Category Archives: Grammar

Hindi Sentence Structure

English is an SVO(Subject-Verb-Object) language while Hindi is an SOV(Subject-Object-Verb) language.

Let’s look at the first example.

hindi-structure1

See the colour groups for faster understanding. Let’s see one more example.

hindi-structure2

Note:

1. A ‘to be’ helping verb is required in most of the Hindi sentences.

2. In Devanagari, there is no concept that ‘a sentence starts with a capital letter’ or ‘a proper noun starts with a capital letter’. All letters are of same size for all words.


honā होना To Be

These are the most basic Hindi sentences using ‘to be’ forms with first person, second person & third person pronouns.

मैं हूं। maiň hūň. I am.
हम हैं। ham haiň. We are.
तू है। tu hai. You are. (Informal)
तुम हो। tum ho. You are. (Little formal/Plural)
आप हैं। āp haiň. You are. (Formal/Plural)
वह है। vah hai. *vo hai.( In spoken)* He/She/It is.
वे हैं। ve haiň. *vo hai.( In spoken)* They are. (Formal/Plural)

Some Common Action Words

In Hindi, infinitive = root verb + nā

So if root verb is kar then karnā is the infinitive.

करना karnā To do
मुस्कराना muskarānā To smile
हंसना hasnā To laugh
रोना ronā To cry
बजाना bajānā To play (musical instrument)
ताली बजाना tālī bajānā To clap
खडा होना khadā honā To stand
बैठना baithnā To sit
चलना chalnā To walk
दौडना daudnā To run
खाना khānā To eat
पीना pīnā To drink
पढना padhnā To read/study
पढाना padhānā To teach
लिखना likhnā To write
फेंकना feknā To throw
पकडना pakadnā To catch
कूदना kūdnā To jump
खेलना khelnā To play
तैरना tairnā To swim
नाचना nāchnā To dance
सोना sonā To sleep
पकाना pakānā To cook
बताना batānā To tell
बात करना bāt karnā To talk
बोलना bolnā To speak
देखना dekhnā To see
सुनना sunnā To hear/listen
नहाना nahānā To bathe
लेना lenā To take
देना denā To give
आना ānā To come
जाना jānā To go
मारना mārnā To hit/kill
बेचना bechnā To sell
खरीदना kharīdnā To buy