चाहना कि
Wanting Someone Else to Act
चाहना कि means to want someone else to do something.
How It Works
Hindi has two ways to say want to, depending on who does the action.
| Who acts | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| The person who wants | infinitive + चाहना | मैं आना चाहता हूँ। (I want to come.) |
| Someone else | चाहना कि + subjunctive | मैं चाहता हूँ कि तुम आओ। (I want you to come.) |
English says I want you to come, with an infinitive. Hindi cannot do this. It needs a full clause after कि, with its own subject (तुम) and a subjunctive verb (आओ). The subjunctive is the form for wishes and possibilities: मैं आऊँ, तुम आओ, वह आए, हम, आप and वे आएँ.
The subjunctive stays even when the wanting is in the past: वह चाहती थी कि उसका भाई जल्दी लौटे (She wanted her brother to come back early).
For a negative wish, put नहीं with चाहना: मैं नहीं चाहती कि तुम्हें कोई परेशानी हो (I don't want you to have any trouble). In the present, the helper हूँ or है is often dropped after नहीं.
चाहना कि is also a polite way to invite or ask: हम चाहते हैं कि आप हमारे साथ खाना खाएँ (We'd like you to eat with us).
Examples (5)
- मैं चाहता हूँ कि तुम मेरी शादी में आओ।
I want you to come to my wedding.
तुम is the one who acts, so the clause after कि has its own subject and आओ.
- माँ चाहती हैं कि मैं डॉक्टर बनूँ।
Mom wants me to become a doctor.
चाहती हैं is plural out of respect; बनूँ is the subjunctive for मैं.
- हम चाहते हैं कि आप हमारे साथ खाना खाएँ।
We'd like you to have a meal with us.
This works as a polite invitation.
- वह चाहती थी कि उसका भाई जल्दी घर लौटे।
She wanted her brother to come home early.
The wanting is past, but लौटे stays subjunctive.
- मैं नहीं चाहती कि तुम्हें कोई परेशानी हो।
I don't want you to have any trouble.
नहीं goes with चाहती, and हूँ is dropped.
Common Mistakes
Copying the English I want you to ... pattern.
मैं तुमको आना चाहता हूँ।मैं चाहता हूँ कि तुम आओ।Hindi cannot put the other person before an infinitive. Use कि and a full clause with a subjunctive verb.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Wanting someone else to act combines चाहना, कि and the subjunctive.
- चाहनाWanting to Do Something
Know चाहना (to want), since here it takes a whole clause.
Level 1 - कि + ClauseSaying What Someone Says or Thinks
Know that कि introduces what someone thinks or says, here what someone wants.
Level 2 - Subjunctive -एWishes, Suggestions and Possibilities
Use the subjunctive for the action you want: कि तुम आओ.
Level 3
Related Patterns
Words in This Pattern
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