यह / वह / ये / वे

This and That

Level 1Sounds Like yaha, vaha, yē aura vē

यह (this), वह (that), ये (these) and वे (those) also work as he, she, it and they.

How It Works

Hindi uses the same four words for this and that and for he, she, it and they.

OneMore than one
Nearयह: this; he, she, itये: these; they
Farवह: that; he, she, itवे: those; they

यह points to something near you, and वह to something farther away or already mentioned. The same words mean he, she and it, so वह डॉक्टर है can mean he or she is a doctor. The situation, or a verb that shows gender, tells you which.

ये and वे are the plural forms and take हैं. They are also used for one person you respect: ये मेरे पिताजी हैं (This is my father).

Speech is less tidy than writing. Most people say ये for both यह and ये, and वो for both वह and वे. Written Hindi usually keeps all four forms.

Before a postposition these words change: इस घर में (in this house), उस लड़की को (to that girl). That has its own entry.

Examples (5)

  1. यह मेरा घर है।

    This is my house.

    यह points to something near.

  2. वह मेरी किताब है।

    That is my book.

    वह points to something farther away.

  3. वे मेरी बहनें हैं।

    They are my sisters.

    वे is plural, so the verb is हैं.

  4. ये मेरे पिताजी हैं।

    This is my father.

    One respected person, so ये and हैं.

  5. वह डॉक्टर है।

    She is a doctor.

    वह can mean he or she; Hindi does not show which here.

How It Connects

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यह / वह / ये / वेLevel 1This and That

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

यहयहवहयेवो