How is पूर्वकालिक कृदंत (कर) formed?

The whole sentence then runs on one final verb, and the subject is stated once: The -कर clause and the main verb must share a subject. If the subject changes, you need two clauses joined by और instead.

What are common mistakes with पूर्वकालिक कृदंत (कर)?

Using -kar when the two halves have different doers. 🇷🇺 Russian speakers: the Russian gerund gets you most of the way, but it demands a nominative subject and -kar only demands the same doer - so a dative experiencer (use mujhe dekhkar dar laga) is fine in Hindi and ungrammatical word-for-word in Russian. The usual error is under-use: learners keep building two full clauses with aur.

पूर्वकालिक कृदंत (कर)

A2 — क्रिया

Joining two actions with -kar: having done one thing, you do the next

I can chain two actions in one sentence without repeating the subject

Examples

— He bathed and went to the office.
— Let's talk after tea.
— Do this and let me know.

क्रियाA2

The Conjunctive Participle (-kar)

Joining two actions with -kar

Learning Goal

I can chain two actions in one sentence

Exam Skills:पढ़नाबोलना

Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?

He bathed and went to the office.

Let's talk after tea.

Do this and let me know.

Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?

Stem plus कर

Take the stem, add कर (or के), and you have 'having done X':

खाकर - having eaten
जाकर - having gone
देखकर - having seen

The whole sentence then runs on one final verb, and the subject is stated once:

मैं खाना खाकर सोता हूँ। - I eat and then sleep.
वह बाज़ार जाकर सब्ज़ी लाई। - She went to the market and brought vegetables.
यह सुनकर वह हँस पड़ा। - Hearing this, he burst out laughing.

करना is the exception: it gives करके, not करकर.

Both halves need the same subject

The -कर clause and the main verb must share a subject. If the subject changes, you need two clauses joined by और instead.

Apply this grammar in A2 course exercises

Practice Exercises

Using -kar when the two halves have different doers.

Common Error Patterns

Different subjects across a -kar clause

Both halves must share a subject, exactly as with the Russian gerund.

Forming karkar instead of karke

karna is the one irregular: karke.

He bathed and went to the office.

One subject, two actions, one final verb.

Let's talk after tea.

Everyday spoken use; literally 'having drunk tea, we talk'.

Do this and let me know.

karna is irregular here: karke, never karkar.

Practice in course

Apply this grammar in A2 course exercises

A2 Course

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Frequently asked questions

When is पूर्वकालिक कृदंत (कर) used?: Take the stem, add कर (or के), and you have 'having done X':
How is पूर्वकालिक कृदंत (कर) formed?: The whole sentence then runs on one final verb, and the subject is stated once: The -कर clause and the main verb must share a subject. If the subject changes, you need two clauses joined by और instead.
What are common mistakes with पूर्वकालिक कृदंत (कर)?: Using -kar when the two halves have different doers. 🇷🇺 Russian speakers: the Russian gerund gets you most of the way, but it demands a nominative subject and -kar only demands the same doer - so a dative experiencer (use mujhe dekhkar dar laga) is fine in Hindi and ungrammatical word-for-word in Russian. The usual error is under-use: learners keep building two full clauses with aur.

Sources

हिन्दी व्याकरण — काशी नागरी प्रचारिणी सभा, 1920
Kamta Prasad Guru's grammar, still the standard prescriptive reference for Hindi verb morphology.
Hindi (London Oriental and African Language Library 12) — John Benjamins Publishing Company, 2006
Yamuna Kachru's reference grammar; the descriptive account of aspect, compound verbs and the ergative used here.