Among some of my fondest memories of my stays in India are the “rainy days,” which would usually occur during the monsoon season (\u092c\u0930\u0938\u093e\u0924\/barsaat, fem. noun). In North India, this season lasts from around June or July to September. But, it was not only during the monsoon season that rainy days would bless us with their presence amidst the dryness of the Rajasthani climate; on those special and particularly unexpected days, we would usually plan a special “programme” (\u092a\u094d\u0930\u094b\u0917\u094d\u0930\u093e\u092e, masc. noun) at my Hindi school in Jaipur.<\/p>\n
On one such day, one of my favorite teachers suddenly announced to my class that we should head up to the kitchen on the second floor and start making \u092a\u0915\u094b\u0921\u093c\u0947\/pakore (masc. noun, plural; singular form is \u092a\u0915\u094b\u0921\u093c\u093e\/pakora), or chopped and fried vegetables (or meat) encased in a slightly spicy, fried batter, and the ubiquitous rainy day (or any day!) favorite: \u091a\u093e\u092f\/chaay (fem. noun) or spiced Indian tea with milk. Here are a few sentences, deconstructed for digestibility, that should get you thinking about the good times to be had in and outside of the rainy season:<\/p>\n
1. \u0906\u091c \u092c\u093e\u0930\u093f\u0936 \u0939\u094b \u0930\u0939\u0940 \u0939\u0948, \u0924\u094b \u0939\u092e\u0947\u0902 \u0930\u0938\u094b\u0908 (-\u0918\u0930, optional) \u091a\u0932\u0915\u0930 \u0915\u0941\u091b \u092a\u0915\u094b\u0921\u093c\u0947 \u0905\u094c\u0930 \u091a\u093e\u092f \u092c\u0928\u093e\u0928\u0940 \u091a\u093e\u0939\u093f\u090f !<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Transliteration (or, the Hindi sentence in English, rather than Devanagari script): Aaj baarish ho rahi hai, to hume rasoi (-ghar) chalkar kuch pakore aur chaay banaani chaahiye!<\/em><\/p>\n English Translation: It’s raining today, so we should go to the kitchen and make some pakoras and chai!<\/span><\/p>\n In Hindi, you say literally that rain “is happening.” So, you would use the most colloquial word for rain, \u092c\u093e\u0930\u093f\u0936 (fem. noun) (another word for this is \u0935\u0930\u094d\u0937\u093e, fem. noun, but it is formal), and conjugate the “to be or to happen” verb, \u0939\u094b\u0928\u093e, according to which tense you want to use:<\/p>\n \u092c\u093e\u0930\u093f\u0936 \u0939\u094b \u0930\u093e\u0939\u0940 \u0939\u0948\/Baarish ho rahi hai (progressive or -ing tense; something that is happening RIGHT NOW)\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n English Translation: It is raining. (Literally: Rain is happening)<\/p>\n 1) \u092c\u093e\u0930\u093f\u0936 \u0939\u0941\u0908 \u0939\u0948\/Baarish hui hai (past perfect tense or something that has happened in the RECENT past) or 2) \u092c\u093e\u0930\u093f\u0936 \u0939\u0941\u0908 \/ Baarish hui (simple past or something that has happened in the more distant past and is over and done with) \u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n English Translation: 1) It has rained (Lit.: Rain has happened) or 2) It rained. (Lit.: Rain happened)<\/p>\n \u092c\u093e\u0930\u093f\u0936 \u0939\u094b\u0917\u0940\/Baarish hogi (future tense) \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n English Translation: It will rain. (Lit.: Rain will happen)<\/p>\n The second part of the sentence: \u0939\u092e\u0947\u0902 \u0930\u0938\u094b\u0908 (-\u0918\u0930, optional) \u091a\u0932\u0915\u0930 \u0915\u0941\u091b \u092a\u0915\u094b\u0921\u093c\u0947 \u0905\u094c\u0930 \u091a\u093e\u092f \u092c\u0928\u093e\u0928\u0940 \u091a\u093e\u0939\u093f\u090f (Hume rasoi (-ghar, optional) chalkar kuch pakore aur chaay banaani chahiye)<\/strong>, uses a very common grammatical construction, which expresses a sense of obligation or “should.” The way you form this construction is simply with the agent of the sentence or the person(s) who is affected by the sense of obligation (that is, you, me, she\/he, etc.) + the postposition (like a preposition in English) \u0915\u094b\/ko. Here are just a few basic examples:<\/p>\n \u092e\u0948\u0902 (Main or I) + \u0915\u094b = \u092e\u0941\u091d\u0915\u094b<\/span> \u00a0or, for short, \u092e\u0941\u091d\u0947<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n \u0924\u0941\u092e (Tum or you, informal) + \u0915\u094b = \u0924\u0941\u092e\u0915\u094b<\/span> or, for short, \u0924\u0941\u092e\u094d\u0939\u0947\u0902<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n \u0906\u092a (Aap or you, formal) + \u0915\u094b = \u0906\u092a\u0915\u094b<\/span> (doesn’t have a short form)<\/strong><\/p>\n \u0939\u092e (Hum or we) + \u0915\u094b = \u0939\u092e\u0915\u094b<\/span> or, for short, \u0939\u092e\u0947\u0902<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n After this, just add a verb in the infinitive or “to ____” form (such as to clean, to cook, to make,<\/strong> etc.) and tack on \u091a\u093e\u0939\u093f\u090f or “should” at the end. Grammarians are still undecided whether or not the verb needs to agree with the gender of the noun next to it (such as in the above: \u0939\u092e\u0947\u0902 …\u091a\u093e\u092f, fem. noun, \u092c\u0928\u093e\u0928\u0940<\/strong> \u091a\u093e\u0939\u093f\u090f). I would say, for simplicity’s sake, don’t worry about it right now. Here are some examples:<\/p>\n \u0939\u092e\u0947\u0902 \u0905\u092d\u0940 \u0938\u094b\u0928\u093e \u091a\u093e\u0939\u093f\u090f<\/span>\/Hume abhi sonaa chaahiye \u0964 We should sleep right now.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u092e\u0941\u091d\u0947 \u0909\u0938\u0915\u0940 \u092e\u0926\u0926 (fem. noun) \u0915\u0930\u0928\u0940<\/span> \u091a\u093e\u0939\u093f\u090f\/Mujhe uski madad karni chaahiye \u0964 I should help him\/her.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u0924\u0941\u092e\u094d\u0939\u0947\u0902 \u0935\u0939 \u0915\u093f\u0924\u093e\u092c (fem. noun)<\/span> \u091c\u093c\u0930\u0942\u0930 \u092a\u0922\u093c\u0928\u0940<\/span> \u091a\u093e\u0939\u093f\u090f\/Tumhe voh kitaab zaroor parni chaahiye \u0964 You should definitely read that book.<\/strong><\/p>\n So, the second part of the sentence, \u0939\u092e\u0947\u0902 (\u0939\u092e\u0915\u094b) \u0930\u0938\u094b\u0908 (-\u0918\u0930, optional) \u091a\u0932\u0915\u0930 (after going, I’ll explain this construction later…) \u0915\u0941\u091b \u092a\u0915\u094b\u0921\u093c\u0947 \u0905\u094c\u0930 \u091a\u093e\u092f \u092c\u0928\u093e\u0928\u0940 (or \u092c\u0928\u093e\u0928\u093e) \u091a\u093e\u0939\u093f\u090f, should make sense now.<\/p>\n 2. \u092e\u0941\u091d\u0947 \u092c\u0930\u0938\u093e\u0924 \u0915\u0947 \u0926\u094c\u0930\u093e\u0928 \u0905\u0932\u0917 \u0905\u0932\u0917 \u0924\u0930\u0939 \u0915\u0947 \u0906\u092e \u0916\u093e\u0928\u0947 \u0905\u091a\u094d\u091b\u0947 \u0932\u0917\u0924\u0947 \u0939\u0948\u0902 \u0964 \u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Transliteration: Mujhe barsaat ke dauraan alag alag tarah ke aam khaane acche lagte hain.<\/em><\/p>\n English Translation: During the rainy season, I like to eat different types of mangoes.<\/span><\/p>\n This sentence employs another extremely common verb construction in Hindi, which expresses liking and disliking. Again, just as we did with the “should” or “obligation” construction (+\u091a\u093e\u0939\u093f\u090f\/chaahiye), we begin this new construction with the agent of the sentence or the person doing the liking or disliking (in this case, \u092e\u0948\u0902\/main or I) + \u0915\u094b:<\/p>\n Again, \u092e\u0948\u0902 + \u0915\u094b = \u092e\u0941\u091d\u0915\u094b or, in short, \u092e\u0941\u091d\u0947 \u00a0(You can change this up with whoever is doing the liking or disliking: \u0924\u0941\u092e\u094d\u0939\u0947\u0902, \u0906\u092a\u0915\u094b, \u0939\u092e\u0947\u0902, etc.)<\/p>\n Then, you need to add a verb or noun, whatever it is you like or dislike. Liking is expressed with + \u0905\u091a\u094d\u091b\u093e \u0932\u0917\u0924\u093e \u0939\u0948, but remember that the adjective (\u0905\u091a\u094d\u091b\u093e or good) and the verbs (\u0932\u0917\u0928\u093e, “to seem” in this context, and \u0939\u094b\u0928\u093e) need to agree with the gender and number of the noun(s) or verb(s) you put before them. Here are a few examples:<\/p>\n \u092e\u0941\u091d\u0947 \u0906\u092e <\/span>(masc. plural noun) \u092c\u0939\u0941\u0924 \u0905\u091a\u094d\u091b\u0947 \u0932\u0917\u0924\u0947 \u0939\u0948\u0902<\/span> \u0964 \u00a0(Mujhe aam bahut acche lagte hain\/I like mangoes a lot…….who doesn’t? \ud83d\ude09<\/strong><\/p>\n \u0939\u092e\u0947\u0902 \u0938\u094b\u0928\u093e <\/span>(a verb is construed as a masc., singular noun) \u0905\u091a\u094d\u091b\u093e \u0932\u0917\u0924\u093e \u0939\u0948 <\/span>\u0964 (Hume sonaa accha lagta hai\/We like to sleep).<\/strong><\/p>\n \u0924\u0941\u092e\u094d\u0939\u0947\u0902 \u091a\u093f\u0921\u093c\u093f\u092f\u093e\u0901 \u0905\u091a\u094d\u091b\u0940 \u0932\u0917\u0924\u0940 \u0939\u0948\u0902 <\/span>\u0964 (Tumhe chiriyaan acchi lagti hain\/You like birds).<\/strong><\/p>\n Now, if you want to express dislike, all you have to do is add a \u0928\u0939\u0940\u0902\/nahi (no, not) in front of the verb \u0932\u0917\u0928\u093e. And, since the verb is now negated or in the negative sense, you can drop the auxiliary verb or \u0939\u0948\/\u0939\u0948\u0902 (hai\/hain) in the present tense:<\/p>\n \u092e\u0941\u091d\u0947 \u0906\u092e \u0905\u091a\u094d\u091b\u0947 \u0928\u0939\u0940\u0902 \u0932\u0917\u0924\u0947 <\/span>\u0964 (Mujhe aam acche nahin lagte\/ I don’t like mangoes)<\/strong><\/p>\n \u0939\u092e\u0947\u0902 \u0938\u094b\u0928\u093e \u0905\u091a\u094d\u091b\u093e \u0928\u0939\u0940\u0902 \u0932\u0917\u0924\u093e <\/span>\u0964 (Hame sonaa accha nahin lagtaa\/We don’t like to sleep)<\/strong><\/p>\n \u0924\u0941\u092e\u094d\u0939\u0947\u0902 \u091a\u093f\u0921\u093c\u093f\u092f\u093e\u0901 \u0905\u091a\u094d\u091b\u0940 \u0928\u0939\u0940\u0902 \u0932\u0917\u0924\u0940<\/span> \u0964 (Tumhe chiriyaan acchi nahin lagti\/You don’t like birds)<\/strong><\/p>\n So, the above sentence should now make a bit more sense:<\/p>\n \u092e\u0941\u091d\u0947 \u092c\u0930\u0938\u093e\u0924 \u0915\u0947 \u0926\u094c\u0930\u093e\u0928 (a postposition that goes AFTER instead of before the noun it modifies, which is the opposite of an English PREposition)<\/span>\u00a0\u0905\u0932\u0917 \u0905\u0932\u0917<\/span> (it is optional to double the word \u0905\u0932\u0917, but the doubling gives the noun a sense of multiplicity) \u0924\u0930\u0939 \u0915\u0947 \u0906\u092e \u0916\u093e\u0928\u0947<\/span> (the verb does not have to agree with the gender and number of the noun, \u0906\u092e, so it can also be \u0916\u093e\u0928\u093e) \u0905\u091a\u094d\u091b\u0947 \u0932\u0917\u0924\u0947 \u0939\u0948\u0902 \u0964<\/p>\n 3. \u0924\u0941\u092e\u094d\u0939\u0947\u0902 \u092e\u0947\u0930\u0947 \u0939\u093e\u0925 \u0915\u0940 \u091a\u093e\u092f \u092a\u0938\u0902\u0926 \u0939\u0948 ? \u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Transliteration: Tumhe mere haath ki chaay pasand hai?<\/em><\/p>\n English Translation: Do you like the chai (I made)?<\/span><\/p>\n Here’s yet another way of expressing likes and dislikes! All you have to do is attach the postposition \u0915\u094b\/ko to the agent of the sentence or the person doing the liking or disliking (in this case, \u0924\u0941\u092e and, as we already know, \u0924\u0941\u092e + \u0915\u094b=\u0924\u0941\u092e\u0915\u094b or, for short, \u0924\u0941\u092e\u094d\u0939\u0947\u0902) and add the verb or noun + \u092a\u0938\u0902\u0926 (approval, preference) + \u0939\u0948\/\u0939\u0948\u0902. Luckily, with this construction, you don’t have to worry about the gender of verbs and nouns, although you do still have to consider whether or not your nouns and verbs are plural or singular and change the auxiliary verb accordingly (\u0939\u0948\/hai for singular, \u0939\u0948\u0902\/hain for plural). Here are some examples:<\/p>\n \u092e\u0941\u091d\u0947 \u0910\u0936\u094d\u0935\u0930\u094d\u092f\u093e \u0930\u093e\u092f \u0915\u093e \u0905\u092d\u093f\u0928\u092f<\/span> (masc. noun, singular) \u092c\u0939\u0941\u0924 \u092a\u0938\u0902\u0926 \u0939\u0948<\/span> \u0964 (Mujhe Aishwarya Ray ka abhinay bahut pasand hai\/I like Aishwarya Ray’s acting a lot).<\/strong><\/p>\n \u0906\u092a\u0915\u094b \u092f\u0939 \u092b\u093c\u093f\u0932\u094d\u092e<\/span> (fem. noun, singular) \u092a\u0938\u0902\u0926 \u0939\u0948<\/span> \u0964 (Aapko yah film pasand hai\/You like this film).<\/strong><\/p>\n \u0939\u092e\u0947\u0902 \u092a\u0915\u094b\u0921\u093c\u0947<\/span> (masc. noun, plural)\u00a0\u092c\u0939\u0941\u0924 \u092a\u0938\u0902\u0926 \u0939\u0948\u0902<\/span> \u0964 (Hume pakore bahut pasand hain\/We like pakoras a lot).<\/strong><\/p>\n If you want to express your dislike of something, you can either add a \u0928\u0939\u0940\u0902\/nahin after \u092a\u0938\u0902\u0926\/pasand and optionally drop the auxiliary verb (\u0939\u0948\/\u0939\u0948\u0902) or you can simply say \u0928\u093e\u092a\u0938\u0902\u0926\/naapasand and keep the auxiliary verb (\u0939\u0948\/\u0939\u0948\u0902):<\/p>\n \u092e\u0941\u091d\u0947 \u0910\u0936\u094d\u0935\u0930\u094d\u092f\u093e \u0930\u093e\u092f \u0915\u093e \u0905\u092d\u093f\u0928\u092f \u092a\u0938\u0902\u0926 \u0928\u0939\u0940\u0902 (\u0939\u0948)<\/span> or \u092e\u0941\u091d\u0947 \u0910\u0936\u094d\u0935\u0930\u094d\u092f\u093e \u0930\u093e\u092f \u0915\u093e \u0905\u092d\u093f\u0928\u092f \u0928\u093e\u092a\u0938\u0902\u0926 \u0939\u0948<\/span> \u0964 \u00a0(Mujhe Aishwarya Rai kaa abhinay pasand nahin\/naapasand hai\/I do not like\/dislike Aishwarya Ray’s acting).<\/strong><\/p>\n \u0906\u092a\u0915\u094b \u092f\u0939 \u092b\u093c\u093f\u0932\u094d\u092e \u092a\u0938\u0902\u0926 \u0928\u0939\u0940\u0902 (\u0939\u0948)<\/span> or \u0906\u092a\u0915\u094b \u092f\u0939 \u092b\u093c\u093f\u0932\u094d\u092e \u0928\u093e\u092a\u0938\u0902\u0926 \u0939\u0948<\/span> \u0964 (Aapko yah film pasand nahin\/naapasand hai\/You do not like\/dislike this film).<\/strong><\/p>\n \u0939\u092e\u0947\u0902 \u092a\u0915\u094b\u0921\u093c\u0947 \u092a\u0938\u0902\u0926 \u0928\u0939\u0940\u0902 (\u0939\u0948\u0902)<\/span> or \u0939\u092e\u0947\u0902 \u092a\u0915\u094b\u0921\u093c\u0947 \u0928\u093e\u092a\u0938\u0902\u0926 \u0939\u0948\u0902<\/span> \u0964 (Hame pakore pasand nahin\/naapasand hai\/We do not like\/dislike pakoras).<\/strong><\/p>\n Now, hopefully, this sentence is a bit clearer:<\/p>\n \u0924\u0941\u092e\u094d\u0939\u0947\u0902 \u092e\u0947\u0930\u0947 \u0939\u093e\u0925 \u0915\u0940 (literally means, of my hand but has the connotation of, made by me) \u091a\u093e\u092f \u092a\u0938\u0902\u0926 \u0939\u0948 ?<\/p>\n I hope this blog has helped you improve your Hindi grammar and interested you in the delights to be had on a rainy day!<\/p>\n Among some of my fondest memories of my stays in India are the “rainy days,” which would usually occur during the monsoon season (\u092c\u0930\u0938\u093e\u0924\/barsaat, fem. noun). In North India, this season lasts from around June or July to September. But, it was not only during the monsoon season that rainy days would bless us with…<\/p>\nGrammar Deconstruction<\/h2>\n
Grammar Deconstruction<\/h2>\n
Grammar Deconstruction \u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\u0936\u092c\u094d\u0926\u093e\u0935\u0932\u0940 \u0915\u0940 \u0938\u0942\u091a\u0940<\/h2>\n
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