Sentence Order: SVO in English, SOV in Hindi

One of the biggest structural differences between English and Hindi is where the verb goes. Understanding it helps you both read and write.

The core difference

• English: Subject – Verb – Object (SVO)
• Hindi: Subject – Object – Verb (SOV)

English	Hindi
Ram eats an apple.	राम सेब खाता है।
She reads a book.	वह किताब पढ़ती है।
We watch television.	हम टीवी देखते हैं।

The verb (खाता है, पढ़ती है, देखते हैं) comes at the end.

Other elements

Time and place words usually come before the verb in both languages, but in different places:

• I go to school every day. — मैं रोज़ स्कूल जाता हूँ।
• He lives in Delhi. — वह दिल्ली में रहता है।

Questions

Hindi often marks a yes/no question with क्या at the start:

• Do you like tea? — क्या आपको चाय पसंद है?
• Where do you live? — आप कहाँ रहते हैं?

English changes the word order or adds do; Hindi mostly just adds क्या or a question word.

Negatives

Hindi puts नहीं before the verb:

• I do not go. — मैं नहीं जाता।
• She does not eat meat. — वह माँस नहीं खाती।

Translating chunk by chunk

1. Find the verb at the end of a Hindi sentence.
2. Find the subject at the start.
3. Place the middle parts (object, time, place) in English order.
4. Adjust for articles and tense.

Example: कल मैं अपने दोस्त के साथ बाज़ार गया।

• Subject: मैं (I)
• Time: कल (yesterday)
• With: अपने दोस्त के साथ (with my friend)
• Place: बाज़ार (to the market)
• Verb: गया (went)

→ Yesterday I went to the market with my friend.

Tips

1. Read Hindi sentences from the end to find the verb first.
2. Practise rewriting short sentences in both orders.
3. Use the dictionary for words you can't place.

Look up any word with English Hindi Dictionary →