यही / वही / यहीं / वहीं

Words Joined with ही

Level 3Sounds Like yahī, vahī, yahīṁ aura vahīṁ

यही and वही = this very one, that same one; यहीं and वहीं = right here, right there.

How It Works

ही means only or exactly. After some short words, it joins on and the two become one word.

WordsJoined formMeaning
यह + हीयहीthis very one, just this
वह + हीवहीthat very one, the same
यहाँ + हीयहींright here
वहाँ + हीवहींright there
इस + हीइसीthis very (before a postposition)
उस + हीउसीthat same (before a postposition)

You already know two words made this way: अभी (अब + ही, right now) and सभी (सब + ही, all).

Things and places. यही and वही point at a person, thing or idea: वही आदमी (that same man). यहीं and वहीं point at a place: मैं यहीं रहता हूँ (I live right here). Only the nasal dot shows the difference, so say and write it carefully.

Where you would use इस or उस, use इसी and उसी: इसी दुकान से (from this very shop), उसी दिन (on that same day).

वही often means the same: वही बात (the same thing). यही तो! is a common way to say Exactly!

Examples (5)

  1. यही तो मैं कह रहा था!

    That's exactly what I was saying!

    यही is यह + ही: this very thing.

  2. वही आदमी कल भी आया था।

    The same man came yesterday too.

    वही means that same one.

  3. मैं यहीं रहता हूँ।

    I live right here.

    यहीं, with the nasal, points at a place.

  4. आप वहीं रुकिए, मैं आ रहा हूँ।

    Stay right there, I'm coming.

    वहीं means right there.

  5. मैंने यह इसी दुकान से ख़रीदा था।

    I bought this from this very shop.

    Before से, इस + ही becomes इसी.

Common Mistakes

  • Dropping the nasal dot for a place.

    मैं यही रहता हूँ।
    मैं यहीं रहता हूँ।

    For a place, use यहीं with the nasal. यही means this very one.

How It Connects

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

यही / वही / यहीं / वहींLevel 3Words Joined with ही

Learn This First

These are ही fused with this, that, here and there.

Words in This Pattern

यहीवहीयहींवहींही