The personal pronouns and possessives in Modern Standard Hindi of the Hindustani language display a higher degree of inflection than other parts of speech. Personal pronouns have distinct forms according to whether they stand for a subject (nominative), a direct object (accusative), an indirect object (dative), or a reflexive object. Pronouns further have special forms used with postpositions.

The possessive pronouns are the same as the possessive adjectives, but each is inflected to express the grammatical person of the possessor and the grammatical gender of the possessed.

Pronoun use displays considerable variation with register and dialect, with particularly pronoun preference differences between the most colloquial varieties of Hindi.

Postpositions

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The function of case marking in Hindi is done exclusively by postpositions. The pronouns of Hindi can be declined into three cases, nominative, oblique (and ergative), and dative/accusative. The oblique and ergative case is used with the case marking postpositions to form the ergative, accusative/dative, instrumental/ablative, genitive, inessive, adessive, terminative, and semblative cases. The postpositions are considered to be bound morphemes to the pronouns.[1] The eight primary postpositions of Hindi are mention in the table below:

Case Marker Postposition Explanation Example English
Ergative ने (ne) marks the subject of the sentence इसने (isne) he/she
Accusative को (ko) marks the receiver of an action इसको (isko) him/her
Dative marks the indirect object; can also mark the subject (quirky subject) to him/her
Instrumental से (se) marks the object with/using which the action was done इससे (isse) with him/her
Ablative shows movement away from the object from him/her
Genitive का (kā) shows possession इसका (iskā) his/her(s)
Inessive में (mẽ) shows something is in/inside something इसमें (ismẽ) in him/her
Adessive पे / पर (pe / par) shows something is on/at something इसपे (ispe) on him/her
Terminative तक (tak) shows something is goes up to the object इसतक (istak) till him/her
Semblative सा (sā) shows resemblance इससा (issā) like him/her

Note:

  • The pronoun इस (is) which is the oblique case of the nominative demonstrative pronoun यह (yah) can be translated as he, she, it, and this.
  • The postpositions which end in the vowel (-ā) (which are the genitive and semblative postpositions) can further decline according to gender, number, and grammatical case of the noun it describes. The declension of postpositions follow the following declension by changing their end vowels:
Declension Pattern
Case Masculine Feminine
Singular Plural Singular Plural
Nominative

-e

Oblique

-e

Genitive Marker
Case Masculine Feminine
Singular Plural Singular Plural
Nominative का

के

ke

की

Oblique के

ke

Semblative Marker
Case Masculine Feminine
Singular Plural Singular Plural
Nominative सा

से

se

सी

Oblique से

se

Personal pronouns

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Hindi has personal pronouns in the first and second person, but not the third person, where demonstratives are used instead. They are inflected for case and number (singular, and plural), but not for gender. Pronouns decline for four grammatical cases in Hindi: The nominative case, the accusative/dative case and two postpositional cases, the oblique and ergative cases. The second person pronouns have three levels of formality: intimate, familiar, and formal. As also done in many other Indo-European languages, the plural pronouns are used as singular polite or formal pronouns.[2][3]

Case 1st Person 2nd Person
Singular Plural Intimate Familiar Formal
Singular Plural
Nominative मैं

mãĩ

हम

ham

तू

तुम

tum

आप

āp

Oblique Ergative
Regular मुझ

mujh

तुझ

tujh

Regular

(Emphatic)

मुझी

mujhī

हमीं

hamī̃

तुझी

tujhī

तुम्हीं

tumhī̃

Ergative

(Emphatic)

Accusative मुझे

mujhe

हमें

hamẽ

तुझे

tujhe

तुम्हें

tumhẽ

Dative
Postpositional Pronouns using the Oblique/Ergative Cases
Case 1st Person 2nd Person
Singular Plural Intimate Familiar Formal
Singular Plural
Ergative मैंने

mãĩne

हमने

hamne

तूने

tūne

तुमने

tumne

आपने

āpne

Accusative मुझको

mujhko

हमको

hamko

तुझको

tujhko

तुमको

tumko

आपको

āpko

Dative
Instrumental मुझसे

mujhse

हमसे

hamse

तुझसे

tujhse

तुमसे

tumse

आपसे

āpse

Ablative
Genitive आपका

āpkā

Inessive मुझमें

mujhmẽ

हममें

hammẽ

तुझमें

tujhmẽ

तुममें

tummẽ

आपमें

āpmẽ

Adessive मुझपे

mujhpe

हमपे

hampe

तुझपे

tujhpe

तुमपे

tumpe

आपपे

āppe

Terminative मुझतक

mujhtak

हमतक

hamtak

तुझतक

tujhtak

तुमतक

tumtak

आपतक

āptak

Semblative मुझसा

mujhsā

हमसा

hamsā

तुझसा

tujhsā

तुमसा

tumsā

आपसा

āpsā

Note:

  • In the eastern dialects of Hindi, the pronoun हम ham is used as both the first person singular and plural pronoun.[4] When plurality is to be implied then words such as लोग log (people), सब sab (all) are added after the pronoun.
  • True genitive pronouns exist for the personal pronouns (except आप āp) and they cannot be constructed from the oblique cases, they are discussed in the 'Possessive Pronouns' section below.
  • The emphasised oblique case for the pronoun आप (āp) is constructed periphrastically using the exclusive emphatic particle ही (hī) which is आप ही (āp hī). Although pronounced the same as आफी (āphī), it is never written like that.

Demonstrative, interrogative, and relative pronouns

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Just like Sanskrit, Hindi does not have true third person pronouns, but its demonstratives play their role when they stand independently of a substantive.[5] The demonstrative pronouns just like the personal pronouns can be declined into the nominative, ergative, accusative/dative and the oblique case.[3]

The relative and the interrogative pronouns can be constructed for the non-nominative cases by just changing the first consonant of the demonstrative pronouns to ज (j) and क (k) respectively.

Case Demonstrative Interrogative Relative
Proximal Non-proximal Singular Plural Singular Plural
Singular Plural Singular Plural
Nominative Literary यह

yah

ये

ye

वह

vah

वे

ve

क्या,कौन

kyā, kaun

जो

jo

Colloquial ये

ye

वो

vo

Emphatic यही

yahī

वही

vahī

(जो भी)

(jo bhī)

Accusative इसे

ise

इन्हें

inhẽ

उसे

use

उन्हें

unhẽ

किसे

kise

किन्हें

kinhẽ

जिसे

jise

जिन्हें

jinhẽ

Dative
Oblique Regular इस

is

इन

in

उस

us

उन

un

किस

kis

किन

kin

जिस

jis

जिन

jin

Ergative इन्हों

inhõ

उन्हों

unhõ

किन्हों

kinhõ

जिन्हों

jinhõ

Emphatic इसी

isī

इन्हीं

inhī̃

उसी

usī

उन्हीं

unhī̃

किसी

kisī

किन्हीं

kinhī̃

Postpositional Pronouns using the Oblique & Ergative Cases
Case Demonstrative Interrogative Relative
Proximal Non-proximal Singular Plural Singular Plural
Singular Plural Singular Plural
Ergative इसने

isne

इन्होंने

inhõne

उसने

usne

उन्होंने

unhõne

किसने

kisne

किन्होंने

kinhõne

जिसने

jisne

जिन्होंने

jinhõne

Accusative इसको

isko

इनको

inko

उसको

usko

उनको

unko

किसको

kisko

किनको

kinko

जिसको

jisko

जिनको

jinko

Dative
Instrumental इससे

isse

इनसे

inse

उससे

usse

उनसे

unse

किससे

kisse

किनसे

kinse

जिससे

jisse

जिनसे

kinse

Ablative
Genitive इसका

iskā

इनका

inkā

उसका

uskā

उनका

unkā

किसका

kiskā

किनका

kinkā

जिसका

jiskā

जिनका

jinkā

Inessive इसमें

ismẽ

इनमें

inmẽ

उसमें

usmẽ

उनमें

unmẽ

किसमें

kismẽ

किनमें

kinmẽ

जिसमें

jismẽ

जिनमें

jinmẽ

Adessive इसपे

ispe

इनपे

inpe

उसपे

uspe

उनपे

unpe

किसपे

kispe

किनपे

kinpe

जिसपे

jispe

जिनपे

jinpe

Terminative इसतक

istak

इनतक

intak

उसतक

ustak

उनतक

untak

किसतक

kistak

किनतक

kintak

जिसतक

jistak

जिनतक

jintak

Semblative इससा

issa

इनसा

insa

उससा

ussa

उनसा

unsa

किससा

kissa

किनसा

kinsa

जिससा

jissa

जिनसा

jinsa

Notes:

  • The ergative case is predominantly used with animate nouns.[6]
  • कौन kaun is the animate interrogative and क्या kyā is the inanimate interrogative.
  • जो is used as both the animate and inanimate relative pronoun.
  • The genitive and semblative postpositions decline to agree with the number, gender, and case of the object it possesses or describes respectively.

Possessive pronouns

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The possessive pronouns are the same as the possessive adjectives, but each is inflected to express the grammatical person of the possessor and the grammatical gender of the possessed. Unlike the personal pronouns (except for आप), there are no true possessive pronoun forms for the demonstrative pronouns. So, the demonstrative, interrogative, and relative possessive pronouns are formed using oblique case with the postposition का (kā).[2][7]

Person Nominative Genitive
Masculine Feminine
Singular Plural Oblique Singular Plural Oblique
1st Person मैं

mãĩ

मेरा

merā

मेरे

mere

मेरी

merī

हम

ham

हमारा

hamārā

हमारे

hamāre

हमारी

hamārī

2nd Person Intimate तू

तेरा

terā

तेरे

tere

तेरी

terī

Familiar तुम

tum

तुम्हारा

tumhārā

तुम्हारे

tumhāre

तुम्हारी

tumhārī

Formal आप

āp

आपका

āpkā

आपके

āpke

आपकी

āpkī

Person Nominative Genitive
Masculine Feminine
Singular Plural Oblique Singular Plural Oblique
Demonstrative Proximal Singular यह

yah

ये

ye

इसका

iskā

इसके

iske

इसकी

iskī

Plural ये

ye

इनका

inkā

इनके

inke

इनकी

inkī

Distal Singular वह

vah

वो

vo

उसका

uskā

उसके

uske

उसकी

uskī

Plural वे

ve

उनका

unkā

उनके

unke

उनकी

unkī

Interrogative Singular कौन, क्या

kaun, kyā

किसका

kiskā

किसके

kiske

किसकी

kiskī

Plural किनका

kinkā

किनके

kinke

किनकी

kinkī

Relative Singular जो, सो

jo, so

जिसका

jiskā

जिसके

jiske

जिसकी

jiskī

Plural जिनका

jinkā

जिनके

jinke

जिनकी

jinkī

  • The possessive pronouns and the genitive postposition का (kā) decline to agree with the number, gender, and case of the possessed object.
  • In colloquial usage जो (jo) functions as both animate and inanimate relative pronoun. सो (so) (inanimate relative pronoun) also sometimes used but in a limited manner.

Reflexive pronouns

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There are a number of words in Hindi that function as reflexive pronouns.[8][7] The indeclinable स्वयं (svayam) can indicate reflexivity pertaining to subjects of any person or number, and—since subjects in Hindi can appear in the nominative, or dative cases[9]—it can have the sense of any of these two cases.

  • ख़ुद (khud) and स्वयं (svayam) are indeclinable reflexive pronouns.
  • अपना (apnā) is a declinable reflexive pronoun.
Case Masculine Feminine
Singular Plural Singular Plural
Declinable Nominative अपना

apnā

अपने

apne

अपनी

apnī

Oblique with noun अपने

apne

sans noun अपने

apne

अपनों

apnõ

अपनी

apnī

अप्नियों

apniyõ

Undeclinable Nominative ख़ुद

khud

Oblique
Nominative स्वयं

svayam

Oblique

Indefinite pronouns

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There are two indefinite pronouns in Hindi: कोई koī (someone, somebody) and कुछ kuch (something). कुछ kuch is also used as an adjective (numeral and quantitative) and as an adverb meaning ‘some, a few, a little, partly.’ Similarly, कोई koī can be used as an adverb in the sense of ‘some, about.’ When it is used with the semblative postposition सा the pronoun कोई सा koī sā (of some kind, some, something) is formed. The indefinite pronouns of Hindi are mentioned in the table below:[7]

Case Animate Inanimate Animate Inanimate Animate Inanimate
Singular Plural (some) Plural (several)
Nominative कोई

koī

कुछ

kuch

कई

kaī

Oblique with noun किसी

kisī

कुछ

kuch

sans noun किन्हीं

kinhī̃

कुछों

kuchõ

कइयों

kaīyõ

Note: The animate plural forms are also used as formal animate singular forms.

Adverbial pronouns

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Adverbial pronouns of Hindi and the declension pattern of the declinable pronouns are mentioned in the table below:[7]

Interrogative Relative Demonstrative
Proximal Non-proximal
Undeclinable Time कब

kab

जब

jab

अब

ab

तब

tab

Direction किधर

kidhar

जिधर

jidhar

इधर

idhar

उधर

udhar

Place कहाँ

kahā̃

जहाँ

jahā̃

यहाँ

yahā̃

वहाँ

vahā̃

Manner कैसे

kaise

जैसे

jaise

ऐसे

aise

वैसे

vaise

Declinable Quantity कितना

kitnā

जितना

jitnā

इतना

itnā

उतना

utnā

Quality कैसा

kaisā

जैसा

jaisā

ऐसा

aisā

वैसा

vaisā

Declension Pattern
Case Masculine Feminine
Singular Plural Singular Plural
Nominative

-e

Oblique with noun

-e

sans noun

-e

ों

ियों

-iyõ

Declension for कितना (kitnā) [how much?]
Case Masculine Feminine
Singular Plural Singular Plural
Nominative कितना

kitnā

कितने

kitne

कितनी

kitnī

Oblique with noun कितने

kitne

sans noun कितने

kitne

कितनों

kitnõ

कितनी

kitnī

कितनियों

kitniyõ

References

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  1. ^ Schmidt (2003:293)
  2. ^ a b http://www.koausa.org/iils/pdf/ModernHindiGrammar.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  3. ^ a b Spencer, Andrew (2020-08-20). "CASE IN HINDI". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  4. ^ Snell & Weightman (1989:106)
  5. ^ Shapiro, Michael C. (2003). A Primer of Modern Standard Hindi. New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Pvt Ltd. pp. 264–265. ISBN 81-208-0508-9.
  6. ^ Hoop, H.; Narasimhan, Bhuvana (2007-12-04), Ergative Case-marking in Hindi, vol. 72, pp. 63–78, retrieved 2020-08-20
  7. ^ a b c d N. Koul, Omkar (2008). Modern Hindi Grammar. United States of America: McNeil Technologies, Inc. pp. 75–81. ISBN 978-1-931546-06-5.
  8. ^ "Reflexive Pronouns". hindilanguage.info. 2012-04-20. Retrieved 2020-08-20.
  9. ^ Bhatt, Rajesh (2003). Experiencer subjects. Handout from MIT course “Structure of the Modern Indo-Aryan Languages”.

Bibliography

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