The Imperative in Hindi Grammar: An Essential Guide
The imperative mood is a vital element in Hindi grammar, utilized to express requests, demands, and commands. Also denoting suggestions or advice, the understanding and application of the imperative mood is crucial for effective communication in Hindi. To properly comprehend and form sentences in the imperative mood, this comprehensive guide will delve into its nuances and complexities.
The formation of the imperative mood in Hindi depends on the verb stem and the subject. Here, we will break down the formation of the imperative for both familiar and polite forms, as well as its function in negative commands.
The familiar imperative mood applies when addressing close friends or relatives. To form the familiar imperative, remove the infinitive ending ‘-เคจเคพ’ (‘-na’) from the verb and add ‘-เฅ’ (‘-o’). This applies to verbs ending with ‘-เคพเคจเคพ’ (‘-aana’) as well. For example,
เคเคพเคจเคพ (khaana) โ เคเคพ (kha) (to eat โ eat)
เคฆเฅเคเคจเคพ (dekna) โ เคฆเฅเคเฅ (dekho) (to see โ see)
The polite imperative mood is used while addressing those of higher social standing or for expressing respect. To formulate the polite imperative, extract the verb stem and add ‘เคฟเค’ (‘iye’), which is gender-neutral. For example,
เคธเฅเคเคจเคพ (sikhna) โ เคธเฅเคเคฟ(iye) (to learn โ learn)
เคฌเคจเคพเคจเคพ (banaana) โ เคฌเคจเคพเคเค (banaiye) (to make โ make)
To express negative commands, add ‘เคฎเคค’ (‘mat’) to the end of the verb stem for familiar commands and after the verb for polite commands. For example,
เคเคฟเคฒเฅเคฒเคพเคจเคพ (chillana) – เคเคฟเคฒเฅเคฒเคพ เคฎเคค (chilla mat) (to shout โ don’t shout)
เคเคฒเคจเคพ (chalna) – เคเคฒเฅเค เคฎเคค (chale mat) (to walk โ don’t walk)
By gaining proficient knowledge in the imperative mood, forming contextually appropriate sentences becomes effortless. Here are some examples showcasing the versatility of imperative sentences in Hindi:
– เค
เคเคพเคจเค เคเคฟเคฒเฅเคฒเคพ (achaanak chilla)} โ Suddenly, shout
– เคงเฅเคฐเฅ เคเคฒเฅ (dheere chalo)} โ Walk slowly
– เคเคจเคเคฆ เคฒเฅเคเคฟเค (aanand lijiye)} โ Enjoy yourself (Polite)
– เคฏเคนเคพเค เคฌเฅเค เคเคพ (yahaan baith ja)} โ Sit here (Familiar)
When constructing complex sentences, the imperative mood can act in conjunction with other grammatical elements such as conjunctions, conditionals, or subjunctives. Here are a few examples:
– เค
เคเคฐ เคเคชเคเฅ เคญเฅเค เคฒเคเฅ เคนเฅ, เคคเฅ เคเคพเคจเคพ เคเคพ (agar aapko bhookh lagi hai, to khaana kha) – If you are hungry, eat food
– เคเคฌ เคฐเฅเคถเคจเฅ เคนเคฐเฅ เคนเฅ, เคคเฅ เคเคฒเฅ (jab roshni hari ho, to chalo) – When the light turns green, go
– เค
เคเคฒเฅ เคธเคชเฅเคคเคพเคน เคคเค เคเคธเฅ เคญเฅเค เคฆเฅเคเคฟเค (agle saptaah tak ise bhej dijiye) – Send this by next week (Polite)
Through this meticulous examination of the imperative mood in Hindi grammar, both beginners and advanced learners can gain valuable insights into its formation and application. By mastering its rules and structures, one can enrich their Hindi language skills and engage in more meaningful communication.
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