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Bengali · Grammar basics

8 rules that turn words into sentences

Good news: Bangla has no grammatical gender, so one verb form covers he and she. What it does have is three levels of 'you' and endings glued to nouns. These eight rules cover most everyday Bangla.

rulespracticerecap

  1. 1. Word order: the verb comes last

    Bangla is subject → object → verb. English says 'I drink tea'; Bangla says 'I tea drink'.

    • আমি চা খাইĀmi chā khāiI drink tea (literally 'eat tea')
    • সে বই পড়েSe boi poṛeHe/she reads a book
    • আমরা কলকাতা যাইĀmrā Kolkātā jāiWe go to Kolkata

    Common mistake: Keeping the English order: 'আমি খাই চা' sounds broken.

  2. 2. তুই / তুমি / আপনি — three levels of 'you'

    তুই is very intimate (siblings, childhood friends) and can offend a stranger. তুমি is normal friendly you. আপনি is the respectful you for elders, strangers and officials. Each takes its own verb ending.

    • তুমি কেমন আছো?Tumi kemon ācho?How are you? (friendly)
    • আপনি কেমন আছেন?Āpni kemon āchen?How are you? (respectful)
    • আপনি বসুনĀpni bosunPlease sit (respectful)

    Common mistake: Using তুই or তুমি with an elder or a shopkeeper you have just met.

  3. 3. No gender — one form for he and she

    Bangla verbs and adjectives do not change for gender. সে covers both he and she; তিনি is the respectful version. Only the person and the respect level change the verb.

    • সে ভালো ছেলেSe bhālo chheleHe is a good boy
    • সে ভালো মেয়েSe bhālo meyeShe is a good girl
    • তিনি শিক্ষকTini śikṣokHe/she is a teacher (respectful)

    Common mistake: Importing Hindi or Marathi gender endings — Bangla has none, so ভালো never changes.

  4. 4. Endings and postpositions after the noun

    Bangla adds -তে / -এ for 'in / at', -কে for the object person, and puts words like থেকে (from) and সঙ্গে (with) after the noun.

    • আমি বাড়িতে আছিĀmi bāṛite āchhiI am at home
    • আমাকে সাহায্য করুনĀmāke sāhājjo korunPlease help me
    • বন্ধুর সঙ্গে এলামBondhur soṅge elāmI came with a friend

    Common mistake: Putting 'in' or 'with' before the noun, English-style.

  5. 5. Present tense endings

    The verb ending shows the person: আমি → -ই (যাই), তুমি → -ও (যাও), সে → -এ (যায়), আপনি / তিনি → -এন (যান), আমরা → -ই (যাই).

    • আমি কাজ করিĀmi kāj koriI work
    • তুমি কাজ করোTumi kāj koroYou work (friendly)
    • আপনি কাজ করেনĀpni kāj korenYou work (respectful)

    Common mistake: Using one ending for every subject — the ending is what marks the person and the respect level.

  6. 6. Past and future, simply

    Past adds -ল- for আমি: গেলাম (I went), খেলাম (I ate). Future adds -ব: যাব (I will go), খাব (I will eat).

    • কাল গেলামKāl gelāmI went yesterday
    • কাল যাবKāl jāboI will go tomorrow
    • সে খেয়েছেSe kheyechheHe/she has eaten

    Common mistake: Using the same word কাল for yesterday and tomorrow without changing the verb — the tense on the verb decides which it means.

  7. 7. Asking questions

    Add কি to a statement for a yes/no question: আপনি আসবেন কি? For open questions use কী (what), কোথায় (where), কে (who), কেন (why), কেমন (how).

    • আপনি আসবেন কি?Āpni āsben ki?Will you come?
    • এটা কী?Eṭā kī?What is this?
    • বাস কোথায়?Bās kothāy?Where is the bus?

    Common mistake: Confusing কি (the yes/no tag) with কী (what).

  8. 8. Saying no

    না comes after the verb: আমি যাব না (I will not go). নেই means 'there isn't any'. না on its own is plain 'no'.

    • আমি জানি নাĀmi jāni nāI don't know
    • সে আসেনিSe āseniHe/she did not come
    • চা নেইChā neiThere is no tea

    Common mistake: Putting না before the verb, English-style — in Bangla it follows the verb.