-च्या ऐवजी

Instead of

Level 4Sounds Like cyā aivajī

Write the replaced thing first and the replacement after ऐवजी.

How It Works

Take the word that is replaced and add -च्या. Then say ऐवजी, and then name what comes in its place. चहाच्या ऐवजी कॉफी द्या. (Give me coffee in place of tea.)

Replaced wordWith -च्या ऐवजी
चहा (m)चहाच्या ऐवजी
बस (f)बसच्या ऐवजी
मी (I)माझ्या ऐवजी
जाणे (going)जाण्याच्या ऐवजी

The ending does not change for a feminine or neuter word. It is always -च्या here, so write बसच्या ऐवजी, never बसची ऐवजी.

A pronoun changes first: मी becomes माझ्या, तू becomes तुझ्या and तो becomes त्याच्या. आज त्याच्या ऐवजी मी येतो. (Today I come in his place.) A man is speaking.

For an action, turn the verb into its -णे noun and add -च्या: बाहेर जाण्याच्या ऐवजी मी घरी वाचन करते. (In place of going out, I read at home.) A woman is speaking.

In print you will also see the phrase joined, चहाच्याऐवजी, and a short form without -च्या, चहाऐवजी. This course writes -च्या ऐवजी as two words, as the catalog does, and keeps one choice inside a lesson.

Examples (5)

  1. चहाच्या ऐवजी कॉफी द्या.

    Please give me coffee in place of tea.

    चहाच्या ऐवजी names the drink that is replaced.

  2. आज माझ्या ऐवजी सई येईल.

    Sai will come today in my place.

    माझ्या ऐवजी names the person who is replaced.

  3. मी बसच्या ऐवजी लोकलने गेलो.

    I took the local train in place of the bus. A man is speaking.

    बसच्या ऐवजी keeps -च्या for a feminine word.

  4. त्याने पैशांच्या ऐवजी वस्तू दिल्या.

    He gave goods in place of money.

    पैशांच्या ऐवजी sets the money aside for goods.

  5. बाहेर जाण्याच्या ऐवजी मी घरी वाचन करते.

    In place of going out, I read at home. A woman is speaking.

    जाण्याच्या ऐवजी turns the verb into a noun.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the feminine ending -ची with ऐवजी.

    मी बसची ऐवजी लोकलने गेलो.
    मी बसच्या ऐवजी लोकलने गेलो.

    The ending before ऐवजी is always -च्या. -ची belongs to a feminine word that follows it.

  • Using the bare verb before ऐवजी.

    बाहेर जाणे ऐवजी मी घरी वाचन करते.
    बाहेर जाण्याच्या ऐवजी मी घरी वाचन करते.

    Turn the verb into the -ण्याच्या form before ऐवजी.

How It Connects

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

-च्या ऐवजीLevel 4Instead of

Learn This First

Instead of attaches to -च्या.

Words in This Pattern

ऐवजी