-نے کا / کی / کے + Noun

Linking an Activity to a Noun

Level 3

Read the activity as specifying the following noun.

How It Works

The relationship is often expressed with “to” or “of” in English. Urdu marks it with the same possessive family used in ordinary noun phrases.

The -نے ending is part of the infinitive. It does not mark the subject of a completed transitive action, as the separate word نے can.

The following noun determines agreement: کا for a masculine singular direct noun, کی for a feminine noun, and کے for masculine plural or oblique forms. A postposition can make a singular phrase oblique.

Examples (4)

  1. مجھے پڑھنے کا وقت نہیں ملتا۔

    I do not get time to read.

    Masculine singular وقت selects کا.

  2. اسے صبح جلدی اٹھنے کی عادت ہے۔

    They have a habit of getting up early in the morning.

    Feminine عادت selects کی.

  3. ہم نے سفر کرنے کے منصوبے بنائے۔

    We made plans to travel.

    Masculine plural منصوبے selects کے.

  4. میں سیکھنے کے موقعے سے فائدہ اٹھاتا ہوں۔

    I make use of the opportunity to learn.

    The masculine singular phrase is oblique before سے.

Common Mistakes

  • Using کا with a feminine head noun.

    اسے جلدی اٹھنے کا عادت ہے۔
    اسے جلدی اٹھنے کی عادت ہے۔

    عادت is feminine, so the linking form is کی.

How It Connects

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

-نے کا / کی / کے + NounLevel 3Linking an Activity to a Noun

Learn This First

Recognize the infinitive before using its oblique form. Match the possessive connection to the following noun.

Words in This Pattern

کا