कहलकनि

A Plain Speaker and a Respected Listener

Level 5Sounds Like kahalakani

-लक plus -नि means a plain doer spoke to a respected listener.

How It Works

Maithili verbs can show respect for the listener as well as the doer. The plain past of कहब is कहलक. When the person told is someone you respect, add -नि: कहलकनि.

DoerListenerForm
plainplainकहलक
respectedplainकहलनि
plainrespectedकहलकनि
respectedrespectedकहलथिन
  • बउआ is a plain doer, so the ending starts with -लक.
  • बाबा is a respected listener, so -नि follows.
  • The same ending appears on other object verbs: देलकनि (gave to), कएलकनि (did for).

The plain form कहलक is still correct and polite enough; the longer form adds finer respect. Learners can use कहलक for a plain doer and कहलनि for a respected doer while they are getting started.

Examples (4)

  1. बउआ बाबा केँ सभ बात कहलकनि।

    The little boy told Grandpa everything.

    -लक shows the boy is plain, and -नि shows Grandpa is respected.

  2. नेना माय केँ फोन कएलकनि।

    The child phoned Mother.

    कएलकनि is कएलक plus -नि for the respected listener.

  3. बउआ दादी केँ चाह देलकनि।

    The little boy gave Grandma her tea.

    देलकनि shows respect for the receiver.

  4. छोट बहिन काका केँ कहलकनि जे बस आबि गेल।

    The little sister told Uncle that the bus had come.

    कहलकनि sits before the clause that begins with जे.

Common Mistakes

  • Using कहलनि for a plain doer.

    बउआ बाबा केँ सभ बात कहलनि।
    बउआ बाबा केँ सभ बात कहलकनि।

    कहलनि shows respect for the boy, not for Grandpa.

How It Connects

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

कहलकनिLevel 5A Plain Speaker and a Respected Listener

Learn This First

कहलकनि adds the receiver's -नि to the plain past -लक, so both parts come first.