Hindi Verbs: The Dictionary Form (-na)
nā form is the dictionary name of the verb and acts like a masculine noun.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
In Hindi, all dictionary verbs end in '-na' (ना), which acts like the English 'to' (e.g., to eat = khana).
- 1. Identify the root: Remove '-na' to find the base (e.g., 'khana' -> 'kha').
- 2. Use '-na' for general statements: 'Mujhe sona hai' (I want to sleep).
- 3. The '-na' form is the base for all other conjugations.
Overview
In Hindi, the foundational form of every verb is the infinitive, invariably ending with the suffix -nā (ना). This is often termed the dictionary form because it is how verbs are cataloged in lexicons and initially encountered by learners. Conceptually, the Hindi infinitive parallels the English 'to + verb' construction, like 'to run' or 'to think'.
However, its function extends beyond this direct equivalent; it frequently operates as a verbal noun, representing the action itself as an abstract concept. For an A1 learner, grasping this dual nature – as both the base verbal form and a nominalized action – is crucial, as it underpins nearly all subsequent verb conjugations and expressions of desire, obligation, or capability.
Linguistically, when functioning as a verbal noun, the infinitive inherently behaves as a masculine singular noun. This is a critical distinction from many Indo-European languages. The action, such as 'eating' (khānā खाना) or 'going' (jānā जाना), is treated grammatically as an abstract, singular, masculine entity.
This fixed grammatical gender and number for the infinitive itself remain constant, irrespective of the actual gender or number of the person performing the action. Understanding this linguistic mechanism is fundamental to correctly forming sentences and avoiding common agreement errors, establishing a stable reference point for constructing Hindi verbal phrases.
How This Grammar Works
sīkhnā (सीखना – to learn/learning).kitāb (किताब – book, masculine singular) or ghar (घर – house, masculine singular), even though it describes an activity.hindī sīkhnā mushkil hai. (हिंदी सीखना मुश्किल है। – “Learning Hindi is difficult.”), sīkhnā is the subject. Because sīkhnā is grammatically masculine singular, the predicate adjective mushkil (मुश्किल – difficult) remains in its base form (which is often gender-neutral but here implicitly aligns with masculine singular), and the auxiliary verb hai (है – is) agrees with a singular subject.sīkhnā itself for gender or number.jaldī uṭhnā achchhā hai. (जल्दी उठना अच्छा है। – “Waking up early is good.”), the adjective achchhā (अच्छा – good) is in its masculine singular form, agreeing with the abstract action uṭhnā (उठना – to wake up). This constancy means the infinitive itself does not inflect for the gender or number of the speaker or grammatical subject of the larger sentence.main jānā chāhtā hūn. (मैं जाना चाहता हूँ। – “I want to go.”), jānā (जाना – to go) remains in its infinitive form, while chāhtā hūn (चाहता हूँ – want) agrees with the masculine singular speaker main (मैं – I). If the speaker were feminine, it would be main jānā chāhtī hūn. (मैं जाना चाहती हूँ।), yet jānā remains unchanged.-nā to -ne. This is known as the oblique case and is a common feature for nouns and pronouns in Hindi. For example, likhnā (लिखना – to write) becomes likhne (लिखने) in likhne ke lie (लिखने के लिए – for writing).Formation Pattern
-nā (ना). The verb stem is the irreducible core of the verb, conveying its primary action, and is the part that remains after the infinitive ending is removed. For A1 learners, identifying the stem is generally straightforward: simply take any infinitive and remove the -nā suffix.
-nā (ना) = Infinitive
जाना | jānā | jā | जा | to go |
खाना | khānā | khā | खा | to eat |
पीना | pīnā | pī | पी | to drink |
देखना | dekhnā | dekh | देख | to see/watch |
बोलना | bolnā | bol | बोल | to speak |
करना | karnā | kar | कर | to do |
पढ़ना | paṛhnā | paṛh | पढ़ | to read |
लिखना | likhnā | likh | लिख | to write |
सुनना | sunnā | sun | सुन | to listen |
आना | ānā | ā | आ | to come |
उठना | uṭhnā | uṭh | उठ | to get up |
बैठना | baiṭhnā | baiṭh | बैठ | to sit |
denā (देना – to give) has the stem de (दे). While -nā is removed, the stem itself is short. However, you can think of it as de-nā.
lenā (लेना – to take) has the stem le (ले). Similar to denā, the stem is short.
honā (होना – to be/happen) has the stem ho (हो). This is a crucial verb that you will encounter constantly.
-nā suffix for infinitives provides a strong and reliable base for vocabulary acquisition and early sentence construction. The consistency of this formation pattern makes the infinitive an accessible entry point into the more complex world of Hindi verbal grammar.
When To Use It
- 1As the Dictionary or Lexical Form: This is the most fundamental and direct use. Any new verb you learn will be presented in its infinitive form. It acts as the abstract label for the action itself, devoid of any specific time, agent, or mood.
'jānā' ek kriyā hai.( ‘जाना’ एक क्रिया है। ) – “'To go' is a verb.”mujhe naye shabd sīkhnā pasand hai.(मुझे नए शब्द सीखना पसंद है। ) – “I like learning new words.” (Here,sīkhnārefers to the concept of learning).
- 1As a Verbal Noun (Subject or Object): As previously detailed, the infinitive frequently functions as a noun, representing the act of performing the verb. In these instances, it inherently acts as a masculine singular noun.
- As the Subject of a Sentence: When the action itself is the topic or focus of the statement.
roz daur nā sehat ke lie lābhdāyak hai.(रोज़ दौड़ना सेहत के लिए लाभदायक है। ) – “Running daily is beneficial for health.” (daurnā– the act of running – is the subject).der se sonā achchhā nahīn hai.(देर से सोना अच्छा नहीं है। ) – “Sleeping late is not good.”- As the Object of a Verb or Implied by Context: When the action is what is desired, liked, needed, or possible, often appearing with other verbs or expressions of desire, ability, or obligation.
main kitāb paṛhnā chāhtā hūn.(मैं किताब पढ़ना चाहता हूँ। ) – “I want to read a book.” (paṛhnāis the object ofchāhnā– to want).use hindī bolnā ātā hai.(उसे हिंदी बोलना आता है। ) – “He knows how to speak Hindi.” (bolnāis what he knows).
- 1To Express Necessity or Obligation (with
paṛnā): The infinitive is used with the verbpaṛnā(पड़ना – to fall/to happen) to convey a sense of external compulsion or necessity, translating to
Infinitive Formation
| Verb Root | Infinitive (-na) | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|
|
खा
|
खाना
|
To eat
|
|
पी
|
पीना
|
To drink
|
|
सो
|
सोना
|
To sleep
|
|
जा
|
जाना
|
To go
|
|
आ
|
आना
|
To come
|
|
पढ़
|
पढ़ना
|
To study/read
|
|
लिख
|
लिखना
|
To write
|
|
देख
|
देखना
|
To see
|
Meanings
The dictionary form represents the base state of a verb, equivalent to the English infinitive 'to [verb]'.
Infinitive
Expressing the action itself as a noun or purpose.
“सोना अच्छा है। (Sleeping is good.)”
“मुझे पढ़ना है। (I have to study.)”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Root + na
|
खाना (To eat)
|
|
Negative
|
Nahi + Root + na
|
नहीं खाना (Not to eat)
|
|
Question
|
Kya + Root + na
|
क्या खाना? (To eat?)
|
|
Obligation
|
Root + na + hai
|
खाना है (Have to eat)
|
|
Desire
|
Root + na + chahta
|
खाना चाहता (Want to eat)
|
Formality Spectrum
मुझे भोजन करना है। (Dining)
मुझे खाना है। (Dining)
खाना खाना है। (Dining)
खाना खाना है क्या? (Dining)
The -na Verb Universe
Action
- खाना To eat
Movement
- जाना To go
Examples by Level
मुझे खाना है।
I want to eat.
वह सोना चाहता है।
He wants to sleep.
क्या तुम पढ़ना चाहते हो?
Do you want to study?
मुझे पानी पीना है।
I want to drink water.
वहाँ जाना मना है।
Going there is forbidden.
मुझे हिंदी बोलना सीखना है।
I want to learn to speak Hindi.
दौड़ना सेहत के लिए अच्छा है।
Running is good for health.
क्या आपको गाना पसंद है?
Do you like to sing?
उसने मुझे घर आने को कहा।
He told me to come home.
किताब पढ़ना मेरा शौक है।
Reading books is my hobby.
मुझे जल्दी उठना पड़ता है।
I have to wake up early.
क्या आप मुझे रास्ता दिखाना चाहेंगे?
Would you like to show me the way?
काम पूरा करने के बाद मैं सो गया।
After finishing the work, I slept.
उसकी आदतें बदलना मुश्किल है।
Changing his habits is difficult.
मुझे यह फिल्म दोबारा देखना पसंद है।
I like to watch this movie again.
क्या आपको खाना बनाने का अनुभव है?
Do you have experience in cooking?
सत्य बोलना ही धर्म है।
Speaking the truth is the only duty.
उसने मुझे आने से मना किया।
He forbade me from coming.
समय पर पहुँचना अनिवार्य है।
Arriving on time is mandatory.
मुझे उससे बात करने का मौका मिला।
I got a chance to talk to him.
जीवन जीना एक कला है।
Living life is an art.
उसने मुझे जाने की अनुमति दी।
He gave me permission to go.
अतीत को भूलना ही बेहतर है।
It is better to forget the past.
क्या आपको यह कार्य करने में कोई आपत्ति है?
Do you have any objection to doing this task?
Easily Confused
Both use -na in Hindi, but English distinguishes them.
Learners confuse -na with -a endings.
Sometimes they look similar.
Common Mistakes
Main khana hoon
Main khata hoon
Woh jana
Woh jata hai
Khana nahi
Nahi khana
Mujhe khana
Mujhe khana hai
Woh sona chahta
Woh sona chahta hai
Mujhe jana hai
Mujhe jana hai
Padhna achha hai
Padhna achha hai
Usne khana khaya
Usne khana khaya
Mujhe padhne ka man hai
Mujhe padhne ka man hai
Woh aane wala hai
Woh aane wala hai
Woh karne ke liye gaya
Woh karne gaya
Mujhe karne ka hai
Mujhe karna hai
Woh bolne ka shaukeen hai
Woh bolne ka shaukeen hai
Sentence Patterns
मुझे ___ है।
क्या आपको ___ पसंद है?
___ सेहत के लिए अच्छा है।
मुझे ___ का मन है।
Real World Usage
सोना है।
आना है क्या?
मुझे काम करना पसंद है।
मुझे टिकट बुक करना है।
मुझे खाना ऑर्डर करना है।
पढ़ना शुरू करो।
Learn the root
Don't conjugate -na
Use as a noun
Polite requests
Smart Tips
The first verb is often the infinitive.
Use the infinitive + 'chahta hoon'.
Use the infinitive + 'hai'.
Use the infinitive directly.
Pronunciation
The -na sound
The 'n' is dental, tongue touches the back of the upper teeth.
Rising for questions
खाना है? ↑
Do you want to eat?
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of 'na' as 'no'—but instead of stopping, it's the 'no-stop' dictionary form.
Visual Association
Imagine a dictionary with a giant 'NA' sticker on every verb page.
Rhyme
If you want to say 'to', just add 'na' to the root, it's easy to do!
Story
Rahul wanted to learn Hindi. He bought a dictionary. Every word ended in 'na'. He realized 'khana' was to eat and 'sona' was to sleep. He was happy.
Word Web
Challenge
Write down 5 things you want to do today using the '-na' form.
Cultural Notes
The -na form is used in almost all dialects.
Often replaced by Sanskritized nouns.
Very similar usage.
Derived from Sanskrit verbal nouns ending in -ana.
Conversation Starters
आपको क्या करना पसंद है?
क्या आपको आज बाहर जाना है?
क्या आपको हिंदी पढ़ना मुश्किल लगता है?
क्या आप कल काम करना चाहेंगे?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
मुझे पानी ___ है।
Which is the dictionary form?
Find and fix the mistake:
Main khana hoon.
I want to sleep.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Root of 'Padhna'?
All Hindi verbs end in -na in the dictionary.
A: Kya karna hai? B: ___.
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercisesमुझे पानी ___ है।
Which is the dictionary form?
Find and fix the mistake:
Main khana hoon.
I want to sleep.
Match 'To go'.
Root of 'Padhna'?
All Hindi verbs end in -na in the dictionary.
A: Kya karna hai? B: ___.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
10 exercisesYahan photo ___ manā hai. (To take/pull)
Match the pairs:
acchā / hai / chalnā
Choose the softer command:
Sītā (female) says: Main gānā gānī chāhtī hūn.
Translate into Hindi (using tairnā).
Mujhe abhi ___ hai. (I have to go now)
Which word is an infinitive?
Mujhe hindi bolnā pasand hūn.
chāhtā / dekhnā / main / hūn
Score: /10
FAQ (8)
All dictionary verbs end in -na. If you see one that doesn't, it's likely already conjugated.
No, only for infinitives and verbal nouns.
Just remove the -na.
Yes, it's standard in all registers.
Your sentence will be grammatically incorrect.
Yes, it functions similarly.
No, the -na rule is consistent.
Use the word web and practice daily.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Infinitivo (-ar, -er, -ir)
Spanish has three endings; Hindi has one.
Infinitif (-er, -ir, -re)
French has more complex endings.
Infinitiv (-en)
German syntax is more rigid.
Dictionary form (-u)
Japanese dictionary forms end in 'u' sounds.
Masdar
Arabic Masdar is more complex.
Verb base
Hindi has extensive conjugation.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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