How is पाना और सकना formed?

मैं नहीं आ पाऊँगा is the polite way to decline an invitation. मैं नहीं आ सकता is blunter and sounds like a refusal of permission or a statement about capability. As a full verb पाना means to get or to find: मुझे नौकरी मिली is 'I got a job' with मिलना, but पत्र पाना is to receive a letter.

What are common mistakes with पाना और सकना?

Using sakna to decline an invitation, which sounds blunt. 🇷🇺 Russian speakers: udalos gives an exact hook for pana, but learners taught can as a single English word tend to use sakna for everything.

पाना और सकना: rules, examples & exercises | Hindi Grammar B1

पाना और सकना

B1 — क्रिया

कर पाना — कर सकना: 'मैं कर सकता हूँ' और 'मैं कर पाया'

I can distinguish being able to do something from managing to do it

Examples

— Sorry, I won't be able to make it.
— May I come in?
— I didn't manage to arrive on time.

क्रियाB1

pana against sakna

Being able to, against managing to in the event

Learning Goal

I can distinguish being able to do something from managing to do it

Exam Skills:बोलनालिखना

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

Sorry, I won't be able to make it.

May I come in?

I didn't manage to arrive on time.

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

Two kinds of can

सकना	ability or permission	मैं आ सकता हूँ। - I can come.
पाना	managing it in the event	मैं आ नहीं पाया। - I didn't manage to come.

Both take a bare stem. पाना is overwhelmingly used in the negative, and it excuses rather than refuses: नहीं आ सका says you were unable; नहीं आ पाया says it did not work out.

Why it matters socially

मैं नहीं आ पाऊँगा is the polite way to decline an invitation. मैं नहीं आ सकता is blunter and sounds like a refusal of permission or a statement about capability.

पाना on its own

As a full verb पाना means to get or to find: मुझे नौकरी मिली is 'I got a job' with मिलना, but पत्र पाना is to receive a letter.

Apply this grammar in B1 course exercises

Practice Exercises

Using sakna to decline an invitation, which sounds blunt.

Common Error Patterns

sakna used to decline an invitation

nahin aa paunga is the polite form; use it where Russian says ne poluchitsya.

Infinitive kept before pana

Bare stem, as with sakna: aa paya, never aana paya.

Sorry, I won't be able to make it.

The polite decline; sakna here would sound blunt.

May I come in?

sakna for permission.

I didn't manage to arrive on time.

pana reports how it turned out, not what you were capable of.

Practice in course

Apply this grammar in B1 course exercises

B1 Course

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Frequently asked questions

When is पाना और सकना used?: Both take a bare stem. पाना is overwhelmingly used in the negative, and it excuses rather than refuses: नहीं आ सका says you were unable; नहीं आ पाया says it did not work out.
How is पाना और सकना formed?: मैं नहीं आ पाऊँगा is the polite way to decline an invitation. मैं नहीं आ सकता is blunter and sounds like a refusal of permission or a statement about capability. As a full verb पाना means to get or to find: मुझे नौकरी मिली is 'I got a job' with मिलना, but पत्र पाना is to receive a letter.
What are common mistakes with पाना और सकना?: Using sakna to decline an invitation, which sounds blunt. 🇷🇺 Russian speakers: udalos gives an exact hook for pana, but learners taught can as a single English word tend to use sakna for everything.

Sources

Hindi (London Oriental and African Language Library 12) — John Benjamins Publishing Company, 2006
Yamuna Kachru's reference grammar; the descriptive account relied on for aspect, valency and clause structure.
Outline of Hindi Grammar — Oxford University Press, 1995
R. S. McGregor's outline, the standard concise academic description of Hindi morphology.