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Hindi · Grammar basics

8 rules that turn words into sentences

Eight rules cover most spoken Hindi. Once these click, you can build your own sentences instead of repeating set phrases.

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  1. 1. Word order: the verb comes last

    Hindi is subject → object → verb. 'I drink tea' becomes 'मैं चाय पीता हूँ' — literally 'I tea drink am'.

    • मैं चाय पीता हूँMain chāy pītā hūnI drink tea
    • वह किताब पढ़ता हैVah kitāb paṛhtā haiHe reads a book
    • हम दिल्ली जाते हैंHam Dillī jāte hainWe go to Delhi

    Common mistake: Placing the verb in the middle: 'मैं पीता चाय' is not Hindi.

  2. 2. तू / तुम / आप — three levels of 'you'

    आप is respectful (elders, strangers, work). तुम is casual with friends. तू is very intimate or rude — avoid it until you're sure.

    • आप कैसे हैं?Āp kaise hain?How are you? (respectful)
    • तुम कैसे हो?Tum kaise ho?How are you? (friend)
    • आप बैठिएĀp baiṭhiyePlease sit (respectful)

    Common mistake: Saying तुम to an elder or a client — default to आप when in doubt.

  3. 3. Gender changes the verb

    Verbs agree with gender: a man says करता हूँ, a woman says करती हूँ. Plural or respectful becomes करते हैं.

    • मैं काम करता हूँMain kām kartā hūnI work (man)
    • मैं काम करती हूँMain kām kartī hūnI work (woman)
    • वे काम करते हैंVe kām karte hainThey work

    Common mistake: Using करता for everyone — the -ता / -ती swap is immediately noticeable.

  4. 4. Postpositions come after the noun

    Hindi marks relations after the noun: में (in), पर (on), से (from/with), को (to), का/की/के (of).

    • घर मेंghar meinin the house
    • मेज़ परmez paron the table
    • मुझे स्टेशन जाना हैMujhe sṭeśan jānā haiI have to go to the station

    Common mistake: Putting में before the noun like English 'in the house'.

  5. 5. Present tense: verb + हूँ / हो / है / हैं

    The main verb takes -ता/-ती/-ते and a helper closes the sentence: मैं…हूँ, तुम…हो, वह…है, हम/वे/आप…हैं.

    • मैं बोलता हूँMain boltā hūnI speak
    • तुम बोलते होTum bolte hoYou speak (friend)
    • आप बोलते हैंĀp bolte hainYou speak (respectful)

    Common mistake: Dropping the helper verb — 'मैं बोलता' sounds unfinished.

  6. 6. Past and future, simply

    Past drops the helper into था/थी/थे or uses -आ (गया, किया). Future adds -ऊँगा/-एगा (जाऊँगा, आएगा).

    • मैं गयाMain gayāI went (man)
    • मैं कल जाऊँगाMain kal jāūngāI will go tomorrow
    • वह आएगाVah āegāHe will come

    Common mistake: Using present tense with कल (tomorrow/yesterday) — the verb must change too.

  7. 7. Asking questions

    Add a question word — क्या (what / yes-no), कहाँ (where), कब (when), क्यों (why), कितना (how much) — and keep the rest of the order.

    • आपका नाम क्या है?Āpkā nām kyā hai?What is your name?
    • स्टेशन कहाँ है?Sṭeśan kahān hai?Where is the station?
    • कितने रुपये?Kitne rupaye?How many rupees?

    Common mistake: Reordering the whole sentence like English questions.

  8. 8. Saying no

    नहीं negates and sits just before the verb: मुझे नहीं पता. मत refuses a command: मत जाओ (don't go).

    • मुझे हिंदी नहीं आतीMujhe Hindī nahīn ātīI don't know Hindi
    • नहीं, धन्यवादNahīn, dhanyavādNo thanks
    • मत जाओMat jāoDon't go

    Common mistake: Using नहीं for a command — 'don't go' needs मत.