Present Tense
The present tense are simple statements about what is happening now, examples: “I read.” “He writes.” “They shop.” etc. The conjugation of the verb will change depending up three things:
1) The “person” of the subject. Is the subject first person. Are you talking about “I” or “We”. Or is the subject second person, i.e. “you”. Or is the subject third person, i.e. “He” or “them”
2) Is the subject plural or singular?
3) Is the subject masculine, feminine, or a combination of the two. Remember that in Hindi, every noun has a “gender”, and the appropriate form of the verb needs to be used to match that gender.
But before we get to the different forms of the present tense verb for masculine subjects, let us talk about the “root” of a verb. If you were to look up a verb in the dictionary, it would be in its “infinitive” form. Here are the verbs we will be using for the these four sessions on the present tense verbs:
पढ़ना (pardnaa) – to read
लिखना (likhanaa) – to write
कहना (kahanaa) – to say
खाना (khaanaa) – to eat
जाना (jaanaa) – to go
आना (aanaa) – to come
सीखना (siikhana) – to learn
सुनना (sunanaa) – to listen
Notice how all the words end in -ना (-naa)? Remove that part, and you have the root of the verb. It is the root that endings are added to for each different case. The root of the verb “to read” पढ़ना (pardnaa) is पढ़ (pard). Identify the root of each of the other verbs. I will give you the answers tomorrow.
First Person
Singular
The first person singular refers to “I”, the person that is speaking. “I” in Hindi is “मैं (main)”.
There is a helper verb for मैं (main) is हूँ (huun). You will want to remember this combination मैं (main) goes with हूँ (huun).
Now for the present tense, singular, first person, masculine subjects, you take the root of the verb and add “ता (ta)” and insert it between the मैं (main) goes with हूँ (huun). For example:
I read. मैं पढ़ता हूँ। (main pardta huun).
Take the other verbs above and create the sentences:
I say. (Where I refers to a male speaker.)
I eat.
I go.
I come
I learn.
I listen.
We will give you the answers in the next three podcasts.
Plural
The plural first person is “We” (masculine) which is “हम (ham)”. This always goes with “हैं (hain)”. Remember this pair “हम (ham)” and “हैं (hain)”.
Now for the plural form of the verb, we need to take the root and add “ते (te)”. For example:
We read. हम पढ़ते हैं। (ham pardte hain.)
Now try to create the masculine, first person, plural forms of each of the verbs given above.
Second Person
The second person can be a little confusing. There are three versions of you. तू (tuu), तुम (tum), and आप (aap). All three of which can be used when talking to a single person. The first one “तू (tuu)” is grammatically singular and is the least formal. It would be used when talking to your child, for instance. The other two तुम (tum), and आप (aap) are grammatically plural. The most polite version is आप (aap).
You will want to remember these combinations of the three “you” pronouns and the helper verbs.
तू (tuu) and है (hai)
तुम (tum) and हो (ho)
आप (aap) and हैं (hain)
Now in the present tense, the singular masculine is the verb root with “ता (ta)” added. And the plural case is the root with “ते (te)” added. The various forms of “I read.” are as follows:
तू पढ़ता है (tuu pardta hai)
तुम पढ़ते हो (tum pardte ho)
आप पढ़ते हैं (aap pardte hain)
Now try to use the verbs mentioned above to create these three different types of “You (blank)” sentences. We will review the answers in the upcoming podcasts.
Third Person
Singular
The masculine third person singular includes the pronouns he, it, and this. All of these are वह (vah). The helper verb is है (hai). So remember this combination वह (vah) and है (hai). Here is an example:
He reads. वह पढ़ता है। (vah pardta hai)
Now you try creating similar sentences using the verbs above.
Plural
The third person plural includes these and they. Which is “वे (ve)”. And the helper verb is “हैं (hain)”.
They read. वे पढ़ते हैं। (ve pardte hain).
Review of masculine form
First get the “root” of the verb by remove “-ना (-naa)”. If the subject is masculine singular, then add “ता (ta)” to the end. If the subject is masculine and plural add “ते (te)”.
Now you just need to know the “helper” verb for the pronoun you want to use. These pairings are the same for the feminine form of the present tense that we are covering today.
masculine – first person – singular
I [verb] = मैं [verb] हूँ। (main [verb] huun)
example: I read. मैं पढ़ता हूँ। (main pardta huun).
masculine – first person – plural
We [verb] = हम [verb] हैं। (ham [verb] hain.)
example: We read. हम पढ़ते हैं। (ham pardte hain.)
masculine – second person
The second person can be a little confusing. There are three versions of you. तू (tuu), तुम (tum), and आप (aap). All three of which can be used when talking to a single person. The first one “तू (tuu)” is grammatically singular and is the least formal. It would be used when talking to your child, for instance. The other two तुम (tum), and आप (aap) are grammatically plural. The most polite version is आप (aap).
You will want to remember these combinations of the three “you” pronouns and the helper verbs.
तू (tuu) and है (hai)
तुम (tum) and हो (ho)
आप (aap) and हैं (hain)
Now in the present tense, the singular masculine is the verb root with “ता (ta)” added. And the plural case is the root with “ते (te)” added. The various forms of “I read.” are as follows:
तू पढ़ता है (tuu pardta hai)
तुम पढ़ते हो (tum pardte ho)
आप पढ़ते हैं (aap pardte hain)
masculine – third person – singular
He [verb]. वह [verb] है। (vah [verb] hai)
example: He reads. वह पढ़ता है। (vah pardta hai)
masculine – third person – plural
They [verb]. वे [verb] हैं। (ve [verb] hain).
example: They read. वे पढ़ते हैं। (ve pardte hain).
Feminine Present Tense
After understanding the masculine version, the feminine form will be easy. Take the root of the verb and add “ती (thii)” for both the singular and plural forms. Here is an example using पढ़ना (pardnaa) – to read.
I read. (female speaker) मैं पढ़ती हूँ। (main pardtii huun).
We read. (referring to a group of females) हम पढ़ती हैं। (ham pardtii hain.)
You read. (referring to a female) Three versions:
तू पढ़ती है (tuu pardtii hai)
तुम पढ़ती हो (tum pardtii ho)
आप पढ़ती हैं (aap pardtii hain) (This is the most formal.. If in doubt, use this form.)
She reads. वह पढ़ती है। (vah pardtii hai)
They read. वे पढ़ती हैं। (ve pardtii hain). (for a group of females)
In order to form the present tense, you must remember these combination of pronouns and helper verbs:
I [verb] = मैं [verb] हूँ। (main [verb] huun)
We [verb] = हम [verb] हैं। (ham [verb] hain.)
You [verb] (very informal) = तू [verb] है (tuu [verb] hai) (use the singular form of the verb)
You [verb] (informal) = तुम [verb] हो (tum [verb] ho) (use the plural form of the verb)
You [verb] (formal) = आप [verb] हैं (aap [verb] hain) (use the plural form of the verb)
He/She/It [verb]. वह [verb] है। (vah [verb] hai)
They [verb]. वे [verb] हैं। (ve [verb] hain).
You must also learn three rules:
1) If the subject is masculine and singular take the root of the verb and add “ता (ta)”
2) If the subject is masculine and plural take the root of the verb and add “ते (te)”
3) If the subject is feminine take the root of the verb and add “ती (tii)”
Example using लिखना (likhanaa) – to write
Masculine forms
I write = मैं लिखता हूँ। (main likhata huun)
We write = हम लिखते हैं। (ham likhate hain.)
You write (very informal) = तू लिखता है (tuu likhata hai) (use the singular form of the verb)
You write (informal) = तुम लिखते हो (tum likhate ho) (use the plural form of the verb)
You write (formal) = आप लिखते हैं (aap likhate hain) (use the plural form of the verb)
He writes . वह लिखता है। (vah likhata hai)
They write. वे लिखते हैं। (ve likhate hain).
Feminine forms
I write. = मैं लिखती हूँ। (main likhataii huun)
We write = हम लिखती हैं। (ham likhataii hain.)
You write (very informal) = तू लिखती है | (tuu likhataii hai) (use the singular form of the verb)
You write (informal) = तुम लिखती हो | (tum likhataii ho) (use the plural form of the verb)
You write (formal) = आप लिखती हैं | (aap likhataii hain) (use the plural form of the verb)
She writes . वह लिखती है। (vah likhataii hai)
They write. वे लिखती हैं। (ve likhataii hain).
Here is another example using कहना (kahanaa) – to say
Masculine forms
I say = मैं कहता हूँ। (main kahata huun)
We say = हम कहते हैं। (ham kahate hain.)
You say (very informal) = तू कहता है (tuu kahata hai) (use the singular form of the verb)
You say (informal) = तुम कहते हो (tum kahate ho) (use the plural form of the verb)
You say (formal) = आप कहते हैं (aap kahate hain) (use the plural form of the verb)
He says . वह कहता है। (vah kahata hai)
They say. वे कहते हैं। (ve kahate hain).
Feminine forms
I say. = मैं कहती हूँ। (main kahatii huun)
We say = हम कहती हैं। (ham kahatii hain.)
You say (very informal) = तू कहती है | (tuu kahatii hai) (use the singular form of the verb)
You say (informal) = तुम कहती हो |(tum kahatii ho) (use the plural form of the verb)
You say (formal) = आप कहती हैं |(aap kahatii hain) (use the plural form of the verb)
She says. वह कहती है। (vah kahatii hai)
They say. वे कहती हैं। (ve kahatii hain).
खाना (khaanaa) – to eat
Masculine forms
I eat. = मैं खाता हूँ। (main khaata huun)
We eat. = हम खाते हैं। (ham khaate hain.)
You eat. (very informal) = तू खाता है। (tuu khaata hai) (use the singular form of the verb)
You eat. (informal) = तुम खाते हो। (tum khaate ho) (use the plural form of the verb)
You eat. (formal) = आप खाते हैं। (aap khaate hain) (use the plural form of the verb)
He eats. वह खाता है। (vah khaata hai)
They eat. वे खाते हैं। (ve khaate hain).
Feminine forms
I eat. = मैं खाती हूँ। (main khaathii huun)
We eat. = हम खाती हैं। (ham khaathii hain.)
You eat. (very informal) = तू खाती है। (tuu khaathii hai) (use the singular form of the verb)
You eat. (informal) = तुम खाती हो। (tum khaathii ho) (use the plural form of the verb)
You eat. (formal) = आप खाती हैं। (aap khaathii hain) (use the plural form of the verb)
She eats. वह खाती है। (vah khaathii hai)
They eat. वे खाती हैं। (ve khaathii hain).
जाना (jaanaa) – to go
Masculine forms
I go. = मैं जाता हूँ। (main jaata huun)
We go. = हम जाते हैं। (ham jaate hain.)
You go. (very informal) = तू जाता है। (tuu jajaata hai) (use the singular form of the verb)
You go. (informal) = तुम जाते हो। (tum jaate ho) (use the plural form of the verb)
You go. (formal) = आप जाते हैं। (aap jaate hain) (use the plural form of the verb)
He goes. वह जाता है। (vah jaata hai)
They go. वे जाते हैं। (ve jaate hain).
Feminine forms
I go. = मैं जाती हूँ। (main jaatii huun)
We go. = हम जाती हैं। (ham jaatii hain.)
You go. (very informal) = तू जाती है। (tuu jaatii hai) (use the singular form of the verb)
You go. (informal) = तुम जाती हो। (tum jaatii ho) (use the plural form of the verb)
You go. (formal) = आप जाती हैं। (aap jaatii hain) (use the plural form of the verb)
She goes. वह जाती है। (vah jaatii hai)
They go. वे जाती हैं। (ve jaatii hain).
आना (aanaa) – to come
Masculine forms
I come. = मैं आता हूँ। (main aanta huun)
We come. = हम आते हैं। (ham aante hain.)
You come. (very informal) = तू आता है। (tuu aanta hai) (use the singular form of the verb)
You come. (informal) = तुम आते हो। (tum aante ho) (use the plural form of the verb)
You come. (formal) = आप आते हैं। (aap aante hain) (use the plural form of the verb)
He comes. वह आता है। (vah aanta hai)
They come. वे आते हैं। (ve aante hain).
Feminine forms
I come. = मैं आती हूँ। (main aatii huun)
We come. = हम आती हैं। (ham aatii hain.)
You come. (very informal) = तू आती है। (tuu aatii hai) (use the singular form of the verb)
You come. (informal) = तुम आती हो। (tum aatii ho) (use the plural form of the verb)
You come. (formal) = आप आती हैं। (aap aatii hain) (use the plural form of the verb)
She comes. वह आती है। (vah aatii hai)
They come. वे आती हैं। (ve aatii hain).]]>
