दो घंटे / दो घंटे से

Duration and Since

Level 2Sounds Like dō ghaṇṭē aura dō ghaṇṭē sē

A time phrase alone says how long something lasted; with से it says how long something has been going on.

How It Works

Hindi has two ways to talk about how long.

How long it lasted. Use the time phrase on its own: मैं दो घंटे सोया (I slept for two hours), हम एक हफ़्ता गोवा में रहे (We stayed in Goa for a week). The action is over.

How long it has been going on. Add से and use a present form: मैं दो घंटे से पढ़ रहा हूँ (I've been studying for two hours). English says have been, but Hindi uses the present because the action has not stopped. Habits and states work the same way: वह पाँच साल से दिल्ली में रहती है (She has lived in Delhi for five years).

से can also follow a starting point instead of a length of time: सुबह से (since morning), सोमवार से (since Monday), 2020 से (since 2020).

In a story about the past, use past forms: रीना एक घंटे से बस का इंतज़ार कर रही थी (Reena had been waiting for the bus for an hour). In the negative, the completed form is normal: मैंने उसे तीन साल से नहीं देखा (I haven't seen him for three years).

Examples (5)

  1. मैंने दो घंटे काम किया।

    I worked for two hours.

    No से: the two hours of work are over.

  2. मैं दो घंटे से काम कर रहा हूँ।

    I've been working for two hours.

    से with the present: the work started two hours ago and is still going on.

  3. वह पाँच साल से दिल्ली में रहती है।

    She has lived in Delhi for five years.

    A habit or state that is still true also uses the present.

  4. रीना एक घंटे से बस का इंतज़ार कर रही थी।

    Reena had been waiting for the bus for an hour.

    In the past, the same idea uses रही थी.

  5. हम सुबह से भूखे हैं।

    We've been hungry since morning.

    After a starting point, से means since.

Common Mistakes

  • Using a completed form for an action that is still going on.

    मैंने दो साल से हिंदी सीखी है।
    मैं दो साल से हिंदी सीख रहा हूँ।

    If the action is still happening, use the present with से.

How It Connects

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

दो घंटे / दो घंटे सेLevel 2Duration and Since

Learn This First

Since-durations pair से with the present progressive.

Words in This Pattern

से