Verbs With and Without Objects
A transitive verb acts on an object; an intransitive verb does not. In the past, only transitive verbs use ने.
How It Works
A transitive verb has an object, the thing the action is done to. In मैं सेब खाता हूँ (I eat an apple), सेब is the object of खाना. An intransitive verb has no object: मैं आता हूँ (I come).
| With an object | Without an object |
|---|---|
| खाना (to eat) | आना (to come) |
| पीना (to drink) | जाना (to go) |
| देखना (to see) | सोना (to sleep) |
| लिखना (to write) | बैठना (to sit) |
In the present and the future the two kinds behave the same way. The difference appears in completed forms such as the simple past. With a transitive verb, the subject takes ने and the verb agrees with the object: रीमा ने चाय पी (Reema drank tea). With an intransitive verb there is no ने, and the verb agrees with the subject: रीमा आई (Reema came).
Many verbs come in pairs, one of each kind: खुलना (to open by itself) and खोलना (to open something).
A few verbs break the pattern. लाना (to bring) has an object but never takes ने: मैं किताब लाया (I brought the book).
Examples (5)
- मैं चाय पीता हूँ।
I drink tea.
चाय is the object. In the present there is no ने.
- मैंने चाय पी।
I drank tea.
Transitive past: ने after मैं, and पी agrees with feminine चाय.
- राहुल ने एक चिट्ठी लिखी।
Rahul wrote a letter.
लिखना has an object, so राहुल takes ने.
- रीमा कल आई।
Reema came yesterday.
आना has no object, so there is no ने and आई agrees with रीमा.
- हम घर गए।
We went home.
जाना has no object, so हम stays as it is.
Common Mistakes
Using ने with a verb that has no object.
मैंने घर गया।मैं घर गया।जाना has no object, so its subject never takes ने.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Sorting verbs by whether they take an object starts from spotting the object in a basic sentence.
Related Patterns
- नेMarking the Doer with ने
The full rules for ने with completed forms.
Level 2 - Past Verbs Agree With the Object
With ने, the verb agrees with the object.
Level 2 - खुलना / खोलनाPaired Verbs Like खुलना and खोलना
Verb pairs with and without an object.
Level 3 - -आ / -ई / -एThe Simple Past
The simple past, where the difference first shows.
Level 2 - मैंने / उसने / उन्होंनेPronouns with ने
Pronouns combine with ने into single words.
Level 2
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Practice Verbs With and Without Objects in Bubblegum
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