केर

The Old Possessive केर

Level 6Sounds Like kēra

केर is an old word for "of" that stands apart from the noun.

How It Works

Modern Maithili joins the possessive -क to the noun: मिथिलाक, रामक, घरक. Older Maithili and poetry use a separate word केर instead.

PoeticEverydayMeaning
मिथिला केर धरतीमिथिलाक धरतीthe land of Mithila
गंगा केर कातगंगाक कातthe bank of the Ganga
विद्यापति केर गीतविद्यापतिक गीतVidyapati's songs
  • केर comes after the noun and before the thing owned.
  • It does not change for gender or number.
  • It sounds old and lyrical, so it fits songs and poems.

You will meet केर in folk songs and in older printed books. Do not use it in everyday sentences. Hindi की and का do not belong here either; they are Hindi forms.

Examples (4)

  1. मिथिला केर धरती बड्ड उपजाऊ अछि।

    The land of Mithila is very fertile.

    केर links मिथिला to धरती in a poetic way.

  2. गंगा केर कात मे एकटा गाम अछि।

    There is a village on the bank of the Ganga.

    केर stands where speech would join -क.

  3. विद्यापति केर गीत सभ केँ नीक लगैत अछि।

    Everyone likes Vidyapati's songs.

    The old word केर replaces the joined -क.

  4. आँगन केर इजोत सभ केँ बजा रहल अछि।

    The light of the courtyard is calling everyone.

    केर is common in poetic images.

Common Mistakes

  • Using Hindi की for "of".

    मिथिला की धरती
    मिथिलाक धरती

    Maithili joins -क; the poetic केर is the only separate form.

How It Connects

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

केरLevel 6The Old Possessive केर

Learn This First

केर is an older and poetic form of the joined -क.

Words in This Pattern

केर-क