Subjunctive Mood

The subjunctive mood has a wide variety of usages in Hindi.

Form

The subjunctive mood has many forms. They follow a very regular pattern.

The basic pattern is:

(aspectual) [subjunctive]

There is a “simple subjunctive” form, and a “complex subjunctive”. There is one complex subjunctive form for each aspect: habitual subjunctive, continuous subjunctive, and perfect subjunctive.

There are also contrafactual subjunctive forms. There is a “simple contrafactual subjunctive”, and a “complex contrafactual subjunctive”.

The simple contrafactual subjunctive has the same form as the imperfective participle.

There is one complex contrafactual subjunctive for each aspect: habitual contrafactual subjunctive, continuous contrafactual subjunctive, perfect contrafactual subjunctive. Each of the complex contrafactual forms corresponds to one of the complex subjunctive forms.

The future subjunctive / simple subjunctive is formed by removing the final suffix of the corresponding future tense form (गा / गे / गी).

For instance, the subjunctive verb जाऊँ s the same as the corresponding future verb जाऊँगा, yet without the final suffix -गा.

The other subjunctive forms are a synthesis of an aspectual component and a subjunctive component. For instance, to form the habitual subjunctive, simply combine the imperfective participle of the main verb (which represents the habitual aspect) with a form of the simple subjunctive (which represents mood), as in जाता हो. Again, to form the perfect subjunctive form of a verb, simply combine the perfect participle of the verb with a simple subjunctive form of the verb होना, as in सोया हो.

To form the habitual contrafactual subjunctive, simply combine the imperfective participle of the main verb (which represents the habitual aspect) with a form of the simple contrafactual subjunctive of होना (होता / होते / होती).

The Form of the Simple Subjunctive

The simple subjunctive forms of the verb जाना are listed below:

Pronoun	Future Form	Subjunctive Form
मैं	जाऊँगा	जाऊँ
आप	जाएँगे / जायेंगे	जाएँ / जायें
तुम	जाओगे	जाओ
तू	जाएगा / जायेगा	जाए / जाये
वह / यह	जाएगा / जायेगा	जाए / जाये
हम	जाएँगे / जायेंगे	जाएँ / जायें
ये / वे	जाएँगे / जायेंगे	जाएँ / जायें

Note that the subjunctive form corresponding to तुम is identical to the imperative verb form जाओ. The two moods can be distinguished by context.

Notes About Vowels

Note also that subjunctive verbs may have alternative spellings because future tense verbs may have alternative spellings. If the final vowel of the verb stem ends in ई or आ, some people will infix a य between the verb stem and the suffix, as in खायेंगे versus खाएँगे, or पियेंगे versus पिएँगे.

Also note that if the final vowel of the verb stem end in the long vowels ई or ऊ, then the vowel is shortened to the corresponding short vowel, इ or उ respectively. For instance, पीना has the first person subjunctive form पिऊँ, and छूना has the first person subjunctive form छुऊं.

Other Subjunctive Forms

The rest of the subjunctive forms, like most verbs in Hindi, are a synthesis of aspect and mood.

The subjunctive verb forms can be divided into two major categories: the (non-contrafactual) subjunctive forms, and the contrafactual subjunctive forms.

The Constructions with the Simple Subjunctive

The simple subjunctive forms are formed by combining an aspectual component with a simple subjunctive form of the verb होना.

It is important to note that the constructions involving the simple subjunctive are somewhat neutral regarding tense. In other words, they mainly emphasize aspect, and their tense is understood according to context. For instance, the following phrase could be interpreted two ways:

काम करता हो – “he works” OR “he used to work”

Only context will differentiate the two tenses. The subjunctive form of होना serves as a verbal auxiliary which imparts mood, not tense.

As with verbs in other moods, the imperfective participle represents the habitual aspect, the verb stem plus perfect participle of रहना represents the continuous aspect, and the perfect participle represents the perfect verb forms.

The simple subjunctive forms of होना are as follows:

Pronoun	Form
मैं	हूँ/होऊँ
आप	हों
तुम	हो
तू	हो
हम	हों
यह/वह	हो
ये/वे	हों

Note the alternative spelling for the first person singular subjunctive form of होना.

The Habitual Subjunctive

The habitual subjunctive is formed by combining the imperfective participle of the main verb with a simple subjunctive form of होना. The participle agrees with the subject in gender and number. The form of होना agrees with the subject in person and number.

The Continuous Subjunctive

The continuous subjunctive is formed by combining the stem of the main verb, the perfect participle of the verb रहना, and a simple subjunctive form of the verb होना. The participle agrees with the subject in gender and number. The form of होना agrees with the subject in person and number.

The Perfective Subjunctive

The perfective subjunctive is formed by combining a perfect participle of the main verb with a simple subjunctive form of the verb होना. The participle agrees with the subject in gender and number. The form of होना agrees with the subject in person and number.

Note that the verb can be understood to be past perfective, present perfect, or past perfect. This is because the auxiliary serves mainly to underscore doubt or uncertainty, not a particular verb form.

The Contrafactual Subjunctive Forms

The contrafactual subjunctive forms are formed by combining an aspectual component with a contrafactual subjunctive form of the verb होना.

The contrafactual subjunctive verb forms of होना are identical to the imperfective participles of होना.

The contrafactual subjunctives express a hypothesis which is presumed to be false.

Simple Contrafactual Subjunctive

The contrafactual subjunctive can be used alone as a verb form:

मैं जाता लेकिन मैं नहीं जा सका – “I would have gone, but I wasn’t able to go”

मैं कुछ खाना खा सकता (था) लेकिन मैंने कुछ नहीं खाया – “I could have eaten some food, but I didn’t eat anything”

Note that the tense is conditioned by context:

मैं मूवी देखता लेकिन मुझे बहुत काम है – “I would watch the movie, but I have a lot of work”

मैं मूवी देखता लेकिन मुझे बहुत काम था – “I would have watched the movie, but I had a lot of work”

Past Habitual Subjunctive

The past habitual subjunctive is formed by combining an imperfective participle of the main verb with a contrafactual subjunctive form of the verb होना. The participle agrees with the subject in gender and number, and the form of होना agrees with the subject in person, number, and gender.

अगर वह रोज़ स्कूल जाता होता तो अब उसे इतनी मेहनत नहीं करनी पड़ती – “If he had gone to school every day, then he wouldn’t have to struggle so hard now”

Past Continuous Subjunctive

The past continuous subjunctive is formed by combining the stem of the main verb, a perfect participle of the verb रहना, and a contrafactual subjunctive form of होना. The participle and form of होना agree with the subject in person, number, and gender.

अगर मैं क्लास के दौरान सो रहा होता तो प्रोफेस्सर ने जो सब कुछ बोला था वह मुझे कैसे मालूम होता – “If I were sleeping during the class, then how would I know everything that the professor said?”

Past Perfect Subjunctive

The past perfect subjunctive is formed by combining a perfect participle of the main verb with a contrafactual subjunctive form of होना. The participle and form of होना agree with the subject in person, number, and gender.

अगर मैं रोज़ अभ्यास नहीं करता होता तो मैं नहीं जीत जाता – “If I had not practiced every day, then I would not have won”.

Usage

The subjunctive mood has many usages.

Uncertainty

The subjunctive mood is commonly used to express uncertainty when asking questions. Such questions solicit advice:

मैं क्या करूँ – “What should I do?”

हम बाहर बैठें – “Shall we sit outside?”

कुछ पैसा दूँ – “Should I give some money?”

Exhortations

The subjunctive mood may be used in hortatory statements. The subjunctive will be first person plural in such instances.

आओ, अन्दर चलें – “Come, let’s go inside”

चलो, पानी पिएँ – “Come on, let’s drink some water”

It is perhaps more common to use the imperfective participle + form of होना to make exhortations, however:

जाते हैं – “Let’s go”

Polite Imperative

The subjunctive may be used as an extremely polite imperative. The sense is that the speaker is merely suggesting something rather than asking it. The subject is always आप.

उनको बताएँ – “Please tell them”

Such imperatives are negated by न:

उनको न बताएँ – “Please do not tell them”

अपना नाम यहाँ लिखें – “Please write your name here”

Blessings or Wishes

The subjunctive can be used to express wishes:

जन्म-दिन मुबारक हो – “Happy birthday” – literally, “May your birthday be auspicious”

खुश रहो – “May you remain happy”

भगवान तुम्हें सफलता दें – “May God grant you success”

With शायद

The adverb शायद has different meanings depending on the mood of the verb it modifies. With the subjunctive mood, it expresses maximum uncertainty. However, in the indicative mood it expresses probability – which is quite opposite.

Subjunctive: शायद वह अपने भाई के घर में हो – “Perhaps he is in his brother’s house [but I really don't know]”

Presumptive: शायद वह अपने भाई के घर में होगा – “Maybe he is in his brother’s house [at least I suppose so]”

Indicative: शायद वह अपने भाई के घर में है – “He is probably in his brother’s house [I am pretty sure he is]”

Conditional Sentences

The subjunctive mood is often used within conditional sentences. Refer to the article about conditional sentences for more information.

Third Person Imperatives

The subjunctive mood can be used as a third person imperative. English has no distinct third person imperative form, although third person imperatives can easily be translated into English using various idioms:

बच्चे सडकों पर न खेलें – “Do not let the children play in the streets” / “The children should not play in the streets” / “The children must not play in the streets”

To Express Nescience – “No one knows”

When expressing doubt or nescience about some future event, the subjunctive mood is often used to emphasize the uncertainty.

Often idioms involving the subjunctive mood like न जाने “no one knows” or कौन जाने “who knows” will be used.

कौन जाने कल बारिश हो या न हो – “Who knows whether it will rain tomorrow or not”

Notice also that न can function as a conjunction meaning “or not…”. For instance, consider the famous movie song: कल हो न हो – “tomorrow may or may not be” / “there may be no tomorrow”.

Subordinate Clauses

The subjunctive is very often used in subordinate clauses. This is where the name “subjunctive” comes from: the Latin word subjunctivus means “subjoined” – i.e., appended at the end. Subordinate clauses in Hindi are appended at the end of a main clause and typically joined by a subordinating conjunction.

Various kinds of subordinate clauses in which subjunctives are typically used are mentioned below.

Following Imperative Main Clauses

Subjunctive verbs are often used in subordinate clauses that follow commands. These types of sentences often express indirect commands.

बच्चों से कहो कि सड़क पर न खेलें – “Tell the children not to play on the road”

As if / as though…

The word जैसे can be used as a subordinating conjunction meaning “as if…”:

हमें ऐसा लगा जैसे हमने बहुत दिनों से कुछ नहीं खाया हो – “We felt as if we hadn’t eaten for many days”

It often correlates with the adjective ऐसा, as in the previous example, literally “it seemed to us like this, as if …”.

हमें ऐसा लगा जैसे कि हम परिवार में से हों – “We felt as if we were among family”

The longer form जैसे कि may also be used.

Expressing Wishes, Necessities, Possibilities, etc.

Various idioms in Hindi express various modalities such as wishes, necessities, possibilities, appropriateness, or apprehension.

Wishes

A चाहता है कि … A wants/wishes that …

पिता जी चाहते हैं कि मैं घर जाऊँ – “Father wants me to go home”

A की इच्छा है कि – “It is A’s desire that … ”

मेरा पिता जी की इच्छा है कि मैं अम्रीका में पढ़ती हो – “It is my father’s desire that I study in America”

How nice it would be if …

कितना अच्छा हो कि …

कितना अच्छा हो कि हम साथ-साथ भारत जाएँ – “It would be so nice if we (could) go to India together”

If only / O that / I wish that …

Hindi has an idiom that is similar to the English idioms “if only” and “O that”:

काश (कि) …

काश कि हम साथ साथ हों – “If only we were together!” / “O that we were together!” / “I wish that we were together!”

Necessity / Compulsion

चाहिये can be used with subordinate clauses as well as with infinitives.

A को चाहिये कि … It is expected of A that …

हमें चाहिये कि एक दुसरे की मदद करें – “We ought to help one another”, literally “It is expected of us that we should help one another”

The adjectives ज़रूरी / आवश्यक (“necessary”) can be used with a subordinate clause to indicate necessity:

ज़रूरी / आवश्यक है कि … It is necessary that …

ज़रूरी है कि मैं ठीक से पढ़ लूँ – “It is important that I study properly”

Duty

The nouns कर्त्तव्य / फ़र्ज़ (“duty”) can be used with a subordinate clause to indicate duty:

A का कर्त्तव्य / फ़र्ज़ है कि … It is A’s duty to …

आपका कर्त्तव्य / फ़र्ज़ है कि अपने परिवार की देखभाल करें – “It is your duty to take care of your family”

Possibility

The adjectives मुमकिन / संभव (“possible”) can be used with a subordinate clause to indicate a possibility:

(यह) मुमकिन / संभव है कि … “It is possible that …”

(यह) मुमकिन / संभव है कि मैं जीत जाऊँ – “It is possible that I will win”

यह मुमकिन / संभव नहीं है कि मैं आज अपना काम ख़त्म करूँ – “It is not possible that I may finish my work today”

The auxiliary सकना can be used to indicate possibility:

हो सकता है कि … “It is possible that … ”

हो सकता है कि हम अम्रीका में मिलें – “It is possible that we may meet in America”

जब तक … न – As long as / until …

The subjunctive mood is used with जब तक … न as follows:

जब तक अपना काम ख़त्म न हो, (तब तक) बाहर न जाना – “Don’t go outside until your work is finished”, literally “As long as your work is not finished, do not go outside”

जब तक मैं न बुलाऊं अन्दर न आना – “Don’t come inside until I call you”, literally “As long as I don’t call, don’t come inside”

Appropriateness

(यह) उचित / मुनासिब है कि – “It is appropriate that …”

यह उचित है कि आप उससे बात करें – “It is appropriate that you talk with him”

(यह) अच्छा / बेहतर है / होगा कि … “It is better/would be better if …”

अच्छा होगा कि तुम अब अपना काम करो – “It would be better if you do your work now”

Negative Wishes / Apprehension

(कहीं) ऐसा न हो कि – “May it not be that …”

Purpose Clauses – So that / In order that …

In Hindi, जिससे कि / ताकि can be used with a subordinate clause to express purpose.

ठीक से पढ़ लो जिससे कि तुम्हें अच्छी नौकरी मिले – “Study well so that you will get a good job”

With Indefinite Adverbs

The subjunctive is often used with indefinite adverbs, such as “however”, “whenever”, “wherever”, “however much”.

जितना भी खाना आप चाहें, उतना खा लीजिये – “Eat as much food as you’d like”

जब भी वह वापस आए, उसको बताओ कि वह मुझसे बात करे – “Whenever he comes back, tell him that he should talk to me”

Subordinate Clauses that May or May not Have The Subjunctive

Some idioms do not require the subjunctive mood, but often do occur in the subjunctive mood.

A का इरादा है कि – “A intends to …”

The noun इरादा means “intention”:

मेरा इरादा है कि मैं आज उससे बात करूँ – “I intend to talk to her today”

The adverb शायद (“maybe”) is often reinforced by the subjunctive mood, but may occur with other moods.

A का विचार है कि – “It is A’s opinion that …”

मेरे दादा जी का विचार है कि मैं अम्रीका न जाऊँ – “My grandfather’s opinion is that I should not go to America” / “My grandfather thinks that I shouldn’t go to America”