve bol rahe hain

those, they are speaking

Past Tense
Past tense of hona (to be): main tha / thi tu tha / thi yah tha / thi vah tha / thi ham the / thin tum the / thin ap the / thin ye the / thin ve the / thin I was you were (intimate) this, he, she, it was that, he, she, it was we were you were (familiar) you were (respect) these, they were those, they were

(The slash seperates masculine and feminine forms) Past Imperfect The past imprefect is used for habitual actions in the past. It is formed like the present imperfect but with the past tense of hona instead of the present tense. Below are shown the forms in the masculine. The feminine forms can be constructed by replacing bolta and bolte with bolti, replacing tha with thi, and the with thin. main bolta tha tu bolta tha yah bolta tha vah bolta tha ham bolte the tum bolte the ap bolte the ye bolte the ve bolte the I used to speak you used to speak (intimate) this, he, it used to speak that, he, it used to speak we used to speak you used to speak (familiar) you used to speak (respect) these, they used to speak those, they used to speak

Past Continuous The past continuous is used for ongoing actions in the past -- like the "-ing" form in English. It is formed like this: stem + raha/rahe/rahi + past tense of hona

Below are shown the forms in the masculine. The feminine forms can be constructed by replacing raha and rahe with rahi, replacing tha with thi, and the with thin. main bol raha tha tu bol raha tha yah bol raha tha vah bol raha tha ham bol rahe the tum bol rahe the ap bol rahe the ye bol rahe the ve bol rahe the I was speaking you were speaking (intimate) this, he, it was speaking that, he, it was speaking we were speaking you were speaking (familiar) you were speaking (respect) these, they were speaking those, they were speaking

Future Tense
Future Imperfect The future imprefect is used to refer to the future as well as to make assumptions about the presents (just like in English). It is formed by adding unga/i, ega/i, enge/i, or oge/i to the stem. Below are shown the forms in the masculine. The feminine forms can be constructed by replacing the ending a or e with i. main bolunga I will speak you will speak tu bolega (intimate) yah bolega this, he, it will speak vah bolega that, he, it will speak ham bolenge we will speak tum bologe you will speak (familiar) ap bolenge you will speak (respect) ye bolenge these, they will speak ve bolenge those, they will speak

Future Continuous The future continuous is used to refer to ongoing actions in the future. It is formed as the present imperfect but with the future of raha instead of hona.

Below are shown the forms in the masculine. The feminine forms can be constructed by replacing the ending a or e with i in both verbs. main bolta rahunga I will be speaking you will be speaking tu bolta rahega (intimate) yah bolta rahega this, he, it will be speaking vah bolta rahega that, he, it will be speaking ham bolte rahenge we will be speaking tum bolte rahoge you will be speaking (familiar) ap bolte rahenge you will be speaking (respect) ye bolte rahenge these, they will be speaking ve bolte rahenge those, they will be speaking

Imperative
There are three different imperatives in Hindi: tu, tum, and ap imperative. The tu imperative is the stem itself The tum imperative is the stem + o The ap imperative is the stem + ie or iye Examples: pani la bring water (intimate) pani lao bring water (familiar) pani laie bring water (respect) The imperatives are made negative by adding mat, na, or nahin. Use mat with the tu imperative. Use mat or na with the tum imperative. Use na or nahin with the ap imperative. Examples: vahan mat ja don't go there (intimate) vahan na jao don't go there (familiar) vahan nahin jaie don't go there (respect)

To Have
There is no Hindi verb for "to have". Possession is expressed in other ways.

Movable Objects Possession of movable objects is expressed using ke pas after the (English) subject. Examples: Ram ke pas gari hai Ram has a car ("near Ram a car it is") mera pas kitab hai I have a book ("near me a book it is") Immovable Objects Possession of immovable objects and of relatives is expressed using the possessive particles ka, ki, ke. Examples: uska makan hai he has a house ("of him a house it is") Ram ke do bete hain Ram has two sons ("of Ram two sons there are")

Verb list
A to - age barhna advance to answer - jawab dena ana, to arrive pahunchana to attack - hamla karna to attempt - koshish karna B to bathe to be to bear to beat to beg to behave to believe to be sleepy to be tired to bind to bite - nahana - hona - sahna - marna - mangna - bartav karna - vishwas karna - nind ana - thakna - bandhna - katna

to break - torna to breakfast - nasta karna to bring - lana to bring up - palna to burn - jalna, jalana to burst - phutana to bury - dafnana C to call - bulana to care - parwah karna to cast - dhalna to catch - pakarna to change - badalna to clean - saf karna to climb - charhna to comb - kanghi karna to come - ana to converse - bat karna to cook - pakana to copy - nakal karna to cover - dhakna to creep - rengna to cry - chillana, rona to cruch - kuchalna to cut - katna D to depart to decend to dig to die to dine to do to dream to drink to dry to dye juda hona, alag hona, jana

- utarna - khodna - marna - khana khana - karna - sapna dekhna - pina - sukhna, sukhana - rangna

to eat - khana to excuse - maf karna to expect - asha karna to explain - samjhana to express - vichar prakat karna F to fall - girna to fear - darna to fight - larna to fill - bharna to fly (in air) - urna to fly (run away) - bhag jana to forget - bhulna to forgive - maf karna G to get - pana to get up - uthana to give - dena to go - jana H to have to hate to hear to help to hide I to improve - thik karna to irrigate - pani dena to irritate - chirhana, naraz karna J to jump - kudna to join - jorna to judge - vichar karna K - hona, rakhna - nafarat karna - sunna - sahayata dena, madad dena - chhipana

to keep - rakhna to kick - thokar marna to kill - marna chumna, chumma to kiss lena to know - janna L to laugh to lead to learn to let to lie (on bed) to lie (speak) to lift to like to live (reside) to live (not to die) to look to lose to love M to make - banana to measure - napna to mould - dhalna to move - sarkana N to nibble O to open - kholna to - hukum dena order P to pat to pay - thapthapana - dena kutarn a - hansna - karne dena - sikhna - makan kiraye dena - letna - jhuth bolna - uthana - chahna - rahna - jina - dekhna - khona - pyar karna

to play to play (music) to pour to promise to pronounce to pull to push to put Q

- khelna - baja bajana - dalna - vada karna - bolna - khinchna - dhakka dena - rakhna

to quarral - jhagra karna R to read to receive to recollect to recommend to reject to reply to ride to rise S to say - kahna to scold - dantna to see - dekhna, talash karna to seek - dhundhana to sell - bechna to send - bhejna to sew - sina to shake - hilna to shout - chillana to show - dikhana to shut - band karna to sing - gana to sit - baithna to sleep - sona to smell - sunghana to solve - hal karna to sow - bona to speak - bolna - parhna - pana - yad karna - sifarish karna - napasnd karna - jawab dena - charhna - uthana

to spin to spit to stay to steal to stop to swim T to take to talk to taste to tear to tease to tell to think U

- katna - thukna - thaharna - churana - thaharna, tharana - tairna

- lena - batchit karna - chakhna - pharna - tang karna - kahna, batana - sochna

to understand - samajhna V to vomit - ulti karna W to walk - chalna, ghumna to wander - idhar-udhar phirna to wash - dhona to waste - barbad karna to weep - rona to weave - bunna

Nouns
Gender There are two genders in Hindi: masculine and feminine. Rule of thumb: nouns ending on a are masculine and nouns ending on i are feminine. There are exceptions. Number

There are two numbers in Hindi: singular and plural. Case There are two cases in Hindi: direct and indirect case. Indirect case: Used when the noun is followed by a postposition. Direct case: Otherwise Masculine nouns on -a Direct Indirect Singular larka larke Plural larke larkon Other masculine nouns Direct Indirect (guru = teacher) Singular guru guru Plural guru guruon Feminine nouns on -i Direct Indirect (larki = girl) (larka = boy)

Singular larki larki larkiya larkiyo Plural n n Other feminine nouns Direct Indirect (kitab = book) Singular kitab kitab kitabe Plural kitabon n

Postpositions
Postpositions in Hindi are like prepositions in English but they are placed after the noun. The noun in front of the postposition is always in the indirect case. The use of postpositions makes it possible to express the "missing" cases in Hindi. nominative genitive s, m s, f pl, m pl, f dative accusative vocative ablative agentive locative larki larki ka kam larki ki bat larki ke kam larki ki baten larki ko larki larki ko larki larki se larki ne larki men larki par larki tak the girl the work of the girl the word of the girl the works of the girl the words of the girl to the girl a girl the girl girl! from / with / of the girl the girl in the girl on / upon / after the girl as far as / as long as / up to the girl (direct case) (direct case) (direct case)

Adjective list

easy difficult sweet bitte sour good bad blunt sharp dark open closed full empty tired fresh stale fat lean dirty clean thick thin true false distant near hot cold honest dishonest hollow solid liquid glad sad wealthy rich poor healthy sick long short new

- asan - mushkil - mitha - karwa - khatta - achchha - kharab - bhaunta - paina - light - khula - band - bhara - khali - thaka - taza - basi - mota - dubla - ganda - saf - mota - patla - sachcha - jhutha - dur - pas - garam - thanda - imandar - beiman - pola - thos - taral - khusk - ranjida - maldar - dhani - garib - tandurust - bimar - lamba - chhota - naya

old - purana young - jawan old - buddha light (color) - halka dark (color) - gahra light - halka heavy - bhari polite - namra rude - badtamiz mannerless - badtamiz narrow - sankra, tang wide - chaura broad - chaura active - phurtila lazy - sust smart - hoshiyar dull - mattha, manda angry - naraz kind - meharban pleased - khush displeased - naraz proud - ghamandi humble - namra cheap - sasta dear - mahnga dry - sukha wet - gila clever - hoshiyar stupid - bewakuf deep - gahra shallow - uthla urban - shahri rural - dehati brave - vir coward - kayar handsome - sundar pretty - sundar beautiful - sundar ugly - kurup raw - kachcha cooked - paka smelling good - khushbudar smelling bad - badbudar noisy - shorgul ka quiet - shant all - sab

little interesting dull durable not durable strong weak elder younger big small high (person) low (person) high (things) low (things) some much few many right wrong excellent worthless wise foolish sweet harsh national foreign this much as many several that much such whatever hard soft other same

- kuchh - dilchaspa - ubane wala - mazbut - kamzor - takatwar - kamzor - (usase) bara - (usase) chhota - bara - chhota - bare - chhote - uncha - nicha - thora - zyada - kuchh - bahut - sahi - galat - barhiya - raddi - buddhiman - bewakuf - mitha - kara - deshi ya rashtriya - videshi - itna, itni - jitne, jitna - kai - utna, utni - aisa, aisi - jo kuchh - sakhta - mulayam - dusra - vahi

Different words

Questions who - kaun what - kya why - kyon when - kab where - kahan how - kaise which - kaunsa how many - kitne how much - kitna Cardinal numbers 0 - sunya, sifar 1 - ek 2 - do 3 - tin 4 - char 5 - panch 6 - chhah 7 - sat 8 - ath 9 - nau 10 - das 20 - bis 30 - tis 40 - chalis 50 - pachas 60 - sath 70 - sattar 80 - assi 90 - nabbe 100 - ek sau 101 - ek sau ek 200 - do sau 1.000 - ek hazar lac - ek lakh (100.000) crore - ek karor (10.000.000)

Other words having to do with numbers 1st - pahla 2nd - dusra

3rd - tisra 4th - cautha pancva 5th n 6th - chatha 7th - satvan 8th - athvan 9th - nauvan 10th - dasvan 1/2 - adha 1/3 - tihai 1/4 - cauthai 3/4 - pauna Colors black - kala blue - nila bright - chamkila brown - bhura color - rang golden - sunahra gray - bhura green - hara indigo - baingni orange - naranji red - lal rosy - gulabi white - safed yellow - pila

Adverbs, prepositions, conjuctions...

about (place) about (pertaining to) above across after again again & again against (opposite) against (touching) alas

- as-pas - bare men - upar - uspar - bad men - phir - bar-bar - khilaf - bhira kar - afsos

aloof - dur almost - karib-karib also - ohi although - halanki altogether - ekdam always - hamesha among - unke bich men and - aur around - as as if - mano as far as - jahantak as soon as - jyonhi at - taraf backward - pichhe backwards & forwards - age-pichhe because - kyonki because (him) - vajah se (uski) before - pahle behind - pichhe below - niche beneath - niche between - bich men beyond - us par bravo - shabash but - lekin by - se certainly - zarur certainly not - hargiz nahin down - niche downward - niche ki taraf during - us bich men early - jaldi either - ya to enough - kafi especially - khas kar even - bhi even then - tab to ever - hamesha every moment - hardam far - dur for - (uske) liye for ever - hamesha ke liye forward - age from - se generally - am taur par gradually - dhire-dhire

hence (place) hence (time) here here and there hither how how much if if not if possible if so immediate in in brief indeed in front of inparticular in general in short inside just now late little by little near never neither no nor not nothing not yet now now or never of of course off oft / often on once only or out out and out over (higher) over (finished) perhaps

- yahan se - ab se - yahan - yahan vahan - yahan - kaise - kitna - agar - agar nahin to - ho sake to - agar aisa hai to - zaruri, turamt andar - andar - thore men - vastav men - samne - khas taur se - am taur se - thore men - andar - abhi-abhi - der se - thora-thora karke - pas - kabhi nahin - na vah - nahin - na vah - nahin - kuchh nahin - abhi tak nanin - ab - abhi ya phir kabhi nahin - ka - albatta - dur - aksar - upar - ek bar - kewal - ya - bahar - bilkul - upar - khatam - shayad

please quite quietly really scarcely seldom since (time) since (conditional) so some somehow so much so and so so late so soon soon still sorry suddenly surely that (conjunction) than then there therefore thither though through thrice thus till today together tomorrow tonight towards truly truly twice under until up unless very well when

- krpaya - bilkul - chupchap - sachmuch - mushkil se - kabhi-kabhi - tab se - chunki - isliya - kuchh - jyon tyon karke - itna - falana - itni der se - itni jaldi - jaldi - phir bhi - afsos - achanak - zarur - ki - se - to, tab - vahan - isliye - yahan se - yadyapi - us mense - tin bar - aise - tab tak - aj - ek sath - kal - rat ko - taraf - sach taur par - sahi - do bar - niche - tab tak - upar - jab tak - bahut - achchha - kab

whenever whenever it de where wherever whereas while why yes yesterday

- jab kabhi - jab kabhi ho sake - cahan - kahin bhi - chunki - jab tak - kyon - han - kal

Examples of sentences in Hindi


Greetings Good morning Good day Good afternoon Good night - subh prabhat - subh din - subh sandhya - subh ratri namaskar / namaste / subh Hello din Good bye (hindus) - namaste Good bye (muslims) - khuda hafiz How are you (r,m) - ap kaise hain? How are you (r,f) - ap kaisi hain? I am fine, thanks - bahut accha, sukriya I am fine, thanks - main thik hun, dhanyavad Hindus greet each other with namaste. The answer is also namaste. Muslims greet each other with salam alekum. The answer is valekum as salam. Questions Who is that? What is this? What is that? Where is it? Where is ...? How much is it? Who are you? What is your name? Where are you from? Which country are you from? - yah kaun hai? - yah kya hai? - vah kya hai? - vah kahan hai? - ... kahan hai? - yah kitne ki hai? - ap kaun hai? - apka subh nam kya hai? - ap kahan ke rahne vale hain? - ap kis des ke hain?

How old are you? What is your job? What are you studying? What is wrong? Do you speak Hindi? What time is it? What time is it? Misc. sentences (Masculine forms used) My name is Poul I live in Denmark I am a student I go to school in Lyngby I speak a little Hindi I would like some tea I am tired I am thirsty I am hungry I am not hungry I have to go I don't understand it I understand (now) It is important I would like to buy a ... I would like a ... I would like some ... Poul speaking (on the phone) Who is it? (on the phone)

- ap ki umar kya hai? - ap kya kam karte hain? - ap kya padethe hain? - Kya bat hai? - kya ap hindi bol sakte hain? - kya samay hua? - kya baja hai?

- mera nam poul hai - main denmark men rahta hun - main vidyarthi hun - lyngby men main skul jata hun - main hindi kuch-kuch bol sakta hun - mujhe cay cahiye - main thak gaya hai - mujhe pyas lagi hai - mujhe bhukh lagi hai - mujhe bhukh nahin hai - mujhe jana hai mujhe samajh men yah nahin a raha - (ab) main samajha - yah zaruri hai - main ... karidhna chahtha hun - mujhe ... chahiya - mujhe kuch ... chahein - yah poul bol raha hai - kaun bol raha hai?

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