अहै / अहैं

Is and Are: अहै and अहैं

Level 1Sounds Like ahai a'ura ahaiṁ

अहै means is for one, and अहैं means are for several people or someone you respect.

How It Works

These two are the most common helpers in Awadhi. They match Hindi है and हैं.

SubjectHelperExample
one person or thingअहैनेहा दुकान पर अहै।
several peopleअहैंअमित अउर नेहा दुकान पर अहैं।
one respected personअहैंचाचा जी दुकान पर अहैं।

अहै and अहैं also follow a verb ending in -त: पानी बरसत अहै (it is raining), लरिका खेलत अहैं (the children are playing).

Other pronouns have their own helpers: अही with हम and हौ with तुम.

In Lucknow city speech you may hear है and हैं instead. These are real Awadhi forms in the west, but the lessons use अहै and अहैं.

Examples (5)

  1. नेहा चाय कै दुकान पर अहै।

    Neha is at the tea shop.

    One person takes अहै.

  2. नेहा अउर अमित फोन पर बतियात अहैं।

    Neha and Amit are chatting on the phone.

    Two people take अहैं.

  3. दादी घरे अहैं।

    Grandmother is at home.

    A respected person takes अहैं.

  4. ई किताब नई अहै।

    This book is new.

    A single thing takes अहै.

  5. लरिका स्कूल मा अहैं।

    The children are at school.

    A group takes अहैं.

Common Mistakes

  • Using a singular helper for several people.

    नेहा अउर अमित घरे अहै।
    नेहा अउर अमित घरे अहैं।

    Two people take the plural helper अहैं.

How It Connects

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

अहै / अहैंLevel 1Is and Are: अहै and अहैं

Learn This First

अहै and अहैं follow a subject, and the choice between them depends on number and respect.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

And 3 more in the full list.

Words in This Pattern

अहैअहैं