-निहार

The One Who Does It: -निहार

Level 4Sounds Like nihāra

-निहार on a verb stem makes the person who does that action.

How It Works

The ending -निहार turns a verb into a word for the doer. Add it to the stem, the form without -ब.

VerbWith -निहारMeaning
पढ़बपढ़निहारreader
देखबदेखनिहारviewer
सुनबसुननिहारlistener
करबकरनिहारdoer
  • It works like any noun: देखनिहारक भीड़ (the crowd of viewers), पढ़निहार सभ (readers).
  • It does not change for number, and writing can use -निहारि for a woman (करनिहारि).
  • It is common in writing.

For the doer in everyday talk, you may also use a plain noun or a phrase. -निहार is useful when you want one tidy word for "someone who does X". Do not use the Hindi पढ़ने वाला; in Maithili, say पढ़निहार.

Examples (5)

  1. ई किताब पढ़निहार बड्ड कम छथि।

    Very few people read this book.

    पढ़निहार names the readers; छथि is the respectful verb.

  2. मेला मे देखनिहारक भीड़ लागल छल।

    A crowd of onlookers had gathered at the fair.

    देखनिहारक takes the joined -क like any noun.

  3. एहि काजक करनिहार के छथि?

    Who is the one who will do this job?

    करनिहार means the person who does it.

  4. सुननिहार नहि रहत तँ बजनिहार की करत?

    If there is no listener, what will the speaker do?

    सुननिहार and बजनिहार make a neat pair.

  5. कथाक सुननिहार सभ चुपचाप बैसल छलाह।

    The listeners of the story sat quietly.

    सुननिहार सभ is plural with सभ.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the Hindi -वाला.

    ई किताब पढ़ने वाला कम छथि।
    ई किताब पढ़निहार कम छथि।

    Maithili adds -निहार to the stem.

How It Connects

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

-निहारLevel 4The One Who Does It: -निहार

Learn This First

-निहार names a person from a verb, so seeing verbs as nouns comes first.