A Door Into Hindi: Lesson 6

2. Special dative forms

3. Dative constructions

4. The Infinitive as a Noun

Culture Notes

Supplemental Materials

Devanagari Writing System

Digital Dictionaries

Other Resources

6.4	The Infinitive as a Noun

The infinite form of the verb can function like a masculine Type I noun, where it becomes a "gerund" or a verbal noun (e.g. singing, walking, buying):

मुझे गाना पसंद है।	I like singing.
जल्दी खाना अच्छा नहीं है।	Eating quickly is not good.

When the infinitive is followed by a postposition, it must change into oblique.

आप से मिलने के बाद ---	"After meeting you"
तुम को देखने में ---	"In seeing you"
घूमने के िलये यह जगह अच्छी है।	This place is good for walking.
खाना खाने के बाद हम पानी पीते हैं।	After eating food we drink water.

See Snell's Teach Yourself Hindi (2000)
Section 9.6 page 118