Respectful Agreement

Level 1Sounds Like āpa aura sam'mānasūcaka bahuvacana

दादाजी आ रहे हैं: one grandfather, but plural verb forms to show respect.

How It Works

Hindi shows respect with plural forms. When you speak to or about one person you respect, use the verb forms you would use for a group.

आप always works this way: आप कहाँ जा रहे हैं? (Where are you going?) can be said to one person. The same happens when you talk about a parent, a grandparent, a teacher or an older stranger: दादाजी आ रहे हैं (Grandfather is coming).

PlainRespectful
a manभाई आ रहा हैपिताजी आ रहे हैं
a womanबहन आ रही हैमाँ आ रही हैं

For a man, every changing word takes its masculine plural form: रहे, हैं, and also हमारे in शर्मा जी हमारे पड़ोसी हैं. For a woman, the feminine forms stay the same and only the last word takes the plural nasal: रही है turns into रही हैं, थी into थीं, and आई into आईं.

You decide how much respect to show. You might say भाई आ रहा है about a younger brother and भैया आ रहे हैं about an older one. Most people use respectful forms for parents, grandparents and teachers, and for adults they do not know well.

So हैं does not always mean more than one person.

Examples (5)

  1. दादाजी आ रहे हैं।

    Grandfather is coming.

    One grandfather, but the plural आ रहे हैं shows respect.

  2. माँ घर पर हैं।

    Mom is at home.

    One mother takes हैं.

  3. दादीजी रोज़ अख़बार पढ़ती हैं।

    Grandma reads the newspaper every day.

    पढ़ती stays feminine; only the last word takes the plural nasal: हैं.

  4. आप बहुत अच्छी टीचर हैं।

    You are a very good teacher.

    Said to one woman: अच्छी stays feminine and the verb is हैं.

  5. शर्मा जी हमारे पड़ोसी हैं।

    Mr. Sharma is our neighbor.

    For a respected man, हमारे and हैं are plural.

Common Mistakes

  • Making feminine words masculine plural to show respect.

    माँ आ रहे हैं।
    माँ आ रही हैं।

    For a woman, respect changes only the last word, which takes the plural nasal; रही stays feminine.

How It Connects

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Respectful AgreementLevel 1

Learn This First

Respect for one person borrows the plural verb form, so it comes after the present forms of to be.

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

आप