The Pronouns (सर्वनाम)
What are Pronouns? (Pronouns की परिभाषा)
Pronouns are words that we use instead of nouns. They help avoid repeating the same nouns over and over. For example, instead of saying “Rita likes Rita’s cat,” we say “She likes her cat.” This makes our sentences smoother and easier to read.
हिंदी में: Pronouns वे शब्द होते हैं जो noun के स्थान पर प्रयोग होते हैं। ये भाषा को सरल और दोहराव से मुक्त बनाते हैं।
Definition (विस्तृत परिभाषा)
A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun in a sentence. Instead of repeating a name or object, we can use pronouns to make our speech and writing simpler and more natural. Pronouns come in many forms—such as I, you, he, she, it, we, they—and are used depending on the gender, number, and role in the sentence (subject, object, possession, etc.).
हिंदी में: Pronoun वह शब्द है जो वाक्य में noun के स्थान पर आता है। यह वाक्य को संक्षिप्त और स्पष्ट बनाता है।
Types of Pronouns (Pronouns के प्रकार)
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Personal Pronouns (व्यक्तिगत सर्वनाम):
Personal pronouns replace specific people or things and show the speaker (first person), the listener (second person), or others being discussed (third person). They change with number and sometimes gender. Using them avoids repetition and makes sentences smoother. Examples below include all six: I, you, he, she, we, they.
- I: I am studying for the test. (मैं परीक्षा की तैयारी कर रहा/रही हूँ।)
- You: You are a helpful friend. (तुम एक सहायक मित्र हो।)
- He: He plays cricket daily. (वह रोज़ क्रिकेट खेलता है।)
- She: She writes beautifully. (वह सुंदर लिखती है।)
- We: We live in Delhi. (हम दिल्ली में रहते हैं।)
- They: They are at school now. (वे अभी स्कूल में हैं।)
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Possessive Pronouns (अधिकार दर्शाने वाले सर्वनाम):
Possessive pronouns show ownership and replace longer noun phrases to prevent repetition. They stand alone and do not take nouns after them (unlike possessive adjectives). Matching each personal pronoun are forms like mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs. Examples below connect I, you, he, she, we, they to their possessives.
- I → mine: This notebook is mine. (यह कॉपी मेरी है।)
- You → yours: The seat by the window is yours. (खिड़की वाली सीट तुम्हारी है।)
- He → his: The blue helmet is his. (नीला हेलमेट उसका है।)
- She → hers: The idea was hers. (विचार उसका था।)
- We → ours: Victory is ours. (जीत हमारी है।)
- They → theirs: That car is theirs. (वह कार उनकी है।)
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Reflexive Pronouns (स्वयं को दर्शाने वाले सर्वनाम):
Reflexive pronouns reflect the action back to the subject, showing that the doer and receiver are the same. They are required after certain verbs or for emphasis. For our set: myself, yourself, himself, herself, ourselves, themselves map to I, you, he, she, we, they.
- I → myself: I taught myself to code. (मैंने खुद को कोडिंग सिखाई।)
- You → yourself: You should believe in yourself. (तुम्हें खुद पर विश्वास करना चाहिए।)
- He → himself: He introduced himself. (उसने खुद का परिचय दिया।)
- She → herself: She prepared herself for the exam. (उसने परीक्षा के लिए खुद को तैयार किया।)
- We → ourselves: We organized it ourselves. (हमने इसे खुद आयोजित किया।)
- They → themselves: They blamed themselves for the mistake. (उन्होंने गलती के लिए खुद को दोषी ठहराया।)
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Demonstrative Pronouns (संकेतक सर्वनाम):
Demonstrative pronouns (this, that, these, those) point to specific things and show distance in space or time: near vs. far; singular vs. plural. We can combine them with our personal pronouns in sentences to make meaning clear and natural, as shown below.
- I: I think this is correct. (मुझे लगता है यह सही है।)
- You: Can you pass that? (क्या वह दे सकते हो?)
- He: He bought these yesterday. (उसने ये कल खरीदे।)
- She: She prefers those. (उसे वे पसंद हैं।)
- We: We will choose this later. (हम यह बाद में चुनेंगे।)
- They: They returned those. (उन्होंने वे वापस कर दिए।)
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Relative Pronouns (संबंधबोधक सर्वनाम):
Relative pronouns (who, whom, which, whose, that) connect extra information to a noun, creating relative clauses. They help us describe people or things more precisely. Below, each sentence features I, you, he, she, we, they along with a relative pronoun.
- I: I know the girl who won. (मैं उस लड़की को जानता/जानती हूँ जिसने जीत हासिल की।)
- You: You met the author whom we invited. (तुम उस लेखक से मिले जिसे हमने बुलाया था।)
- He: He bought the phone which has 5G. (उसने वह फ़ोन लिया जो 5G वाला है।)
- She: She found the boy whose bag was lost. (उसे वह लड़का मिला जिसका बैग खो गया था।)
- We: We chose the book that you recommended. (हमने वह किताब चुनी जो आपने सुझाई।)
- They: They visited the museum which reopened. (उन्होंने वह संग्रहालय देखा जो फिर से खुला।)
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Interrogative Pronouns (प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम):
Interrogative pronouns (who, whom, which, what) are used to ask questions about people or things. They replace the unknown item we want to identify. Each example includes one of I, you, he, she, we, they to reinforce usage in natural questions.
- I: Who am I to judge? (मैं कौन होता/होती हूँ निर्णय करने वाला?)
- You: Which will you choose? (तुम कौन-सा चुनोगे?)
- He: Whom did he call? (उसने किसे फ़ोन किया?)
- She: What did she say? (उसने क्या कहा?)
- We: Which route should we take? (हम कौन-सा मार्ग लें?)
- They: Who are they waiting for? (वे किस का इंतज़ार कर रहे हैं?)
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Indefinite Pronouns (अनिश्चित सर्वनाम):
Indefinite pronouns (someone, anyone, everyone, nobody, etc.) refer to nonspecific people or things. They help when the exact identity is unknown or unimportant. Pairing them with I, you, he, she, we, they in full sentences builds fluency and clarity.
- I: I saw someone at the gate. (मैंने किसी को गेट पर देखा।)
- You: Can you ask anyone for help? (क्या तुम किसी से भी मदद माँग सकते हो?)
- He: He told everyone the news. (उसने सबको खबर दी।)
- She: She trusts nobody easily. (वह आसानी से किसी पर भी भरोसा नहीं करती।)
- We: We need something to write with. (हमें लिखने के लिए कुछ चाहिए।)
- They: They brought everything we asked. (वे सब कुछ ले आए।)
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Reciprocal Pronouns (परस्पर सर्वनाम):
Reciprocal pronouns (each other, one another) show mutual action or feeling between two or more people. Use them when subjects act both as doers and receivers. The examples include pairs and groups so that I, you, he, she, we, they are all represented naturally.
- You & I: You and I help each other with homework. (तुम और मैं एक-दूसरे की मदद करते हैं।)
- He & She: He and she respect each other. (वह और वह एक-दूसरे का सम्मान करते हैं।)
- We: We encourage one another in practice. (हम अभ्यास में एक-दूसरे को प्रोत्साहित करते हैं।)
- They (two people): They blamed each other for the error. (उन्होंने गलती के लिए एक-दूसरे को दोष दिया।)
- They (group): The teammates congratulated one another. (खिलाड़ियों ने एक-दूसरे को बधाई दी।)
हिंदी में: Pronouns के अनेक प्रकार होते हैं, जो उनके प्रयोग और उद्देश्य पर निर्भर करते हैं।
Rules and Tips (प्रमुख नियम और सुझाव)
- Always match the pronoun with its noun in number and gender.
- Use “it” for animals and objects.
- Use “they” when talking about more than one person or thing.
- Do not use double subjects like “Rita she is coming” — it’s incorrect.
- Reflexive pronouns should refer back to the subject (e.g., “He hurt himself.”).
Fill in the Blanks (रिक्त स्थान भरें)
- ________ is going to the market. (Ravi)
- I saw Tina and Rahul. I gave the book to ________.
- She cooked dinner by ________.
- This is my pen. That one is ________.
- ________ is knocking at the door? (question)
Answers:
- He
- Them
- Herself
- Yours
- Who
Explanation: Each blank uses a suitable pronoun that agrees with the noun it replaces. “He” replaces Ravi, “them” replaces Tina and Rahul, and so on.
Common Error Correction (सामान्य त्रुटियाँ)
-
Incorrect: Me went to the park.
Why incorrect: “Me” is an object pronoun, but here a subject pronoun is needed.
Correct: I went to the park. -
Incorrect: Him is playing football.
Why incorrect: “Him” is used as an object pronoun, but in this sentence it is the subject, so “He” should be used.
Correct: He is playing football. -
Incorrect: Myself am happy.
Why incorrect: “Myself” is a reflexive pronoun, which should not be used as the subject. Use “I” as the subject.
Correct: I am happy. -
Incorrect: She hurt himself.
Why incorrect: The reflexive pronoun must match the subject in gender and number. “She” requires “herself,” not “himself.”
Correct: She hurt herself.
Find the Error (त्रुटियाँ खोजें)
- Me is a good singer.
- They is going home now.
- He enjoyed myself a lot.
- It are raining heavily.
- That books is yours.
Answers with Detailed Explanation:
-
Incorrect: Me is a good singer.
Why incorrect: “Me” is an object pronoun, but here the subject position needs a subject pronoun.
Correct: I am a good singer. (यहाँ “I” सही है क्योंकि वाक्य का कर्ता है।) -
Incorrect: They is going home now.
Why incorrect: The subject “They” is plural, so the verb should also be plural. “Is” is singular, hence incorrect.
Correct: They are going home now. (Plural subject के साथ plural verb “are” का प्रयोग होगा।) -
Incorrect: He enjoyed myself a lot.
Why incorrect: The reflexive pronoun must agree with the subject. For “He,” the correct reflexive pronoun is “himself,” not “myself.”
Correct: He enjoyed himself a lot. (“Himself” का प्रयोग “He” के लिए होता है।) -
Incorrect: It are raining heavily.
Why incorrect: The subject “It” is singular, so the verb should also be singular. “Are” is plural, so it must be changed.
Correct: It is raining heavily. (Singular subject के साथ singular verb “is” होगा।) -
Incorrect: That books is yours.
Why incorrect: “That” is singular, so the noun following it should be singular. “Books” is plural here, so there’s a mismatch.
Correct: That book is yours. (Singular demonstrative के साथ singular noun का प्रयोग करना चाहिए।)
Match the Columns – Pronouns (6 Sets)
Instructions: For each set, match items in Column A with the correct options in Column B. Write your matching pairs (e.g., A1–B4) in your notebook.
Set 1: Personal Pronouns → Role/Meaning
| Column A | Column B |
|---|---|
| A1. I | B1. Female singular person spoken about |
| A2. You | B2. Group of people other than speaker/listener |
| A3. He | B3. Speaker + at least one other person |
| A4. She | B4. Male singular person spoken about |
| A5. We | B5. Second person (listener/reader) |
| A6. They | B6. First person singular (the speaker) |
Set 2: Possessive Pronouns → Ownership Statement
| Column A | Column B |
|---|---|
| A1. mine | B1. belongs to her |
| A2. yours | B2. belongs to them |
| A3. his | B3. belongs to you |
| A4. hers | B4. belongs to him |
| A5. ours | B5. belongs to us |
| A6. theirs | B6. belongs to me |
Set 3: Reflexive Pronouns → Matches Subject
| Column A | Column B |
|---|---|
| A1. myself | B1. they → ________ |
| A2. yourself | B2. she → ________ |
| A3. himself | B3. you (singular) → ________ |
| A4. herself | B4. I → ________ |
| A5. ourselves | B5. he → ________ |
| A6. themselves | B6. we → ________ |
Set 4: Demonstratives → Choose by Distance/Number
Match each sentence cue with the correct demonstrative pronoun.
| Column A (Sentence Cue) | Column B (Demonstrative) |
|---|---|
| A1. ______ is my pen (near, singular) | B1. those |
| A2. ______ are your friends (far, plural) | B2. this |
| A3. ______ is a beautiful photo (far, singular) | B3. these |
| A4. ______ are fresh mangoes (near, plural) | B4. that |
| A5. ______ was an unforgettable day (distant in time) | B5. these |
| A6. ______ is exactly what we need (immediate/near idea) | B6. this |
Set 5: Relative Pronouns → Best Use
| Column A | Column B |
|---|---|
| A1. who | B1. possession (person/thing) |
| A2. whom | B2. people (object case) |
| A3. whose | B3. people (subject case) |
| A4. which | B4. things/animals (non-human) |
| A5. that | B5. people or things (defining clause) |
| A6. whoever | B6. any person, unspecified (free relative) |
Set 6: Pronoun–Antecedent Agreement
Match each sentence with the correct pronoun that agrees in number and gender.
| Column A (Sentence) | Column B (Pronoun) |
|---|---|
| A1. Rahul forgot ______ notebook. | B1. their |
| A2. The players carried ______ trophies. | B2. his |
| A3. Riya and I finished ______ project. | B3. its |
| A4. The committee gave ______ decision. | B4. our |
| A5. Either Suman or her sisters will bring ______ tickets. | B5. their |
| A6. Every student must submit ______ assignment. | B6. his or her |
Passage Practice (अभ्यास गद्यांश)
Passage 1 : Tina is my best friend, and we have known each other for many years. She lives in Delhi with her family. I first met her in school during a cultural event, and since then we have shared countless memories together. We go to the park every evening to relax, play games, and talk about our day. She always brings her dog with her, and we both enjoy playing with it. The dog is very cute, playful, and friendly, often running around to entertain us. Spending time with Tina and her dog is the best part of my day.
Questions:
- Who is the main person mentioned in the passage?
- List all the pronouns used in the passage.
- Which pronoun is used for Tina’s dog?
- Which pronoun in the passage refers to both the speaker and Tina together?
Answers:
- The main person mentioned in the passage is Tina.
- Pronouns: my, we, she, her, I, it, us.
- The pronoun “it” is used for Tina’s dog.
- The pronoun “we” refers to both the speaker and Tina together.
Passage 2 : Rahul and I are classmates and have been studying together since the beginning of this school year. We make a great team because we share our knowledge and help each other improve. Every weekend, we meet either at my house or his to revise lessons and complete assignments. He helps me understand difficult math concepts patiently, and I help him learn and remember science topics better. Both of us enjoy this exchange of ideas because it not only improves our grades but also strengthens our friendship. Studying together makes learning more interesting and fun.
Questions:
- Who are the two people mentioned in the passage?
- Which pronouns are used for Rahul in the passage?
- Which subjects do Rahul and the speaker help each other with?
- Which pronoun in the passage shows mutual action between Rahul and the speaker?
Answers:
- The two people mentioned are Rahul and the speaker.
- Pronouns used for Rahul: he, him.
- They help each other with math and science.
- The pronoun “each other” shows mutual action between Rahul and the speaker.