Present Habitual (सामान्य वर्तमान)
Quick Answer: Present habitual = verb stem + ता/ती/ते + हूँ/है/हैं. The suffix agrees with the SUBJECT's gender and number.
Actions done regularly — Hindi's simple present tense
Category: Verb Forms
The Rule
Present habitual = verb stem + ता/ती/ते + हूँ/है/हैं. The suffix agrees with the SUBJECT's gender and number.
Why This Matters
English present simple ('I eat') doesn't change by gender. Hindi does: मैं खाता हूँ (male) vs मैं खाती हूँ (female). English speakers consistently forget gender agreement on the verb suffix.
Examples
• I eat bread. (male speaking) — "मैं रोटी खाता हूँ।" [खा (stem) + ता (masc. sing.) + हूँ (I am)] • I eat bread. (female speaking) — "मैं रोटी खाती हूँ।" [खा (stem) + ती (fem. sing.) + हूँ (I am)] • He goes to school. — "वह स्कूल जाता है।" [जा (stem) + ता (masc.) + है (is)] • They read books. — "वे किताबें पढ़ते हैं।" [पढ़ (stem) + ते (masc. plural) + हैं (are)]
Common Mistakes
❌ मैं रोटी खाता है (male, first person) ✅ मैं रोटी खाता हूँ → First person requires हूँ, not है. है is for third person singular. ❌ वह स्कूल जाती है (referring to a boy) ✅ वह स्कूल जाता है → ता for masculine subject, ती for feminine. Match the subject's gender.
Quick Tip
ता = he does, ती = she does, ते = they do. Always match the SUBJECT, not the object.
ता = he does, ती = she does, ते = they do. Always match the SUBJECT, not the object.
Examples
Common Mistakes
Incorrect: मैं रोटी खाता है (male, first person) → Correct: मैं रोटी खाता हूँ. First person requires हूँ, not है. है is for third person singular.
Incorrect: वह स्कूल जाती है (referring to a boy) → Correct: वह स्कूल जाता है. ता for masculine subject, ती for feminine. Match the subject's gender.
Quiz
A woman says 'I drink water.' Which is correct?