Lesson 18A2

Present Continuous

वर्तमान निरंतर काल (Present Continuous)

English distinguishes 'what's happening right now' from 'what happens generally' with two entirely different verb forms — a distinction Hindi also makes, through its own रहा/रही/रहे + है construction.

Grammar Comparison

am/is/are + -ing ≈ verb stem + रहा/रही/रहे + है/हैं/हो

English

I am eating. (right now) vs. I eat rice every day. (a general habit)

Hindi (English explanations)

मैं खा रहा हूँ। (right now) बनाम मैं रोज़ चावल खाता हूँ। (a general habit)

Hindi marks this exact same split, and in a structurally similar way: the continuous action takes the main verb's stem plus रहा/रही/रहे (agreeing with the subject's gender and number) plus है/हैं/हो (agreeing with person, and carrying the tense) — मैं खा रहा हूँ, literally 'I eating am-continuing am'. English builds its version with be (am/is/are) plus the verb's -ing form, but places the 'be' piece first instead of last: I am eating, not eating am. One extra wrinkle for Hindi speakers: English -ing never changes for gender, unlike रहा/रही/रहे, so 'he is eating' and 'she is eating' use the identical is eating in English even though Hindi would switch रहा to रही.

Vocabulary

I am eating.eye am EE-ting

Hindi (English explanations): मैं खा रहा हूँ।maiñ khā rahā hūñ.

She is reading.shee iz REE-ding

Hindi (English explanations): वह पढ़ रही है।vah paṛh rahī hai.

They are playing.thay ar PLAY-ing

Hindi (English explanations): वे खेल रहे हैं।ve khel rahe haiñ.

What are you doing?wut ar yoo DOO-ing

Hindi (English explanations): तुम क्या कर रहे हो?tum kyā kar rahe ho?

English	Pronunciation	Hindi (English explanations)
I am eating.	eye am EE-ting	मैं खा रहा हूँ।maiñ khā rahā hūñ.
She is reading.	shee iz REE-ding	वह पढ़ रही है।vah paṛh rahī hai.
They are playing.	thay ar PLAY-ing	वे खेल रहे हैं।ve khel rahe haiñ.
What are you doing?	wut ar yoo DOO-ing	तुम क्या कर रहे हो?tum kyā kar rahe ho?

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