Transitive past: subject + ने, verb agrees with object (split ergativity)
Can form transitive past tense sentences with correct ने marking and object agreement
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
राम ने किताब पढ़ी।
Ram read a book.
उसने खाना खाया।
He/She ate food.
मैंने सीता को देखा।
I saw Sita.
लड़कियों ने गाना गाया।
The girls sang a song.
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
In Hindi past tense, transitive verbs use a special construction: the subject takes ने and the verb agrees with the object, not the subject.
| Pattern | Example |
|---|---|
| Subject + ने + Object + Verb | राम ने किताब पढ़ी |
| Verb agrees with object | पढ़ी (f.sg. = किताब) |
| If object has को → verb m.sg. default | राम ने सीता को देखा |
Key rule: The verb agrees with the unmarked object: लड़के ने रोटी खाई (The boy ate bread — खाई agrees with रोटी, f.). If the object has को, verb defaults to masculine singular: राम ने सीता को देखा (Ram saw Sita — देखा, m.sg. default).
This is called split ergativity — Hindi is nominative in present/future but ergative in past transitive.
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises
Practice ExercisesForgetting ने with transitive verb in past tense
Transitive past ALWAYS requires ने on the subject: राम ने किताब पढ़ी (not राम किताब पढ़ी)
Making verb agree with subject instead of object
With ने, verb agrees with the UNMARKED object. If object has को, verb defaults to m.sg.
राम ने किताब पढ़ी।
Ram read a book.
ने marks राम as ergative agent. पढ़ी (f.) agrees with किताब (f.), NOT with राम.
उसने खाना खाया।
He/She ate food.
उसने (उस+ने). खाया (m.sg.) agrees with खाना (m.sg. = food).
मैंने सीता को देखा।
I saw Sita.
Object सीता has को → verb defaults to m.sg. देखा (not agreeing with Sita's gender).
लड़कियों ने गाना गाया।
The girls sang a song.
Subject लड़कियों takes ने. गाया (m.sg.) agrees with गाना (m.sg. = song), not the girls.
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises