-ने / -नी / -ांनी

By Someone or with Something

Level 2Sounds Like nē / -nī / -̔ānnī

The ending joins the noun and is written as one word with it.

How It Works

JobExampleMeaning
who did itसईने गाणे म्हटले.Sai sang a song.
who did it, more than oneमुलांनी खेळ खेळला.The children played a game.
meansमी बसने जातो.I go by bus.
toolती हाताने लिहिते.She writes by hand.

One doer takes -ने: सईने, ओंकारने, त्याने. More than one doer takes -नी or -ांनी: त्यांनी, मुलांनी, आजोबांनी. आजोबांनी is plural for respect.

The noun takes its changed shape before -ने: मुलगा becomes मुलाने, हात becomes हाताने and चमचा becomes चमच्याने.

The doer with -ने appears in the past with most verbs that have an object. मी, तू, आम्ही and तुम्ही never take it.

The means use also works in the present: मी पेनाने लिहितो (I write with a pen). The question for means is कशाने? (with what?) and the question for the doer is कोणी? (who did it?)

Examples (5)

  1. सईने गाणे म्हटले.

    Sai sang a song.

    -ने marks Sai as the doer.

  2. मुलांनी खेळ खेळला.

    The children played a game.

    -ांनी marks more than one doer.

  3. मी बसने जातो.

    I go by bus. A man is speaking.

    -ने marks the means of travel.

  4. ती हाताने लिहिते.

    She writes by hand.

    -ने marks the tool.

  5. आजोबांनी पत्र लिहिले.

    Grandfather wrote a letter.

    -ांनी shows respect for आजोबा.

Common Mistakes

  • Writing -ने as a separate word.

    सई ने गाणे म्हटले.
    सईने गाणे म्हटले.

    -ने joins the noun.

  • Using -ने for more than one doer.

    मुलांने गाणे म्हटले.
    मुलांनी गाणे म्हटले.

    More than one doer takes -नी or -ांनी.

How It Connects

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-ने / -नी / -ांनीLevel 2By Someone or with Something

Learn This First

The doer ending -ने attaches to the oblique form.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.