इस
इस is the oblique form of 'this' in Hindi, used when the noun it modifies is followed by a postposition.
Explanation at your level:
You use इस when you want to say 'this' and add a small word after it. For example, 'in this' is इस में. It is very easy once you remember to change 'yah' to 'is'!
As you learn more, you will see इस everywhere. Use it with 'ke liye' (for this) or 'se' (from this). It helps you describe specific items clearly in your daily conversations.
At this level, you will start using इस in more complex structures like 'is baat ka matlab' (the meaning of this matter). It is a vital tool for connecting ideas and showing relationships between objects and actions.
Mastering इस allows you to construct nuanced sentences. You will use it in formal writing to refer back to previously mentioned concepts, ensuring your Hindi sounds natural and grammatically precise.
In advanced contexts, इस is used to create sophisticated rhetorical links. It allows for precise reference in academic or literary Hindi, helping you maintain cohesion across long paragraphs and complex arguments.
At the mastery level, you recognize इस as the pivot of Hindi syntax. Its usage reflects a deep understanding of case morphology, allowing you to manipulate sentence structure with the elegance of a native speaker.
Mot en 30 secondes
- Is is the oblique form of 'this'.
- Use it before postpositions like 'mein' or 'ke'.
- It is singular; use 'in' for plural.
- Essential for building correct Hindi sentences.
Welcome to the world of Hindi grammar! The word इस (is) is a super important building block. In English, we often use 'this' for everything, but Hindi is more specific. When you want to say 'this' and then add a postposition (like 'to', 'from', or 'in'), you must use इस instead of 'यह'.
Think of it as a transformer. It prepares the noun to be acted upon. If you say 'this book' (यह किताब), that is fine. But if you want to say 'in this book', you cannot say 'yah mein'. You must say इस किताब में. It is all about making the sentence flow smoothly.
The word इस has deep roots in the Indo-Aryan language family. It evolved from the Sanskrit pronoun etad (एतद्), which means 'this'. Over centuries of linguistic evolution, the language shifted to simplify complex case endings.
Historically, Hindi developed oblique cases to handle the relationship between nouns and verbs more efficiently. The transition from etad to is reflects the natural tendency of spoken language to shorten sounds for faster communication. It is a classic example of how grammatical markers evolve to maintain clarity in complex sentences.
You will use इस every single day in Hindi. It is almost always followed by a postposition. Common pairings include इस के साथ (with this), इस के लिए (for this), and इस में (in this).
It is used in both formal and casual registers. Whether you are writing a professional email or chatting with friends, the rule remains the same: if a postposition follows 'this', use इस. It is a universal rule that applies across all dialects of Hindi.
While इस is a grammatical tool, it appears in many common phrases. 1. इस तरह (Is tarah): Meaning 'in this way' or 'like this'. 2. इस बीच (Is beech): Meaning 'meanwhile' or 'in the meantime'. 3. इस लिए (Is liye): Meaning 'therefore' or 'for this reason'. 4. इस बारे में (Is bare mein): Meaning 'about this'. 5. इस हद तक (Is had tak): Meaning 'to this extent'. These phrases are essential for building complex, flowing sentences.
Grammatically, इस is the singular oblique form of yah. If you are talking about plural objects, you would use in (इन). The pronunciation is simple: it sounds like the English word 'is' but with a slightly softer 's'.
The stress is usually neutral. It does not take an article because Hindi does not use 'a' or 'the' in the same way English does. It is a determiner that strictly points to a specific singular object or person in the immediate context.
Fun Fact
It evolved from the Sanskrit 'etad', keeping the core meaning while adapting to Hindi's grammatical structure.
Pronunciation Guide
Short 'i' sound followed by a soft 's'
Similar to the English word 'is'
Common Errors
- Pronouncing it like 'ees'
- Dropping the 's' sound
- Adding a long vowel at the end
Rhymes With
Difficulty Rating
Easy
Requires grammar knowledge
Requires practice
Easy
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
Avanc
Grammar to Know
Oblique Case
Yah -> Is
Postpositions
mein, se, ke
Demonstratives
Yah/Is/In
Examples by Level
इस किताब को पढ़ो।
Read this book.
Oblique case before object marker
इस में क्या है?
What is in this?
Oblique + postposition
इस के लिए शुक्रिया।
Thanks for this.
Used with ke liye
इस का रंग लाल है।
Its color is red.
Possessive form
इस से पूछो।
Ask this person.
Oblique + se
इस जगह आओ।
Come to this place.
Direct reference
इस तरफ देखो।
Look this way.
Directional
इस को मत छुओ।
Do not touch this.
Object marker
इस बारे में बात करें
इस समय मैं व्यस्त हूँ
इस तरह से काम करो
इस का मतलब क्या है
इस के बिना मुश्किल है
इस के अलावा कुछ नहीं
इस के साथ चलो
इस बात को समझो
इस के बावजूद वह आया
इस मसले को हल करना होगा
इस हद तक जाना गलत है
इस का असर सब पर होगा
इस संदर्भ में यह सही है
इस के चलते देरी हुई
इस के बजाय वह ले लो
इस की वजह से मैं खुश हूँ
इस के मद्देनजर फैसला लिया गया
इस के विपरीत स्थिति अलग है
इस के फलस्वरूप परिणाम आया
इस के दायरे में सब आते हैं
इस के आलोक में चर्चा करें
इस के अनुरूप कार्य करें
इस की अनदेखी नहीं की जा सकती
इस के मद्देनजर कदम उठाए गए
इस की प्रासंगिकता आज भी है
इस के निहितार्थ बहुत गहरे हैं
इस के समानांतर कोई नहीं है
इस के उपलक्ष्य में समारोह है
इस के परिप्रेक्ष्य में देखें
इस के तार्किक निष्कर्ष तक पहुँचें
इस के प्रति उदासीन रहना ठीक नहीं
इस के कार्यान्वयन में समय लगेगा
इस के दार्शनिक पहलुओं का विश्लेषण
इस की सूक्ष्मता को समझना आवश्यक है
इस के अंतर्निहित अर्थ को पहचानें
इस के विमर्श में शामिल हों
इस के वैचारिक आधार को समझें
इस के व्यापक प्रभाव का अध्ययन
इस के ऐतिहासिक संदर्भ में देखें
इस के जटिल स्वरूप को स्वीकारें
Collocations courantes
Idioms & Expressions
"इस कान से सुनना उस कान से निकालना"
To ignore what is said
उसने मेरी बात इस कान से सुनी और उस कान से निकाल दी।
casual"इस हाथ दे उस हाथ ले"
Immediate exchange
बाज़ार में इस हाथ दे उस हाथ ले का काम होता है।
casual"इस के सिवा"
Apart from this
इस के सिवा मेरे पास कोई चारा नहीं।
neutral"इस हद तक"
To this extent
वह इस हद तक गिर गया।
neutral"इस के चलते"
Due to this
इस के चलते मीटिंग रद्द हो गई।
formal"इस के उपलक्ष्य में"
On this occasion
इस के उपलक्ष्य में पार्टी है।
formalEasily Confused
Both mean 'this'
Yah is nominative, Is is oblique
Yah kitab (nom) vs Is kitab mein (obl)
Both are oblique
In is plural, Is is singular
Is kitab (sg) vs In kitabon (pl)
Both are oblique
Us is for 'that', Is is for 'this'
Is (this) vs Us (that)
Both are plural oblique
Un is for 'those', In is for 'these'
In (these) vs Un (those)
Sentence Patterns
Is + noun + mein
Is ghar mein koi nahi hai.
Is + noun + ke liye
Is kaam ke liye waqt chahiye.
Is + noun + se
Is ladke se baat karo.
Is + noun + ka
Is kitab ka naam kya hai?
Is + noun + ke saath
Is dost ke saath jao.
Famille de mots
Apparenté
How to Use It
10
Formality Scale
Erreurs courantes
Grammatically, 'yah' cannot directly precede a postposition.
'is' is singular, 'in' is plural.
The 'is' already implies the oblique.
Plural oblique is used for respectful singular.
Is often requires a connector.
Tips
The Postposition Rule
Always check if a postposition follows 'this'.
Daily Habit
Practice saying 'is mein' and 'is ke liye' daily.
Natural Sounding
Using 'is' correctly makes you sound like a native.
The 'Yah' vs 'Is' Trap
If you see 'ke', 'se', 'mein', 'ko'—use 'is'.
Keep it Short
Don't elongate the 'i' sound.
Avoid 'Yah' before 'mein'
It is a very common beginner mistake.
Sanskrit Link
It comes from the ancient word 'etad'.
Flashcards
Write 'Is + Postposition' on one side.
Plural Check
If the object is plural, use 'in'.
Context Matters
Always look at the word following 'this'.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
IS = In Situation (use 'is' when 'in' a situation/postposition)
Visual Association
Pointing at an object with a label 'IS'
Word Web
Défi
Write 5 sentences using 'is' + postposition today.
Origine du mot
Sanskrit
Original meaning: This
Contexte culturel
None, it is a standard grammatical term.
Directly maps to the demonstrative 'this' in oblique contexts.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
Shopping
- Is ka daam kya hai?
- Is mein size hai?
- Is ko pack kar do.
Directions
- Is taraf jao.
- Is raste se jao.
- Is mod par ruko.
Studying
- Is mein kya likha hai?
- Is ka matlab batao.
- Is ko padho.
Work
- Is project par kaam karo.
- Is bare mein sochna hoga.
- Is ko complete karo.
Conversation Starters
"Is ke bare mein aapka kya khayal hai?"
"Is mein sabse achha kya hai?"
"Is ko kaise karte hain?"
"Is ke liye aapko kitna waqt chahiye?"
"Is taraf kya hai?"
Journal Prompts
Write about a book you like using 'Is'.
Describe a task you are doing using 'Is'.
Explain why you like a specific place using 'Is'.
List three things you need and use 'Is' to describe them.
Questions fréquentes
8 questionsUse 'is' if a postposition (ke, mein, se) follows.
No, 'in' is the plural oblique.
Only if it is followed by a postposition immediately.
It is standard grammar, used in all registers.
No, 'is' remains the same for masculine and feminine nouns.
It translates to 'this' in oblique cases.
Think: 'Is' + Postposition = Perfect.
Yes, the grammar is identical.
Teste-toi
___ mein kya hai?
'Is' is needed before 'mein'.
Which is correct?
'Is' is the oblique form.
'Is' is the plural form.
'In' is the plural form.
Word
Signification
Matches oblique forms.
Is mein kya hai?
Score : /5
Summary
Always use 'is' instead of 'yah' when a postposition follows it.
- Is is the oblique form of 'this'.
- Use it before postpositions like 'mein' or 'ke'.
- It is singular; use 'in' for plural.
- Essential for building correct Hindi sentences.
The Postposition Rule
Always check if a postposition follows 'this'.
Daily Habit
Practice saying 'is mein' and 'is ke liye' daily.
Natural Sounding
Using 'is' correctly makes you sound like a native.
The 'Yah' vs 'Is' Trap
If you see 'ke', 'se', 'mein', 'ko'—use 'is'.
Related Content
Ce mot dans d'autres langues
Expressions liées
Plus de mots sur general
आभार व्यक्त करना
B1To express gratitude or thankfulness.
आचरण करना
C1To conduct oneself; behave in a particular way.
आगे
A1Forward; ahead.
आगे बढ़ना
A2To move forward or progress.
आगामी
B1Happening in the near future; upcoming or next.
आह्वान करना
B1To call, to summon, to request someone's presence.
आजमाना
A2To make an attempt or effort to do something; to test.
आज रात
A2The night of the present day; tonight.
आक्रमण करना
B2To begin military operations against a country or group.
आखिरी
A2Last, final.
