Permissive Construction

This construction is equivalent to the English 'to let, to allow, to permit'. It is conveyed with the help of the verb देना denaa 'to give'. This verb is transitive. The subject of this verb can either be in the direct form or in oblique form. When describing something that should be permitted, an oblique infinitive is used. In this situation, the subject is put in the oblique case with the postposition को ko (in the dative form when the subject is a personal pronoun) if it plays an active role in the sentence (as shown in examples 1 and 3 below). If it does not play an active role, the subject is put in the direct case (as shown in example 2 below).

Examples:

1. हमें गुज़रने दीजिए। hameN guzarne diijie. 'Let us pass.'
2. लड़ाई न होने देना! laRaaii na hone denaa! 'Do not let the fight start!' (=don't permit the fight to be)
3. मेरी बहिन को स्नान करने दीजिएगा। merii behin ko snaan karne diijiegaa. 'Please let my sister make the ritual ablution.'
4. राजा ने अपनी सेवा करने दी। raajaa ne apnii sevaa karne dii. 'Raja allowed to render service to him.'

See Also:

• Some Important Hindi Constructions
• Possessive Constructions
• Constructions with an Accessory Word
• The Must-Constructions
• Types of Action
• Defining and Non-Defining Relative Clauses
• Indirect Speech
• Word Order
• Infinitives
• The Present Habitual Tense
• The Past Habitual Tense
• The Present Continuous Tense
• The Past Continuous Tense
• The Future Tense
• The Perfect Narrative Tense
• The Perfect Tense
• The Perfect Non-Narrative Tense
• The Imperative Mood