कवन

Asking Which

Level 1Sounds Like kavana

कवन बस पटना जाला? asks which bus goes to Patna.

How It Works

कवन is used when you choose from a group: which bus, which shop, which book.

UseFormExample
no postpositionकवनकवन रंग नीक लागेला?
before a postpositionकवनाकवना दुकान पर जालऽ?

कवना is the same oblique change that you see in एह and ओह, and in हमरा and तोहरा. The noun after it is not changed.

कवन is different from का, which asks what. Use का for a thing you do not know, and कवन when you pick one of several.

Answers often use ई or ऊ: ई वाला (this one), ऊ वाला (that one).

Examples (5)

  1. कवन बस पटना जाला?

    Which bus goes to Patna?

    कवन stands before बस.

  2. तोहरा कवन रंग नीक लागेला?

    Which colour do you like?

    कवन is the form with no postposition.

  3. तू कवना दुकान पर जालऽ?

    Which shop do you go to?

    कवना is used because पर follows.

  4. रउआ कवना गाँव के बानी?

    Which village are you from?

    कवना comes before the postposition के.

  5. कवन किताब चाहीं?

    Which book do you need?

    कवन before किताब.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the Hindi question word.

    कौन बस पटना जाला?
    कवन बस पटना जाला?

    Bhojpuri says कवन.

  • Using कवन before a postposition.

    तू कवन दुकान पर जालऽ?
    तू कवना दुकान पर जालऽ?

    Before पर, से, के and the like, use कवना.

How It Connects

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

कवनLevel 1Asking Which

Learn This First

कवन asks which and changes to कवना before a postposition.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

कवन