3.6 Apostrophe “S” (‘s) in Hindi

Apostrophe “S” Video

Instructor Video: Apostrophe s (‘s)

In Hindi, genitive case/apostrophe s (‘s) is expressed by a postposition का (kaa). In English, we can say “car of Ram,” and “Ram’s car” which mean the same thing. In Hindi, phrase like “car of Ram” is not possible. Hence, phrase like “Ram’s car” is used to express both kinds of phrases.

The postposition का (kaa) comes after nouns/pronouns, and it changes them from nouns to adjectives. का also changes its form according to number and gender of the following noun.

For examples:

• राम का घर (m.) = Ram’s home/ home of Ram
• राम की गाड़ी (f.) = Ram’s car/ car of Ram
• राम के दोस्त (plu.) = Ram’s friends/ friends of Ram
• सीता का कमरा (m.) = Sita’s room/ room of Sita
• सीता की किताब (f.) = Sita’s book/ book of Sita
• सीता के बच्चे (plu.) = Sita’s children/ children of Sita

When का comes after a noun/pronoun then that noun/pronoun changes in oblique case (see chapter 4 for oblique case in details).

For examples

• लड़के का भाई (m.) = boy’s brother/ brother of a boy
• लड़के की बहन (f.) = boy’s sister/ sister of a boy
• लड़के के कपड़े (plu.) boy’s clothes/ clothes of a boy
• कमरे का दरवाज़ा (m.) = room’s door/ door of a room
• कमरे की खिड़की (f.) = room’s window/ window of a room
• कमरे के परदे (plu.) = room’s curtains/ curtains of a room

Note: In above examples, लड़के and कमरे are in oblique form. They are not in the plural form, although the oblique and plural form of लड़का and कमरा look alike.

Activity

Please fill in the blanks with the correct form of का.

Pronouns with का/की/के

Possessive pronoun/adjective is formed by adding का/की/के with personal pronouns. These pronouns change in oblique forms as shown in a table below.

Test Yourself

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