A Door Into Hindi: Lesson 17

17.1 Future Constructions

17.2 Presumptive

17.3 "Maybe" with Subjunctive

17.4 Seasons and Weather

17.5 Compound Verbs

17.6 Perspiration

17.7 Adjective Doubling

Culture Notes

Exercises

Quiz

Supplemental Materials

Devanagari Writing System

Digital Dictionaries

Other Resources

17.5	Compound Verbs

At this point you do not need to know how to use compound verbs. However you do need to be able to recognize them because native speakers use them all the time.

A compound verb is made up of two verbs. The first verb appears in root form. The second verb is conjugated normally. The primary meaning is carried by the first verb. The second verb adds a shade of meaning to the first verb.

The first verb can be any verb.

The second verb is usually जाना, देना, लेना, or आना, but you may encounter others.

For example:

आ जाओ ।	Come (here).
हम जल्दी सो जाते हैं ।	We go to sleep early.
मैं समझा दूँगा ।	I will explain.

Sometimes both verbs in the compound can be the same:

दे दो ।	Give (me) …
ले लीजिये ।	Please take...

See Snell's Teach Yourself Hindi (2000)
Section 12.4