Awadhi grammar, step by step
A guided tour through Awadhi grammar with glossed examples that show how each piece of a sentence fits together.
Grammar Walkthrough
Discover how the language works through examples
Awadhi is the language of the Ramcharitmanas — and its grammar is close to Hindi but distinctive: the first person says हम (ham), not मैं (maiṃ), and the habitual verb takes -at where Hindi takes -tā.
The verb comes last
SOV word orderWhere is the verb in each sentence? What sits between the subject and the verb?
Awadhi, like Hindi and other Indo-Aryan languages, is Subject–Object–Verb. The verb always comes at the end. The object sits between subject and verb — the mirror image of English.
"Ham" — not "maiṃ"
ham: 1SG pronoun| Person | Awadhi | Hindi (for contrast) | Auxiliary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1SG (I) | हम (ham) | मैं (maiṃ) | हौं (haũ) |
| 2SG | तू (tū) | तू (tū) | हस / है |
| 3SG | ऊ / वो (ū/vo) | वह (vah) | हैं (haiṃ) |
| 1PL (we) | हम सब | हम (ham) | हौं |
Hindi speakers say मैं (maiṃ) for "I." Awadhi uses a different word. What is it, and how does it change the auxiliary verb that follows?
In Awadhi, the first-person singular pronoun is हम (ham), not मैं (maiṃ). This word is also "we" in standard Hindi, but in Awadhi हम is the standard singular "I." The auxiliary for first person is हौं (haũ), not हूँ (hūṃ).
The habitual participle: -at
habitual participle -atIn Hindi, habitual verbs end in -tā (masculine) or -tī (feminine). In Awadhi, the ending is different. Compare बोलत and Hindi बोलता — what changed?
Awadhi forms the habitual participle with -at (बोलत), not -tā/-tī as in Hindi. Importantly, -at does NOT inflect for gender — it is the same for both masculine and feminine speakers. Gender is expressed separately, mainly in the past perfective.
Relationship words come after
postpositionsIn English, we say "in Awadh" — the relationship word comes first. Where does it appear in Awadhi?
Awadhi uses postpositions — relationship words come AFTER the noun. The noun shifts to its oblique form before a postposition. The postpositions are similar to Hindi: में (in), पर (on/at), को (to/for), से (from/with).
Gender shows in the past
gender in verbsThe habitual participle (-at) does not change for gender. But in example 2 and 3, the past forms differ for a male and female speaker. What changes?
Awadhi habitual present (-at) is gender-neutral. But the past perfective participle inflects for gender: -ā for masculine, -ī for feminine. The gender shows when the action is completed.
Future with -b: a distinctive ending
tense: present / past / future -b| Tense | Awadhi form | Hindi equivalent | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present habitual | बोलत हौं | बोलता हूँ | I speak |
| Past | बोलिस / बोला | बोला / बोली | I/he spoke |
| Future | बोलब | बोलूँगा / बोलेगा | I/he will speak |
Awadhi forms the future differently from Hindi. Hindi uses -gā/-gī. Awadhi uses a different suffix. What is it?
Awadhi forms the future tense with the suffix -b directly on the verb stem: बोलब (bolaba = I/he will speak). This -b future is one of the most distinctive features of Eastern Hindi languages including Awadhi, Bhojpuri, and Maithili. Hindi uses -gā/-gī instead.
Saying no
negationWhere does the negation word appear relative to the verb? Is it before or after?
Awadhi negates with नाहीं (nāhīṃ) or ना (nā) placed before the verb — the same position as Hindi. In the imperative, मत (mat) is used.
Asking questions
questionsHow does Awadhi form a yes/no question? Where does the question word appear in an information question?
Yes/no questions are often formed with rising intonation, or with the particle का (kā) at the start. Information question words appear in-situ — in the same position as the answer would.
Three levels of respect
honorific pronounsAwadhi has three pronouns for "you." Each triggers different verb forms. What is the difference between them?
Like Hindi, Awadhi has three levels of "you": तू (tū — intimate/rude), तुम (tum — casual), and आप (āp — formal/respectful). Each carries different verb agreement. आप is the safe default with anyone unfamiliar.
Nouns change before postpositions
oblique caseCompare the noun लड़का (boy) standing alone with its form before a postposition. What changed?
Like Hindi, Awadhi nouns take an oblique form before postpositions. Masculine nouns ending in -ā change to -e (लड़का → लड़के before को). This oblique shift signals "a postposition is coming."
The completed-action twist
ergative ने in transitive pastIn the habitual present, हम is the subject and the verb agrees with it. In the completed transitive past, something is added after हम, and the verb agrees with the object. What changed?
Awadhi, like Hindi, has split ergativity in the transitive perfective: the subject takes the postposition ने (ne) and the verb agrees with the object instead. This flip only happens in completed transitive sentences.
Is it happening now?
aspectCompare the three sentences. The verb root is the same each time. What element changes to show whether the action is happening now, or is completed?
Awadhi marks aspect with separate words between the verb stem and the auxiliary. रहा/रही marks an action ongoing right now; चुका/चुकी marks a completed action.
Wanting and being able
infinitive + modalsEach sentence expresses "want to speak" or "can speak." One verb is conjugated; the other ends in -e or -ब. Which is which?
Awadhi uses the infinitive (verb stem + -e or -nā) with modal verbs. चाहब (want) and सकब (can) follow the infinitive. The modal conjugates for person and tense; the main verb stays as an infinitive.
Possession and "having"
possessionThe possessive (my/your/his) changes form in each example. And in example 3, there is no verb for "have." How is "I have" expressed?
Awadhi possessives agree with the possessed noun in gender and case: मोर/मोरे/मोरी (my.M/my.M.OBL/my.F). To express "I have," Awadhi says "हमरे पास" (near me) + noun + है — the same "near-me" construction as Hindi.
The full picture
putting it togetherHow many grammar patterns from earlier steps can you identify in these sentences?
Awadhi grammar is SOV structure + हम for "I" + the -at habitual participle + -b future — all working together as a system distinct from Hindi, even though the two languages are close cousins.