Postpositions

Foundations

Read the noun phrase and its following postposition together. The noun or pronoun may need an oblique form.

How It Works

بیگ میں means in the bag and بیگ پر means on the bag. The postposition comes after بیگ in each phrase.

Some relationships use a group of words. مہمانوں کے لیے means for the guests; treat کے لیے as the relationship expression. The noun مہمانوں is an oblique plural.

A pronoun may also change before a postposition. Use مجھ سے, not the basic pronoun میں, in the phrase meaning from or with me.

One English word does not give every use of an Urdu postposition. سے can mark a starting point, an instrument, a comparison or a participant in a construction. Read it with the verb and the rest of the sentence.

Examples (4)

  1. چابی بیگ میں ہے۔

    The key is in the bag.

    میں follows بیگ to give the location.

  2. کتاب بیگ پر ہے۔

    The book is on the bag.

    پر gives a different relationship to the same noun.

  3. یہ پانی مہمانوں کے لیے ہے۔

    This water is for the guests.

    The phrase uses oblique plural مہمانوں before کے لیے.

  4. سارا مجھ سے بات کر رہی ہے۔

    Sara is talking to me.

    The construction بات کرنا uses سے for the other participant; میں becomes مجھ.

Common Mistakes

  • Keeping the basic pronoun before سے.

    سارا میں سے بات کر رہی ہے۔
    سارا مجھ سے بات کر رہی ہے۔

    Use مجھ before سے when you mean “with me.” The sequence میں سے can occur elsewhere, but it does not express that meaning here.

How It Connects

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PostpositionsFoundations

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