There is / There are in Hindi (है / हैं)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'hai' for singular items and 'hain' for plural items to express existence in Hindi.
- Use 'hai' (है) for singular nouns: 'Ek kitab hai' (There is one book).
- Use 'hain' (हैं) for plural nouns: 'Do kitaben hain' (There are two books).
- Always place the verb at the very end of the sentence.
Overview
English speakers frequently rely on the existential "there is" or "there are" to introduce the presence of something or someone. For instance, "There is a problem" or "There are many options." Hindi conveys this concept without a direct equivalent to the English "there" as a dummy subject. Instead, Hindi employs a more streamlined structure that simply states the subject and affirms its existence using the appropriate form of the verb होना (hona), meaning "to be." This directness is a fundamental characteristic of Hindi sentence construction and a key divergence from many European languages.
The primary forms for expressing "there is" or "there are" in the present tense are है (hai) and हैं (hain). The form है (hai) signifies existence for a singular subject. Conversely, हैं (hain) is used for plural subjects and, critically, as a marker of respect when referring to a singular person, reflecting the inherent politeness registers embedded within the Hindi language.
This duality of हैं underscores its importance beyond mere number agreement. For an A1 learner, grasping this distinction is not merely about grammatical accuracy but also about navigating social contexts appropriately.
This grammatical structure, often termed the existential construction, places the emphasis directly on the item whose existence is being affirmed, rather than on a preceding placeholder. For example, एक किताब है। (Ek kitaab hai.) translates to "There is a book." You do not vocalize any word for "there" in the Hindi sentence. If the subject is plural, such as "books," the sentence becomes किताबें हैं। (Kitaaben hain.) – "There are books." The subtle yet phonetically distinct nasalization in हैं is the linguistic cue for plurality or respect.
This pattern underpins many descriptive sentences in Hindi, from basic observations about one's surroundings to complex statements about abstract concepts. It's the linguistic mechanism for bringing subjects into immediate reality within a sentence.
How This Grammar Works
होना (hona) – specifically है or हैं – until the very end of the clause.है and हैं is determined by two critical factors: grammatical number and the social register of respect.- 1Number Agreement:
- For singular subjects or uncountable nouns that function as singular, you use
है(hai). This applies to a single object, animal, or abstract concept. For instance,दूध है।(Doodh hai.) – "There is milk." (Milk is uncountable and takes the singular form). - For plural subjects, meaning two or more countable items, the form
हैं(hain) is mandatory. Example:पाँच पेन हैं।(Paanch pen hain.) – "There are five pens."
- 1Respect (Honorifics): Hindi grammar is deeply interwoven with social politeness. When referring to a single individual who merits respect – such as elders, teachers, superiors, or someone you wish to address formally –
हैंis used instead ofहै, despite the subject being grammatically singular. This is a crucial aspect of Hindi honorifics. For example,माताजी बाज़ार में हैं।(Maataajee baazaar mein hain.) – "Mother is in the market." (Literally: "Mother market in are"). This usage is not a grammatical pluralization but a marker of deference.
है and हैं lies in the nasalization of the vowel sound. है features a pure, oral vowel sound, akin to the English "hail" without the 'l'. In contrast, हैं includes a distinct nasal quality, indicated by the chandrabindu (ँ) or anusvara (ं) in Devanagari.hain with a slight hum through the nose at the end, similar to the nasal 'n' in French words, but with the vowel sound of hai.समय है। (Samay hai.) – "There is time," the existence is general. When a location is introduced, it explicitly defines "there." For example, किताब बैग में है। (Kitaab bag mein hai.) – "The book is in the bag." Here, बैग में (bag mein) functions as the location.Formation Pattern
होना (to be) - है or हैं]
एक सेब (ek seb - one apple)
कई लोग (kayee log - many people)
मेरी चाची (meree chaachee - my aunt)
है vs. हैं):
है or हैं) depends entirely on the subject's number and the requirement for respect.
है | है | hai | एक फूल है। | There is one flower. |
हैं | हैं | hain | दो फूल हैं। | There are two flowers. |
हैं | हैं | hain | दादाजी घर पर हैं। | Grandfather is at home. |
है | है | hai | ज्ञान है। | There is knowledge. |
हैं (hain) always carries the nasalized sound, which is absent in है (hai). This phonetic difference is grammatically significant.
में or पर that come after a noun) to indicate location or other relationships, rather than prepositions found in English.
में (mein): in, inside. Example: शहर में (shahar mein - in the city).
पर (par): on, at. Example: छत पर (chhat par - on the roof).
के पास (ke paas): near, with, at (implies possession when used with pronouns, e.g., मेरे पास - I have/with me). Example: मेरे पास (mere paas - near me/I have).
-ā, like कमरा - kamraa for room) is immediately followed by a postposition, it often undergoes a change to its oblique case. The -ā ending typically becomes -e. For example, कमरा becomes कमरे में (kamre mein - in the room). This is a vital rule for accurate usage; consult the "Hindi Oblique Case" rule for more detailed guidance.
Existential Verb Forms
| Form | Number | Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
|
hai
|
Singular
|
Objects/3rd Person
|
Ek ghar hai
|
|
hain
|
Plural
|
Objects/3rd Person
|
Do ghar hain
|
Meanings
These verbs indicate the existence or presence of an object or person in a specific location.
Existence
Stating that something exists.
“Ek seb hai.”
“Bahut log hain.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Noun + hai/hain
|
Seb hai
|
|
Negative
|
Noun + nahi + hai/hain
|
Seb nahi hai
|
|
Question
|
Kya + Noun + hai/hain?
|
Kya seb hai?
|
|
Plural Affirmative
|
Noun + hain
|
Seb hain
|
|
Plural Negative
|
Noun + nahi + hain
|
Seb nahi hain
|
|
Plural Question
|
Kya + Noun + hain?
|
Kya seb hain?
|
Formality Spectrum
Ek baithak hai. (Professional)
Meeting hai. (Professional)
Meeting hai. (Professional)
Meeting hai. (Professional)
The Hai/Hain Map
Singular
- hai is
Plural
- hain are
Examples by Level
Ek pen hai.
There is one pen.
Do ladke hain.
There are two boys.
Pani hai.
There is water.
Kitaben hain.
There are books.
Kya wahan koi hai?
Is there anyone there?
Yahan doodh nahi hai.
There is no milk here.
Kya yahan do darwaze hain?
Are there two doors here?
Wahan bahut ped hain.
There are many trees there.
Is bag mein meri kitaben hain.
My books are in this bag.
Kya is shehar mein koi park hai?
Is there any park in this city?
Wahan koi nahi hai.
There is no one there.
Kya yahan koi samasya hai?
Is there any problem here?
Is niyam mein kai apvad hain.
There are many exceptions to this rule.
Kya iske alava koi vikalp hai?
Is there any option other than this?
Yahan ke logon mein bahut utsah hai.
There is much enthusiasm among the people here.
Kya is project mein koi risk hai?
Is there any risk in this project?
Satta mein hone ke kai labh hain.
There are many benefits to being in power.
Kya is siddhant ka koi vaigyanik adhar hai?
Is there any scientific basis for this theory?
Is sthiti mein koi sudhar ki gunjaish hai.
There is room for improvement in this situation.
Vahan ke vatavaran mein ek alag hi shanti hai.
There is a unique peace in the atmosphere there.
Is aitihasik sandarbh mein kai jatilataen hain.
There are many complexities in this historical context.
Kya is bhasha mein koi aisa shabd hai?
Is there such a word in this language?
Is darshan mein manavta ke liye ek gehra sandesh hai.
There is a deep message for humanity in this philosophy.
Kya is nirdesh mein koi aspashtata hai?
Is there any ambiguity in this instruction?
Easily Confused
Learners mix up 'is' and 'am'.
Learners mix up 'is' and 'are' (you).
Learners forget the plural nasalization.
Common Mistakes
Main hai.
Main hoon.
Kitab hain.
Kitab hai.
Hain kitab.
Kitab hain.
Do kitab hai.
Do kitaben hain.
Kya hai kitab?
Kya kitab hai?
Nahi kitab hai.
Kitab nahi hai.
Kitab hain (without nasal).
Kitab hain (with nasal).
Wahan bahut log hai.
Wahan bahut log hain.
Is kamre mein hai do kursi.
Is kamre mein do kursiyan hain.
Kya wahan koi hai?
Kya wahan koi hain?
Satta mein hai kai labh.
Satta mein kai labh hain.
Is siddhant ka hai adhar.
Is siddhant ka adhar hai.
Vahan ki shanti hain.
Vahan ki shanti hai.
Sentence Patterns
___ hai.
___ hain.
Kya ___ hai?
Is ___ mein ___ hain.
Real World Usage
Kya pizza hai?
Yahan hotel hai.
Kahan ho? Ghar par hai.
Is kaam mein kai chunautiyan hain.
Kitni sundar jagah hai!
Kya order mein pani hai?
The Silent 'Hain'
Don't 'There' it!
Respect is Plural
Smart Tips
Check the noun ending. If it changes to 'en' or 'on', it's plural, so use 'hain'.
Use 'hain' even for one person if they are older than you.
Always start with 'Kya' and end with the verb.
Group your nouns and put the verb at the very end.
Pronunciation
Nasalization
The dot (bindu) on 'hain' means you should let air pass through your nose.
Question
Kya wahan hai? ↑
Rising intonation at the end indicates a question.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Hai is for One, Hain is for Many (Hain has a dot, like a crowd of people).
Visual Association
Imagine a single apple on a table (hai) and a pile of apples (hain) with a little dot hovering over the pile.
Rhyme
Singular is hai, plural is hain, use them correctly again and again.
Story
I walked into a room. I saw one chair (kursi hai). Then I saw many books (kitaben hain). I asked, 'Is there a pen?' (Kya pen hai?). There was none (Pen nahi hai).
Word Web
Challenge
Look around your room right now. Say 5 sentences using 'hai' or 'hain' to describe what you see.
Cultural Notes
In North India, 'hai' and 'hain' are used exactly as described. It is the standard dialect.
Sometimes 'hain' is used for a single person to show respect (honorific).
Younger speakers often drop the nasalization in very casual texting, but it is technically incorrect.
These verbs derive from the Sanskrit 'asti' (is) and 'santi' (are).
Conversation Starters
Kya yahan koi restaurant hai?
Is shehar mein kitne park hain?
Kya is project mein koi dikkat hai?
Kya is niyam mein koi apvad hai?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
Ek kitab ___.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Main hai.
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
There is water.
Answer starts with: Pan...
Which is plural?
Wahan pani ___.
Kitab hai.
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercisesEk kitab ___.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Main hai.
hai / kitab / ek
There is water.
Which is plural?
Wahan pani ___.
Kitab hai.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
10 exercisesआज क्लास ____ है। (There is no class today.)
में / बोतल / है / पानी
Translate the sentence:
Select the correct sentence:
वहाँ एक बिल्ली है।
Match the pairs:
क्या कोई समस्या ____? (Is there any problem?)
Translate to Hindi:
Select the best translation:
बाहर / है / कोई
Score: /10
FAQ (8)
The dot (bindu) indicates nasalization, which is the grammatical marker for plural verbs in Hindi.
No, that is grammatically incorrect and will sound like you are talking about a single object.
Yes, 'hai' is used for third-person singular people (he/she).
If you are unsure, check if the noun has a plural marker or if the context implies multiple items.
Hindi uses 'wahan' for 'there' (location), but the verb 'hai' does the work of 'there is'.
No, 'I' always takes 'hoon'.
Hindi is a Subject-Object-Verb language, meaning the verb is the anchor at the end of the clause.
Yes, it is the standard existential verb in all registers of Hindi.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Hay
Hindi changes the verb for number; Spanish does not.
Il y a
Hindi is more concise.
Es gibt
Hindi doesn't require case changes for existence.
ga aru/iru
Hindi is gender/animacy neutral for these verbs.
hunaka
Hindi verb conjugation is central.
you
Hindi distinguishes between 'to have' and 'to be'.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Related Grammar Rules
Polite Requests in Hindi: The 'Aap' Form (-iye/-jiye)
Overview Mastering polite requests is fundamental for effective communication in Hindi, especially at the beginner (A1)...
Hindi Commands: The Friendly 'Tum' (Verb + o)
Overview In Hindi, expressing commands or making requests is nuanced, reflecting the language's inherent politeness hier...
Hindi Verbs: The Dictionary Form (-na)
Overview In Hindi, the foundational form of every verb is the **infinitive**, invariably ending with the suffix `-nā` (न...
Hindi 'Want': Expressing desires with `चाहना` (chāhnā)
Overview Ever stared at a Zomato menu in Delhi at 2 AM, paralyzed by the sheer number of biryani options, only to realiz...
Expressing Ability with Saknā (Can/Able To)
Overview `Saknā` (सकना), meaning **“can”** or **“be able to,”** is a fundamental auxiliary verb in Hindi. It allows you...
