isliye, phir bhi, varna: joining one thought to the next
I can link two sentences to show result, contrast or an alternative
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
जल्दी चलो, वरना देर हो जाएगी।
Hurry, or we'll be late.
बहुत थका था, फिर भी काम किया।
I was very tired, but I worked anyway.
दरअसल मैं वहाँ कभी नहीं गया।
Actually, I've never been there.
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
| इसलिए | so, therefore | बारिश थी, इसलिए हम नहीं गए। |
| क्योंकि | because | हम नहीं गए क्योंकि बारिश थी। |
| लेकिन / मगर | but | वह आया लेकिन देर से। |
| फिर भी | even so, nevertheless | बारिश थी, फिर भी हम गए। |
| वरना | otherwise, or else | जल्दी करो, वरना ट्रेन छूट जाएगी। |
| दरअसल | actually, in fact | दरअसल मुझे पता नहीं था। |
इसलिए puts the reason first and the result second; क्योंकि does the opposite. Both are ordinary, and choosing between them is a matter of what you want to emphasise.
Apply this grammar in A2 course exercises
Practice ExercisesUsing isliye and kyonki in each other's positions.
isliye and kyonki used in each other's slots
isliye takes the result, kyonki takes the cause.
Avoiding varna as too colloquial
varna is neutral; the Russian a to is the closest match.
जल्दी चलो, वरना देर हो जाएगी।
Hurry, or we'll be late.
varna is the neutral 'or else', matching the Russian a to.
बहुत थका था, फिर भी काम किया।
I was very tired, but I worked anyway.
phir bhi concedes and then contradicts.
दरअसल मैं वहाँ कभी नहीं गया।
Actually, I've never been there.
daraasal opens a correction, like the Russian na samom dele.
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Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A2 course exercises
Kamta Prasad Guru's grammar, the standard prescriptive reference for Hindi morphology and syntax.
Yamuna Kachru's reference grammar; the descriptive account relied on for aspect, valency and clause structure.