Along with simple postpositions, there are also compound postpositions in Hindi. These postpositions consist of more than one word, and are similar to compound prepositions in English, such as according to, and instead of.
Depending on the components, there are two classes of compound postpositions.
1. Usually, compound postpositions include two components, the first being the simple postposition का kaa in the masculine oblique singular form के ke or in the feminine singular form की kii, and the second usually being an adverb.
Examples:
के पीछे ke piiche 'behind'
के सामने ke saamne 'in front of, opposite'
के आस-पास ke aas-paas 'around, in the vicinity of'
के बाहर ke baahar 'outside'
के अंदर ke andar 'inside, within'
के साथ ke saath 'with'
के लिए ke lie 'for'
के प्रतिकूल ke pratikuul, के ख़िलाफ़ ke kh'ilaaf 'against'
के ऊपर ke uupar 'above'
के नीचे ke niice 'under, below'
के बीच में ke biic meN 'between'
के बिना ke binaa 'without'
के बजाय ke bajaay 'instead of'
के रूप में ke ruup meN 'in the form of'
के योग्य ke yogya 'worthy of'
Sometimes, the first component of a compound postposition is the postposition से se.
Ex: से पहले se pehle 'before'
When a compound postposition is joined to a personal pronoun, the pronoun is replaced by the corresponding possessive pronoun in the masculine oblique singular form or, if the compound postposition contains the component की kii, in the feminine singular form. The first component of compound postpositions is omitted in such cases:
Ex: मेरे साथ mere saath 'with me'
तुम्हारे बिना tumhaare binaa 'without you'
हमारे सामने hamaare saamne 'in front of us'
2. Compound postpositions in the second class consist of two simple postpositions.
Ex: हम लोगों में से एक
ham logoN meN se ek
'one of us'
कुरसी पर से किताबें लीजिए।
kursii par se kitaabeN liijie.
'Take the books from the chair.'
See Also: