Complete Hindi Grammar Guide

Welcome to the most comprehensive English-to-Hindi grammar guide on the internet. Whether you're a complete beginner or looking to refine your Hindi language skills, this guide will help you understand the fundamental rules, structures, and patterns that make Hindi unique.

Understanding Hindi Grammar Basics

Hindi (हिंदी), one of the world's most spoken languages with over 600 million speakers, follows grammatical patterns quite different from English. The language uses the Devanagari script and has a Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) word order, unlike English's Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) structure. Understanding these fundamental differences is crucial for mastering Hindi grammar.

Hindi grammar is systematic and logical, following consistent rules once you understand the patterns. The language builds on a foundation of gender-based nouns, case markers, and verb conjugations that work together to create meaningful sentences. While this might seem complex initially, the regular patterns make learning progressively easier.

Gender in Hindi - Masculine and Feminine

One of the most fundamental aspects of Hindi grammar is gender. Every Hindi noun is either masculine (पुल्लिंग - pulling) or feminine (स्त्रीलिंग - striling). Unlike English, where gender is primarily biological, Hindi assigns gender to all objects, concepts, and living things.

Masculine Nouns

Masculine nouns typically end in आ (aa), but there are many exceptions. Common examples include:

• लड़का (ladka) - boy
• कमरा (kamra) - room
• दरवाज़ा (darwaza) - door
• फल (phal) - fruit
• पानी (paani) - water (masculine in Hindi!)

Feminine Nouns

Feminine nouns often end in ई (ee) or इ (i), though many end in other vowels or consonants:

• लड़की (ladki) - girl
• किताब (kitaab) - book
• मेज़ (mez) - table
• खिड़की (khidki) - window
• रात (raat) - night

Hindi Sentence Structure (Word Order)

Hindi follows a Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) word order, which is opposite to English's Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) structure. This is perhaps the most striking difference for English speakers learning Hindi.

While the SOV structure is standard, Hindi allows some flexibility in word order for emphasis or poetic effect. However, beginners should master the basic SOV pattern first before experimenting with variations.

Pronouns in Hindi

Hindi pronouns change based on formality level, which is crucial for respectful communication. The language has three levels of formality:

Personal Pronouns

Verb Conjugation and Tenses

Hindi verbs conjugate based on gender, number, and formality level of the subject. The root form of verbs typically ends in "ना" (-na). For example, "खाना" (khaana - to eat), "जाना" (jaana - to go), "करना" (karna - to do).

Present Tense (वर्तमान काल)

The present tense in Hindi indicates actions that are happening now or actions that are habitual. Here's how to conjugate "खाना" (khaana - to eat):

Past Tense (भूतकाल)

The past tense in Hindi is formed by adding specific endings to the verb root. Unlike English, Hindi past tense verbs agree with the subject's gender and number:

• मैंने खाया (maine khaaya) - I ate (masculine subject)
• मैंने खाई (maine khaayi) - I ate (feminine subject, feminine object)
• उसने खाया (usne khaaya) - He/She ate
• हमने खाया (humne khaaya) - We ate

Future Tense (भविष्यत काल)

The future tense indicates actions that will happen. It's formed by adding -ūṅgā/-ūṅgī/-oge/-egi endings to the verb root:

• मैं खाऊंगा (main khaa-unga) - I will eat (masculine)
• मैं खाऊंगी (main khaa-ungi) - I will eat (feminine)
• वह खाएगा (vah khaayega) - He will eat
• वह खाएगी (vah khaayegi) - She will eat

Postpositions (Not Prepositions!)

Unlike English, which uses prepositions (before the noun), Hindi uses postpositions - markers that come after the noun. These are essential for showing relationships between words in a sentence.

Common Postpositions:

• का/के/की (ka/ke/ki) - of, 's (possession)
• में (mein) - in
• पर (par) - on, at
• से (se) - from, by, with
• को (ko) - to (marks direct object)
• तक (tak) - until, up to
• के लिए (ke liye) - for
• के साथ (ke saath) - with

Adjectives in Hindi

Hindi adjectives change their form based on the gender and number of the noun they modify. There are two types of adjectives:

Variable Adjectives

These adjectives change based on gender and number, typically ending in आ/ा (aa/a):

• अच्छा (achchha) - good (masculine singular)
• अच्छी (achchhi) - good (feminine singular)
• अच्छे (achchhe) - good (masculine plural)
• अच्छी (achchhi) - good (feminine plural)

Invariable Adjectives

These adjectives remain the same regardless of gender or number:

• सुंदर (sundar) - beautiful
• खूबसूरत (khoobsurat) - gorgeous
• महान (mahaan) - great

Question Formation

Hindi questions use specific question words (प्रश्नवाचक शब्द) and often maintain the SOV word order:

Numbers and Counting

Hindi uses unique number words that differ from English. Numbers 1-99 have distinct names, and the counting system can seem complex at first but follows patterns once learned.

For a complete guide to Hindi numbers, visit our Numbers page.

Imperative Mood (Commands)

Hindi has three levels of commands based on formality, matching the three levels of "you":

• Casual (तू - tu): Verb root - जा (jaa - go!)
• Informal (तुम - tum): Verb root + ओ - जाओ (jaao - please go)
• Formal (आप - aap): Verb root + इए - जाइए (jaaiye - please go - respectful)

Common Grammar Mistakes to Avoid

Practice Resources

To practice Hindi grammar effectively, we recommend combining multiple learning methods:

• Use our Translation Tool to check your sentences
• Practice with Hindi Typing Tool to improve writing
• Study Example Sentences to see grammar in context
• Build vocabulary with our Word Meanings section
• Learn specific topics like Animals, Colors, etc.

Final Tips for Mastering Hindi Grammar

Frequently Asked Questions