Nouns Before Postpositions
Before a postposition, कमरा becomes कमरे and plural nouns end in -ओं.
How It Works
A noun right before a postposition often takes a special form. Grammars call it the oblique form. Here it is simply the form before a postposition.
| Noun | Plain | Before a postposition | Plural | Plural before a postposition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| room (m) | कमरा | कमरे में | कमरे | कमरों में |
| house (m) | घर | घर में | घर | घरों में |
| girl (f) | लड़की | लड़की को | लड़कियाँ | लड़कियों को |
| book (f) | किताब | किताब में | किताबें | किताबों में |
In the singular, only masculine nouns ending in -आ change: कमरा becomes कमरे. Family words such as पिता stay the same: पिता को. In the plural, every noun ends in -ओं, and nouns ending in -ई take -इयों.
So कमरे has two uses. On its own it is a plural: कमरे बड़े हैं (the rooms are big). Before a postposition it is singular: कमरे में (in the room). The postposition tells you which.
Words that describe the noun change with it: बड़ा कमरा becomes बड़े कमरे में. Pronouns have their own forms, such as मुझे for मैं plus को.
Examples (5)
- चाबी कमरे में है।
The key is in the room.
कमरा becomes कमरे before में.
- लड़के को पानी चाहिए।
The boy needs water.
Singular लड़का becomes लड़के before को.
- लड़कों को पानी चाहिए।
The boys need water.
The plural takes -ओं before को: लड़कों.
- किताबों में तस्वीरें हैं।
There are pictures in the books.
किताबें becomes किताबों before में.
- लड़कियों के पास किताबें हैं।
The girls have books.
लड़कियाँ becomes लड़कियों before के पास.
Common Mistakes
Keeping the plain -आ ending before a postposition.
चाबी कमरा में है।चाबी कमरे में है।A masculine -आ noun must end in -ए before में, पर, को and the other postpositions.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Masculine -आ nouns take the same -ए before a postposition that they take in the plural, so this form comes after both postpositions and plurals.
Related Patterns
- लड़कों / किताबोंPlural Nouns Before Postpositions
The plural forms in -ओं and -इयों in more detail.
Level 2 - इस / उस / इन / उनThis and That Before Postpositions
This and that also change before a postposition.
Level 2 - बड़ा / बड़ी / बड़ेChanging Adjectives
Changing adjectives take -ए along with the noun.
Level 1
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
- का / की / केShowing PossessionLevel 1
- परOn or atLevel 1
- मुझे / तुम्हें / आपकोPronouns with कोLevel 1
- मेंIn or InsideLevel 1
- सेFrom, With and byLevel 1
- -ना as a NounActions as NounsLevel 2
- तकAs Far as or UntilLevel 2
- नेMarking the Doer with नेLevel 2
And 1 more in the full list.
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