Hindi Grammar 7 (Possessive Pronouns)

How to use possessive pronouns in Hindi

Hindi possessive pronouns change their endings depending on the number and gender of the noun that they go with.  For example, if I want to say “my son” I would say मेरा बेटा (meraa beTaa - m, sg), “my daughter” would be मेरी बेटी (meree beTee - f,sg ), “my clothes” would be मेरे कपड़े (mere kapDe - m,pl), “my (girl) friends” would be मेरी सहेलियां (meree saheliyaan - f,pl), however if we want to say “my father”, we would use plural masculine form to show respect and say मेरे पिताजी (mere pitaajee – m,sg, polite).  In Hindi there is no difference who is saying मेरी बेटी (mere beTee – my daughter) – a woman or a man, the pronoun मेरी will depend on the noun that it precedes. It will change accordingly the number (singular or plural) and the gender (masculine or feminine).

A fragment on the temple's door

Hindi noun genders have to be memorized because there are too many irregular nouns that don’t follow the rough rule that divides Hindi nouns into two groups: the ones that end in “-aa” (masculine) and the ones that end in “-ee” (feminine).  The best way to learn the genders of Hindi nouns is to listen to Hindi language and read Hindi books and articles, also converse with Indian people until you know what Hindi sounds like. At that stage, you will naturally know the ending of possessive pronoun as you will be familiar with the sound of the right Hindi.

Lord Shiva

Here is the table of Hindi possessive pronouns:

                                       

Pronouns that are used before singular masculine nouns

Pronouns that are used before singular feminine nouns

Pronouns that are used before plural masculine nouns

Pronouns that are used before plural feminine nouns

मेरा meraa my, mine	मेरी meree my, mine	मेरे mere my, mine	मेरी meree my, mine
तेरा teraa your, yours	तेरी teree your, yours	तेरे tere your, yours	तेरी teree your, yours
तुम्हारा tumhaaraa your, yours	तुम्हारी tumhaaree your, yours	तुम्हारे tumhaare your, yours	तुम्हारी tumhaaree your, yours
आपका aapkaa your,yours	आपकी aapkee your, yours	आपके aapke your, yours	आपकी  aapkee your, yours
इसका/उसका iskaa/uskaa his,hers	इसकी/ उसकी iskee/uskee his, hers	इसके/उसके iske/uske his,hers	इसकी/ उसकी iskee/uskee his, hers
हमारा hamaaraa our, ours	हमारी hamaaree our, ours	हमारे hamaare our, ours	हमारी hamaaree our, ours
तुम्हारा tumhaaraa your,yours	तुम्हारी tumhaaree your, yours	तुम्हारे tumhaare your, yours	तुम्हारी tumhaaree your, yours
आपका aapkaa your, yours	आपकी aapkee your, yours	आपके aapke your, yours	आपकी aapkee your, yours
इनका/उनका inkaa/unkee their, theirs	इनकी/उनकी inkee/unkee their, theirs	इनके/उनके inke/unke their, theirs	इनकी/उनकी inkee/unkee their, theirs

Examples with nouns:

                                          

मेरी माँ	meree maan	my mother - f,sg
मेरे पिता	mere pitaa	my father - m,sg, polite
मेरी बहिन	meree bahin	my sister - f, sg
मेरा भाई	meraa bhaaee	my brother - m,sg
मेरी बेटी	meree beTee	my daughter  - f,sg
मेरा बेटा	meraa beTaa	my son - m, sg
तेरा कुत्ता	teraa kuttaa	your dog - m,sg
तेरी बिल्ली	teree billee	your cat - f,sg
हमारे राजा	hamaare raajaa	our king - m,sg, polite
हमारी रानी	hamaaree raanee	our queen - f,sg
इसके बच्चे	iske bacche	her children - m,pl
उनकी सहेलियां	unkee saheliyaan	their (girl) friends - f, pl

Marigolds and candles at the temple

How to use possessive pronouns with adjectives and nouns:

Hindi adjectives would change their endings according to the gender and number of the noun. If the noun is a masculine gender, the adjective will also have to be a masculine gender. For example:

गोरी लड़की goree ladkee fair girl (lightskinned)	गोरी लड़कियां goree ladkiyaan fair girls
गोरा लड़का goraa ladkaa fair boy	गोरे लड़के gore ladke fair boys

More examples:

एक अच्छा वक़ील	ek achchhaa vaqeel	a good lawyer (m, sg)
दो पतले मज़दूर म	do patle mazdoor	two thin workers (m, pl)
इसकी प्यारी हाँसी	iskee pyaaree haansee	her beautiful laugh (f, sg)
एक छोटा बच्चा	ek chhoTaa bachchaa	a small child (m, sg)
हमारी बड़ी रसोई	hamaaree badee rasoee	our big kitchen (f, sg)
एक अंधा भिखारी	ek andhaa bhikhaaree	a blind beggar (m,sg)
मेरी नयी किताब	meree nayee kitaab	my new book (f, sg)
दस काली बिल्लियाँ	das kaalee billiyaan	ten black cats (f, pl)