-ला / -ना

To Someone and to a Place

Level 1Sounds Like lā / -nā

For a town or other place you go or come to, add -ला to the place: मी पुण्याला जातो.

How It Works

The ending -ला does two jobs, and a plural noun takes -ना.

JobExample
the person who receivesबाबा सईला पुस्तक देतात. (Dad gives Sai a book.)
the place you go toमी पुण्याला जातो. (I go to Pune.)
a plural person, with -नाती मुलांना पाणी देते. (She gives the children water.)

The ending is joined to the noun. Most nouns in -आ change before it: मुलगा becomes मुलाला. चहा does not change: चहाला. A plural noun changes more: मुले becomes मुलांना.

The same -ला also marks the person who likes something: सईला चहा आवडतो.

Use -त, not -ला, for a place you are in: मी पुण्यात आहे. Use -ला for a place you travel to: मी पुण्याला जातो.

Examples (5)

  1. मी आईला फोन करते.

    I call Mom. A woman is speaking.

    -ला marks आई as the person who receives the call.

  2. मी पुण्याला जातो.

    I go to Pune. A man is speaking.

    -ला marks the place you go to.

  3. ती मुलांना पाणी देते.

    She gives the children water.

    -ना goes with the plural मुले.

  4. सईला चहा आवडतो.

    Sai likes tea.

    -ला marks the person who likes.

  5. बाबा सईला पुस्तक देतात.

    Dad gives Sai a book.

    -ला marks सई as the person who gets the book.

Common Mistakes

  • Using -ला with a plural noun.

    ती मुलेला पाणी देते.
    ती मुलांना पाणी देते.

    A plural noun takes -ना.

  • Leaving -ला off the person you call.

    मी आई फोन करते.
    मी आईला फोन करते.

    The person you call takes -ला, so आई becomes आईला.

How It Connects

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

-ला / -नाLevel 1To Someone and to a Place

Learn This First

The ending to marks who or what receives, and it attaches to the oblique form.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

-ला