Adjectives can agree with the nouns they qualify. Hindi adjectives are divided into two groups: declinable and indeclinable.
Declinable Adjectives
Declinable adjectives inflect for gender, number, and case. In a sentence, such adjectives always agree with the nouns they qualify.
Declinable adjectives have the following endings:
आ aa is used for adjectives that agree with masculine singular nouns in the direct case.
ए e is used for adjectives that agree with masculine plural nouns in both cases and with masculine singular nouns in the oblique case.
ई ii is used for adjectives that agree with all feminine nouns.
See the tables below.
Masculine
|
Singular |
Plural |
|
|
Direct |
बड़ा लड़का baRaa laRkaa 'a big boy' |
बड़े लड़के baRe laRke 'big boys' |
|
Oblique |
बड़े लड़के के साथ baRe laRke ke saath 'with a big boy' |
बड़े लड़कों के साथ baRe laRkoN ke saath 'with big boys' |
Feminine
|
Singular |
Plural |
|
|
Direct |
छोटी मेज़ choTii mez 'a small table' |
छोटी मेज़ें choTii mezeN 'small tables' |
|
Oblique |
छोटी मेज़ पर choTii mez par 'on the small table' |
छोटी मेज़ों पर choTii mezoN par 'on the small tables' |
There are also several adjectives which have the endings 'aaN', 'eN', or 'iiN'.
Ex: दायाँ daayaaN 'right' - दायें daayeN - दायीं daayiiN
Indeclinable Adjectives
Invariable adjectives have no endings and never change form.
See the examples below with the indeclinable adjectives नेक nek 'kind' and साफ़ saaf 'clean':
With masculine nouns
|
Singular |
Plural |
|
|
Direct |
नेक लड़का nek laRkaa 'a kind boy' |
नेक लड़के nek laRke 'kind boys' |
|
Oblique |
नेक लड़के के साथ nek laRke ke saath 'with a kind boy' |
नेक लड़कों के साथ nek laRkoN ke saath 'with kind boys' |
With feminine nouns
|
Singular |
Plural |
|
|
Direct |
साफ़ कुरसी saaf kursii 'a clean chair' |
साफ़ कुरसियाँ saaf kursiyiiN 'clean chairs' |
|
Oblique |
साफ़ कुरसी पर saaf kursii par 'on the clean chair' |
साफ़ कुरसियों पर saaf kursiyoN par 'on the clean chairs' |
See Also: