Hindi Grammar List

Build a sentence as subject, then object or place, then verb: मैं चाय पीता हूँ (I drink tea). Questions keep the same order.

करना gives कर, खाना gives खा and पढ़ना gives पढ़. Add endings or helper words to the stem to build tenses: पढ़ता है, पढ़ रहा है.

Learn each noun with its gender: कमरा (room) is masculine and किताब (book) is feminine. The gender decides the form of many adjectives and verbs.

Before में, को, से and other postpositions, masculine -आ nouns end in -ए (कमरे में) and plural nouns end in -ओं (लड़कों को).

Say घर में (in the house) and मेज़ पर (on the table): noun first, then the postposition. Words that describe the noun stay in front of it: मेरे घर में.

Read each consonant with a short a unless a vowel sign changes it: क is ka, का is kaa, कि is ki. At the end of a word the short a is usually silent, so कमल is kamal.

Masculine -आ nouns change to -ए (लड़का, लड़के), feminine nouns add -इयाँ or -एँ (लड़कियाँ, किताबें), and most other masculine nouns stay the same (घर, घर).

Choose how: a habit (जाता), in progress (जा रहा) or completed (गया). Then choose when: है for now, था for the past. जाता है means goes, and जा रहा था means was going.

खाना (to eat) has an object: you eat something. आना (to come) does not. In completed forms, a verb that can take an object puts ने after the subject, even when the object is not said: मैंने खाना खाया, मैंने देखा. A verb with no object never does: मैं आया.

Build the future in two steps: the stem plus a person ending (-ऊँ, -ए, -ओ, -एँ), then -गा, -गी or -गे for gender and number: मैं खाऊँगा, तुम खाओगी, वे खाएँगे.

Add -ता, -ती or -ते to the verb stem to match the subject, then हूँ, है, हो or हैं: मैं चाय पीता हूँ, वह हिंदी बोलती है, हम घर पर खाते हैं.

Every verb is listed with -ना: करना (to do), खाना (to eat), तैरना (to swim). Use it as a noun (तैरना आसान है) and with verbs like चाहना (मैं तैरना चाहता हूँ).

For a parent, a grandparent, a teacher or an older stranger, use the plural verb: दादाजी आ रहे हैं (Grandfather is coming). आप always takes these plural forms.

Use कल with a past verb for yesterday (वह कल आया था) and with a future verb for tomorrow (वह कल आएगा). अभी means right now, and with नहीं it means not yet.

उसका भाई can be his brother or her brother; the context tells you which. The ending matches the thing owned: उसका घर, उसकी किताब, उसके दोस्त.

Put the number first: एक किताब, दो किताबें, तीन लड़के. Hindi has no word for the, and एक often works like English a: बाहर एक आदमी है.

Put और between two words or two sentences: चाय और पानी, रवि यहाँ है और मीरा घर पर है. Before a noun it asks for more: और चाय (more tea).

Put कब before the verb: आप कब आएँगे? (When will you come?). Add से for since when and तक for until when.

For तुम, add -ओ to the stem (बैठो, करो). For आप, add -इए (बैठिए, करिए). A few verbs have special polite forms: कीजिए, दीजिए, लीजिए, पीजिए.

Put कहाँ before the verb: आप कहाँ रहते हैं? (Where do you live?). Add से to ask where from: आप कहाँ से हैं?

Owner first, then का, की or के, then the thing: राम का घर, राम की किताब, राम के दोस्त. The form matches the thing owned, not the owner.

Say कितना पानी (how much water), कितनी चाय (how much tea) and कितने लोग (how many people). To ask a price, say यह कितने का है?

Ask the time with कितने बजे हैं? Answer with the number and बजे: तीन बजे हैं (It's three o'clock). One o'clock is singular: एक बजा है. For at a time, just say the time: मैं पाँच बजे आऊँगा.

Nouns ending in -ई or -इ take -इयाँ: लड़की, लड़कियाँ. Most other feminine nouns add -एँ: किताब, किताबें; माता, माताएँ.

Put the owner before के पास and the thing after it: मेरे पास एक साइकिल है (I have a bicycle), रीमा के पास गाड़ी है. For pronouns, use मेरे पास, आपके पास, उसके पास.

Put के लिए after the noun: माँ के लिए, बच्चों के लिए. With pronouns, use मेरे लिए, आपके लिए, उसके लिए.

Match कैसा to the noun: खाना कैसा है?, चाय कैसी है?, आम कैसे हैं? To ask how something is done, use कैसे: स्टेशन कैसे जाते हैं?

Put कौन where the answer would go and keep the verb last: वह कौन है? (Who is he?). Use हैं for a group or for someone you respect: ये लोग कौन हैं?

Say कौन-सा रास्ता (which road), कौन-सी किताब (which book) and कौन-से जूते (which shoes). Use it whenever you choose from a set, even where English says what.

Add क्या to the front and keep everything else: आप हिंदी बोलते हैं becomes क्या आप हिंदी बोलते हैं? In speech, a rising voice alone also works.

Put क्या where the answer would go: यह क्या है? (What is this?), आपका नाम क्या है? (What is your name?). The rest of the sentence keeps its normal order.

Put क्यों before the verb or before the word you ask about: आप क्यों हँस रहे हैं? (Why are you laughing?). Add नहीं for why not.

Put the action in the -ना form, then चाहना agreeing with the subject: मैं घर जाना चाहता हूँ (I want to go home), वह डॉक्टर बनना चाहती है. For things, say मुझे चाय चाहिए.

Put the person in the को form, then the thing, then चाहिए: मुझे पानी चाहिए, आपको क्या चाहिए? चाहिए stays the same for any thing.

Say रीमा जी or शर्मा जी to show respect, and use the plural verb with it: शर्मा जी घर पर हैं. Say जी हाँ for a polite yes and जी नहीं for a polite no.

Use आपका with someone you call आप and तुम्हारा with someone you call तुम. Then match the ending to the thing owned: आपकी किताब, तुम्हारा घर.

Use आप with strangers, elders and anyone you respect, तुम with friends and children, and तू only with very close family or friends. When unsure, use आप.

Use था for a man or masculine thing, थी for a woman or feminine thing, थे for men or a mixed group, and थीं for women: वह घर पर था, वह घर पर थी.

Say the place, then जाना, आना or पहुँचना: दिल्ली जाना (to go to Delhi), बाज़ार जाना (to go to the market). When the goal is a person, add के पास: डॉक्टर के पास जाना.

Put नहीं right before the verb: मैं नहीं जानता (I don't know). In the negative present, the helper हूँ, है or हैं is often dropped.

Say मेज़ पर (on the table), दरवाज़े पर (at the door) and घर पर (at home). Use में instead for inside something and for cities.

Put the person in the को form and end with पसंद है for one thing or पसंद हैं for several: मुझे चाय पसंद है, मुझे ये गाने पसंद हैं.

Use -आ for a masculine noun, -ए for masculine plurals and -ई for every feminine noun: बड़ा घर, बड़े कमरे, बड़ी गाड़ी, बड़ी गाड़ियाँ.

Use बहुत before an adjective (बहुत अच्छा) or a noun (बहुत पानी, बहुत लोग). Match थोड़ा to the noun: थोड़ा पानी, थोड़ी चाय, थोड़े पैसे.

Put भी straight after the person or thing you are adding: मैं भी आऊँगा (I'll come too), मुझे चाय भी चाहिए (I want tea too). In a negative sentence it means either.

Use मत with the command form that fits the listener: यहाँ मत बैठो (Don't sit here), यहाँ मत बैठिए (Please don't sit here). For a softer polite request, use न: चिंता न कीजिए.

Learn these as single words: मुझे (to me), तुम्हें (to you), आपको (to you, polite). Use them with पसंद, चाहिए, feelings and giving: मुझे चाय पसंद है, आपको क्या चाहिए?

Say घर में (in the house), दिल्ली में (in Delhi) and हिंदी में (in Hindi). A masculine -आ noun changes before it: कमरा becomes कमरे में.

Say place, then thing, then है: मेज़ पर किताब है (There is a book on the table). Use हैं when there is more than one: कमरे में दो बिस्तर हैं.

Say मेरा भाई, मेरी बहन, मेरे दोस्त and हमारा घर, हमारी गाड़ी, हमारे बच्चे. A woman says मेरा भाई and a man says मेरी बहन.

Say मेरा नाम रीमा है (My name is Reema). Ask आपका नाम क्या है? politely, or तुम्हारा नाम क्या है? to a child or a friend.

To say you have relatives or friends, use the possessive and है or हैं: मेरे दो भाई हैं (I have two brothers). Keep के पास for things you own.

Say मैं ... हूँ for I am and हम ... हैं for we are. Action verbs also show gender: a man says मैं पढ़ता हूँ and a woman says मैं पढ़ती हूँ.

Use यह for something near and वह for something farther away or already mentioned. ये and वे are the plurals, and in speech people usually say ये and वो.

Use them before the verb: मैं यहाँ रहता हूँ (I live here). Add से for from here and from there: स्टेशन यहाँ से दूर है.

Put या between the choices: चाय या कॉफ़ी? आप आज आएँगे या कल? In a question it asks the listener to pick one.

Put रहा (man), रही (woman) or रहे (men, mixed groups, आप) after the bare stem, then हूँ, है, हो or हैं: मैं खा रहा हूँ, वह पढ़ रही है.

Say एक लड़का (one boy) but दो लड़के (two boys). Family words such as पिता and चाचा, and a few others such as राजा, stay the same.

Use लाल, सुंदर, साफ़ and similar adjectives in the same form with any noun: लाल घर, लाल गाड़ी, लाल कपड़े. Only adjectives ending in -आ, like अच्छा, change.

Put लेकिन at the start of the second statement, usually after a comma: कमरा छोटा है, लेकिन साफ़ है. पर and मगर mean the same.

Say the number, then साल का for a male or साल की for a female, then हूँ or है: मैं पच्चीस साल का हूँ. To ask politely, say आपकी उम्र क्या है?

Put से after the noun: दिल्ली से (from Delhi), चाकू से (with a knife), बस से (by bus), सुबह से (since morning). Pronouns join with it: मुझसे, आपसे, उससे.

Say मैं हूँ, तुम हो, वह है, and हम, आप, ये, वे हैं. These forms are the same for men and women.

Add an ending to the stem: -आ (masculine singular), -ई (feminine singular), -ए (masculine plural or respectful), -ईं (feminine plural). A stem ending in -आ or -ओ adds -या in the masculine singular: आया, सोया.

Add था, थी, थे or थीं to the simple past form: मैंने उसे पहले देखा था (I had seen him before). Hindi also uses it for past events that are over and done.

Add हूँ, है, हो or हैं to the simple past form: वह आया है (he has come), मैंने खाना खाया है (I have eaten).

Use the stem + -ता, -ती or -ते and a form of था: मैं गाँव में रहता था (I used to live in a village). It covers used to and would for past routines.

हिंदी सीखना आसान है means learning Hindi is easy. The -ना form names the action, counts as masculine singular, and changes to -ने before a postposition.

Put the person in the को form, then the -ना verb, then चाहिए: तुम्हें ज़्यादा पानी पीना चाहिए (You should drink more water). For should not, put नहीं before the verb.

Put the person in the को form, then the -ना verb, then है: मुझे काम करना है (I have work to do). With था it means was supposed to or had to: मुझे कल जाना था.

Once it is clear who you mean, you can drop the pronoun: कहाँ जा रही हो? — दफ़्तर जा रही हूँ. The verb ending usually tells you who is meant.

Look at the object, not the person: रोटी is feminine, so मैंने रोटी खाई; आम here is masculine plural, so मैंने आम खाए. A man and a woman say exactly the same thing.

अगर बारिश हुई, तो हम घर पर रहेंगे means if it rains, we'll stay home. For a possible future event, the if-part can use the future or the simple past.

When the owner is the subject of the same sentence, use अपना instead of मेरा, उसका and so on: वह अपनी माँ से बात करता है (He talks to his mother). अपना changes like बड़ा to match the thing owned.

Change the pointing word before any postposition: इस घर में (in this house), उस दुकान से (from that shop), इन लोगों के लिए, उन बच्चों को. The noun after it changes too.

Give the reason first, then इसलिए and the result: बारिश हो रही थी, इसलिए मैं घर पर रहा. A comma usually comes before इसलिए.

उसे means the same as उसको, उन्हें as उनको and हमें as हमको. Use them anywhere को would go, and never add को to them.

वे एक-दूसरे से प्यार करते हैं means they love each other. Choose को, से, का or की according to the verb.

In a question, कभी means ever: क्या आप कभी भारत गए हैं? With नहीं it means never: मैं कभी नहीं भूलूँगा. In a request it means sometime: कभी आइए.

Use कहीं for somewhere or, in questions, anywhere. Add नहीं before the verb for nowhere, and भी for any place at all: आप कहीं भी बैठ सकते हैं.

मुझे लगता है कि वह आएगा means I think that he will come. Hindi often keeps the speaker's original words after कि.

Use किस with a postposition to ask whose, to whom or from whom: यह किसका फ़ोन है? (Whose phone is this?), आप किससे बात कर रहे हैं? (Who are you talking to?).

Put the place or person first: नदी की ओर (toward the river), मेरी तरफ़ (toward me). After a noun, always use की before ओर and तरफ़, never का or के, because they are feminine nouns.

Use कुछ for an unknown thing or a small number, कोई for one unknown person or thing, and सब for the whole group. None of them change for gender.

Put the place first: कमरे के अंदर (inside the room), घर के बाहर (outside the house). Alone they mean in and out: अंदर आइए (Come in), बाहर मत जाओ (Don't go out).

Put the reference first: घर के पीछे (behind the house), दुकान के आगे (in front of the shop), मेरे पीछे (behind me). Alone, आगे means ahead and पीछे means back.

Put the reference object first: अलमारी के ऊपर (on top of the cupboard), पेड़ के नीचे (under the tree), मेरे ऊपर (above me). Alone, ऊपर and नीचे also mean upstairs and downstairs.

Put के बारे में after the topic: फ़िल्म के बारे में (about the film), मेरे बारे में (about me). Use it with बात करना, सोचना, पूछना, बताना and पता होना.

Put के बिना after the missing thing: चीनी के बिना (without sugar), तुम्हारे बिना (without you). You can also put बिना first: बिना चीनी के. Both mean the same.

Put the reference first: दो दुकानों के बीच (between two shops), दोस्तों के बीच (among friends), घर के आसपास (around the house). With times, के आसपास means about: सात बजे के आसपास.

Put के साथ after the person you are with: मैं दोस्तों के साथ गया (I went with friends), मेरे साथ चलिए (Please come with me). For tools, use से: चम्मच से खाओ.

Put the reference first: स्कूल के सामने (opposite the school), मेरे सामने (in front of me). With people it means in their presence: सबके सामने (in front of everyone).

Put को after the receiver: बच्चे को दूध दो, माँ को बताओ. Also put it after a person you see, call or know: मैंने रीमा को देखा. Ordinary things usually take no को: मैं चाय पीता हूँ.

Put नहीं before the verb, with कोई or कुछ earlier in the sentence: घर पर कोई नहीं है (Nobody is home), मैंने कुछ नहीं कहा (I didn't say anything). Hindi needs नहीं here.

Say what happened, then क्योंकि and the reason: मैं नहीं आया क्योंकि मैं बीमार था. Each part keeps its own normal verb.

मैंने यह ख़ुद बनाया means I made this myself. दरवाज़ा अपने आप खुल गया means the door opened by itself.

Learn these as whole words: जाना gives गया, करना gives किया, लेना gives लिया and देना gives दिया. They still change for gender and number like other past forms.

Start with चलो or चलिए, then give the plan with a -ते हैं verb: चलो, पार्क चलते हैं (Let's go to the park). Use चलिए with people you call आप.

Put the necessary thing or action first and ज़रूरी है last: पानी पीना ज़रूरी है (It's important to drink water). Use के लिए for the person: मेरे लिए यह ज़रूरी है.

Use डेढ़ for 1½ and ढाई for 2½. From 3 up, put साढ़े before the number to add a half: साढ़े चार (4½). सवा adds a quarter and पौने takes one away: सवा दो (2¼), पौने तीन (2¾).

Put तक after the place or time where something stops: स्टेशन तक (as far as the station), पाँच बजे तक (until five). With a task to finish, it means by: शुक्रवार तक (by Friday).

मैंने दो घंटे काम किया means I worked for two hours (it's over). मैं दो घंटे से काम कर रहा हूँ means I've been working for two hours (and still am).

Say दो साल पहले for two years ago and दो घंटे बाद for two hours later or in two hours. Put the amount first and पहले or बाद right after it.

Put दोनों before a plural noun or after a pronoun: दोनों बहनें (both sisters), हम दोनों (both of us). The verb is plural.

Add ने after the subject when the verb can take an object (खाना, पढ़ना, लिखना, देखना) and the form is completed: रवि ने किताब पढ़ी, उसने चिट्ठी लिखी है. Verbs like आना and जाना never take ने.

Put the person who knows in the को form and add पता है: मुझे पता है (I know), उसे नहीं पता (he doesn't know). The person never changes the verb.

पहला (first), दूसरा (second), तीसरा (third) and चौथा (fourth) agree with the noun: पहला दिन, पहली बार, तीसरे कमरे में. From five on, most add -वाँ to the number: पाँचवाँ, सातवाँ; six is छठा.

Use पहले and बाद में alone to put two actions in order. After a noun, say से पहले for before and के बाद for after: क्लास से पहले, शादी के बाद.

In a list of actions, फिर means then: पहले खाओ, फिर पढ़ो. With a single action, it means again: आज फिर बारिश हो रही है. फिर से also means again.

मैं रीमा से मिला means I met Reema. मुझे नौकरी मिली means I got a job. The two meanings use different patterns.

Say मुझसे (from or with me), मुझ पर (on me) and मुझमें (in me), never मैं से. हम, तुम and आप do not change: हमसे, तुमसे, आपसे.

Put the person in the को form, then the feeling or illness, then है: मुझे बुख़ार है, माँ को चिंता है. Hunger, thirst and cold use लगना (मुझे भूख लगी है), and feelings that come over you use आना (उसे ग़ुस्सा आया).

For a skill or a language, the person takes को and आना agrees with the skill: मुझे हिंदी आती है (I know Hindi). To know a person, use जानना with the knower as subject: मैं रीमा को जानती हूँ.

मैंने, तुमने, आपने and हमने just add ने. वह and यह become उसने and इसने, and वे and ये become उन्होंने and इन्होंने.

Add वाला to pick out one thing among others or to name a person by what they sell or do. वाला changes like बड़ा: वाला, वाली, वाले.

Use the stem, then रहा, रही or रहे, then था, थी, थे or थीं: मैं खाना बना रहा था (I was cooking). Both parts agree with the subject.

When a plural noun comes before में, को, से, का or any other postposition, give it the ending -ओं: लड़के → लड़कों के लिए, किताबें → किताबों में. Nouns ending in -ई or -इ take -इयों: लड़कियों को.

Many Hindi verbs are two words: a word such as शुरू, बंद, साफ़ or ख़त्म, plus करना or होना. With करना a person does something to a thing; with होना the thing changes by itself.

Use the stem of the main verb, then सकना in the tense you need: वह गा सकती है (She can sing). सकना never takes ने, even with a verb like खाना: वह खाना नहीं खा सका.

Put सबसे before an adjective to say the most: सबसे बड़ा (the biggest), सबसे सस्ता (the cheapest). Use सबसे कम for the least.

Put सिर्फ़ right before what you are limiting: सिर्फ़ दो दिन (only two days), सिर्फ़ मैं (only me). केवल means the same and is more formal, common in writing and on signs.

Put से after the starting point and तक after the end point: सुबह से शाम तक (from morning till evening), दिल्ली से आगरा तक (from Delhi to Agra), सोमवार से शुक्रवार तक.

Put से after the person: माँ से पूछो (Ask Mom), मैंने उससे कहा (I said to him). बताना (to tell) is different and takes को: मुझे बताओ.

Hindi has no -er ending. Say X, then Y से, then the describing word: यह उससे बड़ा है (This is bigger than that). Add ज़्यादा (more) or कम (less) to make the amount clear: वह मुझसे ज़्यादा जानता है.

Put को after a day, a date, दोपहर or रात to say when: रविवार को (on Sunday), रात को (at night). सुबह usually stands alone, and आज, कल and clock times do not take को.

Say the count, then the unit: दो सौ (200), पाँच हज़ार (5,000), तीन लाख (300,000), दो करोड़ (20 million). After a count, the unit words never take a plural ending.

आप and वे can mean one person as well as a group, so speakers add लोग to show a group: आप लोग कहाँ से हैं? (Where are you all from?). Before a postposition, लोग becomes लोगों: आप लोगों के लिए.

Put the frequency word after the subject and use the habit form -ता है: मैं अक्सर बस से जाता हूँ (I often go by bus). These words never change.

Put हर before a singular noun: हर घर, हर बार, हर सुबह. प्रत्येक means the same in formal writing, such as forms and notices.

Put ही directly after the word you want to stress: मैं ही आया (I'm the one who came), आज ही (this very day). Moving ही changes what is stressed.

Say the statement normally, then add न? or है न?: आज गर्मी है, है न? (It's hot today, isn't it?). न and ना are the same word with two spellings.

Use है or था (forms of होना) to say where or how something is: मैं दिल्ली में हूँ. Use रहना for where someone lives or stays, or for a state that lasts: मैं दिल्ली में रहता हूँ, वह हमेशा ख़ुश रहती है.

वह बोलता रहा means he kept talking. The first verb takes -ता, -ती or -ते to match the subject, and रहना carries the tense.

खाना खाते समय बात मत करो means don't talk while eating. Add -ते to the stem and then समय; the form never changes.

कल ज़रूर आना means be sure to come tomorrow. It is used with तुम and sounds warm, like a reminder or a piece of advice.

मुझे पैदल जाना पड़ा means I had to walk. The person takes को, and पड़ना shows the situation forced the action.

खाने का समय means time to eat, and पढ़ने की आदत means the habit of reading. का, की or के matches the noun that follows.

मैं समझने की कोशिश कर रहा हूँ means I'm trying to understand. कोशिश is feminine, so it takes की, and in the past the verb is की: मैंने कोशिश की.

खाने के बाद हम घूमने गए means after eating, we went for a walk. Change -ना to -ने and add के बाद.

मैं हिंदी सीखने के लिए भारत आया means I came to India to learn Hindi. Change -ना to -ने and add के लिए.

माँ ने मुझसे सोने को कहा means Mom told me to go to sleep. The person you tell takes से, and the action takes the -ने form plus को.

Mark the person with को and put the action in the -ने form: मुझे जाने दो (Let me go). देना carries the tense and politeness.

इसे समझने में समय लगा means it took time to understand this. The phrase names the activity that takes time, causes trouble or gives pleasure.

Change -ना to -ने and add लगना: रोना becomes रोने लगा (began to cry). लगना agrees with the subject and never takes ने.

गाड़ी आने वाली है means the train is about to arrive. गाने वाले means the singers. वाला changes like an adjective.

सोने से पहले दाँत साफ़ करो means brush your teeth before going to bed. Change -ना to -ने and add से पहले.

The subjunctive looks like the future without -गा, -गी or -गे: जाऊँगा becomes जाऊँ. Use it to ask permission, make suggestions and talk about wishes.

Use them before a noun (ऐसी बात, such a thing) or on their own (ऐसा मत करो, don't do that). ऐसे and वैसे also mean in this way and in that way.

खाना खाकर सो जाओ means eat and then sleep. The -कर form never changes, and the last verb carries the tense. करना gives करके.

English says wait for the bus and help Mom. Hindi says बस का इंतज़ार करना and माँ की मदद करना: का or की matches the noun इंतज़ार or मदद.

Put the person in the possessive, then the action with -ने का: मेरा घूमने का मन कर रहा है (I feel like going out).

Put the question after कि in normal order and end it with या नहीं: मुझे नहीं पता कि वह आएगा या नहीं (I don't know whether he'll come). Keep the original tense.

Take the past form of the main verb (बनाया, भेजी) and add a form of जाना: यह मंदिर बहुत पहले बनाया गया था (This temple was built long ago). Both parts agree with the thing acted on.

मुझे आपकी मदद की ज़रूरत है means I need your help. ज़रूरत (need) is feminine, so the thing needed takes की.

Put की तरह after the thing you compare with: वह अपने पिता की तरह बहुत मेहनती है (Like his father, he works very hard). With pronouns use मेरी तरह, आपकी तरह.

Put the cause before की वजह से or के कारण: बारिश की वजह से मैच रद्द हो गया (The match was cancelled because of the rain). Use क्योंकि before a full clause.

With भी it adds: हिंदी के अलावा प्रिया तमिल भी बोलती है (Besides Hindi, Priya also speaks Tamil). With सब or नहीं it leaves out: मेरे अलावा सब आए (Everyone except me came).

Add भी to कोई or कुछ to open the choice to anyone or anything: कोई भी आ सकता है. In a negative sentence it means not even one: किसी ने भी जवाब नहीं दिया.

Put the outer phrase first, then कि and the question in its normal order: मुझे नहीं पता कि वह कहाँ रहता है (I don't know where he lives). Keep the original tense.

The person who eats, drinks or sees takes को: माँ ने बच्चे को खाना खिलाया (Mom fed the child). Learn these pairs as words.

खुलना means to open, and खोलना means to open something. Use the first when no doer is named, and the second when someone does it to something.

जब मैं आया, तब वह सो रहा था means when I came, he was sleeping. In speech, तब is often left out or replaced by तो.

Put the starting event after जब से and what has been true since then in the main clause, usually in the present: जब से मैं दिल्ली आया हूँ, बहुत ख़ुश हूँ. तब से is optional.

जहाँ मीरा रहती है, वहाँ एक पार्क है means there is a park where Meera lives. The pair links two clauses by place.

वह सो गया means he fell asleep, and दूध गिर गया means the milk spilled. The first verb gives the meaning and जाना shows the change is complete.

जो लड़का बाहर है, वह मेरा भाई है means the boy who is outside is my brother. The जो clause usually comes first.

Put तो right after the word you want to set apart: मैं तो जाऊँगा (I, for one, am going). At the start of a sentence, तो means so.

In लिख दो (write it down) and उसने बता दिया (she told me), the first verb gives the meaning and देना adds a sense of doing it for others or getting it done.

In मैंने लड़कियों को देखा, the verb is देखा even though the girls are feminine and plural. When the object has को, the verb agrees with nothing and stays masculine singular.

State a fact, then फिर भी and the unexpected result: वह बीमार था, फिर भी काम पर गया (He was ill, but he still went to work).

When the person has को, the infinitive can agree with the object: -नी for a feminine object and -ने for a masculine plural one. The helper agrees too: हमें किताबें पढ़नी हैं.

Put में से after the group: इनमें से एक चुनिए (Choose one of these), दस में से आठ (eight out of ten).

यह + ही becomes यही and यहाँ + ही becomes यहीं. Only the nasal dot separates यही (this very one) from यहीं (right here).

Put या तो before the first choice and या before the second: या तो चाय लो या कॉफ़ी (Have either tea or coffee).

मुझे अच्छा लगता है means I like it, यह मुश्किल लगता है means it seems hard, and दो घंटे लगे means it took two hours.

In खा लो (eat it) and मैंने देख लिया (I've seen it), the first verb gives the meaning and लेना adds the sense of getting it done for yourself.

Give the advice or plan first, then वरना or नहीं तो and the result: जल्दी करो, वरना देर हो जाएगी (Hurry up, or we'll be late).

Use शायद with the future when you are fairly sure (शायद वह आएगा) and with the subjunctive for a softer guess (शायद वह आए).

Put them before the noun: सारा दिन (all day), पूरी रात (the whole night), सारे लोग (all the people). For a plural group, use सारे.

वह घर पर होगा can mean he must be at home. The form is the future of होना, but here it guesses about now.

Put the past form and हुआ before the noun and make both agree: टूटा हुआ गिलास, टूटी हुई कुर्सी, टूटे हुए खिलौने.

Use the simple past form plus होगा for must have: वह पहुँच गया होगा (He must have arrived). Keep ने with transitive verbs.

Add -इएगा to the stem for a gentle request to आप: कल ज़रूर आइएगा (Do come tomorrow). करना gives कीजिएगा, देना gives दीजिएगा.

Use -ता, -ती or -ते plus जाना: क़ीमतें बढ़ती जा रही हैं (Prices keep going up). With होना it describes gradual change: ठंडा होता जा रहा है.

Put the -ता form and हुआ before the noun and make both agree: बहता हुआ पानी, चलती हुई गाड़ी, खेलते हुए बच्चे.

Use it to guess, not to state: वह रोज़ यहाँ आता होगा (He must come here every day). Both parts agree with the subject.

Add -ते ही to the stem of the first action: घर पहुँचते ही मुझे फ़ोन करना (Call me as soon as you get home). The form never changes.

Add -ते हुए to the stem: वह गाते हुए खाना बनाती है (She sings while she cooks). The main verb at the end carries the tense.

Put the action in the -ने form and add पर: पूछने पर उसने सच बताया (When asked, he told the truth). Its own doer takes the possessive: उसके आने पर.

Put the action in the -ने form and add लायक: यह फ़िल्म देखने लायक है (This film is worth seeing). लायक itself never changes.

Add -सा after an adjective to soften it (छोटा-सा, little) or after a noun to mean like (बर्फ़-सा ठंडा, ice-cold). It changes like अच्छा: सा, सी, से.

Put तक right after the word you want to stress and नहीं before the verb: उसने मुझे फ़ोन तक नहीं किया (He didn't even call me). To stress the action itself, say verb + तक नहीं: उसने देखा तक नहीं.

Use the -ता form, without है or था, in both clauses: अगर मेरे पास समय होता, तो मैं जाती (If I had time, I would go). अगर and तो can be left out.

When a -ना form acts as a noun, say whose action it is with का: आपका आना ज़रूरी है. Before a postposition, use के and -ने: उसके जाने के बाद (after he left).

Put इतना before the word it strengthens and कि before the result: वह इतना थका हुआ था कि तुरंत सो गया (He was so tired that he fell asleep at once).

Use the stem plus a form of उठना: वह चिल्ला उठा (He cried out). It suits feelings, sounds and light that break out all at once.

Repeat the number to give each person that many: सबको एक-एक केला दो (Give everyone one banana each). After एक-एक the noun stays singular.

The person who arranges it is the subject, and the worker takes से: मैंने दर्ज़ी से कुर्ता सिलवाया (I had the tailor stitch a kurta).

For a wish about now, use the -ता form: काश मैं वहाँ होता. For a regret about the past, use a past form plus होता: काश मैंने पहले बताया होता.

Put के अनुसार after the source or rule: डॉक्टर के अनुसार, नियमों के अनुसार. मेरे अनुसार means in my view; everyday speech often says मेरे हिसाब से.

Put के बजाय or की जगह after the thing you are not choosing: चाय के बजाय पानी पीजिए. Use की with जगह, because जगह is feminine.

Say चाय-वाय for tea and such, or खाना-वाना for food or anything. Echo words are casual: they sound relaxed and friendly, and sometimes dismissive.

When someone else will do the action, use चाहना कि and the subjunctive: मैं चाहता हूँ कि तुम आओ (I want you to come). For your own action, use the infinitive: मैं आना चाहता हूँ.

Use को, the infinitive and चाहिए था: तुम्हें पहले बताना चाहिए था (You should have told me earlier). Put नहीं before the infinitive for shouldn't have.

Use the stem plus चुका, चुकी or चुके and a form of होना: मैं खाना खा चुका हूँ (I've already eaten). The doer never takes ने.

Hindi says until as as long as ... not: जब तक मैं न आऊँ, यहीं रुको (Wait here until I come). Keep the न or नहीं.

Put जबकि before the second fact: मैं जल्दी आया, जबकि वह देर से आया. It can also add a fact that makes the first one surprising, like even though.

Put जितना in the first clause and उतना in the second: जितना पढ़ोगे, उतना सीखोगे (The more you study, the more you'll learn).

Use the form each clause needs: जिस घर में मैं रहता हूँ, वह पुराना है (The house I live in is old). The two halves don't have to match.

Look at the verb inside the जो clause: जिसने खाना बनाया (who cooked), जिसे मैंने बुलाया (whom I invited), जिसका घर (whose house). Plural and respectful forms are जिन्होंने, जिन्हें and जिनका.

Use जैसा, जैसी or जैसे in the first clause and वैसा, वैसी or वैसे in the second: जैसी चाय तुम्हें पसंद है, मैं वैसी बना दूँगी (I'll make the tea the way you like it).

Put जैसे ही in the first clause and the result in the second: जैसे ही बारिश रुकी, हम निकल पड़े (As soon as the rain stopped, we set off). वैसे ही can open the second clause.

जैसे-जैसे introduces a gradual change, and वैसे-वैसे (often left out) the change that goes with it: जैसे-जैसे समय बीता, वैसे-वैसे सब ठीक हो गया.

Use the stem of the main verb plus a form of डालना: उसने सब खा डाला (He ate up everything). It goes with verbs that take an object.

Say the action, then ताकि and the goal, with the goal's verb in the subjunctive: दरवाज़ा धीरे से बंद करो ताकि बच्चा न जागे।

Add भर after a time word: दिन भर (all day), रात भर (all night), साल भर (all year). After a place it means all over: दुनिया भर में.

Repeat a word to change its meaning: धीरे-धीरे (gradually), बार-बार (again and again), घर-घर (every house), कौन-कौन (who all). Join the two with a hyphen.

Put न before each of the two things you deny: वह न चाय पीता है न कॉफ़ी (He drinks neither tea nor coffee). Don't add नहीं as well.

Use the stem plus a form of पड़ना: वह रो पड़ी (She burst into tears), बच्चा गिर पड़ा (The child fell down).

Use the stem plus पाया, पाई or पाए: मैं सो नहीं पाया (I couldn't get to sleep). It is most common in the negative.

After a part with नहीं, use बल्कि to give the right version: वह डॉक्टर नहीं, बल्कि इंजीनियर है. Use बल्कि, not लेकिन, for this kind of correction.

Use बिना plus the past form ending in -ए: बिना पूछे (without asking), बिना कुछ खाए (without eating anything). बिना can also come after it: पूछे बिना.

Use the stem plus a form of बैठना: वह ग़लती कर बैठा (He went and made a mistake). English often says went and did it.

To address a group, use the plural form in -ओ: बच्चो, इधर आओ! (Children, come here!) It is the -ओं form used before postpositions, without the nasal.

Use the stem plus a form of रखना, usually with है: मैंने टिकट ले रखे हैं (I've already got the tickets). The result is ready or kept for later.

Use the stem plus रहा होगा for must be doing: वह सो रहा होगा (He must be sleeping). With a future time it means will be doing.

Mark the person with से and use a negative passive: मुझसे यह खाना नहीं खाया जाता (I just can't eat this food).

Start with हालाँकि and the fact, then say what happened anyway. Hindi often adds फिर भी or लेकिन to the second part.

Say हो सकता है कि and then the possibility with its verb in the subjunctive: हो सकता है कि वह न आए (He may not come). हो सकता है stays the same whoever the sentence is about.

Use the -आ form of the main verb, which never changes, then a form of करना: वह हर रविवार आया करता था. Use it for routines, especially past ones, and for advice about habits.

Use it for an unreal past: अगर तुमने बताया होता, तो मैं आ जाता (If you had told me, I would have come). ने and agreement follow the simple past rules.

Say the -ते form twice, then what happened: चलते-चलते हम थक गए (We walked and walked until we got tired). The form usually stays -ते-ते for any subject.

In conversation, use common words from every source: मदद, कोशिश, शुरू. In formal writing, notices and speeches, expect Sanskrit-based words: सहायता, प्रयास, आरंभ.

कौन नहीं जानता? means everyone knows, and मैंने कब कहा? means I never said that. The question points to the opposite answer.

What you learn about Hindi verbs, postpositions and agreement also holds for spoken Urdu. Persian- and Arabic-origin words such as किताब and जवाब are normal Hindi, not mistakes.

Put भी right after the word you mean: वह भी आया (He came too). After a verb with नहीं it means not even: वह आया भी नहीं (He didn't even come).

Put ही right after the part you mean: मैं ही गया (I am the one who went), but मैं गया ही नहीं (I didn't go at all).

Sanskrit-based and many everyday words take अ- or अन- (असंभव, अनपढ़); Persian-based words take बे- (बेकार, बेईमान). Each word takes one particular prefix, so learn the pairs together.

Start the second sentence with इसके बावजूद to say something happened anyway. To name the obstacle directly, put के बावजूद after a noun: बारिश के बावजूद (despite the rain).

Use इससे पहले कि with the subjunctive: इससे पहले कि बारिश शुरू हो, कपड़े अंदर ले आओ (Bring the clothes in before the rain starts). It often adds a sense of hurry.

Start with कहा जाता है कि and then give the claim: कहा जाता है कि यह क़िला बहुत पुराना है. Similar frames are माना जाता है कि (it is believed) and बताया जाता है कि (it is reported).

Put कहीं near the start and न right before a subjunctive verb: कहीं बारिश न हो जाए (I'm worried it might rain). It often follows a piece of advice, like English in case.

Put के रूप में after a noun to give the role or form something has: वह नर्स के रूप में काम करती है (She works as a nurse). Use की तरह instead when you mean like.

Use चाहे, a word like कितना, कोई or जो with भी, and the subjunctive: चाहे जो भी हो, मैं आऊँगी (Whatever happens, I'll come). The main clause says what stays true.

Give two options after चाहे and या, usually with the subjunctive, then the main clause: चाहे बारिश हो या धूप, हम जाएँगे (Rain or shine, we'll go).

Start with the reason: चूँकि देर हो गई थी, इसलिए हम रुक गए. Use चूँकि when the reason comes first and क्योंकि when it comes after the result.

Use जब भी for every time something happens and जहाँ भी for any place: जब भी समय मिले, फ़ोन करना (Call whenever you get time).

Put the topic between जहाँ तक and का सवाल है, then make your point: जहाँ तक समय का सवाल है, हमारे पास दो घंटे हैं. In speech, जहाँ तक ... की बात है is just as common.

Start with जो भी and a clause, then pick it up with वह (or उसे, उसका) in the main clause: जो भी आएगा, उसे खाना मिलेगा (Whoever comes will get food).

Put न केवल before the first item, बल्कि before the second, and भी right after the second: वह न केवल गाती है, बल्कि नाचती भी है. In everyday speech, न सिर्फ़ often replaces न केवल.

Learn these as fixed phrases: निर्णय लेना (to decide), प्रयास करना (to try), सहायता प्रदान करना (to provide help). In the past with ने, the verb agrees with the noun in the phrase: निर्णय लिया, सहायता प्रदान की.

Use यदि where you would use अगर in writing, notices and formal speech: यदि आपको कोई समस्या हो, तो हमसे संपर्क करें. The verb forms are the same as with अगर.

After a general statement, add यहाँ तक कि and the surprising case, usually with भी: सब हँसे, यहाँ तक कि टीचर भी (Everyone laughed, even the teacher).

Add -ता, -पन or -आई to make words like सुंदरता (beauty), बचपन (childhood) and अच्छाई (goodness). The suffix decides the gender: -ता and -आई make feminine nouns, -पन masculine ones.

After a place, होकर means via: यह बस मथुरा होकर आगरा जाती है. With भी it means even though: डॉक्टर होकर भी वह डरता है. It also links a state to the next action: तैयार होकर.

Split a compound into its parts to read it: राष्ट्रपति = राष्ट्र (nation) + पति (head), so president. In most compounds the last part is the main word and decides the gender.

Read formal sentences from the verb backward: निरीक्षण किया गया means was inspected, and विकास कार्यों का tells you what. Turn action nouns back into verbs: स्वीकृति के बाद means after it is approved.

The first word sets the topic, and the word just before the verb usually carries the focus: यह किताब रीना ने लिखी है (It was Reena who wrote this book). Move whole phrases, keeping each postposition with its noun.

Put अतः at the start of the result: मैं बीमार था, अतः नहीं आ सका (I was ill and therefore could not come). In speech, say इसलिए.

After an instruction, अन्यथा introduces what will happen if it is not followed: समय पर आवेदन करें, अन्यथा फ़ॉर्म स्वीकार नहीं होगा. In speech, say वरना or नहीं तो.

Use them where you would use लेकिन, at the start of the contrasting clause after a comma: योजना अच्छी है, परंतु महँगी है. In conversation, लेकिन or पर sounds more natural.

Use the -आ form, then जाए or जाएँ: यह काम आज पूरा किया जाए (This work should be finished today). The verb agrees with the thing to be done: चर्चा की जाए, सुझाव भेजे जाएँ.

Use के तहत for what something falls under: योजना के तहत (under the scheme). Use के मद्देनज़र for what a decision takes into account: सुरक्षा के मद्देनज़र (in view of security).

Put के प्रति after the person or idea that a feeling is directed at: देश के प्रति प्रेम (love for the country). For physical direction, use की ओर or की तरफ़ instead.

Put the जो कि clause right after the noun, between commas: मेरे दादाजी, जो कि शिक्षक थे, जल्दी उठते थे. The sentence still makes sense if you remove it.

Put ज्यों-ज्यों before the first change and त्यों-त्यों before the second: ज्यों-ज्यों रात बढ़ी, त्यों-त्यों ठंड बढ़ी. It belongs mostly to writing; in speech, say जैसे-जैसे ... वैसे-वैसे.

Use तथा or एवं where speech uses और, and अथवा where speech uses या: फ़ोटो तथा पहचान पत्र, ऑनलाइन अथवा डाक द्वारा. You will see them on forms, signs, official names and exam papers.

Put द्वारा after the doer in a passive sentence: यह सूचना विद्यालय द्वारा दी गई है (This notice has been issued by the school). The verb still agrees with the thing done, not with the doer.

Instead of a जो clause, formal writing can put the doer with द्वारा and a passive participle such as की गई or किया गया before the noun. The participle agrees with that noun.

Make your statement, then add the condition with बशर्ते: मैं आऊँगा, बशर्ते समय मिले (I'll come, provided I have time). The condition usually takes the subjunctive.

Put मानो before a clause, usually with a subjunctive verb: वह ऐसे बोल रहा था मानो सब जानता हो. The main clause often has ऐसे or इतना to set up the comparison.

Use it in formal writing and speeches: यद्यपि समय कम था, तथापि हमने चर्चा पूरी की. In everyday Hindi, say हालाँकि ... फिर भी.

Put हेतु straight after a noun (आवेदन हेतु, for applying) or after a verb in its -ने form (प्रवेश लेने हेतु, to get admission). In everyday Hindi, use के लिए.