The More X, The More Y (Jitnā... Utnā)
jitnā and utnā together to show that the second amount depends entirely on the first amount.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'Jitnā' (as much) and 'Utnā' (that much) to show how one action or quality changes in proportion to another.
- Start with 'Jitnā' + adjective/adverb, then follow with 'Utnā' + adjective/adverb.
- Ensure the gender and number of 'Jitnā/Utnā' match the noun they modify.
- The structure is: [Jitnā + X] + [Utnā + Y] + [Verb].
Overview
In Hindi, expressing a proportional relationship—where the degree or quantity of one factor directly influences another—is achieved through the fundamental correlative construction: jitnā... utnā (जितना... उतना).
This structure, translating broadly to “the more X, the more Y,” or “as much X, that much Y,” is indispensable for upper-intermediate (B2) learners. It allows you to articulate complex cause-and-effect scenarios, comparative statements, and nuanced dependencies. Mastering `jitnā...
utnā` signifies a significant advancement in your command of Hindi syntax and semantic depth, enabling you to move beyond basic conjunctions towards precise expression of co-varying elements.
This grammatical pattern embodies a core linguistic principle of parallelism. A relative clause introduced by jitnā (जितना) establishes a condition or measure, and a corresponding correlative clause introduced by utnā (उतना) states the outcome or equivalent measure. Understanding its mechanics is crucial for both comprehending and naturally producing complex Hindi sentences.
It highlights how Hindi constructs logical relationships between clauses, making explicit the direct correlation between two states or actions. For instance, जितना पढ़ोगे, उतना सीखोगे (jitnā paṛhoge, utnā sīkhoge – The more you read, the more you will learn) directly links the quantity of reading to the quantity of learning.
How This Grammar Works
jitnā... utnā functions as a pair of correlative adjectival pronouns or correlative adverbs, adapting their role based on what they modify. Jitnā (जितना) introduces the subordinate clause, setting the reference point, condition, or measure.utnā (उतना), then introduces the main clause, indicating the corresponding degree or quantity. These terms are not mere conjunctions; they are dynamic elements that engage in agreement with the noun they quantify or describe, or behave adverbially when modifying verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.jitnā and utnā function adjectivally, they must agree in gender and number with the noun they refer to. This agreement is critical for grammatical correctness. For example, in जितनी किताबें पढ़ोगे, उतनी जानकारी मिलेगी (jitnī kitābē̃ paṛhoge, utnī jānkārī milegī – The more books you read, the more information you will get), jitnī agrees with the feminine plural किताबें (kitābē̃), and utnī agrees with the feminine singular जानकारी (jānkārī).jitnā and utnā, even if implied.jitnā and utnā typically function adverbially. In such cases, they usually retain their base masculine singular form: जितना and उतना. This applies when the element being modified does not inherently possess gender or number, or when the focus is on the extent of an action or quality rather than a quantity of a noun.जितना तेज़ दौड़ोगे, उतना जल्दी पहुँचोगे (jitnā tez dauṛoge, utnā jaldī pahuñcoge – The faster you run, the sooner you will arrive), where both jitnā and utnā modify adverbs of manner (तेज़ and जल्दी) and remain in their base form.jitnā clause almost invariably precedes the utnā clause in standard Hindi syntax. This establishes a logical flow, where the condition or measure is presented first, followed by its correlated outcome. This consistent word order enhances clarity and mirrors the logical progression of cause-and-effect or proportional dependency.ही (hī) can further emphasize the directness of the proportionality, making the connection even stronger, as in जितना अभ्यास करोगे, उतना ही निपुण बनोगे (jitnā abhyās karoge, utnā hī nipuṇ banoge – The more you practice, the more proficient you will indeed become).Formation Pattern
jitnā and utnā are highly dependent on the grammatical function they serve within the sentence: either adjectival (modifying a noun) or adverbial (modifying a verb, adjective, or adverb). Understanding this distinction is paramount for correct usage.
jitnā and utnā quantify or describe a noun, they function as adjectives and must agree in gender and number with that noun. The noun can be explicitly stated or contextually implied. This agreement applies to both the jitnā and utnā clauses, even if they refer to different nouns, as long as those nouns themselves have distinct genders/numbers. The o ending for masculine singular, e for masculine plural, and ī for all feminine forms (singular and plural) follows standard Hindi adjectival agreement patterns.
jitnā Example | utnā Example |
jitnā | Masculine Singular Noun | जितना पैसा (jitnā paisā) – as much money | उतना पैसा (utnā paisā) – that much money |
jitne | Masculine Plural Noun | जितने लोग (jitne log) – as many people | उतने लोग (utne log) – that many people |
jitnī | Feminine Noun (Singular/Plural) | जितनी मेहनत (jitnī mehnat) – as much effort | उतनी मेहनत (utnī mehnat) – that much effort |
जितना खाना बनाओगे, उतना ही खाओगे। (jitnā khānā banāoge, utnā hī khāoge. – The more food you make, the more you will eat.) Here, खाना (khānā) is masculine singular, so jitnā and utnā are used.
जितने कर्मचारी होंगे, उतने ही काम करेंगे। (jitne karmacārī hoñge, utne hī kām kareñge. – The more employees there are, the more work they will do.) कर्मचारी (karmacārī) is masculine plural.
जितनी कहानियाँ सुनाओगी, उतनी ही पसंद आएँगी। (jitnī kahāniyā̃ sunāogī, utnī hī pasand āeñgī. – The more stories you tell, the more they will be liked.) कहानियाँ (kahāniyā̃) is feminine plural.
jitnā and utnā express the degree or extent of an action or quality, they function adverbially. In these instances, they almost always remain in their base masculine singular form: जितना (jitnā) and उतना (utnā). This form is used irrespective of the gender or number of the subject of the sentence, as they are modifying the manner or extent of a verb, adjective, or adverb. This simplifies agreement considerably in adverbial contexts.
जितना ऊँचा उड़ोगे, उतना ही बड़ा गिरोगे। (jitnā ūñcā uṛoge, utnā hī baṛā giroge. – The higher you fly, the harder you will fall.) Here, ऊँचा (ūñcā) and बड़ा (baṛā) function adverbially, describing the manner of flying and falling.
जितना सोच सकते हो, उतना सोच लो। (jitnā soc sakte ho, utnā soc lo. – Think as much as you can think.) जितना and उतना modify the verb phrase सोच सकते हो (soc sakte ho).
जितना बोलोगे, उतना ही अच्छा लगेगा। (jitnā bologe, utnā hī acchā lagegā. – The more you speak, the better it will feel.) अच्छा लगना (acchā laganā) is an impersonal construction, and jitnā/utnā quantify the extent of speaking.
jitnā/jitne/jitnī + [Clause 1 containing noun/adjective/adverb/verb] , utnā/utne/utnī + [Clause 2 containing noun/adjective/adverb/verb]
जितना जल्दी आओगे, उतना ही अच्छा होगा (jitnā jaldī āoge, utnā hī acchā hogā – The sooner you come, the better it will be) uses the future tense in both parts.
When To Use It
jitnā... utnā construction is a versatile and essential tool for expressing proportionality, cause-and-effect, and comparisons of degree in Hindi. Recognizing its various applications enhances both your expressive capabilities and comprehension at the B2 level.जितना अभ्यास करोगे, उतना ही निपुण बनोगे।(jitnā abhyās karoge, utnā hī nipuṇ banoge.– The more you practice, the more proficient you will become.) This highlights a direct correlation between effort and skill.जितनी मेहनत करोगे, उतनी सफलता मिलेगी।(jitnī mehnat karoge, utnī safaltā milegī.– The more effort you put in, the more success you will get.) Here,मेहनत(mehnat) andसफलता(safaltā) are feminine, dictatingjitnīandutnī.जितना ज़्यादा पानी पियोगे, उतना ज़्यादा स्वस्थ रहोगे।(jitnā zyādā pānī piyoge, utnā zyādā svasth rahoge.– The more water you drink, the healthier you will stay.) This classic example showcases a clear positive correlation.
jitnā... utnā inherently suggests direct proportionality, you can convey an inverse relationship by introducing terms that imply reduction or negativity, most commonly कम (kam – less) or नहीं (nahī̃ – not), in the utnā clause. This demonstrates the flexibility of the structure.जितना देर करोगे, उतना ही कम समय बचेगा।(jitnā der karoge, utnā hī kam samay bacegā.– The more you delay, the less time will be left.)कमexplicitly creates the inverse relationship.जितना तुम सोचते हो, उतना कम होता है।(jitnā tum socte ho, utnā kam hotā hai.– The more you think, the less gets done / the less it happens.) This illustrates howकमcan change the nature of the correlation.जितना कमाते हो, उतना खर्च नहीं करते हो।(jitnā kamāte ho, utnā kharc nahī̃ karte ho.– As much as you earn, you don't spend that much.) The negationनहींcreates an inverse outcome in terms of spending relative to earning.
जितना मैंने कहा, उतना ही उसने किया।(jitnā maiñne kahā, utnā hī usne kiyā.– He did as much as I said.) This implies a direct equivalence in action to the stated command.जितनी चीनी चाहिए, उतनी ले लो।(jitnī cīnī cāhie, utnī le lo.– Take as much sugar as you need.) Here,जितनीagrees with feminineचीनी(cīnī), andउतनीrefers to the taken quantity.जितना मैं खा सकता हूँ, उतना खाऊँगा।(jitnā maiñ khā saktā hū̃, utnā khāū̃gā.– I will eat as much as I can eat.) This signifies eating to one's full capacity.
Jitnā... utnā can also set an expectation or define the limit of something, often with an implied sense ofJitnā/Utnā Agreement Table
| Gender/Number | Jitnā Form | Utnā Form |
|---|---|---|
|
Masculine Singular
|
Jitnā
|
Utnā
|
|
Feminine Singular
|
Jitnī
|
Utnī
|
|
Masculine Plural
|
Jitne
|
Utne
|
|
Feminine Plural
|
Jitnī
|
Utnī
|
Meanings
This structure establishes a direct correlation between two variables, where the degree of one determines the degree of the other.
Proportional Increase
Expressing that as one thing increases, another increases.
“जितनी गर्मी बढ़ती है, उतनी प्यास लगती है।”
“जितना काम करोगे, उतना पैसा मिलेगा।”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Jitnā X + Utnā Y
|
Jitnā khāoge, utnā motā banoge.
|
|
Negative
|
Jitnā na X + Utnā na Y
|
Jitnā na padhoge, utnā na sīkhoge.
|
|
Question
|
Kya Jitnā X, utnā Y?
|
Kya jitnā mehnat, utnā phal?
|
|
Plural
|
Jitne X, Utne Y
|
Jitne log, utnī bātein.
|
Formality Spectrum
जितना आप कार्य करेंगे, उतना ही आप अर्जित करेंगे। (Work/Money)
जितना काम करोगे, उतना पैसा मिलेगा। (Work/Money)
जितना काम, उतना पैसा। (Work/Money)
जितना घिसोगे, उतना मिलेगा। (Work/Money)
Jitnā-Utnā Logic
Input
- Jitnā As much
Output
- Utnā That much
Examples by Level
जितना खाना, उतना अच्छा।
The more food, the better.
जितना काम, उतना पैसा।
The more work, the more money.
जितनी मेहनत करोगे, उतनी सफलता मिलेगी।
The more hard work you do, the more success you will get.
जितना आप हिंदी बोलेंगे, उतना आप सीखेंगे।
The more you speak Hindi, the more you will learn.
जितनी गहराई से आप सोचेंगे, उतनी स्पष्टता आएगी।
The more deeply you think, the more clarity will come.
जितना अधिक समय व्यतीत होगा, उतनी ही पुरानी यादें धुंधली होती जाएंगी।
The more time passes, the more the old memories will fade.
Easily Confused
Both are correlative structures.
Common Mistakes
Jitnā mehnat
Jitnī mehnat
Jitnā khāoge, utnā khāoge
Jitnā khāoge, utnā motā banoge
Jitnā log
Jitne log
Jitnā... (no utnā)
Jitnā... utnā...
Jitnī paise
Jitne paise
Jitnā achhā
Jitnā zyādā, utnā achhā
Jitnā... toh...
Jitnā... utnā...
Jitnā garmi
Jitnī garmi
Jitnā jaldi
Jitnī jaldi
Jitnā baar
Jitnī baar
Jitnā gahrāi
Jitnī gahrāi
Sentence Patterns
Jitnā ___ , utnā ___ .
Real World Usage
Jitnī jaldi ho sake, utnī jaldi aao.
Jitnā zyādā main seekhūngā, utnā zyādā company ko faydā hogā.
Omit the Obvious
Watch the Vowel
The Bargaining Rule
The 'Zyādā' Booster
Smart Tips
Use 'zyādā' (more) with Jitnā to emphasize the scale.
Use 'Jitnī jaldi' (as soon as) as a fixed phrase.
Always check the dictionary for the gender of abstract nouns.
Remember to use the plural 'Jitne/Utne'.
Pronunciation
Nasalization
The 'n' in Jitnā/Utnā is slightly nasalized.
Rising-Falling
Jitnā... (rise) Utnā... (fall)
Shows the correlation.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Jitnā is the 'Jump' (start), Utnā is the 'Up' (result).
Visual Association
Imagine a seesaw. As one side (Jitnā) goes down, the other side (Utnā) goes up.
Rhyme
Jitnā bolo, utnā suno, Hindi seekhne mein mat buno.
Story
A farmer plants seeds. Jitnā (the more) seeds he plants, Utnā (the more) crops he harvests. He realizes the balance is the key to his success.
Word Web
Challenge
Write 3 sentences using this rule about your daily routine.
Cultural Notes
Commonly used in proverbs about hard work.
Derived from Sanskrit 'yāvat' (as much) and 'tāvat' (that much).
Conversation Starters
Jitnā zyādā aap ghumenge, utnā zyādā aap kya seekhenge?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
___ mehnat karoge, utnī safaltā milegī.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Jitnā garmi, utnā pyās.
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
The more you speak, the more you learn.
Answer starts with: Jit...
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Use 'Jitnā' and 'Utnā' with 'samay' (time).
Jitnā (badh-na) utnā (kam-hona).
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercises___ mehnat karoge, utnī safaltā milegī.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Jitnā garmi, utnā pyās.
utnā / jitnā / milegā / karoge / kaam / paisa
The more you speak, the more you learn.
Jitnā zyādā padhoge...
Use 'Jitnā' and 'Utnā' with 'samay' (time).
Jitnā (badh-na) utnā (kam-hona).
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercisesTum ___ bhāgoge, ___ thakoge. (The more you run, the more you will tire.)
Connect the logical pairs.
utnā / Jitnā / milegā / dām / doge / māl
Translate: 'As much as you want'
___ roṭiyā̃ khāoge? (How many rotis will you eat?)
Jitnā kām karoge, utnā paise milte hain.
Jitnī cādar ho, ___ pair pasāro. (Stretch legs according to the sheet.)
Select the sentence meaning 'I ran as much as you.'
Translate this sentence.
___ dūri par, ___ kirāyā. (At such distance, that much fare.)
Jitnā koshish karoge, utnā safaltā milegi.
Q & A matching
Score: /12
FAQ (8)
No, they are a correlative pair. You need both for the proportional meaning.
Yes, as long as you match the gender and number.
It is used in all registers.
Because 'mehnat' is a feminine noun.
Yes, just adjust the verb tense.
No, 'Agar' is for conditions, 'Jitnā' is for scales.
Yes, it is very common in formal essays.
Try describing your daily habits using this rule.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Cuanto más... más
Spanish uses 'cuanto' instead of 'jitnā'.
Plus... plus
French uses 'plus' for both parts.
Je... desto
German changes word order in the second clause.
~ba ~hodo
Japanese is agglutinative, Hindi is analytic.
Kullama... kullama
Arabic repeats the same word.
Yuè... yuè...
Chinese is monosyllabic.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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