Conjunctions

A conjunction is a part of speech used to connect words or clauses.

In Hindi, as in many other languages, there are 2 types of conjunctions: coordinating and subordinating.

Coordinating conjunctions

These conjunctions are used to coordinate simple sentences within the compound one or words within one sentence:

और aur 'and'

न केवल... बल्कि... भी na keval… balki… bhii 'not only… but… too'

या yaa 'or'

या तो... या... yaa to… yaa… 'either… or…'

न... न... na… na… 'neither… nor…'

मगर magar, लेकिल lekin, किंतु kintu, परंतु parantu, पर par 'but'

Subordinating conjunctions

These conjunctions are used to introduce subordinate clauses in compound sentences:

कि ki 'that'

ताकि taaki, कि ki 'so that, in order that'

अगर … तो… agar… to*… 'if… then…'

चाहे caahe 'even if'

अगरचे / यद्दपि agarce / yadyapi 'though'

वरना varnaa 'otherwise'

क्योंकि kyoNki 'because'

ज्योंही… त्योंही jyoNhii… tyoNhii* 'as soon as…then'

जब कि jab ki 'while'

जब... तब… jab… tab*… 'when… then…'

* These conjunctions require correlatives in the main sentences.