-ने वाला

About to Do Something

Level 3Sounds Like nē vālā

-ने plus वाला है means about to: फ़िल्म शुरू होने वाली है (The film is about to start).

How It Works

This pattern has two main uses.

  • About to. With a form of to be, it says something will happen very soon: गाड़ी आने वाली है (The train is about to arrive). With था, it says something was about to happen: मैं आपको फ़ोन करने वाला था (I was just about to call you).
  • The one who does it. It names a person or thing by what they do: सब्ज़ी बेचने वाला (the vegetable seller), गाने वाले (the singers).

The -ने part never changes. वाला changes like बड़ा to match the noun it describes:

NounExample
masculine singularबच्चा सोने वाला है
feminineफ़िल्म शुरू होने वाली है
masculine pluralमेहमान आने वाले हैं

When the phrase works as a noun, it changes before a postposition like other words ending in -आ: सब्ज़ी बेचने वाले से पूछो (Ask the vegetable seller), सीखने वालों के लिए (for learners).

Context tells you which meaning is meant. A time phrase like दो मिनट में points to about to.

Examples (5)

  1. फ़िल्म शुरू होने वाली है।

    The film is about to start.

    वाली agrees with feminine फ़िल्म.

  2. यह बस दो मिनट में आने वाली है।

    This bus is due in two minutes.

    The time phrase shows the about-to meaning; वाली agrees with बस.

  3. मैं आपको फ़ोन करने वाला था।

    I was just about to call you.

    With था, it means was about to. A woman says करने वाली थी.

  4. सब्ज़ी बेचने वाला अभी आया है।

    The vegetable seller has just come.

    बेचने वाला names a person by his work.

  5. हिंदी सीखने वाले छात्रों के लिए यह किताब उपयोगी है।

    This book is useful for students learning Hindi.

    सीखने वाले describes the students.

Common Mistakes

  • Not matching वाला to the noun.

    फ़िल्म शुरू होने वाला है।
    फ़िल्म शुरू होने वाली है।

    वाला agrees with the subject. फ़िल्म is feminine, so use वाली.

  • Keeping the -ना ending.

    गाड़ी आना वाली है।
    गाड़ी आने वाली है।

    Before वाला, -ना changes to -ने.

How It Connects

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

-ने वालाLevel 3About to Do Something

Learn This First

About to and the one who does both put the -ने form before वाला.

Words in This Pattern

-वाला-वाला-ना