Basic Verb Forms of Hindi

Introduction

This article introduces the most common verb forms in Hindi.

The basic genius of Hindi verbs is the synthesis of aspect and tense/mood.

The imperfective participle is used to represent the habitual aspect and the perfect participle is used to represent the perfective/perfect aspect. The various forms of होना represent both tense and mood.

For instance, the present indicative forms of होना represent the present tense and indicative mood, the past indicative forms of होना represent the past tense and the indicative mood, the present subjunctive forms of होना represent the present tense and subjunctive mood, and so on.

Therefore:

imperfective participle + present subjunctive of होना = present habitual subjunctive

perfect participle + past tense of होना = past perfect indicative

perfect participle + present tense of होना = present perfect indicative

Etc.

The most common mood in Hindi is the indicative mood, which is used to indicate statements about facts or beliefs, etc. This section provides an overview of the most common verb forms for the indicative mood in Hindi.

Present Habitual

The present habitual verb form combines the present tense and habitual aspect. It indicates habitual, frequent, or repeated actions in the present, or makes general statements. It additionally has several idiomatic usages which are not related to the present tense or habitual aspect.

The present habitual form is as follows:

[imperfective participle of the main verb] [present tense form of the verb होना]

For instance, for the verb रहना (“to stay/remain/live/abide”), the third person singular masculine present habitual form is रहता है. It combines the aspectual component (the imperfective participle रहता) with the temporal component (है). It could be translated as “he/she lives (somewhere)”.

वह दिल्ली में रहती है – “She lives in Delhi”

This is a general statement about a fact.

बहुत किताबें पढ़ता हूँ – “I read a lot of books”

This is a habitual action.

Pronoun	Masculine Form	Feminine Form
मैं	करता हूँ	करती हूँ
हम	करते हैं	करती हैं
आप	करते हैं	करती हैं
तुम	करते हो	करती हो
तू	करता है	करती है
यह/वह	करता है	करती है
ये/वे	करते हैं	करती हैं

Idiomatic Usages of the Imperfective Participle + Present Tense Form of होना

This verb form also has several idiomatic usages which are not related to the present tense or habitual aspect.

Hortatory Usage

The imperfective participle + present tense form of होना in the third person plural can indicate an exhortation:

जाते हैं – “Let’s go”

खाते हैं – “Let’s eat”

Imminent Usage

The imperfective participle + present tense form of होना (often in the first person singular) indicates an imminent action:

आती हूँ – “I’m coming” / “I’m just about to come” / “I’m coming right now” / etc.

निकलता हूँ – “I’m going out/leaving” / “I’m just about to go out” / etc.

Past Habitual

The past habitual combines the past tense and habitual aspect. It is formed as imperfective participle + past tense form of होना.

It can often be translated in English as “used to…” as in “used to do”, “used to eat”, “used to go”, etc.

Pronoun	Masculine Form	Feminine Form
मैं	करता था	करती थी
हम	करते थे	करती थीं
आप	करते थे	करती थीं
तुम	करते थे	करती थीं
तू	करता रहती था	करती थी
यह/वह	करता था	करती थी
ये/वे	करते थे	करती थीं

Present Continuous

The present continuous verb form combines the present tense and the continuous aspect.

It is formed as verb stem + perfect participle of रहना (रहा/रहे/रही) + present tense form of होना.

Pronoun	Masculine Form	Feminine Form
मैं	कर रहा हूँ	कर रही हूँ
हम	कर रहे हैं	कर रही हैं
आप	कर रहे हैं	कर रही हैं
तुम	कर रहे हो	कर रही हो
तू	कर रहा है	कर रही है
यह/वह	कर रहा है	कर रही है
ये/वे	कर रहे हैं	कर रही हैं

Past Continuous

The past continuous verb form combines the past tense and the continuous aspect.

It is formed as verb stem + perfect participle of रहना (रहा/रहे/रही) + past tense form of होना.

Pronoun	Masculine Form	Feminine Form
मैं	कर रहा था	कर रही थी
हम	कर रहे थे	कर रही थीं
आप	कर रहे थे	कर रही थीं
तुम	कर रहे थे	कर रही थीं
तू	कर रहा था	कर रही थी
यह/वह	कर रहा था	कर रही थी
ये/वे	कर रहे थे	कर रही थीं

Past Perfective

The past perfective is identical to the perfect participle. It combines the perfective aspect and past tense.

Pronoun	Masculine Form	Feminine Form
मैं	किया	की
हम	किये/किए	की
आप	किये/किए	की
तुम	किये/किए	की
तू	किया	की
यह/वह	किया	की
ये/वे	किये/किए	की

Present Perfect

The present perfect is a “perfect” verb form – it indicates that the action is completed and has relevance in the present time.

It is formed as perfect participle + present tense form of होना.

Pronoun	Masculine Form	Feminine Form
मैं	किया हूँ	की हूँ
हम	किये/किए हैं	की हैं
आप	किये/किए हैं	की हैं
तुम	किये/किए हो	की हो
तू	किया है	की है
यह/वह	किया है	की है
ये/वे	किये/किए हैं	की हैं

Past Perfect

The past perfect is a “perfect” verb form – it indicates that the action is completed and had relevance at some past time.

It is formed as perfect participle + past tense form of होना.

Pronoun	Masculine Form	Feminine Form
मैं	किया था	की थी
हम	किये/किए थे	की थीं
आप	किये/किए थे	की थीं
तुम	किये/किए थे	की थीं
तू	किया था	की थी
यह/वह	किया था	की थी
ये/वे	किये/किए थे	की थीं

Future Tense

The future tense is formed as: verb stem + first suffix + second suffix

The first set of suffixes is:

Suffix	Condition
ऊँ	If the subject is मैं
ओ	If the subject is तुम
ए	If the subject is singular
एँ	If the subject is plural

The second set of suffixes is:

Suffix	Condition
गा	If the subject is masculine and singular
गे	If the subject is masculine and plural
गी	If the subject is feminine, whether singular or plural

The future tense does not specify any particular aspect. It is “non-aspectual”.

Pronoun	Masculine Form	Feminine Form
मैं	खाउँगा	खाऊँगी
हम	खाएँगे	खाएँगी
आप	खाएँगे	खाएँगी
तुम	खाओगे	खाओगी
तू	खाएगा	खाएगी
यह/वह	खाएगा	खाएगी
ये/वे	खाएँगे	खाएँगी