Hindi Grammar 7 (Possessive Pronouns)
How to use possessive pronouns in Hindi
Hindi possessive pronouns change their endings depending on the number and gender of the noun that they go with. For example, if I want to say “my son” I would say मेरा बेटा (meraa beTaa - m, sg), “my daughter” would be मेरी बेटी (meree beTee - f,sg ), “my clothes” would be मेरे कपड़े (mere kapDe - m,pl), “my (girl) friends” would be मेरी सहेलियां (meree saheliyaan - f,pl), however if we want to say “my father”, we would use plural masculine form to show respect and say मेरे पिताजी (mere pitaajee – m,sg, polite). In Hindi there is no difference who is saying मेरी बेटी (mere beTee – my daughter) – a woman or a man, the pronoun मेरी will depend on the noun that it precedes. It will change accordingly the number (singular or plural) and the gender (masculine or feminine).
A fragment on the temple's door |
Hindi noun genders have to be memorized because there are too many irregular nouns that don’t follow the rough rule that divides Hindi nouns into two groups: the ones that end in “-aa” (masculine) and the ones that end in “-ee” (feminine). The best way to learn the genders of Hindi nouns is to listen to Hindi language and read Hindi books and articles, also converse with Indian people until you know what Hindi sounds like. At that stage, you will naturally know the ending of possessive pronoun as you will be familiar with the sound of the right Hindi.
Lord Shiva |
Here is the table of Hindi possessive pronouns:
Pronouns that are used before singular masculine nouns | Pronouns that are used before singular feminine nouns | Pronouns that are used before plural masculine nouns | Pronouns that are used before plural feminine nouns |
मेरा meraa my, mine | मेरी meree my, mine | मेरे mere my, mine | मेरी meree my, mine |
तेरा teraa your, yours | तेरी teree your, yours | तेरे tere your, yours | तेरी teree your, yours |
तुम्हारा tumhaaraa your, yours | तुम्हारी tumhaaree your, yours | तुम्हारे tumhaare your, yours | तुम्हारी tumhaaree your, yours |
आपका aapkaa your,yours | आपकी aapkee your, yours | आपके aapke your, yours | आपकी aapkee your, yours |
इसका/उसका iskaa/uskaa his,hers | इसकी/ उसकी iskee/uskee his, hers | इसके/उसके iske/uske his,hers | इसकी/ उसकी iskee/uskee his, hers |
हमारा hamaaraa our, ours | हमारी hamaaree our, ours | हमारे hamaare our, ours | हमारी hamaaree our, ours |
तुम्हारा tumhaaraa your,yours | तुम्हारी tumhaaree your, yours | तुम्हारे tumhaare your, yours | तुम्हारी tumhaaree your, yours |
आपका aapkaa your, yours | आपकी aapkee your, yours | आपके aapke your, yours | आपकी aapkee your, yours |
इनका/उनका inkaa/unkee their, theirs | इनकी/उनकी inkee/unkee their, theirs | इनके/उनके inke/unke their, theirs | इनकी/उनकी inkee/unkee their, theirs |
Examples with nouns:
मेरी माँ | meree maan | my mother - f,sg |
मेरे पिता | mere pitaa | my father - m,sg, polite |
मेरी बहिन | meree bahin | my sister - f, sg |
मेरा भाई | meraa bhaaee | my brother - m,sg |
मेरी बेटी | meree beTee | my daughter - f,sg |
मेरा बेटा | meraa beTaa | my son - m, sg |
तेरा कुत्ता | teraa kuttaa | your dog - m,sg |
तेरी बिल्ली | teree billee | your cat - f,sg |
हमारे राजा | hamaare raajaa | our king - m,sg, polite |
हमारी रानी | hamaaree raanee | our queen - f,sg |
इसके बच्चे | iske bacche | her children - m,pl |
उनकी सहेलियां | unkee saheliyaan | their (girl) friends - f, pl |
Marigolds and candles at the temple |
How to use possessive pronouns with adjectives and nouns:
Hindi adjectives would change their endings according to the gender and number of the noun. If the noun is a masculine gender, the adjective will also have to be a masculine gender. For example:
गोरी लड़की goree ladkee fair girl (lightskinned) | गोरी लड़कियां goree ladkiyaan fair girls |
गोरा लड़का goraa ladkaa fair boy | गोरे लड़के gore ladke fair boys |
More examples:
एक अच्छा वक़ील | ek achchhaa vaqeel | a good lawyer (m, sg) |
दो पतले मज़दूर म | do patle mazdoor | two thin workers (m, pl) |
इसकी प्यारी हाँसी | iskee pyaaree haansee | her beautiful laugh (f, sg) |
एक छोटा बच्चा | ek chhoTaa bachchaa | a small child (m, sg) |
हमारी बड़ी रसोई | hamaaree badee rasoee | our big kitchen (f, sg) |
एक अंधा भिखारी | ek andhaa bhikhaaree | a blind beggar (m,sg) |
मेरी नयी किताब | meree nayee kitaab | my new book (f, sg) |
दस काली बिल्लियाँ | das kaalee billiyaan | ten black cats (f, pl) |
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