In Hindi, compound sentences with relative clauses are formed according to different rules depending on their type.
Defining relative clauses are used to single out an object they qualify from all other objects of the similar type (for example, 'The man who is standing there is a student'). This is the only function of such clauses, while non-defining relative clauses give some additional information about the object (for example, 'A strange man, who was a student, entered the room').
Sentences containing defining relative clauses have a unique structure which is quite different from that in English. In such sentences, the subordinate clause usually precedes the main clause. The subordinate clause begins with the relative pronoun जो jo or its oblique and plural forms, a relative pronominal adverb, or a pronominal adjective. That element is followed by the noun qualified by the subordinate clause (if it is present in the sentence). The main clause is introduced by the pronoun वह vo or its oblique and plural forms, a pronominal adverb, or a pronominal adjective. The noun qualified may occur in the sentence twice, in the both subordinate and main clauses. In the subordinate clause, the noun qualified may function not only as a subject but also as an object (either direct or indirect). Note that when preceding a noun that is functioning as an object, the relative pronoun जो jo may not occur in the very beginning of the subordinate clause. When followed by a postposition, both the noun qualified and the relative pronoun take the oblique form.
Examples:
जो आदमी अंदर आया है वह अफ़सर है।
jo aadmii andar aayaa hai vo afsar hai.
'The man who has come in is an officer.'
(Literally: 'Which man has come in, he is an officer.')
जहाँ वह रहता है वहाँ मैं काम करता हूँ।
jahaaN vo rehtaa hai vahaaN maiN kaam kartaa huuN.
'I work where he lives.' (Literally: 'Where he lives, there I work.')
जितना वह कमाना चाहता है उतना ही वह कमाता है।
jitnaa vo kamaanaa cahtaa hai utnaa hii vo kamaataa hai.
'He earns as much as he wants.'
(Literally: 'As much as he wants to earn, that much he earns.')
जो अख़बार मेज़ पर है वह मेरा है।
jo akh'baar mez par hai vo meraa hai.
'The newspaper on the table is mine.'
(Literally: 'Which newspaper is on the table, that is mine.')
तुम जिस आदमी से बात करोगे वह मेरा दोस्त है।
tum jis aadmii se baat karoge vo meraa dost hai.
'The man you will talk to is my friend.'
(Literally: 'Which man you will talk with, he is my friend.')
For non-defining relative clauses, compound sentences are formed according to the rules similar to those in English: the subordinate clause can either come after the main sentence or be inserted into it.
Examples:
मैं ने एक आदमी देखा जिसके कपड़े पुराने थे।
maiN ne ek aadmii dekhaa jiske kapRe puraane the.
'I have seen a man, whose clothes were old.'
डाक्टर रकेश शंकर जिस ने मेरा इलाज किया वो नगर के केंद्र में रहता था।
DaakTar rakeś śańkar jis ne meraa ilaaj kiyaa vo nagar ke keNdr meN rehtaa thaa.
'Doctor Rakesh Shankar, who did my medical treatment, lived in the city center.'
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