B1 Advanced Verbs 10 min read Easy

Hindi Oblique Infinitives: Using Verbs with 'ke liye', 'se', and 'kā' (-ne form)

Change the verb ending from -nā to -ne whenever a postposition or helper verb follows it.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

When a verb is followed by a postposition like 'ke liye' or 'se', change the infinitive ending from -na to -ne.

  • Change -na to -ne before any postposition (e.g., khana -> khane).
  • Use 'ke liye' (for) to express purpose: 'padhne ke liye' (to study).
  • Use 'se' (from/by) after verbs like 'darna' (to fear): 'girne se darna' (to fear falling).
Verb(-na) → Verb(-ne) + Postposition (ke liye / se / kā)

Overview

The Hindi infinitive, fundamentally a verbal noun, functions as the base for expressing an action in a non-finite form. While the standard infinitive ends in -nā (e.g., bolnā – बोलना, 'to speak'), its behavior shifts when it enters into a grammatical relationship with a postposition or certain auxiliary verbs. This transformation leads to the Oblique Infinitive, characterized by its -ne ending (e.g., bolne – बोलने).

This oblique form is crucial because it marks the infinitive as being governed by a subsequent grammatical element, typically a postposition, which functions similarly to prepositions in English by indicating relationships of place, time, manner, or purpose.

Understanding the oblique infinitive is paramount for constructing complex sentences in Hindi. It enables you to articulate purposes (e.g., 'for doing'), express temporal relationships (e.g., 'before seeing'), denote possession or description related to an action (e.g., 'the act of learning'), and signify imminence (e.g., 'about to go'). This grammatical construct underscores the nominal nature of the infinitive, treating the action itself as a noun that can then be modified or linked to other parts of the sentence via postpositions, much like a masculine noun in Hindi would change its form to agree with a postposition.

How This Grammar Works

At its core, the oblique infinitive operates on the principle of case marking, a feature prominent in Hindi grammar. Just as masculine nouns ending in -ā (like laṛkā – लड़का, 'boy') change their ending to -e when they appear before a postposition (e.g., laṛke ko – लड़के को, 'to the boy'), verbs, when acting nominally (as infinitives), follow a parallel inflectional rule. The standard infinitive's -nā ending transforms into -ne to indicate its oblique case status.
This morphological change is a grammatical signal. It tells you that the action denoted by the verb is not the main action of the sentence but rather an action that is being acted upon or related to by the following word, usually a postposition. Consider the infinitive jānā (जाना, 'to go').
When you want to say 'for going,' the verb jānā must adopt its oblique form, jāne (जाने), before the postposition ke liye (के लिए). Thus, jāne ke liye (जाने के लिए) accurately conveys 'for going.' This system ensures grammatical coherence, linking the verbal noun to its relational marker.
The oblique case also plays a vital role in integrating verbal concepts into broader syntactic structures. It allows for the verbal action to be treated as a complement or a modifier. For instance, in dekhne kā samay (देखने का समय, 'time to see'), dekhne acts as a nominal modifier to samay, connected by the possessive postposition kā.
The oblique form facilitates this noun-like behavior, making the action dekhnā ('seeing') a property or characteristic of 'time.' This mechanism demonstrates how Hindi leverages inflection to manage complex conceptual relationships within a sentence structure.

Formation Pattern

1
Forming the oblique infinitive from a standard infinitive in Hindi is a straightforward and consistent process. You will apply a simple two-step rule to almost all verbs, regardless of their stem type or origin. This regularity makes the pattern highly predictable and easy to internalize.
2
Identify the Standard Infinitive: Begin with the infinitive form of any verb, which invariably ends with the suffix -nā (ना). This is the dictionary form of the verb, representing 'to [verb]'. Examples include karnā (करना, 'to do'), likhnā (लिखना, 'to write'), pīnā (पीना, 'to drink'), and sonā (सोना, 'to sleep').
3
Replace -nā with -ne: The final step is to drop the -nā suffix and substitute it with -ne (ने). This change directly results in the oblique infinitive form. For instance, karnā becomes karne (करने), likhnā becomes likhne (लिखने), pīnā becomes pīne (पीने), and sonā becomes sone (सोने). This transformed -ne form is now ready to precede a postposition or certain auxiliary verbs.
4
Here is a table illustrating this formation with common Hindi verbs:
5
| Standard Infinitive (Devanagari) | Standard Infinitive (Transliteration) | Oblique Infinitive (Devanagari) | Oblique Infinitive (Transliteration) |
6
|----------------------------------|---------------------------------------|----------------------------------|--------------------------------------|
7
| चलना | calnā (to walk) | चलने | calne |
8
| पढ़ना | paṛhnā (to read) | पढ़ने | paṛhne |
9
| लिखना | likhnā (to write) | लिखने | likhne |
10
| खाना | khānā (to eat) | खाने | khāne |
11
| देखना | dekhnā (to see/watch) | देखने | dekhne |
12
| पीना | pīnā (to drink) | पीने | pīne |
13
| सोना | sonā (to sleep) | सोने | sone |
14
| सीखना | sīkhnā (to learn) | सीखने | sīkhne |
15
This consistent pattern applies across the vast majority of Hindi verbs. There are no irregular oblique infinitives; the -nā to -ne transformation is universal for this grammatical function.

When To Use It

Navigating the contexts for using the oblique infinitive is fundamental to advanced Hindi sentence construction. It primarily appears when the verbal action, treated as a noun, is followed by a postposition or acts as a complement to specific auxiliary verbs. You will encounter it in several critical grammatical constructions.
  1. 1Expressing Purpose or Reason (with ke liye – के लिए, or ko – को):
This is one of the most common applications. When you state why an action is performed, the verb indicating the purpose must be in its oblique form followed by ke liye ('for') or sometimes ko ('to/for'). ke liye emphasizes the purpose, while ko often suggests an imminent or directed action.
  • Maĩ Hindī sīkhne ke liye Bhārat jā rahā hū̃. (मैं हिंदी सीखने के लिए भारत जा रहा हूँ।) - 'I am going to India to learn Hindi.'
  • Vah mujhse milne āyā hai. (वह मुझसे मिलने आया है।) - 'He has come to meet me.' (Here ko is implied or omitted after milne).
  • Ham khānā khāne ko taiyār haĩ. (हम खाना खाने को तैयार हैं।) - 'We are ready to eat food.'
  1. 1Describing or Possessing an Action (with kā/ke/kī – का/के/की):
When an action needs to be described or related as a 'possession' of a noun, the oblique infinitive is used with the appropriate form of kā (possessive postposition). The form kā, ke, or kī will agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies, not the infinitive itself.
  • Paṛhne kā samay ho gayā hai. (पढ़ने का समय हो गया है।) - 'It's time to study.' (samay is masculine singular, so kā is used).
  • Uskī likhne kī śailī bahut acchī hai. (उसकी लिखने की शैली बहुत अच्छी है।) - 'Her style of writing is very good.' (śailī is feminine singular, so kī is used).
  • Yahã calne ke bahut raste haĩ. (यहाँ चलने के बहुत रास्ते हैं।) - 'There are many paths for walking here.' (raste is masculine plural, so ke is used).
  1. 1Temporal Relationships (with se pahle – से पहले, ke bād – के बाद, tak – तक):
The oblique infinitive is crucial for sequencing events, indicating an action before or after another. Postpositions like se pahle ('before'), ke bād ('after'), tak ('until/up to'), and ke daurān ('during') require the preceding verb to be in the oblique form.
  • Khāne se pahle hāth dho lo. (खाने से पहले हाथ धो लो।) - 'Wash your hands before eating.'
  • Kām karne ke bād ham ghar jāẽge. (काम करने के बाद हम घर जाएँगे।) - 'We will go home after working.'
  • Sone tak maĩ kitāb paṛhtā rahā. (सोने तक मैं किताब पढ़ता रहा।) - 'I kept reading the book until sleeping.'
  1. 1Expressing Imminence (with vālā/vālī/vāle – वाला/वाली/वाले or ko honā – को होना):
To convey that an action is 'about to happen,' you use the oblique infinitive followed by vālā, which functions as an adjective and agrees in gender and number with the subject, or the construction ko honā.
  • Train jāne vālī hai. (ट्रेन जाने वाली है।) - 'The train is about to leave.' (train is feminine, so vālī is used).
  • Vah paṛhne vālā nahī̃ hai. (वह पढ़ने वाला नहीं है।) - 'He is not about to study.' (vah (he) is masculine, so vālā is used).
  • Veh log ānā ko haĩ. (वे लोग आना को हैं।) - 'Those people are about to come.'
  1. 1With Specific Auxiliary Verbs:
Several auxiliary or compound verbs require the preceding main verb to be in the oblique infinitive form. These include:
  • lagnā (लगना, 'to begin to'): Vah rone lagī. (वह रोने लगी।) - 'She began to cry.'
  • denā (देना, 'to allow/let'): Mujhe jāne do. (मुझे जाने दो।) - 'Let me go.' (Literally: 'Give me for going').
  • paṛnā (पड़ना, 'to have to/fall upon'): Expresses compulsion or necessity. Mujhe calne paṛegā. (मुझे चलने पड़ेगा।) - 'I will have to walk.' (More on this in the 'Obligation' section).
  • ānā (आना, 'to know how to'): Indicates skill or ability. Mujhe Hindī bolne ātī hai. (मुझे हिंदी बोलने आती है।) - 'I know how to speak Hindi.'
  1. 1Expressing Obligation or Necessity (with honā – होना or paṛnā – पड़ना):
When an action is necessary or obligatory, the oblique infinitive combines with honā or paṛnā for varying nuances of compulsion.
  • honā ('to be necessary'): Āpko jāne kī zarūrat hai. (आपको जाने की ज़रूरत है।) - 'You need to go.' (Here, jāne is the verbal noun 'going' which is needed.) The structure is [obl. infinitive] + kī + zarūrat + honā.
  • paṛnā ('to have to/it falls upon'): This implies external compulsion. Mujhe ab calne paṛegā. (मुझे अब चलने पड़ेगा।) - 'I will have to leave now.' (Literally: 'Going will fall upon me now.') This is a common and important construction.
  1. 1Comparison and Manner (with se – से):
The postposition se can introduce a comparison or specify a manner related to the action. When used in constructions like 'better than doing X' or 'by doing Y,' the oblique infinitive is essential.
  • Bolne se acchā hai ki tum suno. (बोलने से अच्छा है कि तुम सुनो।) - 'It is better to listen than to speak.' (Literally: 'Better than speaking is that you listen.')
  • Calne se pairõ mẽ dard ho rahā hai. (चलने से पैरों में दर्द हो रहा है।) - 'My feet are hurting from walking.' (Indicating cause/manner).

Common Mistakes

Learners frequently encounter specific pitfalls when navigating the Hindi oblique infinitive, often due to interference from English grammar or misinterpretations of Hindi's inflectional system. Addressing these errors explicitly can significantly improve accuracy.
  1. 1Omitting the Oblique Transformation: The most prevalent error is using the standard -nā infinitive where an oblique -ne form is required, particularly before postpositions. Forgetting this crucial transformation renders the sentence grammatically incorrect and often unintelligible to native speakers.
  • Incorrect: Ma͠i jānā ke liye taiyār hū̃. (मैं जाना के लिए तैयार हूँ।) - 'I am ready to go.'
  • Correct: Ma͠i jāne ke liye taiyār hū̃. (मैं जाने के लिए तैयार हूँ।) - 'I am ready to go.'
  • Explanation: The postposition ke liye always demands the preceding verbal noun to be in the oblique case. Treating jānā as an uninflected English infinitive is a direct transfer error.
  1. 1Confusing Oblique -ne with Other -e Endings: The -ne ending of the oblique infinitive can be confused with other Hindi grammatical forms that also end in -e:
  • Masculine Plural Nouns/Adjectives: laṛke (लड़के, 'boys') or acchhe (अच्छे, 'good' (masc. plural)). While these also end in -e, their function is entirely different. Oblique infinitives (khāne – खाने) are always singular actions, even if the ending looks plural. The context will always clarify this distinction.
  • Agentive ne particle: This is a standalone postposition (ne) used to mark the subject of a transitive verb in perfective tenses (e.g., Rām ne khānā khāyā – राम ने खाना खाया, 'Ram ate food'). The oblique infinitive's -ne is an intrinsic part of the verb's morphology, not a separate word.
  1. 1The Cāhnā (चाहना, 'to want') Trap: This is a significant point of confusion. Unlike many other auxiliary verbs, cāhnā generally takes the standard (-nā) infinitive, not the oblique form, when directly expressing a desire for an action. This is because cāhnā treats the infinitive as its direct object, rather than having it governed by an implied postposition.
  • Incorrect: Ma͠i jāne cāhtā hū̃. (मैं जाने चाहता हूँ।)
  • Correct: Ma͠i jānā cāhtā hū̃. (मैं जाना चाहता हूँ।) - 'I want to go.'
  • Explanation: cāhnā directly governs the infinitive jānā as 'wanting to go.' Contrast this with auxiliary verbs like lagnā (rone lagā – रोने लगा, 'he began to cry') or paṛnā (jāne paṛegā – जाने पड़ेगा, 'will have to go'), which do require the oblique form. The logic is that lagnā and paṛnā treat the action as something

Oblique Infinitive Formation

Infinitive (-na) Oblique (-ne) Postposition Result
Khana
Khane
ke liye
Khane ke liye
Padhna
Padhne
se
Padhne se
Jana
Jane
ka
Jane ka
Sona
Sone
ke liye
Sone ke liye
Likha
Likhne
ki
Likhne ki
Bolna
Bolne
se
Bolne se

Meanings

The oblique infinitive is used when a verb acts as a noun governed by a postposition. It allows you to link actions to purposes, reasons, or relationships.

1

Purpose

Expressing the reason for an action using 'ke liye'.

“Woh khane ke liye bahar gaya.”

“Main sone ke liye ja raha hoon.”

2

Causality/Fear

Using 'se' to indicate the source or cause of an emotion or action.

“Mujhe akele jaane se darr lagta hai.”

“Woh girne se bach gaya.”

3

Possessive/Genitive

Using 'kā/ke/kī' to link a verb to a noun.

“Yeh sone ka samay hai.”

“Mujhe jaane ki jaldi hai.”

Reference Table

Reference table for Hindi Oblique Infinitives: Using Verbs with 'ke liye', 'se', and 'kā' (-ne form)
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
Verb-ne + ke liye
Main khane ke liye gaya.
Negative
Verb-ne + ke liye (nahi)
Main khane ke liye nahi gaya.
Question
Kya + Verb-ne + ke liye?
Kya tum khane ke liye gaye?
Fear/Avoidance
Verb-ne + se
Woh girne se darr gaya.
Possessive
Verb-ne + ka/ke/ki
Yeh sone ka samay hai.
Comparison
Verb-ne + ke bajaye
Woh padhne ke bajaye so gaya.

Formality Spectrum

Formal
Main bhojan karne ke liye ja raha hoon.

Main bhojan karne ke liye ja raha hoon. (Daily life)

Neutral
Main khane ke liye ja raha hoon.

Main khane ke liye ja raha hoon. (Daily life)

Informal
Main khane ja raha hoon.

Main khane ja raha hoon. (Daily life)

Slang
Khane nikal raha hoon.

Khane nikal raha hoon. (Daily life)

The Oblique Shift

Infinitive

Shift

  • na to
  • ne oblique

Postpositions

  • ke liye for
  • se from
  • ka of
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Examples by Level

1

Main khane ke liye ja raha hoon.

I am going to eat.

2

Woh sone ke liye gaya.

He went to sleep.

3

Hum khelne ke liye park gaye.

We went to the park to play.

4

Kya tum padhne ke liye baithe ho?

Are you sitting to study?

1

Mujhe akele jaane se darr lagta hai.

I am afraid of going alone.

2

Yeh kaam karne ka sahi samay hai.

This is the right time to do this work.

3

Woh girne se bach gaya.

He was saved from falling.

4

Kya tumhare paas likhne ke liye pen hai?

Do you have a pen to write with?

1

Usne mujhe aane ke liye kaha.

He told me to come.

2

Mujhe naye shehar mein rehne ki aadat ho gayi.

I have become used to living in a new city.

3

Woh bolne ke bajaye sunna pasand karta hai.

He prefers listening instead of speaking.

4

Iske alawa, mujhe jaane ki jaldi hai.

Apart from this, I am in a hurry to leave.

1

Sarkar ne naye niyam lagoo karne ka faisla kiya.

The government decided to implement new rules.

2

Mujhe usse milne ki umeed nahi thi.

I did not have the hope of meeting him.

3

Woh apni galti sudhaarne ke liye taiyaar hai.

He is ready to correct his mistake.

4

Is samasya ko hal karne ke liye humein mehnat karni hogi.

To solve this problem, we will have to work hard.

1

Vigyan ke kshetra mein aage badhne ke liye prayas jari hain.

Efforts are continuing to move forward in the field of science.

2

Usne apni baat samjhane ke liye kai udaharan diye.

He gave many examples to explain his point.

3

Samay par pahunchne ki koshish karna hamara kartavya hai.

Trying to reach on time is our duty.

4

Virodh karne ke bawajood, niyam badal diye gaye.

Despite protesting, the rules were changed.

1

Sahitya ka adhyayan karne ke liye gambhirta avashyak hai.

Seriousness is necessary to study literature.

2

Niti nirdharan karne ke liye visheshagyon ki salah li gayi.

Experts' advice was taken to formulate policy.

3

Vastavikta ko sweekar karne ke alawa koi vikalp nahi bacha.

There was no option left except to accept reality.

4

Sankat ka samna karne ke liye taiyariyan poori kar li gayi hain.

Preparations have been completed to face the crisis.

Easily Confused

Hindi Oblique Infinitives: Using Verbs with 'ke liye', 'se', and 'kā' (-ne form) vs Direct vs Oblique Infinitive

Learners mix up -na (subject) and -ne (oblique).

Hindi Oblique Infinitives: Using Verbs with 'ke liye', 'se', and 'kā' (-ne form) vs Oblique Infinitive vs Past Participle

Both can end in -e, but they function differently.

Hindi Oblique Infinitives: Using Verbs with 'ke liye', 'se', and 'kā' (-ne form) vs Oblique Infinitive vs Present Participle

Both are used in complex sentences.

Common Mistakes

✗

Main khana ke liye gaya.

✓

Main khane ke liye gaya.

Forgot to change -na to -ne.
✗

Woh padhna ke liye baitha.

✓

Woh padhne ke liye baitha.

Oblique form required.
✗

Hum khelna ke liye gaye.

✓

Hum khelne ke liye gaye.

Oblique form required.
✗

Kya tum sona ke liye ja rahe ho?

✓

Kya tum sone ke liye ja rahe ho?

Oblique form required.
✗

Mujhe akele jana se darr lagta hai.

✓

Mujhe akele jaane se darr lagta hai.

Oblique form required before 'se'.
✗

Yeh kaam karna ka samay hai.

✓

Yeh kaam karne ka samay hai.

Oblique form required before 'ka'.
✗

Woh girna se bach gaya.

✓

Woh girne se bach gaya.

Oblique form required.
✗

Usne mujhe ana ke liye kaha.

✓

Usne mujhe aane ke liye kaha.

Oblique form required.
✗

Mujhe naye shehar mein rehna ki aadat hai.

✓

Mujhe naye shehar mein rehne ki aadat hai.

Oblique form required.
✗

Woh bolna ke bajaye sunna pasand karta hai.

✓

Woh bolne ke bajaye sunne pasand karta hai.

Both verbs need to be oblique.
✗

Vigyan ke kshetra mein aage badhna ke liye prayas.

✓

Vigyan ke kshetra mein aage badhne ke liye prayas.

Oblique form required.
✗

Usne apni baat samjhana ke liye udaharan diye.

✓

Usne apni baat samjhane ke liye udaharan diye.

Oblique form required.
✗

Samay par pahunchna ki koshish karna.

✓

Samay par pahunchne ki koshish karna.

Oblique form required.

Sentence Patterns

Main ___ ke liye ja raha hoon.

Mujhe ___ se darr lagta hai.

Yeh ___ ka samay hai.

Woh ___ ke bajaye ___ pasand karta hai.

Real World Usage

Food Delivery App constant

Khana order karne ke liye click karein.

Social Media very common

Party mein nachne ke liye excited hoon!

Job Interview common

Main naye kaam seekhne ke liye taiyaar hoon.

Travel common

Train pakadne ke liye jaldi nikalna hoga.

Texting very common

Sone ke liye ja raha hoon.

Academic common

Vigyan samajhne ke liye kitaab padhein.

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💡

Check the Postposition

Whenever you see 'ke liye', 'se', or 'ka', stop and check if the preceding verb is in the -ne form.
⚠️

Don't Conjugate

The oblique infinitive is frozen. Don't try to change it for gender or number.
🎯

Listen for the -ne

Native speakers emphasize the -ne ending. Listen for it in songs and movies.
💬

Formal vs Informal

Use the oblique infinitive in all registers; it is universally correct.

Smart Tips

Check if the first verb is followed by a postposition.

Main khana ke liye gaya. → Main khane ke liye gaya.

Always use the -ne form before 'ke liye'.

Woh padhna ke liye gaya. → Woh padhne ke liye gaya.

Use the -ne form before 'se'.

Mujhe jana se darr lagta hai. → Mujhe jaane se darr lagta hai.

Use the -ne form before 'ka'.

Yeh sona ka samay hai. → Yeh sone ka samay hai.

Pronunciation

kh-aa-ne

Oblique -ne

The 'e' in -ne is pronounced like the 'e' in 'bed'.

Purpose clause

Main [khane ke liye] gaya.

The purpose clause is often spoken with a slight pause before the postposition.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Remember: 'Na' is for the start, 'Ne' is for the end (of the verb before a postposition).

Visual Association

Imagine a 'na' train car uncoupling and a 'ne' car clicking into place right before a postposition station.

Rhyme

When a postposition is in your sight, change 'na' to 'ne' to make it right.

Story

Rahul wanted to eat (khana). He saw a sign 'ke liye' (for). He quickly swapped his 'na' for an 'ne'. Now he could say 'khane ke liye' and finally enjoy his meal.

Word Web

KhanePadhneJaneSoneLikhneBolne

Challenge

Write 3 sentences about your day using 'ke liye' and the oblique infinitive.

Cultural Notes

The oblique infinitive is used extensively in both formal and informal speech in Delhi and surrounding areas.

In formal writing, the oblique infinitive is used to maintain precision and clarity.

Younger speakers often drop the 'ke liye' and just use the oblique form if the context is clear.

The oblique infinitive evolved from the Sanskrit verbal noun forms.

Conversation Starters

“

Tum aaj kya karne ke liye plan kar rahe ho?

“

Kya tumhe akele jaane se darr lagta hai?

“

Naye kaam seekhne ke liye tum kya kar rahe ho?

“

Kya tumhe subah jaldi uthne ki aadat hai?

Journal Prompts

Write about your daily routine using 'ke liye'.
Describe a fear you have using 'se'.
Explain why you are learning Hindi.
Discuss your future goals.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

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Test Yourself

Fill in the blank with the correct form of the verb.

Main ___ (khana) ke liye gaya.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: khane
Oblique form required before 'ke liye'.
Correct the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Woh padhna ke liye baitha.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Woh padhne ke liye baitha.
Oblique form required.
Choose the correct sentence. Multiple Choice

Which sentence is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Mujhe akele jaane se darr lagta hai.
Oblique form required before 'se'.
Transform the infinitive to the oblique form. Sentence Transformation

Sona -> ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Sone
Standard oblique shift.
Match the infinitive to its oblique form. Match Pairs

Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Padhne, Bolne, Likhne
All verbs follow the same oblique shift.
Select the correct postposition usage. Multiple Choice

Yeh ___ ka samay hai.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: sone
Oblique form required before 'ka'.
Correct the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Woh bolna ke bajaye sunna pasand karta hai.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Woh bolne ke bajaye sunne pasand karta hai.
Both verbs must be oblique.
Fill in the blank.

Vigyan ke kshetra mein aage ___ (badhna) ke liye prayas jari hain.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: badhne
Oblique form required.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises
Fill in the blank with the correct form of the verb.

Main ___ (khana) ke liye gaya.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: khane
Oblique form required before 'ke liye'.
Correct the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Woh padhna ke liye baitha.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Woh padhne ke liye baitha.
Oblique form required.
Choose the correct sentence. Multiple Choice

Which sentence is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Mujhe akele jaane se darr lagta hai.
Oblique form required before 'se'.
Transform the infinitive to the oblique form. Sentence Transformation

Sona -> ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Sone
Standard oblique shift.
Match the infinitive to its oblique form. Match Pairs

Match: Padhna, Bolna, Likha

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Padhne, Bolne, Likhne
All verbs follow the same oblique shift.
Select the correct postposition usage. Multiple Choice

Yeh ___ ka samay hai.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: sone
Oblique form required before 'ka'.
Correct the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Woh bolna ke bajaye sunna pasand karta hai.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Woh bolne ke bajaye sunne pasand karta hai.
Both verbs must be oblique.
Fill in the blank.

Vigyan ke kshetra mein aage ___ (badhna) ke liye prayas jari hain.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: badhne
Oblique form required.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

12 exercises
Complete the sentence: 'After reaching home...' Fill in the Blank

Ghar ___ ke bād call karnā.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: pahuñchne
Find the error. Error Correction

Rām ne mujhe khānā banānā diyā.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Rām ne mujhe khānā banāne diyā.
Translate: 'He began to laugh.' Multiple Choice

Select the correct translation:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Vah hãsne lagā.
Complete for 'Before sleeping'. Fill in the Blank

___ se pahle brush karo.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Sone
Match the phrase start to the correct ending. Match Pairs

Match the verb forms to their contexts.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ["Kh\u0101ne... : ...ke liye (for eating)","Kh\u0101n\u0101... : ...accha hai (Food is good)","Kh\u0101ne... : ...v\u0101l\u0101 (Eater)"]
Correct the grammar. Error Correction

Unhõne pūchnā band kar diyā.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Unhõne pūchnā band kar diyā.
Fill in: 'I have a habit of reading.' Fill in the Blank

Mujhe ___ kī ādat hai.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: paṛhne
Which implies permission? Multiple Choice

Choose the sentence meaning 'Let him go'.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Use jāne do.
Arrange to form: 'I am about to go.' Sentence Reorder

hū̃ / vālā / jāne / ma͠i

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ma͠i jāne vālā hū̃.
Translate 'Way of talking' into Hindi. Translation

Way of talking

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Bāt karne kā tarīqā
Complete: 'Instead of fighting...' Fill in the Blank

Laṛne ___ bajāye, bāt karo.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ke
Identify the correct usage of 'lagnā'. Multiple Choice

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Pānī barasne lagā.

Score: /12

FAQ (8)

It changes to show that the verb is now acting as a noun governed by a postposition.

No, the oblique infinitive is invariant.

No, only use it when a postposition follows.

Yes, it is essential for formal and literary Hindi.

Both verbs should be in the oblique form if they are governed by the same postposition.

Yes, it is one of the most frequent grammar rules in Hindi.

Try writing sentences about your daily routine using 'ke liye'.

No, this rule is very consistent across all standard Hindi verbs.

Scaffolded Practice

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Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

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In Other Languages

Spanish high

para + infinitive

Hindi requires a morphological change to the verb (-na to -ne), while Spanish does not.

French high

pour + infinitive

Hindi requires a morphological change to the verb (-na to -ne), while French does not.

German moderate

zu + infinitive

The structure is similar, but the Hindi oblique shift is unique.

Japanese moderate

tame ni + verb

Japanese uses the dictionary form, Hindi uses the oblique form.

Arabic moderate

li + masdar

The masdar is a noun, while the oblique infinitive is a modified verb.

Chinese low

weile + verb

Chinese verbs do not change form.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
The Hindi Infinitive: Verbs as Nouns and Obligations (-nā/-ne)
Next
Expressing Purpose: Using 'To' and 'For' with Verbs (-ne ke liye)

Learn These First

B1 Builds On

Expressing Purpose: Using 'To' and 'For' with Verbs (-ne ke liye)

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