How Awadhi Differs From Hindi

FoundationsSounds Like avadhī a'ura hindī

Awadhi and Hindi share letters and many words, but the small everyday words differ.

How It Works

Awadhi is its own language. If you know Hindi, many words will look familiar, but these small words change in almost every sentence.

HindiAwadhi
हैअहै
मेंमा
कोका
मैंहम
औरअउर
लेकिनपै
नहींनाहीं
यहाँ, वहाँइहाँ, उहाँ
आजआजु

The biggest difference is the past. In the completed past of most verbs that have an object (पढ़ा, कहा), Hindi puts ने after the subject. Awadhi never does, and the verb ending shows the person: ऊ कहिस, हम कहेन, तुम कहेव.

Many words and verb endings also differ: Hindi गया is Awadhi गवा, and Hindi करूँगा is Awadhi करब. Awadhi speakers do use some Hindi words, like स्कूल and अस्पताल. Keep the grammar words Awadhi. Around Lucknow you will also hear है and मैं from Awadhi speakers, but the lessons use अहै and हम.

Examples (5)

  1. हम लखनऊ मा रहत अही।

    I live in Lucknow.

    मा replaces Hindi में, and अही replaces हूँ.

  2. ऊ घरे अहै।

    He is at home.

    अहै replaces है.

  3. अम्मा का फोन करौ।

    Call Mom.

    का replaces को.

  4. ऊ कहिस कि हम काल्हि आउब।

    He said he would come tomorrow.

    There is no ने, and the verb ending -इस shows who spoke.

  5. नेहा अउर अमित बजार गए।

    Neha and Amit went to the market.

    अउर replaces और.

Common Mistakes

  • Using Hindi में for in.

    हम लखनऊ में रहत अही।
    हम लखनऊ मा रहत अही।

    Awadhi says मा for in.

  • Putting ने after the subject in the past.

    ऊ ने कहिस।
    ऊ कहिस।

    Awadhi has no ने. The verb ending already shows who did it.

How It Connects

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How Awadhi Differs From HindiFoundations

Learn This First

The differences from Hindi are small spelling and word changes, so you need to read them in Devanagari.

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Patterns that build on this one.