Future Tense (भविष्य काल)
Quick Answer: Future = verb stem + ऊँगा/ऊँगी (I),एगा/एगी (he/she), एँगे/एँगी (we/they). Suffixes encode person + gender + number.
Will do — Hindi future with gender-marked suffixes
Category: Verb Forms
The Rule
Future = verb stem + ऊँगा/ऊँगी (I),एगा/एगी (he/she), एँगे/एँगी (we/they). Suffixes encode person + gender + number.
Why This Matters
English future ('will eat') is gender-neutral. Hindi future suffixes carry gender: खाऊँगा (male 'I will eat') vs खाऊँगी (female 'I will eat'). Each person has distinct endings.
Examples
• I will go. (male) — "मैं जाऊँगा।" [जा + ऊँगा (1st person masc.)] • I will go. (female) — "मैं जाऊँगी।" [जा + ऊँगी (1st person fem.)] • He will come. — "वह आएगा।" [आ + एगा (3rd person masc.)] • They will do it. — "वे करेंगे।" [कर + एँगे (3rd person masc. plural)]
Common Mistakes
❌ मैं जाएगा ✅ मैं जाऊँगा → एगा is third person; first person requires ऊँगा/ऊँगी ❌ वह आएगी (referring to a man) ✅ वह आएगा → एगी is feminine; use एगा for masculine subjects
Quick Tip
First person future: ऊँगा (m) / ऊँगी (f). Third person: एगा (m) / एगी (f). The ऊ vs ए distinguishes 'I will' from 'he/she will'.
First person future: ऊँगा (m) / ऊँगी (f). Third person: एगा (m) / एगी (f). The ऊ vs ए distinguishes 'I will' from 'he/she will'.
Examples
Common Mistakes
Incorrect: मैं जाएगा → Correct: मैं जाऊँगा. एगा is third person; first person requires ऊँगा/ऊँगी
Incorrect: वह आएगी (referring to a man) → Correct: वह आएगा. एगी is feminine; use एगा for masculine subjects
Quiz
A woman says 'I will read.' Which is correct?