Basic Sentence Order

FoundationsSounds Like hindī kā vākya-krama

Hindi sentences usually run subject, object, verb: मैं चाय पीता हूँ is literally I tea drink am.

How It Works

English says I drink tea. Hindi says मैं चाय पीता हूँ, literally I tea drink am. The subject comes first, the object next and the verb last.

SubjectObject or placeVerb
मैंचायपीता हूँ
प्रियाहिंदीबोलती है
बच्चेस्कूल मेंहैं

Descriptions work the same way. The describing word goes before है: यह घर बड़ा है (This house is big). Time words such as आज (today) and रोज़ (every day) usually come early, often right after the subject: अमित रोज़ दूध पीता है.

Questions do not change the order. A question word sits where the answer would go, and the verb stays last: आप कहाँ रहते हैं? (Where do you live?) The answer has the same shape: मैं दिल्ली में रहता हूँ.

Hindi word order is flexible. Speakers move words to the front or after the verb to change the emphasis, and you will hear this often. The plain order is always correct, so start with it.

Examples (5)

  1. मैं चाय पीता हूँ।

    I drink tea.

    Subject मैं, object चाय, then the verb पीता हूँ.

  2. प्रिया हिंदी बोलती है।

    Priya speaks Hindi.

    The object हिंदी comes before the verb बोलती है.

  3. यह घर बड़ा है।

    This house is big.

    The description बड़ा sits just before है.

  4. बच्चे स्कूल में हैं।

    The children are at school.

    The place phrase स्कूल में comes before the verb.

  5. आप कहाँ रहते हैं?

    Where do you live?

    The question word takes the place of the answer, and the verb stays last.

How It Connects

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Basic Sentence OrderFoundations

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