Time expressions: आज (today), कल (yesterday/tomorrow), अभी (now)

In English, we often put time words at the very beginning or the very end of a sentence. In Hindi, we like to keep things tidy. Most of the time, these words sit right after the subject. Imagine your sentence is a train. The subject is the engine, and the time word is the very first carriage. For example, instead of saying "Today I am happy," a Hindi speaker usually says "I today happy am." This keeps the context clear right from the start. However, Hindi is also quite flexible. If you want to sound more dramatic or emphasize the time, you can move the word to the very beginning. But for now, sticking to the "Subject + Time" rule is your safest bet. It makes you sound natural and organized. Think of it like a grammar traffic light; it keeps the flow of information moving smoothly without any crashes. Even native speakers might shift them around, but they always return to this basic structure when they want to be clear.

1. 1Building a sentence with these time expressions follows a simple recipe. Follow these steps to cook up a perfect Hindi sentence:
2. 2Start with your Subject (the person or thing you are talking about). Example: मैं (I).
3. 3Add your Time Expression immediately after. Example: आज (today).
4. 4Add your Object or Adjective. Example: खुश (happy).
5. 5Finish with the Verb. Example: हूँ (am).
6. 6Result: मैं आज खुश हूँ (I am happy today).
7. 7If you are using अभी (now), the pattern stays the same: वह अभी यहाँ है (He is here now). For कल, the pattern is identical, but you must look at the verb at the end to know if you are talking about the past or the future. It is a bit like a mystery novel where the ending reveals everything!

You will use these words every single day. Use आज when you are talking about things happening in this 24-hour cycle. It is perfect for weather reports like आज गर्मी है (It is hot today). Use अभी when something is urgent or happening right this second. It is the favorite word of hungry kids and busy bosses! For example, अभी खाओ (Eat now). Use कल for anything that isn't today. Use it when you are reminiscing about the great party you had yesterday or when you are planning a meeting for tomorrow. Real-world scenarios include ordering food ("I want it अभी!"), asking about a colleague's schedule ("Is he coming आज?"), or setting up a date ("Let's meet कल!"). These words are the heartbeat of daily planning. Without them, you'd be stuck in a timeless void, which sounds cool in a sci-fi movie but is very annoying when you're trying to catch a bus.

Don't use these general words if you need to be super specific. If you are catching a flight at 5:30 PM, आज isn't enough information. You'll need to use specific clock times then. Also, avoid using अभी if you mean "these days" or "nowadays." For that, Hindi uses a different word (आजकल). Using अभी for a general era sounds a bit like you think the entire decade is happening in one second. Another time to be careful is when you are talking about recurring habits. If you drink coffee every day, don't use आज. Use the word for "always" or "daily." These three words are for specific points in time, not for things that happen forever. Think of them as snapshots, not a whole movie.

The biggest "oops" moment for everyone is कल. Because it means both yesterday and tomorrow, beginners often get confused. You must look at the verb! If the verb is past tense (था/थी), it’s yesterday. If it’s future tense (गा/गी), it’s tomorrow. It is like a coin with two sides; you have to flip it to see which one you got. Another mistake is putting the time word at the very end of the sentence like in English. While people will understand you, it sounds a bit "clunky" or like a translated textbook. Try to keep it near the subject. Also, don't mix up अभी (right now) with अब (now/from now on). If you tell someone to do something अब, it sounds like a transition. If you say अभी, it sounds like you mean "Do it before I finish this sentence!"

You might hear the word अब (ab) and think it's the same as अभी (abhi). They are cousins, but not twins! अब is a general "now," like "Now that we are here, let's eat." अभी is much more immediate and intense. It means "Right this second." It’s the difference between "Now I live in Delhi" and "I am leaving right now!" Another contrast is with आजकल (aaj-kal). This literally combines "today" and "tomorrow" to mean "nowadays." Use आज for today only, and आजकल for general trends in your life. It's like the difference between saying "I am eating a burger today" and "I am eating a lot of burgers these days." One is a single event; the other is a lifestyle choice (and a delicious one at that).