Hindi grammar · Intermediate (B1)
The subjunctive: करूँ, करे, करें
The Hindi subjunctive for suggestions, “maybe”, wishes, advice and reported requests, and how Hindi reports what someone said with कि.
Forming the subjunctive
The subjunctive is the stem plus a short ending. It says what may, should or could happen, not what is sure. It never changes for gender. For (tum) it looks just like the -ओ (-o) command form.
(honaa) is or , , , (hoon or ho-oon, ho, ho, hon). and (denaa, lenaa) have short forms: , , , (doon, do, de, den) and , , , (loon, lo, le, len).
| Person | Ending | (karnaa) | (jaanaa) |
|---|---|---|---|
| (main) | -ऊँ (-oon) | (karoon) | (jaaoon) |
| (tum) | -ओ (-o) | (karo) | (jaao) |
| , (too, vah) | -ए (-e) | (kare) | (jaaye) |
| , , (aap, ham, ve) | -एँ (-en) | (karen) | (jaayen) |
Suggestions and “maybe”
On its own, the subjunctive makes suggestions and offers: (chalen?), shall we go? (main kyaa karoon?), what should I do? …? (kyon na …?), why don't …?, makes a gentle suggestion.
After (shaayad), maybe, the subjunctive sounds less sure than the future: (shaayad ve pareshaan hon), she may be upset.
- क्यों न तुम उसे फ़ोन कर लो?Kyon na tum use fon kar lo?Why don't you call her?
- शायद टेस्ट बाद में हो।Shaayad test baad men ho.Maybe the test will be later.
After कि: wanting, hoping, advising
After (ki), that, the verb is in the subjunctive when the sentence is about something wished for, needed or requested, not a fact. This is how you say what you want someone else to do.
| Hindi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| (mammee chaahtee hain ki tum yaheen padho.) | Mum wants you to study here. |
| (ummeed hai ki tumhen naukaree mil jaaye.) | I hope you get the job. |
| (yah zarooree hai ki aap apnee aadaten badlen.) | It's important that you change your habits. |
| (meraa sapnaa hai ki main havaaee jahaaz banaaoon.) | My dream is to build aeroplanes. |
So that and if: ताकि, अगर
(taaki), so that, is always followed by the subjunctive, even in a story about the past: (mainne pooree raat fon kiye, taaki unhen baig mil jaaye), I made calls all night so that he would get his bag.
After (agar), if, the subjunctive is one of several possible forms for a real possibility: (agar koee dikkat ho, to mujhe fon keejiye), if there's any problem, call me.
Reporting what someone said
To report what someone said, asked or told, use (kahnaa), (poochhnaa) or (bataanaa) with (ki). Hindi keeps the tense of the original words: (usne kahaa ki vah kal aayegaa), he said he would come tomorrow, literally “he said that he will come”. Only the pronouns change, as in English.
A reported question keeps its question word: (mainne poochhaa ki test kab hogaa), I asked when the test would be. A reported request uses the subjunctive: (doktar ne kahaa ki main aaraam karoon), the doctor told me to rest.
- अंजू ने कहा था कि कल उसका टेस्ट है।Anjoo ne kahaa thaa ki kal uskaa test hai.Anju said she had a test tomorrow.
- पुलिस ने कहा है कि लोग दूसरे रास्तों से जाएँ।Pulis ne kahaa hai ki log doosre raaston se jaayen.The police have asked people to take other routes.