Bengali Case Endings: -ke, -er, -e and Postpositions Explained

English uses word order and prepositions to show who does what to whom. Bengali uses short endings attached to nouns, along with postpositions that follow them.

The main endings

• Subject (nominative): no ending. রাম যায় (Ram jay), "Ram goes".
• Object (objective): -কে (-ke), for people and definite objects. রামকে দেখলাম (Ramke dekhlam), "I saw Ram".
• Possession (genitive): -র / -এর (-r / -er). রামের বই (Ramer boi), "Ram's book".
• Location (locative): -এ / -তে (-e / -te). বাড়িতে (barite), "at home"; ঢাকায় (Dhakay), "in Dhaka".

Pronoun forms

Pronouns have their own forms:

• আমি → আমাকে (amake, me) → আমার (amar, my)
• তুমি → তোমাকে (tomake, you) → তোমার (tomar, your)
• সে → তাকে (take, him/her) → তার (tar, his/her)
• আমরা → আমাদের (amader, us/our)

Postpositions

Postpositions follow the noun, sometimes with a genitive ending:

• থেকে (theke) — from: বাড়ি থেকে (from home)
• দিয়ে (diye) — with, by means of: কলম দিয়ে (with a pen)
• জন্য (jonno) — for: তোমার জন্য (for you)
• সঙ্গে (shonge) — with (company): বন্ধুর সঙ্গে (with a friend)
• আগে / পরে (age / pore) — before / after: খাওয়ার আগে (before eating)

Choosing -এ or -তে

For words ending in a consonant, use -ে (as in ঘরে, ghore). For words ending in a vowel, use -তে (as in বাড়িতে, barite). There are exceptions, but this covers most cases.

Why the object ending is optional

For inanimate, indefinite objects, -কে is often dropped: আমি বই কিনলাম (ami boi kinlam), "I bought a book". Use -কে for people and specific objects: আমি বইটাকে খুঁজছি (ami boitake khunjchi), "I am looking for the book".

Plural forms

Plurals combine with endings: ছেলেদের (chheleder, of the boys), বইগুলোতে (boigulote, in the books).

A common learner mistake

Learners often translate English prepositions directly. Instead, think: what is the relationship (possessor, location, source, instrument)? Then pick the ending or postposition.

Practice

1. Take ten nouns and add each of the four endings.
2. Write sentences using থেকে, দিয়ে and জন্য.
3. Read short Bengali sentences and identify each ending.
4. Look up unfamiliar nouns for their forms.

Look up nouns and pronouns with English Bangla Dictionary →