-ावे

Asking What to Do and Giving Advice

Level 4Sounds Like ̔āvē

The ending follows the object: करावा, करावी, करावे.

How It Works

-ावे says what should be done. The form stays the same for every person, so the doer can be मी, आपण, तुम्ही or no one in particular.

UseExample
a questionआता काय करावे?
a question about a placeमी कुठे बसावे?
general adviceरोज सकाळी थोडा व्यायाम करावा.
an invitationतुम्ही नक्की यावे.

When the verb has a singular object, the ending matches it: व्यायाम is masculine, so करावा. For a feminine object, the ending is -ावी: भाजी आणावी. A verb with no object stays -ावे: बसावे, यावे, जावे.

Questions with -ावे ask for advice and sound polite: आपण त्यांना काय सांगावे? (What should we tell them?)

Notices use -ावे for a polite request, and the negative is -ू नये. The ending also works with का: आज मी जावे का? (Should I go today?) A friend asks this to get a yes or a no.

The ending -ावे is formal and a little gentle. It suits advice, questions to an adult and instructions in a book.

Examples (5)

  1. आता काय करावे?

    What should we do now?

    करावे asks what is right to do.

  2. मी कुठे बसावे?

    Where should I sit?

    बसावे has no object, so it stays -ावे.

  3. रोज सकाळी थोडा व्यायाम करावा.

    One should exercise a little every morning.

    व्यायाम is masculine, so the form is -ावा.

  4. आजारी असताना जास्त आराम करावा.

    One should rest more when ill.

    आराम is masculine, so the form is -ावा.

  5. आपण त्यांना काय सांगावे?

    What should we tell them?

    सांगावे follows काय, which is neuter.

Common Mistakes

  • Matching a verb with no object to the doer.

    मी कुठे बसावी?
    मी कुठे बसावे?

    बसणे has no object, so the form stays -ावे for a woman too.

  • Not matching the form to the object.

    रोज व्यायाम करावी.
    रोज व्यायाम करावा.

    व्यायाम is masculine, so the form is -ावा.

How It Connects

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

-ावेLevel 4Asking What to Do and Giving Advice

Learn This First

-ावे is a polite should.