ہوں / ہو / ہے / ہیں

The Present of to Be

Level 1

Urdu has several present forms of “to be.” They normally follow a description, identity or location.

How It Works

A place phrase can sit before the form of “to be”: میں باہر ہوں. With ہم, the corresponding sentence is ہم باہر ہیں.

The forms in this entry do not change for grammatical gender. چابی نئی ہے and جوتا نیا ہے both end in ہے, while the adjective changes.

With plural things, use ہیں: جوتے نئے ہیں. Respectful reference to one person can also take ہیں, so that form does not always mean more than one.

Keep the form of “to be” in these full beginner statements. You may hear shorter replies or particular negative constructions that omit it, but dropping it from every sentence does not give the same pattern.

Examples (6)

  1. میں باہر ہوں۔

    I am outside.

    میں takes ہوں.

  2. تم باہر ہو۔

    You are outside.

    Familiar تم takes ہو.

  3. ہم باہر ہیں۔

    We are outside.

    ہم takes ہیں.

  4. آپ باہر ہیں۔

    You are outside.

    Respectful آپ takes ہیں, including for one listener.

  5. چابی نئی ہے۔

    The key is new.

    The ordinary singular subject takes ہے.

  6. جوتے نئے ہیں۔

    The shoes are new.

    The plural subject takes ہیں.

How It Connects

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

ہوں / ہو / ہے / ہیںLevel 1The Present of to Be

Learn This First

Recognize first-person subjects before choosing ہوں or ہیں. Recognize familiar and respectful second-person subjects before choosing the copula.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

And 3 more in the full list.

Words in This Pattern

ہونا