ने
Marking the Doer with ने
ने marks the doer in completed forms of verbs with an object: रवि ने किताब पढ़ी (Ravi read the book).
How It Works
Use ने when two things are true: the verb takes an object (खाना, पीना, देखना, लिखना, करना), and the verb is in a completed form. Completed forms are the simple past (खाया), the present perfect (खाया है) and the past perfect (खाया था).
| Sentence | ने? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| मैंने खाना खाया। | yes | object verb, completed |
| रीमा ने चिट्ठी लिखी है। | yes | object verb, completed |
| मैं खाना खाता हूँ। | no | a habit, not completed |
| मैं खाना खा रहा था। | no | going on, not completed |
| मैं कल आया। | no | आना takes no object |
Pronouns join ने: मैंने, तुमने, आपने, उसने, हमने, and उन्होंने for वे. That has its own entry.
The verb then agrees with the object, not with the doer: a man and a woman both say मैंने चाय पी. If no object is named, the verb is masculine singular: उसने खाया.
A few verbs with objects never take ने. The most common is लाना (to bring): मैं किताब लाया.
Examples (5)
- रवि ने किताब पढ़ी।
Ravi read the book.
ने marks Ravi; पढ़ी agrees with feminine किताब.
- मैंने खाना खाया।
I ate.
मैं and ने join as मैंने.
- रीमा ने चिट्ठी लिखी है।
Reema has written a letter.
ने also appears with the present perfect.
- मीरा आई।
Meera came.
आना takes no object, so there is no ने.
- रवि रोज़ अख़बार पढ़ता था।
Ravi used to read the newspaper every day.
A past habit is not a completed form, so there is no ने.
Common Mistakes
Leaving out ने in the simple past.
मैं खाना खाया।मैंने खाना खाया।खाना takes an object and खाया is completed, so the subject needs ने.
Building the ने form from मुझ.
मुझने चाय पी।मैंने चाय पी।With ने, मैं becomes मैंने.
How It Connects
Learn This First
ने appears with transitive verbs in completed forms and needs the postposition form of the subject.
- -आ / -ई / -एThe Simple Past
Recognize the simple past, the first completed form that brings ने.
Level 2 - Verbs With and Without Objects
Tell transitive verbs from intransitive ones, because only transitive verbs bring ने.
Foundations - Nouns Before Postpositions
Put the subject in the form used before postpositions, as in लड़के ने.
Foundations
Related Patterns
- Past Verbs Agree With the Object
After ने, the verb agrees with the object.
Level 2 - मैंने / उसने / उन्होंनेPronouns with ने
Pronouns join ने in fixed forms.
Level 2 - ने ... को ... कियाPast Verbs When the Object Has को
When the object also has को, the verb takes a default form.
Level 3 - -आ हैCompleted Actions Relevant Now
ने stays in the present perfect: मैंने खाया है.
Level 2
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice ने in Bubblegum
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