Word formation in Hindi: the pieces words are built from
A long Hindi word is rarely a new word. A shopkeeper is a shop with the ending of somebody who has one; a library is book and house; homeless is without and home. Hindi builds its words from two layers of pieces — one from Sanskrit, one that came with Persian — and from endings of its own, and they go together in the English order: the last piece says what the thing is. Learn the 76 building blocks on this page, and new words start explaining themselves.
Read a word from the back: the last piece says what the thing is, the ones before it say what kind. Notice which layer a piece comes from: अ- and -ता belong to the formal, Sanskrit side of the language, बे- and -दार to the Persian side of everyday speech, and the two rarely mix in one word. A piece that begins with a vowel joins the word as a vowel sign: पढ़ and -आई make पढ़ाई.
Prefixes that negate
Not, without, badly, non-: where English reaches for un-, in-, dis-, -less and mis-. Hindi has a Sanskrit set and a Persian set, and each goes onto words of its own layer.
| Building block | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| अ- | not, un-, in- (Sanskrit words) | असंभव, असफल, अज्ञान, अस्वस्थ, अशुद्ध |
| The Sanskrit negation, on Sanskrit words: संभवpossibleअसंभवimpossible Before a vowel it becomes अन्-: अनुपस्थित, absent. In everyday speech the Persian नामुमकिन is just as common. | ||
| अन- | un-, not (native words) | अनपढ़, अनमोल, अनगिनत, अनसुना |
| The native cousin of अ-: अनपढ़, unable to read; अनमोल, priceless, from मोल, price. | ||
| बे- | without, -less | बेघर, बेचैन, बेईमान, बेशर्म, बेवक़ूफ़ |
| Persian, and the commonest negating prefix of everyday speech: घरhomeबेघरhomeless; चैनpeace of mindबेचैनrestless बेवक़ूफ़, a fool, is literally “without understanding”. | ||
| ना- | not, un-, dis- | नापसंद, नासमझ, नामुमकिन, नाख़ुश |
| Persian: पसंदlikingनापसंदdislike; मुमकिनpossibleनामुमकिनimpossible नाराज़, annoyed, looks like one of these and is a word of its own. | ||
| बद- | bad, ill-, mis- | बदनाम, बदक़िस्मत, बदतमीज़, बदसूरत, बदबू |
| Persian बद, bad: नामnameबदनामnotorious; बूsmellबदबूstink Its opposite is ख़ुश-: ख़ुशबू, fragrance. | ||
| ग़ैर- | non-, un-, other than | ग़ैरक़ानूनी, ग़ैरहाज़िर, ग़ैरज़रूरी, ग़ैरसरकारी |
| Persian and Arabic words only: क़ानूनीlegalग़ैरक़ानूनीillegal; हाज़िरpresentग़ैरहाज़िरabsent It is written together with the word. | ||
| कु- | bad, ill-, mal- | कुपोषण, कुरूप, कुसंगति |
| Sanskrit, the opposite of सु-: पोषणnourishmentकुपोषणmalnutrition Mostly in written and formal Hindi. | ||
| दुर्- | bad, difficult, mis- | दुर्घटना, दुर्भाग्य, दुर्व्यवहार, दुर्लभ |
| घटना is an event; दुर्घटना, a bad event, is the everyday word for an accident. Before a voiceless sound the r becomes sh or s: दुष्कर, दुस्साहस. | ||
| निर्-/नि- | without, free from, -less | निडर, निर्दोष, निर्जीव, निराश |
| Sanskrit: डरfearनिडरfearless; दोषfaultनिर्दोषinnocent Before a vowel the r joins it: निराश, without hope. | ||
| ला- | without, -less (Persian and Arabic words) | लापरवाह, लाजवाब, लाइलाज, लावारिस |
| परवाहcareलापरवाहcareless; जवाबanswerलाजवाबbeyond answer — so good that nothing can be said against it | ||
Other prefixes: good, great, deputy, with
Good and bad, great and small, deputy and fellow, every and self: short pieces in front that say what kind of thing the rest of the word is.
| Building block | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| सु- | good, well, easy | सुगंध, सुरक्षित, सुविचार, सुयोग्य |
| Sanskrit, the opposite of कु- and दुर्-: गंधsmellसुगंधfragrance सुंदर, beautiful, began this way too, long ago. | ||
| स- | with, together with | सपरिवार, सहर्ष, सजीव |
| Formal: परिवारfamilyसपरिवारwith one’s family; हर्षjoyसहर्षgladly It is the opposite of निर्-. | ||
| महा- | great, big | महानगर, महासागर, महाविद्यालय, महात्मा |
| नगरtownमहानगरmetropolis; सागरseaमहासागरocean महात्मा, great soul, is the title by which Gandhi is known. | ||
| उप- | deputy, sub-, vice- | उपनगर, उपमंत्री, उपनाम |
| मंत्रीministerउपमंत्रीdeputy minister; नामnameउपनामa pen name or a surname | ||
| सह- | fellow, co-, together | सहपाठी, सहकर्मी, सहमत, सहयात्री |
| मतopinionसहमतof the same opinion; यात्रीtravellerसहयात्रीfellow passenger सहपाठी is a classmate, one who reads alongside. | ||
| प्रति- | per, every; counter- | प्रतिदिन, प्रतिवर्ष, प्रतिशत |
| The formal word for each: प्रतिदिनdailyप्रतिवर्षyearlyप्रतिशतper cent (per hundred) Speech says हर दिन and रोज़. | ||
| ख़ुश- | good, pleasant, happy | ख़ुशबू, ख़ुशक़िस्मत, ख़ुशमिज़ाज |
| Persian ख़ुश, happy, in front of a noun: क़िस्मतluckख़ुशक़िस्मतlucky The opposite is बद-: बदक़िस्मत, unlucky. | ||
| हम- | same, fellow | हमउम्र, हमसफ़र, हमनाम, हमशक्ल |
| Persian: उम्रageहमउम्रof the same age; सफ़र journey, हमसफ़र travelling companion, and in songs a partner for life. | ||
| अध- | half | अधखुला, अधपका, अधमरा |
| From आधा, half, shortened in front of a word: खुलाopenअधखुलाhalf open The adjective still agrees: अधखुली खिड़की. | ||
| दु-/ति-/चौ- | two-, three-, four- in compounds | दुपहिया, चौपहिया, तिराहा, चौराहा, तिमाही |
| दो, तीन and चार shrink in front of a word: पहियाwheelदुपहियाtwo-wheeler; चौराहा, four ways, is a crossroads and तिराहा a T-junction. | ||
| आत्म- | self- | आत्मविश्वास, आत्मनिर्भर, आत्मकथा |
| Sanskrit आत्मा, soul, self: विश्वासtrustआत्मविश्वासself-confidence; कथाstoryआत्मकथाautobiography | ||
| स्व- | own, self- | स्वदेश, स्वतंत्र, स्वाभिमान |
| देशcountryस्वदेशone’s own country; स्वतंत्र, independent, is “under one’s own rule”, and 15 August is स्वतंत्रता दिवस. | ||
| वि- | apart, away; special | विदेश, विज्ञान, विनाश |
| देश country, विदेश a country apart, abroad; ज्ञानknowledgeविज्ञानscience The meaning of the prefix varies; the word is what to learn. | ||
People: who does it, who has it
The endings that make a person out of a thing: the one who sells it, owns it, makes it, seeks it or does it too often.
| Building block | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| -वाला | the one who sells, does or has it | सब्ज़ीवाला, दूधवाला, टैक्सीवाला, चायवाला, दिल्लीवाला |
| The most useful ending in the language: सब्ज़ीvegetablesसब्ज़ीवालाthe vegetable seller; दिल्लीवाला, a person from Delhi. It changes like an adjective: सब्ज़ीवाली for a woman. | ||
| -दार | who has or holds it | दुकानदार, ईमानदार, समझदार, मज़ेदार, रिश्तेदार |
| Persian, “holder”: दुकानshopदुकानदारshopkeeper; ईमानfaithईमानदारhonest; मज़ा fun, मज़ेदार fun, tasty. A noun in -आ takes -ए before it. | ||
| -कार | maker, artist, -er | कलाकार, पत्रकार, चित्रकार, सलाहकार |
| कलाartकलाकारartist; पत्र letter, paper, पत्रकार journalist; सलाहadviceसलाहकारadviser | ||
| -गार | doer, giver; memorable | मददगार, यादगार, गुनहगार |
| Persian: मदद help, मददगार helpful, a helper; याद memory, यादगार memorable, a keepsake. | ||
| -गर | craftsman, maker | जादूगर, सौदागर, कारीगर |
| जादूmagicजादूगरmagician; सौदाdealसौदागरmerchant कारीगर is a skilled craftsman. | ||
| -बाज़ | given to it, player of, often critical | धोखेबाज़, चालबाज़, पतंगबाज़ |
| Persian, “player”: धोखाdeceitधोखेबाज़a cheat; चालtrickचालबाज़schemer Only पतंगबाज़, a kite-flyer, is a compliment. | ||
| -अर्थी | one who seeks it, candidate | विद्यार्थी, परीक्षार्थी, शरणार्थी |
| Sanskrit अर्थी, seeker: विद्याlearningविद्यार्थीstudent; शरणrefugeशरणार्थीrefugee The two a’s merge into one long ā. | ||
| -पति | lord, head, master | राष्ट्रपति, करोड़पति, सेनापति |
| पति is a husband and, in compounds, a master: राष्ट्रnationराष्ट्रपतिpresident; करोड़ten millionकरोड़पतिa very rich person | ||
| -अक्कड़ | somebody who does it far too much | भुलक्कड़, घुमक्कड़, पियक्कड़ |
| Teasing rather than harsh: भूलनाforgetभुलक्कड़forgetful; घूमनाwanderघुमक्कड़a wanderer The long vowel of the verb shortens. | ||
| -आनी/-इन | the woman, the wife (feminine endings) | नौकरानी, सेठानी, पड़ोसिन, धोबिन |
| Two endings make a woman out of a man’s word: नौकरservantनौकरानीmaid; पड़ोसीneighbourपड़ोसिनa woman neighbour Many such words are used less now, and पड़ोसी serves for both. | ||
Places and containers
House, office, hall, room and holder: the last piece names the kind of place, and the piece in front says what it is for.
| Building block | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| -घर | house, room, place | रसोईघर, डाकघर, चिड़ियाघर, सिनेमाघर |
| घर, house, at the end of a compound: रसोईkitchenरसोईघरkitchen room; डाकpostडाकघरpost office; चिड़ियाbirdचिड़ियाघरzoo | ||
| -ख़ाना | house, building (Persian) | डाकख़ाना, दवाख़ाना, जेलख़ाना |
| The Persian twin of -घर: डाकख़ाना and डाकघर are the same building. Not the verb खाना, to eat, which has no dot. | ||
| -आलय | house, abode (Sanskrit) | पुस्तकालय, विद्यालय, कार्यालय, शौचालय |
| The formal word for a building with a purpose: पुस्तकbookपुस्तकालयlibrary; कार्यworkकार्यालयoffice Signs and forms use these; speech often says दफ़्तर and लाइब्रेरी. | ||
| -शाला | hall, place of | पाठशाला, धर्मशाला, प्रयोगशाला |
| प्रयोगexperimentप्रयोगशालाlaboratory; धर्मशाला is a simple guesthouse for pilgrims. | ||
| -दान | holder, container | फूलदान, कूड़ेदान, क़लमदान |
| Persian: फूलflowerफूलदानvase; कूड़ाrubbishकूड़ेदानdustbin A noun in -आ takes -ए before it. | ||
Abstract nouns: -ness, -ity, -hood
Happiness, childhood, beauty, humanity, freshness: Hindi has native, Sanskrit and Persian endings for the same job, and each goes onto words of its own layer.
| Building block | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| -ई | -ness, -ship: a noun from an adjective or a noun | ख़ुशी, दोस्ती, बीमारी, तैयारी, ग़रीबी |
| Everyday and very productive: ख़ुशhappyख़ुशीhappiness; दोस्तfriendदोस्तीfriendship These nouns are feminine. | ||
| -पन | -hood, -ness (native) | बचपन, पागलपन, अपनापन, अकेलापन |
| पागलmadपागलपनmadness; अपना one’s own, अपनापन warmth, a feeling of belonging. बचपन comes from बच्चा, child, and shortens it. These nouns are masculine. | ||
| -ता | -ity, -ness (Sanskrit) | सुंदरता, सफलता, एकता, मित्रता |
| The Sanskrit ending, on Sanskrit words: सफलsuccessfulसफलताsuccess; एकoneएकताunity These nouns are feminine; मित्रता is the formal twin of दोस्ती. | ||
| -त्व | -hood, -ness (formal) | व्यक्तित्व, नेतृत्व, बंधुत्व |
| Sanskrit, formal: व्यक्तिpersonव्यक्तित्वpersonality; बंधुbrotherबंधुत्वbrotherhood These nouns are masculine. | ||
| -इयत | -ity, -ness (Arabic) | इंसानियत, असलियत, ख़ैरियत, क़ाबिलियत |
| इंसानhuman beingइंसानियतhumanity; ख़ैर well-being, ख़ैरियत as in ख़ैरियत से पहुँच गए?, did you arrive safely? | ||
| -गी | -ness (Persian) | ताज़गी, सादगी, नाराज़गी, ज़िंदगी |
| Persian adjectives in -आ drop it: ताज़ाfreshताज़गीfreshness; सादाsimpleसादगीsimplicity; ज़िंदाaliveज़िंदगीlife | ||
Nouns made from verbs
The act, the result, the feeling: endings that turn a verb into a noun. The stem is the verb without its -na.
| Building block | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| -आई | the act of doing it; also size (from adjectives) | पढ़ाई, लड़ाई, सफ़ाई, ऊँचाई, लंबाई, बुराई |
| On a verb stem it names the activity: पढ़नाreadपढ़ाईstudies; लड़नाfightलड़ाईa fight On an adjective it names a measure or a quality: ऊँचाhighऊँचाईheight; बुराbadबुराईevil | ||
| -आवट/-आहट | the result or the feeling of doing it | थकावट, सजावट, बनावट, घबराहट, मुस्कुराहट |
| थकनाget tiredथकावटtiredness; सजानाdecorateसजावटdecoration; घबरानाpanicघबराहटnervousness Both endings make feminine nouns. | ||
| -आन | the act or its result | उड़ान, थकान, पहचान, मुस्कान |
| उड़नाflyउड़ानflight; पहचानना recognise, पहचान identity, recognition. These nouns are feminine. | ||
| -ई | the act or the sound of doing it (from verbs) | हँसी, बोली, खाँसी |
| The verb stem with -ई: हँसनाlaughहँसीlaughter; खाँसनाcoughखाँसीa cough; बोलना speak, बोली a dialect, a bid at an auction. | ||
| -त/-ती | what results from doing it | बचत, खपत, गिनती, भरती |
| बचनाbe left overबचतsavings; गिनना count, गिनती counting, the numbers; भरना fill, भरती recruitment, admission. | ||
| -आव | the process or the state | चुनाव, बहाव, लगाव, बचाव |
| चुननाchooseचुनावelection; बहनाflowबहावcurrent; लगना attach, लगाव attachment, fondness. These nouns are masculine. | ||
Adjectives from nouns
Of a place, full of, without, rich in, given to: the endings that make an adjective out of a noun, from the everyday to the newspaper.
| Building block | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| -ई | of, from, belonging to (an adjective) | पंजाबी, शहरी, सरकारी, जापानी, देसी |
| A place or a thing with -ई becomes an adjective and often the name of a language too: पंजाब, पंजाबी; शहरcityशहरीurban; सरकारgovernmentसरकारीofficial It does not change for gender. | ||
| -ईय | of, -al, -an (Sanskrit) | भारतीय, राष्ट्रीय, स्थानीय |
| The formal twin of -ई: भारतIndiaभारतीयIndian; राष्ट्रnationराष्ट्रीयnational; स्थानplaceस्थानीयlocal | ||
| -इक | -al, -ic (Sanskrit, with a changed first vowel) | दैनिक, सामाजिक, आर्थिक, धार्मिक, ऐतिहासिक |
| The first vowel of the noun grows stronger: दिनdayदैनिकdaily; समाजsocietyसामाजिकsocial; इतिहासhistoryऐतिहासिकhistoric Typical of the news and of formal writing. | ||
| -इत | -ed, affected by (Sanskrit) | चिंतित, प्रभावित, आधारित |
| चिंताworryचिंतितworried; प्रभाव influence, प्रभावित impressed, affected; आधारbasisआधारितbased on | ||
| -ईला | full of, -y | रंगीला, चमकीला, ज़हरीला, शर्मीला |
| रंगcolourरंगीलाcolourful; ज़हरpoisonज़हरीलाpoisonous; शर्मshameशर्मीलाshy It agrees like any adjective: शर्मीली. | ||
| -ईन | having it, -ed, -y | रंगीन, नमकीन, शौक़ीन |
| रंगcolourरंगीनcoloured; नमक salt, नमकीन salty, and as a noun the savoury snacks served with tea; शौक़hobbyशौक़ीनkeen on | ||
| -नाक | full of, causing (Persian) | ख़तरनाक, दर्दनाक, शर्मनाक, ख़ौफ़नाक |
| ख़तराdangerख़तरनाकdangerous; दर्द pain, दर्दनाक painful, tragic; शर्मshameशर्मनाकshameful It does not change for gender. | ||
| -मंद | having, possessing (Persian) | अक़्लमंद, ज़रूरतमंद, फ़ायदेमंद, दौलतमंद |
| अक़्ल sense, अक़्लमंद sensible, clever; ज़रूरतneedज़रूरतमंदneedy; फ़ायदाbenefitफ़ायदेमंदbeneficial | ||
| -आलु | inclined to, full of (Sanskrit) | दयालु, कृपालु, श्रद्धालु |
| दयाcompassionदयालुkind; श्रद्धा devotion, श्रद्धालु a pilgrim, a devotee. The two a’s merge into one long ā. | ||
| -मान/-वान | having, rich in (Sanskrit) | बुद्धिमान, धनवान, गुणवान, बलवान |
| बुद्धिintelligenceबुद्धिमानwise; धनwealthधनवानwealthy; गुण quality, गुणवान talented, virtuous. | ||
| -शाली | endowed with, -ful | शक्तिशाली, भाग्यशाली, प्रतिभाशाली |
| शक्तिpowerशक्तिशालीpowerful; भाग्यfortuneभाग्यशालीfortunate; प्रतिभाtalentप्रतिभाशालीgifted | ||
| -पूर्ण/-पूर्वक | full of; -ly, with (formal) | महत्वपूर्ण, शांतिपूर्ण, ध्यानपूर्वक, सफलतापूर्वक |
| -पूर्णmakes an adjective-पूर्वकan adverb: महत्वimportanceमहत्वपूर्णimportant; ध्यानattentionध्यानपूर्वकattentively News and notices are full of both. | ||
| -हीन | without, -less (Sanskrit) | अर्थहीन, शक्तिहीन, गुणहीन |
| The Sanskrit -less, behind the noun: अर्थmeaningअर्थहीनmeaningless Speech prefers the Persian बे- in front: बेमतलब. | ||
| -आऊ | able to, made for, -able | टिकाऊ, बिकाऊ, कमाऊ |
| On a verb stem: टिकनाlastटिकाऊdurable; बिकना be sold, बिकाऊ for sale, also venal; कमानाearnकमाऊearning It does not change for gender. | ||
| -ऊ/-एलू | given to; of the house | पेटू, बाज़ारू, घरेलू |
| पेट stomach, पेटू greedy, a glutton; बाज़ार market, बाज़ारू cheap, vulgar; घर house, घरेलू domestic, homemade. | ||
| -आना | -ly, per (Persian: daily, yearly) | रोज़ाना, सालाना, दोस्ताना |
| रोज़dayरोज़ानाdaily; सालyearसालानाyearly; दोस्तfriendदोस्तानाfriendly Not the verb ending -ना. | ||
| -एरा | related through, cousin | चचेरा, ममेरा, फुफेरा, मौसेरा |
| Hindi has no single word for cousin; it says through whom: चाचाfather’s brotherचचेरा भाईhis son; मामाmother’s brotherममेरी बहनhis daughter The stem shortens. | ||
| -गुना | -fold, times as much | दोगुना, तिगुना, चौगुना, दसगुना |
| A number in front: दो, दोगुना double; तीन becomes ति- and चार becomes चौ-, as elsewhere. | ||
Verbs from verbs
Two endings make a verb that does something to somebody else, or has it done by a third person.
| Building block | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| -आना | make somebody or something do it (causative) | गिराना, उठाना, बनाना, हँसाना |
| The intransitive verb takes -आ- and becomes transitive: गिरनाfallगिरानाdrop; उठना get up, उठाना wake somebody, lift. The grammar page on verb pairs has the whole pattern. | ||
| -वाना | have it done by somebody else | करवाना, लिखवाना, सिलवाना, पढ़वाना |
| A third person does the work: सिलनाsewसिलवानाhave something sewn; लिखनाwriteलिखवानाdictate The one who does it takes से. | ||
Pairs, doubled words and echoes
Two words joined into a pair, a word said twice, a word echoed with a nonsense twin, and the masculine and feminine pairs of everyday nouns.
| Building block | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| -आ → -ई | the masculine in -a and the feminine in -i | लड़का, लड़की, बेटी, नानी, घोड़ी |
| Many nouns for people and animals come in pairs: लड़काboyलड़कीgirl; बेटाsonबेटीdaughter; घोड़ाhorseघोड़ीmare Adjectives in -आ follow the same pattern. | ||
| -इया | little, dear (a diminutive, often feminine) | बिटिया, डिबिया, खटिया, चुहिया |
| Affectionate or small: बेटीdaughterबिटियाlittle daughter; डिब्बाboxडिबियाsmall box; खाटbedखटियाa little string bed | ||
| pairs | two words joined into one idea | माता-पिता, भाई-बहन, दाल-रोटी, सुख-दुख, आना-जाना |
| Two nouns side by side, with a hyphen, for a pair or a whole: माता-पिताparentsभाई-बहनbrothers and sisters; दाल-रोटी, lentils and bread, is one’s daily living. | ||
| doubling | a word said twice: each, repeatedly, -ish | धीरे-धीरे, बार-बार, कभी-कभी, घर-घर |
| Said twice, a word spreads or repeats: धीरेslowlyधीरे-धीरेlittle by little; बारtimeबार-बारagain and again; घर-घर from house to house. | ||
| echo words | and so on, and the like | चाय-वाय, पानी-वानी, खाना-वाना, काम-वाम |
| The word again with its first sound replaced by व: चाय-वाय is tea and that sort of thing. Informal and friendly; it softens an offer or a question. | ||
| shortened first parts | water, hand and horse shortened in front of a second word | पनघट, हथकड़ी, घुड़सवार, पनचक्की |
| पानी becomes पन-, हाथ becomes हथ-, घोड़ा becomes घुड़-: पनघटthe place where water is drawnहथकड़ीhandcuffsघुड़सवारhorse rider | ||