जब ... तब
When and Then
जब ..., तब ... = when ..., then ...: जब मैं आया, तब वह सो रहा था.
How It Works
Hindi links two events in time with a pair of words. जब opens the clause that sets the time, and तब points back to that time in the main clause.
- जब मीरा आती है, तब हम चाय पीते हैं। (When Meera comes, we have tea.)
- जब मैं आया, तब मीरा पढ़ रही थी। (When I came in, Meera was studying.)
Each clause has its own verb. The two clauses can have different subjects and different tenses: जब मैं आया uses a simple past, and मीरा पढ़ रही थी uses an ongoing past.
Talking about the future. Use the future in both clauses: जब मीरा आएगी, तब हम बात करेंगे. English says when Meera comes, but Hindi says when Meera will come. The subjunctive also works: जब आप तैयार हों, मुझे बता दीजिए.
Leaving out तब. In everyday speech, तब is often dropped, or तो takes its place: जब मैं छोटा था, तो गाँव में रहता था.
Use जब only to link clauses. To ask when, use कब: वह कब आएगा?
Examples (5)
- जब मीरा आती है, तब हम चाय पीते हैं।
When Meera comes, we have tea.
Both clauses describe something that happens regularly.
- जब मीरा आएगी, तब हम बात करेंगे।
When Meera comes, we'll talk.
Hindi uses the future in both clauses.
- जब मैं आया, तब मीरा पढ़ रही थी।
When I came in, Meera was studying.
The two clauses have different subjects and tenses.
- जब मैं छोटा था, तो गाँव में रहता था।
When I was little, I lived in a village.
तो can replace तब in everyday speech.
- जब आप तैयार हों, मुझे बता दीजिए।
Let me know when you're ready.
तब is left out, and the subjunctive हों points to an open future time.
Common Mistakes
Using कब to link clauses.
कब मैं आया, तब वह सो रहा था।जब मैं आया, तब वह सो रहा था।कब asks a question. To link two clauses, use जब.
How It Connects
Learn This First
जब is the relative partner of the question word कब.
Related Patterns
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice जब ... तब in Bubblegum
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