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Lesson 36B1

Gerunds vs. Infinitives

-ing रूप बनाम to + क्रिया

After certain verbs, English demands the -ing form; after others, it demands 'to' plus the verb — a split Hindi doesn't make at all, since Hindi's own verbal-noun form (the -ना infinitive, like तैरना) stays exactly the same no matter which verb precedes it.

Grammar Comparison

Grammar Comparison

Memorize per-verb, since there's no reliable rule

English

I enjoy swimming. (enjoy + -ing) vs. I want to swim. (want + to + verb)

Hindi (English explanations)

मुझे तैरना पसंद है। / मैं तैरना चाहता हूँ। (तैरना एक ही रूप में रहता है, चाहे आगे कोई भी क्रिया आए)

Hindi doesn't split the verb form this way — तैरना ('to swim'/'swimming') stays exactly the same whether the surrounding verb is पसंद है ('enjoy') or चाहता हूँ ('want'). English forces a binary lexical choice after certain verbs: enjoy, avoid, and finish take -ing, while want, decide, and hope take to + verb — and unfortunately this choice has to be memorized verb by verb, since no consistent underlying logic predicts it the way Hindi's single uniform -ना form does. Build a running list as you meet each new verb, rather than searching for a rule that explains all of them at once.

Vocabulary

Vocabulary

I enjoy swimming.eye en-JOY SWIM-ing
Hindi (English explanations)
मुझे तैरना पसंद है।mujhe tairnā pasand hai.
I want to swim.eye wont too swim
Hindi (English explanations)
मैं तैरना चाहता हूँ।maiñ tairnā cāhtā hūñ.
She finished cooking.shee FIN-isht KOOK-ing
Hindi (English explanations)
उसने खाना बनाना ख़त्म किया।usne khānā banānā khatm kiyā.
He decided to leave.hee di-SY-did too leev
Hindi (English explanations)
उसने जाने का फ़ैसला किया।usne jāne kā faislā kiyā.