To Be, To Have and To Go: Three Core Verbs in English and Hindi

Three verbs carry a huge share of everyday speech: be, have and go. English and Hindi handle each differently.

To be: होना

Hindi uses है / हैं / हूँ / हो:

Person	Hindi	English
I	मैं हूँ	I am
you (informal)	तुम हो	you are
you (respectful)	आप हैं	you are
he / she / it	वह है	he/she/it is
we	हम हैं	we are
they	वे हैं	they are

Examples: मैं छात्र हूँ। (I am a student.) वह डॉक्टर है। (She/he is a doctor.)

To have: no single verb

Hindi expresses possession with के पास ("near") or को ("to"):

• I have a book. — मेरे पास एक किताब है।
• She has two brothers. — उसके दो भाई हैं।
• I have a fever. — मुझे बुखार है।
• Do you have time? — क्या आपके पास समय है?

Literal translation: "Near me there is a book." Once you get used to it, the pattern feels natural.

To go: जाना

जाना changes for gender and tense:

• I go. — मैं जाता हूँ। (masculine) / मैं जाती हूँ। (feminine)
• I went. — मैं गया। / मैं गई।
• I will go. — मैं जाऊँगा। / मैं जाऊँगी।

Notice that the verb agrees with the speaker's gender, which English never does.

Compare the patterns

English	Hindi pattern
I am tired.	मैं थका हुआ हूँ।
I have a car.	मेरे पास गाड़ी है।
I go to school.	मैं स्कूल जाता हूँ।

Tips

1. Practise possession with मेरे पास.
2. Learn the gender endings of जाना.
3. Check verbs in the dictionary to see forms and examples.

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