से

From, With and by

Level 1Sounds Like sē

से marks where something comes from, what you use, how you travel or when something started.

How It Works

से comes after a noun, and its English meaning depends on the sentence.

UseHindiEnglish
Starting pointदिल्ली सेfrom Delhi
Toolचम्मच सेwith a spoon
Way of travellingबस सेby bus
Starting timeसुबह सेsince morning, from morning
Person you talk to or askरीमा से पूछिएask Reema

Pronouns join with से: मुझसे, हमसे, तुमसे, आपसे, उससे, उनसे. Nouns change as before any postposition: कमरा → कमरे से, लड़के → लड़कों से.

With a present verb, से plus a time means since or for: मैं सुबह से यहाँ हूँ (I've been here since morning). कल से can mean since yesterday or from tomorrow; the verb shows which.

से also marks what you compare with, as in मुझसे लंबा (taller than me). That use has its own entry.

For being together with someone, use के साथ instead: मैं दोस्तों के साथ खेलता हूँ.

Examples (5)

  1. मैं दिल्ली से हूँ।

    I'm from Delhi.

    से marks where you come from.

  2. वह कलम से लिखता है।

    He writes with a pen.

    से marks the tool.

  3. आप रवि से बात कीजिए।

    Please talk to Ravi.

    से marks the person you talk to.

  4. मैं सुबह से यहाँ हूँ।

    I've been here since this morning.

    With a present verb, से marks when something started.

  5. हम ट्रेन से मुंबई जाएँगे।

    We'll go to Mumbai by train.

    से marks the way of travelling.

Common Mistakes

  • Using से for being together with someone.

    मैं दोस्तों से फ़िल्म देखता हूँ।
    मैं दोस्तों के साथ फ़िल्म देखता हूँ।

    For company, use के साथ. With a person, से usually marks someone you talk to, ask or meet.

How It Connects

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

सेLevel 1From, With and by

Learn This First

से is a postposition, so the noun before it takes its changed form.

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

से