Learning Hindi can be a fascinating journey, especially for English speakers. The language is rich with culture, history, and a variety of expressions that add depth to everyday communication. One of the fundamental aspects of mastering Hindi is understanding how to convey actions correctly. In this article, we’ll dive deep into the nuances of two essential verbs: करना (karna) and किया (kiya). These verbs translate to “to do” and “did” in English, respectively. By the end of this guide, you’ll have a clearer understanding of how to use these verbs accurately in your Hindi conversations.
Understanding करना (karna) – To Do
In Hindi, the verb करना (karna) plays a crucial role in constructing sentences that involve actions. It is the infinitive form of the verb “to do” and is used in various tenses and grammatical structures.
Present Tense
To talk about actions that are currently happening or habitual actions, you use करना (karna) in the present tense. Here’s how it changes depending on the subject:
– मैं करता हूँ / करती हूँ (Main karta hoon / karti hoon) – I do (male/female)
– तुम करते हो / करती हो (Tum karte ho / karti ho) – You do (informal, male/female)
– आप करते हैं / करती हैं (Aap karte hain / karti hain) – You do (formal, male/female)
– वह/यह करता है / करती है (Woh/yeh karta hai / karti hai) – He/She/It does
– हम करते हैं / करती हैं (Hum karte hain / karti hain) – We do
– वे/ये करते हैं / करती हैं (Ve/ye karte hain / karti hain) – They do
For example:
– मैं पढ़ाई करता हूँ। (Main padhai karta hoon.) – I study.
– तुम खाना बनाते हो। (Tum khana banate ho.) – You cook.
Future Tense
To express an action that will happen in the future, करना (karna) is conjugated into the future tense. Here’s how it looks:
– मैं करूंगा / करूंगी (Main karoonga / karoongi) – I will do (male/female)
– तुम करोगे / करोगी (Tum karoge / karogi) – You will do (informal, male/female)
– आप करेंगे / करेंगी (Aap karenge / karengi) – You will do (formal, male/female)
– वह/यह करेगा / करेगी (Woh/yeh karega / karegi) – He/She/It will do
– हम करेंगे / करेंगी (Hum karenge / karengi) – We will do
– वे/ये करेंगे / करेंगी (Ve/ye karenge / karengi) – They will do
For example:
– मैं कल काम करूंगा। (Main kal kaam karoonga.) – I will work tomorrow.
– वे पार्टी करेंगे। (Ve party karenge.) – They will party.
Understanding किया (kiya) – Did
The verb किया (kiya) is the past tense form of करना (karna), which means “did.” It is used to describe actions that have already been completed.
Past Tense
To form sentences in the past tense, करना (karna) is conjugated as किया (kiya) for masculine singular subjects, and की (ki) for feminine singular subjects. For plural subjects, the forms are किए (kiye) for masculine and कीं (keen) for feminine.
– मैंने किया / की (Maine kiya / ki) – I did (male/female)
– तुमने किया / की (Tumne kiya / ki) – You did (informal, male/female)
– आपने किया / की (Aapne kiya / ki) – You did (formal, male/female)
– उसने/इसने किया / की (Usne/isne kiya / ki) – He/She/It did
– हमने किए / कीं (Humne kiye / keen) – We did (male/female)
– उन्होंने/इन्होंने किए / कीं (Unhone/inone kiye / keen) – They did (male/female)
For example:
– मैंने होमवर्क किया। (Maine homework kiya.) – I did the homework.
– उसने खाना खाया। (Usne khana khaya.) – He/She ate food.
Perfect Tense
In Hindi, the perfect tense is often used to emphasize the completion of an action. The structure involves the subject followed by the verb करना (karna) in its past participle form (किया/की/किए/कीं) and an auxiliary verb.
For example:
– मैंने काम किया है। (Maine kaam kiya hai.) – I have done the work.
– उसने पढ़ाई की है। (Usne padhai ki hai.) – He/She has studied.
Contextual Usage
Understanding the grammatical rules is essential, but so is grasping the context in which these verbs are used. Both करना (karna) and किया (kiya) can appear in idiomatic expressions and compound verbs, adding layers of meaning to your sentences.
Idiomatic Expressions
Here are a few common idiomatic expressions that use करना (karna):
– ध्यान करना (Dhyan karna) – To meditate/pay attention
– महसूस करना (Mehsoos karna) – To feel
– कोशिश करना (Koshish karna) – To try
And with किया (kiya):
– फैसला किया (Faisla kiya) – Decided
– शुरू किया (Shuru kiya) – Started
– बंद किया (Band kiya) – Stopped
For example:
– उसने ध्यान किया। (Usne dhyan kiya.) – He/She meditated.
– मैंने कोशिश की। (Maine koshish ki.) – I tried.
Compound Verbs
In Hindi, compound verbs are used to convey more nuanced actions. These involve the main verb followed by करना (karna) or its past tense form किया (kiya).
For example:
– साफ करना (Saaf karna) – To clean
– साफ किया (Saaf kiya) – Cleaned
– शुरू करना (Shuru karna) – To start
– शुरू किया (Shuru kiya) – Started
For example:
– मैंने कमरा साफ किया। (Maine kamra saaf kiya.) – I cleaned the room.
– उसने प्रोजेक्ट शुरू किया। (Usne project shuru kiya.) – He/She started the project.
Practical Exercises
To cement your understanding of करना (karna) and किया (kiya), here are some practical exercises:
Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks
1. मैं सुबह 6 बजे उठकर योग __________। (Main subah 6 baje uthkar yoga __________.)
2. तुमने कल क्या __________? (Tumne kal kya __________?)
3. हम अगले हफ्ते यात्रा __________। (Hum agle hafte yatra __________.)
4. उसने खाना __________ है। (Usne khana __________ hai.)
Answers:
1. करता हूँ (karta hoon) / करती हूँ (karti hoon)
2. किया (kiya)
3. करेंगे (karenge)
4. खाया (khaya)
Exercise 2: Translate the Sentences
1. I will do my homework tomorrow.
2. She has cleaned the house.
3. They tried to solve the problem.
4. We are cooking dinner.
Answers:
1. मैं कल होमवर्क करूंगा। (Main kal homework karoonga.)
2. उसने घर साफ किया है। (Usne ghar saaf kiya hai.)
3. उन्होंने समस्या हल करने की कोशिश की। (Unhone samasya hal karne ki koshish ki.)
4. हम रात का खाना बना रहे हैं। (Hum raat ka khana bana rahe hain.)
Common Mistakes to Avoid
When learning a new language, it’s natural to make mistakes. Here are some common pitfalls to watch out for when using करना (karna) and किया (kiya):
Gender Agreement
In Hindi, verbs must agree with the gender of the subject. This is a common area where learners make mistakes. For example:
– Incorrect: मैं काम की। (Main kaam ki.) – I did the work (female speaker)
– Correct: मैंने काम किया। (Maine kaam kiya.)
Tense Confusion
Beginners often confuse the present and past tense forms. Remember that करना (karna) is used for the present and future tenses, while किया (kiya) is used for past actions.
Using Auxiliary Verbs
In perfect tenses, forgetting the auxiliary verb can lead to incomplete sentences. For example:
– Incorrect: मैंने काम किया। (Maine kaam kiya.) – I have done the work
– Correct: मैंने काम किया है। (Maine kaam kiya hai.)
Conclusion
Mastering the verbs करना (karna) and किया (kiya) is vital for anyone learning Hindi. They form the backbone of many sentences and convey essential actions in various tenses. By understanding their forms, contexts, and common mistakes, you’ll be well on your way to fluent Hindi communication. Keep practicing, and soon you’ll find yourself using these verbs with ease and confidence. Happy learning!
