Presumptive and Conditional (अनुमान और शर्त)
Quick Answer: Presumptive: stem + ता/ती/ते + होगा/होगी (probably does). Conditional: अगर + subjunctive..., तो + conditional. Conditional = stem + ता/ती + (no auxiliary).
Probability and if-then constructions
Category: Verb Forms
The Rule
Presumptive: stem + ता/ती/ते + होगा/होगी (probably does). Conditional: अगर + subjunctive..., तो + conditional. Conditional = stem + ता/ती + (no auxiliary).
Why This Matters
English uses 'would' and 'probably' as separate words. Hindi builds these into verb forms: 'He probably eats' = वह खाता होगा. Conditional ('If he came, I would go') uses paired clauses: अगर वह आता, तो मैं जाता.
Examples
• He probably eats here. — "वह यहाँ खाता होगा।" [Presumptive: खाता + होगा = probably eats] • If I had money, I would buy a car. — "अगर मेरे पास पैसे होते, तो मैं गाड़ी ख़रीदता।" [Conditional: अगर...होते, तो...ख़रीदता] • She must be sleeping now. — "वह अभी सो रही होगी।" [Presumptive continuous: सो रही + होगी]
Common Mistakes
❌ अगर मेरे पास पैसे हैं, तो मैं गाड़ी ख़रीदता ✅ अगर मेरे पास पैसे होते, तो मैं गाड़ी ख़रीदता → Hypothetical condition needs subjunctive/habitual form (होते), not indicative (हैं) ❌ वह शायद खाता है ✅ वह खाता होगा → While शायद (perhaps) works, the presumptive form (होगा) is more natural and grammatically precise
Quick Tip
Presumptive = 'probably/must be' → add होगा. Conditional = 'if...would' → अगर + habitual form, तो + habitual form (no auxiliary).
Presumptive = 'probably/must be' → add होगा. Conditional = 'if...would' → अगर + habitual form, तो + habitual form (no auxiliary).
Examples
Common Mistakes
Incorrect: अगर मेरे पास पैसे हैं, तो मैं गाड़ी ख़रीदता → Correct: अगर मेरे पास पैसे होते, तो मैं गाड़ी ख़रीदता. Hypothetical condition needs subjunctive/habitual form (होते), not indicative (हैं)
Incorrect: वह शायद खाता है → Correct: वह खाता होगा. While शायद (perhaps) works, the presumptive form (होगा) is more natural and grammatically precise
Quiz
'If it rained, I would not go.' Which is correct?