Postpositions After Nouns

FoundationsSounds Like parasarga

Hindi says house in, not in house: घर में.

How It Works

English puts small relation words before a noun: in the house, on the table. Hindi puts them after it: घर में, मेज़ पर. These words are called postpositions.

PostpositionMeaningExample
मेंin, insideघर में
परon, atमेज़ पर
सेfrom, with, byदिल्ली से
कोto; marks some objectsरीमा को
तकup to, untilस्टेशन तक
का, की, केof, 'sराम का घर

Some postpositions are two words, usually starting with के: के लिए (for), के साथ (with), के पास (near). They still come after the noun: माँ के लिए (for Mom).

The postposition follows the whole phrase, so describing words stay in front: मेरे छोटे कमरे में (in my small room).

Words before a postposition often change form. कमरा becomes कमरे in कमरे में, and मैं with को becomes मुझे. You will learn these changes one by one.

Examples (5)

  1. बच्चे घर में हैं।

    The children are in the house.

    में comes after घर.

  2. फ़ोन मेज़ पर है।

    The phone is on the table.

    पर follows मेज़.

  3. मैं दिल्ली से हूँ।

    I am from Delhi.

    से after दिल्ली means from Delhi.

  4. यह तोहफ़ा माँ के लिए है।

    This gift is for Mom.

    The two-word postposition के लिए also follows its noun.

  5. मेरे छोटे कमरे में एक खिड़की है।

    There is a window in my small room.

    में comes after the whole phrase, and कमरा changes to कमरे before it.

Common Mistakes

  • Putting the postposition before the noun, as in English.

    किताब पर मेज़ है।
    किताब मेज़ पर है।

    पर belongs after मेज़. Placed after किताब, it says there is a table on the book.

How It Connects

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

Postpositions After NounsFoundations

Learn This First

Postpositions follow the same key-word-last logic as Hindi's verb-final sentences.