Going with someone: Using (Ke Saath)
ke saath for people and pairings, and always put the preceding word in the oblique case.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'ke saath' (के साथ) after a noun or pronoun to mean 'with' someone or something.
- Place 'ke saath' after the noun: 'Ram ke saath' (with Ram).
- Use oblique case for pronouns: 'mere saath' (with me), 'tumhare saath' (with you).
- It always follows the object it modifies, unlike English 'with'.
Overview
In Hindi, expressing accompaniment—doing something “with” someone—is handled by the postposition के साथ (ke saath). While its primary translation is “with,” it's crucial to understand that its function is highly specific. Unlike the versatile English word “with,” which can refer to tools (I write with a pen), emotions (he said with a smile), or contents (a box with books), Hindi's के साथ is almost exclusively used to signify accompaniment, togetherness, or association.
For all other meanings of “with,” Hindi employs different postpositions, most notably से (se) for instruments or means.
के साथ is what's known as a compound postposition. This means it is constructed from two parts: the genitive (possessive) postposition के (ke), and the noun साथ (saath), which itself means “company” or “togetherness.” This structure reveals a core principle of Hindi grammar: the phrase literally means “in the company of someone.” Understanding this logic—मेरे साथ (mere saath) is literally “in my company”—will help you grasp why the grammar works the way it does.
Using के साथ correctly requires mastering one of the most fundamental aspects of Hindi grammar: the oblique case. Because Hindi is a postpositional language, any noun or pronoun that comes before a postposition like के साथ must change into its oblique form. This is not optional; it is the grammatical signal that the word is connected to the postposition that follows.
For example, the pronoun मैं (main - I) becomes मेरे (mere) in the phrase मेरे साथ (mere saath - with me). Similarly, the noun लड़का (laṛkā - boy) becomes लड़के (laṛke) in लड़के के साथ (laṛke ke saath - with the boy). This chapter will provide a definitive guide to forming and using के साथ correctly, ensuring your sentences are both accurate and natural.
How This Grammar Works
के साथ, you must first internalize that Hindi grammar operates on a postpositional system, a mirror image of English's prepositional system. In English, a preposition comes before a noun (with the girl). In Hindi, a postposition comes after it (लड़की के साथ).के साथ | Plural Form Before के साथ |लड़का (laṛkā) - boy | लड़के के साथ (laṛke ke saath) | लड़कों के साथ (laṛkoṇ ke saath) |बेटा (beṭā) - son | बेटे के साथ (beṭe ke saath) | बेटों के साथ (beṭoṇ ke saath) |दोस्त (dost) - friend | दोस्त के साथ (dost ke saath) | दोस्तों के साथ (dostoṇ ke saath) |आदमी (ādmī) - man | आदमी के साथ (ādmī ke saath) | आदमियों के साथ (ādmiyoṇ ke saath) |लड़की (laṛkī) - girl | लड़की के साथ (laṛkī ke saath) | लड़कियों के साथ (laṛkiyoṇ ke saath) |किताब (kitāb) - book | किताब के साथ (kitāb ke saath) | किताबों के साथ (kitāboṇ ke saath) |-ओं (-on) is a powerful and reliable rule for all plural nouns followed by a postposition. The singular is where you must pay attention, specifically to masculine nouns ending in -ā.के साथ, personal pronouns adopt their possessive forms, and the के (ke) component is effectively absorbed into the pronoun itself.मैं के साथ (main ke saath). Instead, you use the possessive मेरे (mere), resulting in मेरे साथ (mere saath).saath (with) | Example Sentence |मैं (main) - I | मेरे साथ (mere saath) | वह मेरे साथ आ रही है। (vah mere saath ā rahī hai.) - She is coming with me. |तू (tū) - you (intimate) | तेरे साथ (tere saath) | मैं तेरे साथ हूँ। (main tere saath hūṇ.) - I am with you. |तुम (tum) - you (informal) | तुम्हारे साथ (tumhāre saath) | तुम्हare साथ कौन है? (tumhāre saath kaun hai?) - Who is with you? |आप (āp) - you (formal) | आपके साथ (āpke saath) | हम आपके साथ चलेंगे। (ham āpke saath caleṇge.) - We will go with you. |यह/वह (yah/vah) - he/she/it | इसके/उसके साथ (iske/uske saath) | उसके साथ बात मत करो। (uske saath bāt mat karo.) - Don't talk with him/her. |हम (ham) - we | हमारे साथ (hamāre saath) | वे हमारे साथ काम करते हैं। (ve hamāre saath kām karte haiṇ.) - They work with us. |ये/वे (ye/ve) - they | इनके/उनके साथ (inke/unke saath) | मैं उनके साथ सहमत नहीं हूँ। (main unke saath sehmat nahīṇ hūṇ.) - I don't agree with them. |के (ke) is the invisible glue. The genitive relationship it establishes is the reason के साथ works. It connects the “company” (साथ) to the person whose company it is, requiring that person (the noun or pronoun) to be in a possessive-like state, which in Hindi grammar is the oblique case.Formation Pattern
के साथ follows a predictable and logical pattern. Once you can identify the noun or pronoun you need to modify, you can apply a simple two-step formula. The key is to correctly identify the word, determine its oblique case, and then place के साथ after it.
अध्यापक - adhyāpak), the students (छात्र - chātra), and the action (बात कर रहे हैं - bāt kar rahe haiṇ).
छात्र (chātra) is the noun that must precede के साथ.
छात्र is also छात्र. However, before a postposition, all plural nouns must take the -ओं (-on) oblique ending.
छात्र (chātra) becomes छात्रों (chātroṇ).
छात्रों के साथ (chātroṇ ke saath).
अध्यापक छात्रों के साथ बात कर रहे हैं। (adhyāpak chātroṇ ke saath bāt kar rahe haiṇ.)
मैं - main), you (आप - āp), and the action (नहीं जाऊँगा - nahīṇ jāūṇgā).
आप (āp) is the pronoun.
आप is आपके (āpke).
आपके साथ (āpke saath).
मैं आपके साथ नहीं जाऊँगा। (main āpke saath nahīṇ jāūṇgā.)
[Oblique Noun/Pronoun] + के साथ remains intact. For example:
क्या तुम मेरे साथ आओगे? (kyā tum mere saath āoge?) - Will you come with me?
वह अपने परिवार के साथ रहती है। (vah apne parivār ke saath rehtī hai.) - She lives with her family.
किसके साथ जाना है? (kiske saath jānā hai?) - With whom does one have to go?
कौन (kaun - who) takes its oblique form किस (kis) before the के (ke).
When To Use It
के साथ translates to “with,” its application is more disciplined than in English. Mastering its proper contexts is key to moving beyond beginner-level Hindi. These are the primary situations where you will use it.मैं कल अपने दोस्त के साथ सिनेमा गया था।
बच्चे पार्क में अपने दादा-दादी के साथ खेल रहे हैं।
के साथ can be used abstractly to express being on someone's side, supporting a cause, or being in an alliance. In this context, it is similar to the English phrase “to stand with.”इस मुश्किल समय में, हम सब आपके साथ हैं।
वह हमेशा न्याय के साथ खड़ा होता है।
ही (hī).पदोन्नति के साथ ज़िम्मेदारियाँ भी बढ़ती हैं।
बारिश के साथ ही तेज़ हवा भी चलने लगी।
के पास (ke pās) means “to have” in the sense of possession, के साथ is used to specify that you are carrying something with you at that moment.सफ़र पर जाते समय अपने साथ पानी की बोतल ज़रूर रखें।
वह अपने साथ कोई पैसा नहीं लाया था।
मेरे पास एक कार है (mere pās ek kār hai) means “I own a car.” मैं अपने साथ कार लाया हूँ (main apne saath kār lāyā hūṇ) is not a natural sentence. This usage is for portable items you bring along.Common Mistakes
के साथ. Being aware of these pitfalls is the fastest way to avoid them and internalize the correct patterns.के साथ for Instrumentsके साथ, but tools and instruments use से (se).- Incorrect:
मैं चाकू के साथ सब्ज़ी काट रहा हूँ।(main cākū ke saath sabzī kāṭ rahā hūṇ.) - Correct:
मैं चाकू से सब्ज़ी काट रहा हूँ।(main cākū se sabzī kāṭ rahā hūṇ.) - Reason: The knife (
चाकू) is the instrument used for the action.से(se) is the postposition for the means or tool by which something is done. You are not accompanying the knife; you are using it.
-ā nouns in the singular is a classic sign of a beginner. The oblique case is not optional.- Incorrect:
वह अपना बेटा के साथ रहता है।(vah apnā beṭā ke saath rehtā hai.) - Correct:
वह अपने बेटे के साथ रहता है।(vah apne beṭe ke saath rehtā hai.) - Reason:
बेटा(beṭā) is a masculine noun ending in-ā. Before any postposition (के साथ,में,पर,को, etc.), its singular form must change toबेटे(beṭe). The possessive pronounअपना(apnā) also changes toअपने(apne) to agree with the oblique noun.
के + साथ) directly to pronouns, which is incorrect. Pronouns have their own special forms.- Incorrect:
क्या तुम हम के साथ चलोगे?(kyā tum ham ke saath caloge?) - Incorrect:
वह मैं के साथ बैठी है।(vah main ke saath baiṭhī hai.) - Correct:
क्या तुम हमारे साथ चलोगे?(kyā tum hamāre saath caloge?) - Correct:
वह मेरे साथ बैठी है।(vah mere saath baiṭhī hai.) - Reason: The pronouns
हम(ham) andमैं(main) must transform into their possessive/oblique formsहमारे(hamāre) andमेरे(mere) beforeसाथ. Theकेis dropped because it is already integrated into the pronoun's form.
लड़का (laṛkā) have a nominative plural लड़के (laṛke - boys) and an oblique plural लड़कों (laṛkoṇ). It's easy to mix these up.- Incorrect:
पार्क में बहुत सारे लड़के के साथ मत खेलो।(pārk meṇ bahut sāre laṛke ke saath mat khelo.) - Correct:
पार्क में बहुत सारे लड़कों के साथ मत खेलो।(pārk meṇ bahut sāre laṛkoṇ ke saath mat khelo.) - Reason:
लड़के(laṛke) means “boys” only when it is the subject or direct object of a sentence. When followed by a postposition, the plural form for all nouns must use the-ओं(-on) ending. Therefore, it becomesलड़कों के साथ.
Real Conversations
Textbook examples are clean, but Hindi in the wild is faster and more fluid. Here’s how you’ll encounter के साथ in modern, everyday communication.
On WhatsApp or Texting:
Shortcuts and context are everything. People often omit words if the meaning is clear.
- A: Party mein aa rahe ho? (पार्टी में आ रहे हो?) - Are you coming to the party?
- B: Haan. Tum kiske saath ja rahe ho? (हाँ. तुम किसके साथ जा रहे हो?) - Yes. Who are you going with?
- A: Priya aur Kabir ke saath. (प्रिया और कबीर के साथ.) - With Priya and Kabir.
- B: Ok main bhi unke saath hi nikalta hoon. (ओके मैं भी उनके साथ ही निकलता हूँ.) - Ok, I'll also leave with them.
Notice in the last message, ही (hī) adds emphasis, implying “I’ll leave with them specifically.”
At the Workplace:
Conversations are more formal but still natural.
- Manager: कल की क्लाइंट मीटिंग के लिए कौन जाएगा? (kal kī klāinṭ mīṭing ke lie kaun jāegā?) - Who will go for tomorrow's client meeting?
- Employee: मैं जाऊँगा। अगर संभव हो, तो मैं मार्केटिंग टीम से किसी को अपने साथ ले जाना चाहूँगा। (main jāūṇgā. agar sambhav ho, to main mārkeṭing ṭīm se kisī ko apne saath le jānā cāhūṇgā.) - I will go. If possible, I would like to take someone from the marketing team with me.
Colloquial Variation
...के साथ में (...ke saath meṇ)You will very frequently hear people add में (meṇ) to the end, forming के साथ में (ke saath meṇ). This doesn't significantly change the meaning but can add a subtle emphasis of being “in it together” or “along with.” It is extremely common in spoken Hindi and makes your speech sound more natural.
- हम सब साथ में फिल्म देखेंगे। (ham sab saath meṇ film dekheṇge.) - We will all watch the movie together.
- पैकेट के साथ में एक छोटा खिलौना मुफ़्त है। (paikeṭ ke saath meṇ ek choṭā khilaunā muft hai.) - A small toy is free along with the packet.
In many cases, के साथ and के साथ में are perfectly interchangeable. Using the latter can make you sound less like a textbook and more like a native speaker.
Quick FAQ
के साथ vs. से?के साथ (ke saath) is for people (or beings you accompany). से (se) is for things (tools or instruments you use). If you are going with a person, use के साथ. If you are writing with a pen, use से.
मैं (main) become मेरे (mere)? It feels like a possessive.That's an excellent observation because it's historically correct. The form मेरे साथ (mere saath) literally means “in my company.” The oblique forms of pronouns (मेरे, हमारे, उसके) are identical to their possessive forms used before masculine plural nouns. This single set of forms serves multiple grammatical functions, one of which is to precede postpositions.
के साथ with abstract nouns?Absolutely. This is a more advanced but very common usage. It means “along with” or “in addition to.” For example, इस नौकरी के साथ बहुत सम्मान मिलता है। (is naukrī ke saath bahut sammān miltā hai.) - A lot of respect comes with this job. Or समय के साथ सब कुछ बदल जाता है। (samay ke saath sab kuch badal jātā hai.) - Everything changes with time.
साथ (saath) or साथ में (saath meṇ) mean on its own?When used without a preceding noun, साथ (saath) or साथ में (saath meṇ) simply means “together.” It functions as an adverb. For example:
चलो, साथ चलते हैं।(calo, saath calte haiṇ.) - Come on, let's go together.हम साथ में काम करते हैं।(ham saath meṇ kām karte haiṇ.) - We work together.
इसके साथ (iske saath) and उसके साथ (uske saath)?Yes, the same difference as between यह (yah) and वह (vah). इसके साथ (iske saath) means “with him/her/it” and refers to someone or something close by (proximal). उसके साथ (uske saath) also means “with him/her/it” but refers to someone or something further away (distal). In spoken language, उसके साथ is often used as the default unless you specifically need to contrast two people/things at different distances.
Pronoun Oblique Forms with 'ke saath'
| Pronoun | Oblique Form | With 'ke saath' |
|---|---|---|
|
Main (I)
|
Mere
|
Mere saath
|
|
Tu (You-inf)
|
Tere
|
Tere saath
|
|
Tum (You-fam)
|
Tumhare
|
Tumhare saath
|
|
Aap (You-form)
|
Aapke
|
Aapke saath
|
|
Vah (He/She)
|
Uske
|
Uske saath
|
|
Hum (We)
|
Hamare
|
Hamare saath
|
|
Ve (They)
|
Unke
|
Unke saath
|
Meanings
Indicates accompaniment or association with a person or object.
Accompaniment
Being in the company of someone.
“वह माँ के साथ है।”
“क्या तुम मेरे साथ चलोगे?”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Noun + ke saath
|
Ram ke saath
|
|
Negative
|
Noun + ke saath + nahi
|
Ram ke saath nahi
|
|
Question
|
Kya + Noun + ke saath?
|
Kya Ram ke saath?
|
|
Pronoun
|
Oblique + ke saath
|
Mere saath
|
|
Plural
|
Noun(pl) + ke saath
|
Doston ke saath
|
Formality Spectrum
मैं अपने मित्र के साथ हूँ। (Social)
मैं अपने दोस्त के साथ हूँ। (Social)
मैं दोस्त के साथ हूँ। (Social)
दोस्त के साथ हूँ। (Social)
Ke Saath Usage Map
People
- dost friend
- maa mother
Objects
- chai tea
- kitab book
Examples by Level
मैं राम के साथ हूँ।
I am with Ram.
वह दोस्त के साथ है।
He is with a friend.
क्या तुम मेरे साथ हो?
Are you with me?
माँ के साथ जाओ।
Go with mom.
मैं अपने भाई के साथ बाज़ार गया।
I went to the market with my brother.
क्या तुम कल मेरे साथ आओगे?
Will you come with me tomorrow?
वह अपनी सहेली के साथ पढ़ रही है।
She is studying with her friend.
हम सब दोस्तों के साथ खेलेंगे।
We will play with all friends.
चाय के साथ बिस्कुट लेना अच्छा लगता है।
It feels good to have biscuits with tea.
उसने अपने वकील के साथ बात की।
He spoke with his lawyer.
क्या आप इस प्रोजेक्ट पर मेरे साथ काम करेंगे?
Will you work with me on this project?
वह अपनी टीम के साथ दिल्ली गया।
He went to Delhi with his team.
सरकार ने विपक्ष के साथ चर्चा की।
The government held discussions with the opposition.
तकनीकी समस्याओं के साथ, हमें बजट की भी चिंता है।
Along with technical problems, we are also worried about the budget.
वह अपने सिद्धांतों के साथ समझौता नहीं करेगा।
He will not compromise with his principles.
अनुभव के साथ, काम आसान हो जाता है।
With experience, work becomes easier.
उसने अपनी पूरी गरिमा के साथ उत्तर दिया।
He replied with full dignity.
इस नीति के साथ कई चुनौतियाँ जुड़ी हैं।
Many challenges are associated with this policy.
वह अपने अतीत के साथ शांति से रह रहा है।
He is living in peace with his past.
इस दस्तावेज़ के साथ संलग्नक देखें।
See the attachment with this document.
साहित्यिक परंपरा के साथ, भाषा का विकास होता है।
Along with literary tradition, language evolves.
वह अपने कर्मों के साथ न्याय करने की कोशिश कर रहा है।
He is trying to do justice to his deeds.
इस ऐतिहासिक संदर्भ के साथ, घटना को समझना आसान है।
With this historical context, it is easy to understand the event.
वह अपनी नियति के साथ एक हो गया।
He became one with his destiny.
Easily Confused
Both mean 'with', but 'sang' is poetic.
Both contain 'saath'.
Both are postpositions.
Common Mistakes
Saath Ram
Ram ke saath
Main ke saath
Mere saath
Ram saath
Ram ke saath
Mujhe ke saath
Mere saath
Tum ke saath
Tumhare saath
Vah ke saath
Uske saath
Hum ke saath
Hamare saath
Doston ke saath mein
Doston ke saath
Uske saath mein
Uske saath
Unke saath mein
Unke saath
Uske sang ke saath
Uske saath
Saath mein Ram
Ram ke saath
Mere sang ke saath
Mere saath
Sentence Patterns
Main ___ ke saath ja raha hoon.
Kya tum ___ ke saath ho?
___ ke saath kaam karna achha hai.
___ ke saath, main ___ bhi karta hoon.
Real World Usage
Kiske saath ho?
Main team ke saath kaam karta hoon.
Guide ke saath ghumna.
Burger ke saath coke.
Bestie ke saath.
Manager ke saath meeting.
Oblique Rule
Don't put it first
Use with objects
Respect
Smart Tips
Always pause and think: 'Is this a pronoun? If yes, use the oblique form!'
Write the noun first, then 'ke saath'.
Connect the noun and 'ke saath' as one block.
Use 'ke saath' to pair items.
Pronunciation
Ke Saath
The 't' in 'saath' is a soft dental 't', like in 'think' but without the aspiration.
Question
क्या तुम मेरे साथ हो? ↗
Rising intonation at the end for questions.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of 'ke saath' as a 'tail' that follows the person like a dog follows its owner.
Visual Association
Imagine yourself walking with a friend, and a giant sign 'ke saath' is floating between you two, connecting you.
Rhyme
Don't be late, don't be math, just put the noun before ke saath.
Story
I wanted to go to the park. I asked my friend. 'Dost ke saath' (with friend). We went together. It was fun.
Word Web
Challenge
Write 5 sentences about people you spent time with today using 'ke saath'.
Cultural Notes
Using 'ke saath' is very common in daily life, often used to show respect by adding 'ji' after the name.
Youth often mix English words with 'ke saath'.
In formal writing, 'ke sang' might be used instead of 'ke saath' for a more elegant tone.
Derived from Sanskrit 'sārtha' (company/caravan).
Conversation Starters
आप किसके साथ रहते हैं?
क्या आप कल मेरे साथ फिल्म देखेंगे?
आप काम पर किसके साथ जाते हैं?
क्या आप कभी अकेले यात्रा करते हैं या दोस्तों के साथ?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
Main ___ ke saath ja raha hoon. (I/me)
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Tum ke saath kahan ja rahe ho?
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
I am with my friend.
Answer starts with: Mai...
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Use: 'chai', 'ke saath', 'biscuit'
A: Kiske saath ho? B: ___
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercisesMain ___ ke saath ja raha hoon. (I/me)
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Tum ke saath kahan ja rahe ho?
saath / Ram / ke / hai / vah
I am with my friend.
Main -> ?
Use: 'chai', 'ke saath', 'biscuit'
A: Kiske saath ho? B: ___
Score: /8
Practice Bank
10 exercisesWith whom are you going?
saath / mere / aao
Match these pairs:
Mummy ____ saath bazaar chalo.
Which one is correct for 'With friends'?
Woh humara saath hai.
Chai ____ saath biscuit khao.
Choose the tool usage:
With the teacher
hoon / main / saath / unke
Score: /10
FAQ (8)
Yes, it's the standard way to say 'with'.
It's the oblique case rule in Hindi.
It's neutral and used everywhere.
It sounds incomplete or like slang.
Yes, like 'tea with biscuits'.
The noun can be plural, but 'ke saath' stays the same.
'Sang' is poetic, 'saath' is standard.
Yes, it's perfectly fine.
Scaffolded Practice
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2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
con
Word order: Preposition vs Postposition.
avec
Word order.
mit
Case requirements.
to
Japanese particles are single syllables.
ma'a
Preposition vs Postposition.
gen
Word order.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Related Grammar Rules
Complex Postpositions (Ke Saath, Ke Liye)
Overview Mastering Hindi at the B2 level requires moving beyond basic single-word postpositions like `mein` (में - in) o...
Expressing Direction: Towards (की तरफ)
Overview In Hindi, expressing movement or orientation **towards** a general direction or entity requires specific gramma...
Expressing Purpose: Using 'To' and 'For' with Verbs (-ne ke liye)
Overview When articulating the motivation or objective behind an action in Hindi, you utilize a specific grammatical con...
Hindi Postposition को (ko): To, For, The
Overview The Hindi postposition `ko` (को) is a fundamental grammatical element essential for constructing clear and gram...
Hindi Postposition 'Mein' (In/Inside)
Overview The Hindi postposition `में` (`mein`) is a fundamental component of the language, serving to express concepts o...
