Demonstratives: this, that, these, those
संकेतवाचक सर्वनाम: यह, वह, ये, वे
English demonstratives split along two dimensions at once — near versus far, and singular versus plural — and Hindi actually makes the very same split on its own pointing-words, though it adds a further twist once a postposition gets involved.
Grammar Comparison
Grammar Comparison
Hindi also changes the pointing-word itself for number, just like English
this book / these books (near, singular vs. plural) — a different word for each
यह किताब / ये किताबें — यह itself becomes ये for the plural, not just the noun
Hindi यह ('this') becomes ये ('these') in the plural, and वह ('that') becomes वे ('those') — so, unlike many languages where the pointing-word stays frozen and only the noun shows plurality, Hindi doubles up on the plural marking exactly the way English does with this→these and that→those. That instinct transfers directly: just map यह→this, ये→these, वह→that, वे→those, and the near/far and singular/plural logic will already feel familiar.
A twist: यह/वह shift to इस/उस before a postposition
in this book (the demonstrative itself changes shape once a relation-word follows)
इस किताब में — यह becomes इस (never *यह में)
Where English keeps 'this' looking identical in 'this book' and 'in this book', Hindi's यह quietly changes to its oblique form इस the moment any postposition (में, पर, से, को) follows — and वह likewise becomes उस. The plural versions do the same: ये becomes इन, वे becomes उन. This oblique shift has no counterpart in English at all, so it's worth drilling separately from the this/that vocabulary itself.
Vocabulary
Vocabulary
- Hindi (English explanations)
- यह किताबyah kitāb
- Hindi (English explanations)
- ये किताबेंye kitābeñ
- Hindi (English explanations)
- वह घरvah ghar
- Hindi (English explanations)
- वे घरve ghar