Number (वचन) Posted by Nitin Kumar on May 29, 2011 in Hindi Language
Many of you might have a confusion on how the noun changes from singular to plural in Hindi. The understanding of grammatical number is important to understand the meaning of whole sentence, let me show you how you can determine or change the number from singular to plural.
In Hindi, there are two kind of grammatical numbers:
1. एकवचन (Ek Vachan) (Singular Number)
The word through which we get to know that the quantity is one i.e. लता (Creeper), बच्चा (Child), कुत्ता (Dog), कमरा (Room) etc.
2. बहुवचन (Bahu Vachan) (Plural Number)
The word through which we get to know that the quantity of something is more than one i.e. लताएँ (Creepers), बच्चे (Children), कुत्ते (Dogs) , कमरे (Rooms) etc.
Let me show you how you can make plural form from singular form. This will also help you to differentiate between singular and plural in Hindi.First bracket shows the romanised spelling and second one shows the meaning in English.
Masculine Nouns
Some noun require that you change the आ at the end to ए to convert them to a plural.
| Singular |
Plural |
| लड़का (ladka)(Boy) | लड़के (ladke)(boys) |
| कमरा (kamra)(Room) | कमरे (kamre)(rooms) |
| घोड़ा (ghoda)(Horse) | घोड़े (ghode)(horses) |
| कुत्ता (kutta)(Dog) | कुत्ते (kutte)(dogs) |
| बेटा (beta)(Son) | बेटे (bete)(sons) |
| रास्ता (rasta)(Way) | रास्ते (raste)(ways) |
Some of the noun require that you add ने, से, में at the end of a plural.
| Singular |
Plural |
| घर (ghar)(Home) | घरों (gharoon) में, से, के (ne, mein, se) |
| डाकू (daku)(Deciot) | डाकुयो (dakoon) ने, में, से (ne, mein, se) |
| साधु (sadu)(Sage) | साधुओ (sadoon)(Sages) ने, में, से (ne, mein, se) |
Feminine Nouns
Noun that require the change of अ at the end to एं to convert them to a plural.
| Singular |
Plural |
| आँख (aakh)(Eye) | आँखे (aankein)(eyes) |
| पुस्तक (pustak)(Book) | पुस्तकें (pustakein)(books) |
| रात (raat) (Night) | रातें (raatein)(nights) |
| बहन (bahen) (Sister) | बहनें (bahenein) (sisters) |
| बांह (banh)(Arm) | बांहें (banhein)(arms) |
Noun that require to add याँ at the end to convert them to a plural.
| Singular |
Plural |
| नीति (niti)(Policy) | नीतियाँ (nitiyan)(policies) |
| लिपि (lipi)(Script) | लिपियाँ (lipiyan)(scripts) |
| गति (gati) (Speed) | गतियाँ (gatiyan)(speeds) |
| प्रति (prati)(Copy) | प्रतियाँ (pratiyan)(copies) |
Noun that require to change the ई at the end to इया to convert them to a plural.
| Singular |
Plural |
| नारी (nari)(Woman) | नारियाँ (nariyan)(women) |
| चाबी (chabi)(Key) | चाबियाँ (chabiyan)(keys) |
| नदी (nadi)(River) | नदियाँ (nadiyan)(rivers) |
| सीढ़ी (sidhi)(Stair) | सीढियाँ (sidhiyan)(stairs) |
| सखी (sakhi)(Fem. friend) | सखियाँ (sakhiyan) (fem. friends) |
Noun that require a chandra bindu (ँ ) at the end to convert them to a plural.
| Singular |
Plural |
| चिड़िया (chidiya)(Sparrow) | चिड़ियाँ (chidiyan)(sparrows) |
| बुढ़िया (budiya)(Old lady) | बुढ़ियाँ (budiyan)(old ladies) |
| पुड़िया (pudiya)(Small packet) | पुड़ियाँ (pudiyan)(small packets) |
Noun that require एँ at the end. Another important change in that some of the noun need to change their ऊ to उ in plural i.e. वधू to वधुएँ
| Singular |
Plural |
| लता (lata)(Crepper) | लताएँ (latein)(creppers) |
| वधू (vadu) (Bride) | वधुएँ (vaduein)(brides) |
| वस्तु (vastu)(Thing) | वस्तुएँ (vastuein)(things) |
| बहू (badu)(Daughter-in-law) | बहुएँ (bahuein)(Daughters-in-law) |
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About the Author: Nitin Kumar
Nitin Kumar is a native Hindi speaker from New Delhi, India. His education qualification include Masters in Robotics and Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering. Currently, he is working in the Research and Development in Robotics in Germany. He is avid language learner with varied level of proficiency in English, German, Spanish, and Japanese. He wish to learn French one day. His passion for languages motivated him to share his mother tongue, Hindi, and culture and traditions associated with its speakers. He has been working with Transparent Language since 2010 and has written over 430 blogs on various topics on Hindi language and India, its culture and traditions. He is also the Administrator for Hindi Facebook page which has a community of over 330,000 members.
Comments:
Sagar G:
I think you have got the translation of the title (vachan) wrong.
How can translation of vachan be number?
Should it be ‘Plural’?
Nitin:
@Sagar G The Hindi word for English’s grammatical number or simply, numbers is Vachan. Topic is described in English as well as Hindi.
SESHADRI T.K:
Dear Sir,
I feel it would be more useful to the hindi learners, if the
plural form of all nouns of both feminine and masculine gender
in the hindi dictionaries. At present, in hindi dictionaries, the gender of the words are indicated but if the plural form
of the noun words are also included/indicated, I feel very
much that it would be highly helpful.
For example, I, today, wanted to learn what is the plural form
of hindi word ‘BAL’ (hair); ‘PILLA’ (puppy); ‘RAKSHAK’ (protector); ‘SHERNI’ (lioness); ‘DHUKANDAR’ (shop keeper)and ‘LOG’ (people) but I could not get answers.
May the complete universe be happy,
With regards,
Yours truly,
SESHADRI T.K
Nitin Kumar:
@SESHADRI T.K Namaste Seshadriji,
You brought an interesting topic which may baffle many of new learners. I think, the dictionaries don’t include the plural form of the words but a rule of how to convert a singular to a plural. Of course, there are some exceptions to this rules like “Baal”, “Rukshak”, “Sherni”, “Dhukandar” and “Log”, which are same in singular and plural form. You can only get the idea if they are plural from the adjective preceeding them as well as change in “be” in Hindi (tha -> the or thi -> then)
We have the plural form for Pilla -> Pillen.
Nitin
Aparna:
Dear Sir,
Your page is very useful. Could you please give me the plural of mala in hindi. i’m not able to get it…
Regards
Aparna
Nitin Kumar:
@Aparna Namaste Aparnaji,
I am glad that you find this page useful, thank you. The plural of माला (Mala) is मालायें (Malayein) i.e. फूल- मालायें.
Nitin
Krupa:
Hello sir,
Aapke page be merit bahut madat ki.sir bhens,gaay air bail ka bahuvachan kya hoga
rohan:
your site is very helpful
eshani khanapuri:
examples of ekvachan and bahuvachan
Nitin Kumar:
@eshani khanapuri Namaste, Eshani,
Example of Ekvachan (Sinular) – Baccha (Child) and its Bahuvachan (Plural) will be Bacche (Children).
Hope this help!
Uzair:
Thank god got my hindi in minutes i so lucky
Deepak:
What will be the plural of ‘vikas’. Hindi of ‘developments’.
Nitin Kumar:
@Deepak same, it will be vikas.
Ananya:
Sir,
What is the plural of vidhyarthi?
Nitin Kumar:
@Ananya plural of vidhyarthi is vidhyarthi.
Debadrita Sikdar:
very good . I like it.
Smeago6:
Your article is very useful but I have other doubts in mind:What is the plural of thara(star),chutti,teela,kiran,jhoola,baccha and gana? I would appreciate it if you would reply today.
Shael:
Hello sir, you are doing a very good jab.thanks for that, can you tell me about the hindi word “teraak” akvachan or bahuvachan ?
Nitin Kumar:
@Shael ekvachan
Kavyatri Rai:
Namashkar Nitin
Mujhe kuch exceptions ki udaharan chahiye thi.
Aap paanch ya saath udaharan dijiyega.
Kavyatri
seena:
sir,plural of word patang.
Nitin Kumar:
@seena the plural of patang is patang, no change.
Dr Deeptee Lodha:
I think the plural of ghar is ghar only, similarly for daaku it’s daaku
Ramesh:
your answer is wrong in plural from
Auriel Kitsu:
Is रक्षक/rakshak correct for “The Protectors”?
What is the word’s etymology?
धन्यवाद
Auriel Kitsu:
@Auriel Kitsu Would तारक/Taarak be a better choice of word?
Its plural form would be “The Taarak”?