Hindi Month Names: Gender (They're all boys!)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
In Hindi, all twelve months of the year are grammatically masculine, meaning they always take masculine verb and adjective endings.
- Rule 1: Every month (January to December) is treated as a masculine noun.
- Rule 2: Use masculine singular endings for adjectives describing months (e.g., 'achha' instead of 'achhi').
- Rule 3: When using verbs with months, ensure the verb reflects masculine singular agreement.
Overview
In Hindi grammar, every noun is assigned a grammatical gender: either masculine (puṁliṅg, पुल्लिंग) or feminine (strīliṅg, स्त्रीलिंग). This fundamental concept often differs from natural gender and may seem arbitrary, as it doesn't always align with biological sex. However, mastering grammatical gender is crucial because it dictates the forms of associated adjectives, verbs, and certain postpositions, creating a system of agreement (anubaṁdh, अनुबंध) essential for constructing grammatically correct sentences.
A particularly consistent and therefore valuable rule to internalize is that all month names in Hindi are grammatically masculine. This applies without exception to both the twelve Gregorian months (जैसे: Janvarī, जनवरी; Farvarī, फ़रवरी) and the traditional Hindu calendar months (जैसे: Caitra, चैत्र; Kārtik, कार्तिक). This uniformity holds true regardless of the month name's phonetic ending.
Even month names concluding with an -ī (ई) sound—which typically signals feminine nouns in Hindi (e.g., laṛkī, लड़की; rotī, रोटी)—are treated as masculine. This predictable rule simplifies temporal expressions in Hindi, providing a stable anchor within the broader, often challenging, landscape of Hindi grammatical gender. Mastering this principle ensures accurate and idiomatic expression when discussing schedules, events, and all temporal references involving months.
How This Grammar Works
viśeṣaṇ, विशेषण), certain postpositions (parsargh, परसर्ग), and verbs (kriyā, क्रिया).ādmī (आदमी, man) would require masculine singular modifiers.Agast (अगस्त, August) as 'hot', the adjective garama (गरम) would be used. If Agast were feminine, the adjective would take a feminine form. Similarly, when using adjectives like aglā (अगला, next) or pichlā (पिछला, last), these must assume their masculine singular forms to agree with the month.aglā Julāī (अगला जुलाई, next July), using the masculine aglā. Conversely, using aglī (अगली), the feminine form, would be grammatically incorrect, even though aglī might be appropriate for a feminine noun like aglī tārīkh (अगली तारीख़, next date).Farvarī jalalī āyā (फ़रवरी जल्दी आया, February came quickly) employs the masculine singular past tense verb āyā (आया).āyī (आई). This consistent application of masculine forms extends to various tenses and aspects, ensuring that verbs align with the grammatical gender of the month.kā/ke/kī (का/के/की), are sensitive to gender. Since months are masculine, the forms kā (singular) or ke (plural/oblique) are often used to indicate possession or relationship when the possessed item is also masculine. It is critical to remember that the genitive postposition kā/ke/kī primarily agrees with the gender and number of the possessed item, not the possessor.Aprail kā mausam (अप्रैल का मौसम, April's weather) uses kā because mausam (मौसम, weather) is masculine. This differs from kitāb kī qīmat (किताब की क़ीमत, the book's price), where kī agrees with the feminine qīmat (क़ीमत, price).Formation Pattern
Disambar (दिसंबर) or a Hindu month like Sāvan (सावन), recognize it as the core noun. These month names are generally borrowed terms or traditional words that function as proper nouns.
puṁliṅg ekvacan). This designation is fixed for all month names, without exception.
}.
Gender & Agreement
liṅg anubaṁdh, लिंग अनुबंध) across various parts of a sentence. While the overarching rule—all months are masculine—is straightforward, its practical implementation demands a clear understanding of how different grammatical components adapt their forms to maintain concord.viśeṣaṇ, विशेषण) are primary indicators of a noun's gender. Many Hindi adjectives have distinct masculine and feminine forms, typically characterized by an -ā (आ) ending for masculine singular and -ī (ई) for feminine singular. When modifying a month name, you will invariably use the masculine form, typically ending in -ā or its oblique variant -e (for oblique nouns).- Direct Adjectives (before the month): When an adjective directly precedes a month name, it takes its masculine singular form.
Yah acchā Disambar hai.(यह अच्छा दिसंबर है। - This is a good December.)Aglā Farvarī meri parīkṣā hai.(अगला फ़रवरी मेरी परीक्षा है। - Next February is my exam.)Pichlā Agast bahut garama thā.(पिछला अगस्त बहुत गरम था। - Last August was very hot.)
- Adjectives in Predicate Position (after the verb 'to be'): Even when an adjective functions as a predicate, it must agree with the masculine gender of the month.
Maī hamesā garama hotā hai.(मई हमेशा गरम होता है। - May is always hot.)Jūn kā mausam bahut suṁdar hotā hai.(जून का मौसम बहुत सुंदर होता है। - June's weather is very beautiful.)- Important Note: Not all adjectives change for gender. Many adjectives derived from Persian/Arabic, or those ending in consonants other than
-ā(e.g.,sundar, सुंदर;khuś, खुश), remain invariant and are used in their base form regardless of gender.
- Simple Past Tense (
āyā/āyī, आया/आई): Janvarī der se āyā.(जनवरी देर से आया। - January came late.)Jūn achchā rahā.(जून अच्छा रहा। - June was good.)
- Future Tense (
hogā/hogī, होगा/होगी): Aglā Aprail mera janmadin hogā.(अगला अप्रैल मेरा जन्मदिन होगा। - Next April will be my birthday.) Here,janmadin(जन्मदिन, birthday) is masculine, driving the verb agreement.Agast garama hogā.(अगस्त गरम होगा। - August will be hot.)
- Habitual/Present Indefinite (
hotā hai/hotī hai, होता है/होती है): Maī hamesā garama hotā hai.(मई हमेशा गरम होता है। - May is always hot.)Octūbar meṁ mausam suhāvanā hotā hai.(अक्टूबर में मौसम सुहावना होता है। - The weather is pleasant in October.)- Caveat: Be mindful of the actual subject of the verb. If the sentence structure implies a feminine noun as the subject, the verb will agree with that feminine noun, not the month. E.g.,
Disambar meṁ thañḍ hogī.(दिसंबर में ठंड होगी। - It will be cold in December.) Here,ṭhaṁḍ(ठंड, cold) is feminine, causinghogī.
kā/ke/kī)kā/ke/kī (का/के/की) signifies possession or relationship. Crucially, it agrees with the gender and number of the possessed noun (the item being related), not the possessor. While months are masculine, this does not automatically mean you will always use kā or ke when a month is the possessor.- Agreement with Masculine Singular Possessed Noun:
Aprail kā mausam(अप्रैल का मौसम - April's weather) -mausam(मौसम, weather) is masculine singular, hencekā.- Agreement with Masculine Plural/Oblique Possessed Noun:
Jūn ke din(जून के दिन - June's days) -din(दिन, days) is masculine plural, henceke.- Agreement with Feminine Possessed Noun:
Farvarī kī tārīkh(फ़रवरी की तारीख़ - February's date) -tārīkh(तारीख़, date) is feminine singular, hencekī.
Janvarī, Disambar) does not change its form when it enters the oblique case or acts as a possessor. Its masculinity ensures it won't cause direct adjectives or verbs acting on the month itself to become feminine. However, for kā/ke/kī, the agreement hinges on the gender of the noun that follows the genitive postposition.mein (में, in), par (पर, on), tak (तक, until), se (से, from), and tak (तक, until) are invariant. They do not change their form based on the gender, number, or case of the noun they follow. For example, Julāī mein (जुलाई में, in July) or Sitambar tak (सितंबर तक, until September) will always use these forms, unaffected by the month's masculinity.When To Use It
- Stating Dates, Schedules, and Deadlines: Any reference to specific months for events, appointments, or deadlines will invariably require masculine agreement.
Aglā Maī meri parīkṣā hai.(अगला मई मेरी परीक्षा है। - Next May is my exam.)Ham pichlā Navambar mile the.(हम पिछला नवंबर मिले थे। - We met last November.)Aprail mein mausam acchā hotā hai.(अप्रैल में मौसम अच्छा होता है। - The weather is good in April.)
- Planning and Future Events: When discussing future plans, forthcoming holidays, or anticipated occurrences, the month's masculinity will influence the choice of verbs and adjectives.
Aglā Jūn bahut vyast hogā.(अगला जून बहुत व्यस्त होगा। - Next June will be very busy.)Merī chhuṭṭī aglā Disambar hogī.(मेरी छुट्टी अगला दिसंबर होगी। - My vacation will be next December.) Here,chhuṭṭī(छुट्टी, vacation) is feminine, determininghogī.aglāstill modifiesDisambar. This example highlights the complexity where the verb agrees with another noun in the sentence, but the adjectiveaglāstill refers to the masculine month. This is a crucial distinction.
- Describing Past Events and Habits: When recounting past events or describing recurring phenomena tied to particular months, masculine agreement must be maintained.
Har Disambar mein mausam ṭhaṁḍā hotā hai.(हर दिसंबर में मौसम ठंडा होता है। - Every December the weather is cold.)Jab Maī āyā, to hamne yātrā kī.(जब मई आया, तो हमने यात्रा की। - When May came, we traveled.)
- Across Communication Registers: The rule is universal. Whether composing a formal email, sending a casual text message, or engaging in everyday conversation, the grammatical gender of months remains immutable. There is no colloquial variant that renders month names feminine.
- Social Media Update:
Aglā Farvarī, naye lakṣya!(अगला फ़रवरी, नए लक्ष्य! - Next February, new goals!) - Work Email:
Kṛpayā pichlā Sitambar kī riport bhejen.(कृपया पिछला सितंबर की रिपोर्ट भेजें। - Please send last September's report.) - Travel Planning:
Jūn mein Goa jānā bahut acchā vichār hogā.(जून में गोवा जाना बहुत अच्छा विचार होगा। - Going to Goa in June will be a very good idea.) Here,jānā(जाना, going) andvichār(विचार, idea) are masculine, influencingacchāandhogā.
Common Mistakes
ī Ending IllusionJanvarī (जनवरी), Farvarī (फ़रवरी), Maī (मई), and Julāī (जुलाई), terminate with an -ī (ई) sound. In a significant majority of Hindi nouns, an -ī ending is a strong indicator of feminine gender (e.g., laṛkī, लड़की – girl; rotī, रोटी – bread; nadī, नदी – river; ghoṛī, घोड़ी – mare). This pervasive phonetic pattern often misleads learners into incorrectly applying feminine agreement to these specific months.- Incorrect:
aglī Janvarī(अगली जनवरी) - using feminine adjective for 'next'. - Correct:
aglā Janvarī(अगला जनवरी) - using masculine adjective for 'next'. - Why it's wrong: The powerful influence of the
-īending leads learners to override the categorical rule that all months are masculine. Grammatical gender in Hindi is not solely determined by phonetic endings; historical and categorical factors also play a significant role. Month names belong to a category (like days of the week, trees, metals) that defaults to masculine, regardless of surface phonology.
tārīkh)tārīkh (तारीख़), is unequivocally feminine. Learners frequently confuse the concept of a month with a date, leading to erroneous feminine agreement when intending to refer to months.- Incorrect:
Janvarī acchī hai(जनवरी अच्छी है) - intending 'January is good' but using feminine 'good'. - Correct (for month):
Janvarī acchā hai(जनवरी अच्छा है) - 'January is good' (masculine agreement). - Correct (for date):
Paṁc tārīkh acchī hai(पांच तारीख़ अच्छी है) - 'The fifth date is good' (feminine agreement). - Why it's wrong: The learner mistakenly projects the feminine gender of
tārīkhonto month names, assuming a semantic similarity implies shared grammatical gender. It's crucial to remember thattārīkhis a separate noun with its own fixed gender.
tārīkh is a prominent example, other temporal nouns can also be feminine, creating further points of confusion. For instance, ghaṛī (घड़ी – clock/watch), subah (सुबह – morning), rāt (रात – night), śām (शाम – evening), and dupahar (दोपहर – afternoon) are all feminine. Learners might unconsciously extend this femininity to months. However, it is essential to remember that categories like days of the week (din, दिन; vār, वार – both masculine) align with months in their masculine gender.kā/ke/kīkā/ke/kī agrees with the gender and number of the possessed item, not the possessor. A common mistake is for learners to assume that because the month (the possessor) is masculine, kā or ke must always be used, even when the possessed item is feminine.- Incorrect:
Maī kā tārīkh(मई का तारीख़) - using masculinekā. - Correct:
Maī kī tārīkh(मई की तारीख़) - using femininekī. - Why it's wrong: The learner's focus on the masculine month overrides the fundamental rule that
kā/ke/kīmust agree with the noun that follows it. Sincetārīkhis feminine,kīis required regardless ofMaī's masculinity. The month's masculinity here meansMaīitself doesn't change form (e.g.,Maīdoesn't becomeMaīīin the oblique), but it does not dictate the gender agreement of the subsequentkā/ke/kīwith a different noun.
Common Collocations
sahasaṁyog, सहसंयोग), is key to achieving natural and fluent expression. These established pairings often showcase the masculine agreement rules in action and provide practical templates for learners.aglā Janvarī | अगला जनवरी | next January | Planning for the upcoming year, scheduling events. |pichlā Disambar | पिछला दिसंबर | last December | Recalling past events, discussing previous periods. |har Aprail | हर अप्रैल | every April | Describing recurring annual events or habits. |Maī kā mausam | मई का मौसम | May's weather | Discussing weather patterns specific to a month. (mausam is masculine, hence kā). |Jūn ke din | जून के दिन | June's days | Referring to the specific period or characteristics of a month. (din is masculine plural, hence ke). |Farvarī kī ṭhaṁḍ | फ़रवरी की ठंड | February's cold | Describing seasonal attributes. (ṭhaṁḍ is feminine, hence kī). |Agast mein | अगस्त में | in August | Standard way to sayMasculine Agreement for Months
| Month | Adjective Ending | Verb Ending | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
|
January
|
-ा (aa)
|
-ा (aa)
|
जनवरी ठंडा है
|
|
February
|
-ा (aa)
|
-ा (aa)
|
फरवरी छोटा है
|
|
March
|
-ा (aa)
|
-ा (aa)
|
मार्च व्यस्त है
|
|
April
|
-ा (aa)
|
-ा (aa)
|
अप्रैल गर्म है
|
|
May
|
-ा (aa)
|
-ा (aa)
|
मई सुहावना है
|
|
June
|
-ा (aa)
|
-ा (aa)
|
जून लंबा है
|
Meanings
The rule dictates that all calendar months (like January, February, etc.) are grammatically masculine nouns in Hindi.
Calendar usage
Referring to a specific month of the year.
“मार्च आ गया है।”
“अप्रैल का महीना लंबा है।”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Month + Adjective + hai
|
जनवरी ठंडा है
|
|
Negative
|
Month + nahi + Adjective + hai
|
जनवरी ठंडा नहीं है
|
|
Interrogative
|
Kya + Month + Adjective + hai?
|
क्या जनवरी ठंडा है?
|
|
Past Tense
|
Month + tha
|
जनवरी ठंडा था
|
|
Future Tense
|
Month + hoga
|
जनवरी ठंडा होगा
|
Formality Spectrum
जनवरी का महीना ठंडा है। (Weather report)
जनवरी ठंडा है। (Weather report)
जनवरी ठंडा है यार। (Weather report)
जनवरी एकदम ठंडा है। (Weather report)
Gender of Months
Winter
- जनवरी January
- दिसंबर December
Summer
- मई May
- जून June
Gender Comparison
Gender Check
Is it a month?
The 12 Months
All Masculine
- • जनवरी
- • फरवरी
- • मार्च
- • अप्रैल
- • मई
- • जून
- • जुलाई
- • अगस्त
- • सितंबर
- • अक्टूबर
- • नवंबर
- • दिसंबर
Examples by Level
जनवरी ठंडा है।
January is cold.
मई गर्म है।
May is hot.
जून अच्छा है।
June is good.
जुलाई लंबा है।
July is long.
क्या अगस्त व्यस्त है?
Is August busy?
सितंबर का महीना शुरू हुआ।
The month of September started.
अक्टूबर बहुत ठंडा नहीं है।
October is not very cold.
नवंबर में छुट्टी है।
There is a holiday in November.
दिसंबर का महीना सबसे ठंडा माना जाता है।
The month of December is considered the coldest.
फरवरी का महीना छोटा होता है।
The month of February is short.
मार्च में परीक्षा शुरू होगी।
The exam will start in March.
अप्रैल का मौसम बहुत सुहावना है।
The weather in April is very pleasant.
पिछला जून बहुत गर्म था, लेकिन यह जून सुहावना है।
Last June was very hot, but this June is pleasant.
अगस्त के महीने में भारी बारिश होती है।
There is heavy rain in the month of August.
सितंबर का अंत आते-आते काम खत्म हो जाएगा।
The work will be finished by the end of September.
अक्टूबर का महीना त्योहारों का होता है।
The month of October is for festivals.
नवंबर की शुरुआत में ही ठंड बढ़ जाती है।
The cold increases right at the beginning of November.
दिसंबर का महीना साल का समापन करता है।
The month of December concludes the year.
फरवरी का महीना लीप वर्ष में एक दिन बढ़ जाता है।
The month of February increases by one day in a leap year.
मार्च का महीना वसंत ऋतु का प्रतीक है।
The month of March is a symbol of spring.
अप्रैल का महीना, जो कि परिवर्तन का सूचक है, इस वर्ष काफी शुष्क रहा।
The month of April, which is an indicator of change, has been quite dry this year.
जुलाई का महीना मानसून की सक्रियता के लिए जाना जाता है।
The month of July is known for the activity of the monsoon.
मई का महीना भीषण गर्मी के लिए कुख्यात है।
The month of May is infamous for intense heat.
जनवरी का महीना नए संकल्पों के साथ आता है।
The month of January comes with new resolutions.
Easily Confused
Learners think both are masculine.
Learners think Year is feminine.
Learners think Season is masculine.
Common Mistakes
जनवरी ठंडी है
जनवरी ठंडा है
फरवरी लंबी है
फरवरी लंबा है
मार्च अच्छी है
मार्च अच्छा है
अप्रैल गर्मी है
अप्रैल गर्म है
मई का महीना ठंडी है
मई का महीना ठंडा है
जून खत्म हुई
जून खत्म हुआ
जुलाई में बारिश हुई
जुलाई में बारिश हुई (Correct, but watch adjectives)
अगस्त की गर्मी
अगस्त की गर्मी (Correct, but watch month gender)
सितंबर की शुरुआत हुई
सितंबर की शुरुआत हुई (Correct)
अक्टूबर का तारीख
अक्टूबर की तारीख
नवंबर का महीना लंबी है
नवंबर का महीना लंबा है
दिसंबर की ठंडक
दिसंबर की ठंडक
Sentence Patterns
___ ठंडा है।
___ का महीना ___ है।
क्या ___ में ___ है?
___ का मौसम ___ होता है।
Real World Usage
जनवरी में तापमान कम है।
मार्च तक काम पूरा होगा।
जून की छुट्टियाँ शुरू!
अगस्त में यात्रा अच्छी है।
दिसंबर के ऑफर यहाँ हैं।
मैं अप्रैल से उपलब्ध हूँ।
Consistency
Date vs Month
Adjective endings
Natural speech
Smart Tips
Always check your adjective ending.
Ensure the verb ends in -a.
Remember date is feminine, month is masculine.
Keep it simple.
Pronunciation
Month Names
Most are loanwords from English and follow standard Hindi phonetics.
Statement
जनवरी ठंडा है। ↘
Falling intonation for facts.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of the calendar as a group of 12 brothers.
Visual Association
Imagine 12 boys standing in a line, each holding a sign with a month name. They are all wearing blue hats (the color of masculine grammar).
Rhyme
Twelve months in a row, all boys you know.
Story
Once there was a calendar king who only had sons. He named them January, February, and so on. Because they were all his sons, they always acted like masculine nouns in every sentence.
Word Web
Challenge
Write 12 sentences, one for each month, using a different adjective for each.
Cultural Notes
Months are often discussed in relation to the harvest festivals.
The same gender rules apply regardless of regional climate differences.
Hindi speakers abroad maintain the masculine gender for months.
Hindi month names are largely derived from the English calendar, which were adopted during the colonial period.
Conversation Starters
आपका पसंदीदा महीना कौन सा है?
क्या जनवरी ठंडा है?
मार्च में क्या होता है?
अगस्त का मौसम कैसा है?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
जनवरी ___ है।
मई ___ है।
Find and fix the mistake:
जून लंबी है।
है / ठंडा / जनवरी
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
सितंबर शुरू ___।
क्या ___ व्यस्त है?
Find and fix the mistake:
अक्टूबर अच्छी है।
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercisesजनवरी ___ है।
मई ___ है।
Find and fix the mistake:
जून लंबी है।
है / ठंडा / जनवरी
Match: जनवरी - ठंडा, मई - गर्म
सितंबर शुरू ___।
क्या ___ व्यस्त है?
Find and fix the mistake:
अक्टूबर अच्छी है।
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercisesJune aa ___ hai. (June has come.)
How do you say 'This February'?
Kaisī October thī?
Match the items.
Pūr__ March main ghar par thā. (I was home for the whole of March.)
Identify the gender of 'July' and 'May'.
Aglī mahīnā milte hain.
September went well.
April / hot / month / is / a / .
October ___ mahīnā. (The month of October)
Talking about the past January.
July kab aayegī?
Score: /12
FAQ (8)
Yes, every single one.
The word 'mahina' itself is masculine.
No, gender is fixed.
Yes, it is standard.
जनवरी में (Janvari mein).
Yes, it must be masculine.
English doesn't have gendered months.
Yes, it is correct.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Enero, Febrero...
None, both are masculine.
Janvier, Février...
French uses articles (le), Hindi does not.
Januar, Februar...
German has more complex case endings.
Ichigatsu, Nigatsu...
Hindi requires gender agreement; Japanese does not.
Yanayir, Fabrayir...
Arabic has dual/plural forms.
Yiyue, Eryue...
Hindi is gendered; Chinese is not.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Related Grammar Rules
Hindi Noun Genders: Boys vs Girls (ladkā/ladkī)
Overview In Hindi, every noun possesses an inherent grammatical gender: it is either **masculine** (`पुल्लिंग` - pulling...
Hindi Feminine Plurals: The 'ee' to 'yaan' Rule (-ियाँ)
Overview Mastering Hindi noun plurals is fundamental for basic communication, and among these, the transformation of fem...
Noun Gender: Is it a 'He' or a 'She'? (-aa vs -ii)
Overview In Hindi, every single noun, without exception, possesses a grammatical gender: it is either **masculine** (`pu...
Hindi Abstract Nouns & Gender (tā, pan, ī)
Overview In Hindi, abstract nouns, known as `bhāv-vāchak sangyā` (भाववाचक संज्ञा), are words that represent concepts, qu...
Hindi Agent Nouns: The Magic Suffix 'Wala' (-vālā)
Overview The suffix `वाला` (`-vālā`) is one of the most productive and versatile derivational morphemes in modern Hindi...