There are seven main simple postpositions in Hindi, so named because they consist of one word only. The list is given below:
|
Postposition |
Meaning |
Examples |
|
का |
of |
घर का, लड़के का ghar kaa, laRke kaa 'of a house', 'of a boy' |
|
में |
in |
घर में ghar meN 'in a house' |
|
पर |
on |
छत पर chat par 'on the roof' |
|
से |
from, with, by |
घर से, लड़के से, क़लम से, बस से ghar se, laRke se, qalam se, bas se 'from the house', 'from the boy', 'with a pen', 'by bus' |
|
तक |
up to, till |
घर तक, लड़के तक, आज तक ghar tak, laRke tak, aaj tak 'up to the house', 'up to the boy', 'until today' |
|
को |
to, no translation |
घर को, लड़के को ghar ko, laRke ko 'house/to the house', 'boy/to the boy' |
|
ने |
no translation |
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का
The postposition का kaa inflects for gender, number, and case in the same way as a declinable adjective. It always agrees with the noun which follows it.
a) The postposition का kaa is very often used to form adjectives from substantives:
Ex: सोना sonaa 'gold' - सोने का sone kaa 'golden'
लकड़ी lakRii 'wood' - लकड़ी का lakRii kaa 'wooden'
b) Helps to form the possessive pronouns:
Ex: आप का aap kaa 'your'
इस का is kaa 'her, his, its'
उस का us kaa 'her, his, its'
इन का in kaa 'their'
उन का un kaa 'their'
c) Helps to form possessive constructions:
Ex: लड़के का थैला laRke kaa thailaa 'boy's bag'
अध्यापक की किताबें adhyaapak kii kitaabeN 'teacher's books'
d) This postposition is also used in the following constructions:
Ex: लेखक की लिखी हुई कविता
lekhak kii likhii huii kavitaa
'the poem written by the writer'
वास्तुकार का बनाया हुआ मकान
vaastukaar kaa banaayaa huaa makaan
'the house built by the architect'
काम का दिन
kaam kaa din
'working day' (literally: a day of work)
बर्तन की अलमारी
bartan kii almaarii
'dresser, cupboard' (literally: a wardrobe of dishes)
दूध के दाँत
duudh ke daaNt
'milk teeth' (literally: teeth of milk)
में, पर, से, तक
These postpositions have both locative and temporal meanings.
|
Locative |
Temporal |
|
|
में |
कमरे में कई बिल्लियाँ हैं। kamre meN kaii billiyaaN haiN. 'There are some cats in the room.' |
मैं दस मिनट में वापस आऊँगा। maiN das minaT meN vaapas aauuNgaa. 'I will be back in 10 minutes.' वह गरमी में गाँव जाता है। vo garmii meN gaaNv jaataa hai. 'In summer he goes to the village.' |
|
पर |
मेज़ पर मत बैठो! mez par mat baiTho! 'Don't sit on the table!' |
आने पर वह संग्रहालय गया। aane par vo sańgrahaalay gayaa. 'After arrival he went to the museum.' |
|
से |
यह गाड़ी दिल्ली से आया है। yeh gaaRii dillii se aayaa hai. 'This train has come from Delhi.' |
दुकान आठ बजे से खुली है। dukaan aaTh baje se khulii hai. 'The shop is open from 8 o'clock.' |
|
तक |
यह बस सीधे मुंबई तक जाती है। yeh bas siidhe mumbaii tak jaatii hai. 'This bus goes directly to Bombay.' |
पढ़ाई चार बजे तक होगी। paRhaaii caar baje tak hogii. 'The classes will last until 4 o'clock.' |
The postposition से se is also used in constructions expressing the comparative and superlative degrees of adjectives. Frequently, it is used to mark a noun denoting an instrument or tool.
Ex: रस्सी से बाँधना
rassii se baaNdhnaa
'to bind with a rope'.
को
The postposition को ko is not completely equivalent to the preposition to in English.
Frequently, it cannot be translated by any preposition.
a) As a rule, this postposition is used with nouns denoting indirect objects. It is used to form the dative case of nouns and pronouns.
Ex: मैं ने लड़के को स्कूल दिखाया।
maiN ne laRke ko skuul dikhaayaa.
'I have shown a school to the boy.'
b) This postposition can mark the direct object as well.
Ex: गाड़ी को रोक दो!
gaaRii ko rok do!
'Stop the car!'
When this situation occurs in a sentence with a verb in one of the prefect tenses, the verb always takes the third person singular form, and the participle takes the masculine singular form.
Ex: मैं ने रकेश को देखा।
maiN ne rakeś ko dekhaa.
'I have seen Rakesh.'
मैं ने औरत को देखा।
maiN ne aurat ko dekhaa.
'I have seen the woman.'
c) One of the possessive constructions is formed with the help of this postposition.
Ex: उस को आशा है कि...
us ko aaśaa hai ki…
'He hopes that…' (Literally: 'He has a hope that…')
माता को पैसे की ज़रूरत है।
maataa ko paise kii zaruurat hai.
'Mother needs money.' (Literally: 'Mother has a need in money.')
d) को ko is also used to mark times of the day, days of the week, dates, etc.
Ex: रात को raat ko 'at night'
इतवार को itvaar ko 'on Sunday'
ने
This postposition is attached to the subject of a sentence if the predicate is has a transitive verb in one of the Perfect Tenses. The subject in this case takes the oblique form.
Ex: मैं ने यह कहानी सुनी।
maiN ne yeh kahaanii sunii.
'I have heard this story.'
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