Postpositions & the Oblique Case

01

Masculine Nouns in the Oblique Case

The most common change occurs with masculine nouns that end in -ā. In the singular oblique case, the final -ā changes to -e.

• Direct: लड़का (laṛkālarka) - boy → Oblique: लड़के (laṛkelarke)
• Direct: कमरा (kamrākamra) - room → Oblique: कमरे (kamre)
• Direct: बेटा (beṭābeṭa) - son → Oblique: बेटे (beṭe)

• लड़का कमरे में है।

  laṛkā kamre mẽ hai.larka kamre mẽ hai.

  The boy is in the room.

• पिता जी बेटे से बात करते हैं।

  pitā jī beṭe se bāt karte ha͠i.pita ji beṭe se bat karte hain.

  The father talks to the son.

Masculine nouns that do not end in -ā (such as those ending in consonants, -ī, or -ū) do not change their form in the singular oblique case.

• Direct: घर (ghar) - house → Oblique: घर (ghar)
• Direct: भाई (bhāībhai) - brother → Oblique: भाई (bhāībhai)
• Direct: दोस्त (dost) - friend → Oblique: दोस्त (dost)

• वह घर पर है।

  vah ghar par hai.wah ghar par hai.

  He is at home.

• मैं दोस्त के साथ हूँ।

  ma͠i dost ke sāth hū̃.main dost ke sath hun.

  I am with a friend.

02

Feminine Nouns in the Oblique Case

Feminine nouns never change form in the singular oblique case, regardless of their ending.

• Direct: मेज़ (mez) - table → Oblique: मेज़ (mez)
• Direct: लड़की (laṛkīlarki) - girl → Oblique: लड़की (laṛkīlarki)
• Direct: माता (mātāmata) - mother → Oblique: माता (mātāmata)

• किताब मेज़ पर है।

  kitāb mez par hai.kitab mez par hai.

  The book is on the table.

• लड़की को पानी दो।

  laṛkī ko pānī do.larki ko pani do.

  Give water to the girl.

03

Plural Nouns in the Oblique Case

When a noun is plural and followed by a postposition, it takes a specific ending: -oṃ. This rule applies to all nouns, regardless of gender or their original ending.

• Masculine Plural: लड़के (laṛkelarke) - boys → Oblique: लड़कों (laṛkõlarkõ)
• Feminine Plural: लड़कियाँ (laṛkiyā̃larkiyan) - girls → Oblique: लड़कियों (laṛkiyõlarkiyõ)
• Masculine Plural: घर (ghar) - houses → Oblique: घरों (gharõ)

• लड़कों से पूछो।

  laṛkõ se pūcho.larkõ se puchho.

  Ask the boys.

• इन किताबों में बहुत ज्ञान है।

  in kitābõ mẽ bahut jñān hai.in kitabõ mẽ bahut jnan hai.

  There is much knowledge in these books.

04

Pronouns in the Oblique Case

Pronouns also change form when followed by a postposition. These changes are irregular and must be memorized.

Singular Pronouns

• मैं (ma͠imain) - I → मुझ (mujh)
• तू (tūtu) - you [intimate] → तुझ (tujh)
• यह (yah) - this/he/she → इस (is)
• वह (vahwah) - that/he/she → उस (us)
• कौन (kaun) - who → किस (kis)
• क्या (kyākya) - what → किस (kis)

Plural Pronouns

• हम (ham) - we → हम (ham) [No change]
• तुम (tum) - you [informal] → तुम (tum) [No change]
• आप (āpap) - you [formal] → आप (āpap) [No change]
• ये (ye) - these/they → इन (in)
• वे (vewe) - those/they → उन (un)
• कौन (kaun) - who [plural] → किन (kin)

• मुझ पर भरोसा करो।

  mujh par bharosā karo.mujh par bharosa karo.

  Trust me. (literally: me on trust do)

• उस को बुलाओ।

  us ko bulāo.us ko bulao.

  Call him/her.

• उन से बात मत करो।

  un se bāt mat karo.un se bat mat karo.

  Do not talk to them.

05

Adjectives and the Oblique Case

If a noun is in the oblique case, any adjective modifying that noun must also be in the oblique case. This primarily affects adjectives ending in -ā, which change to -e. Adjectives ending in other letters usually do not change.

• बड़ा कमरा (baṛā kamrābara kamra) - big room → बड़े कमरे में (baṛe kamre mẽbare kamre mẽ) - in the big room
• अच्छा लड़का (acchā laṛkāachchha larka) - good boy → अच्छे लड़के को (acche laṛke koachchhe larke ko) - to the good boy

Possessive adjectives (my, your, his, her) follow the same rule.

• मेरा बेटा (merā beṭāmera beṭa) - my son → मेरे बेटे के साथ (mere beṭe ke sāthmere beṭe ke sath) - with my son

• छोटे बच्चे को दूध चाहिए।

  choṭe bacce ko dūdh cāhie.chhoṭe bachche ko dudh chahie.

  The small child needs milk.

• अपने गंदे जूतों को बाहर उतारो।

  apne gande jūtõ ko bāhar utāro.apne gande jutõ ko bahar utaro.

  Take off your dirty shoes outside.