Common irregular noun: आदमी (man) - stays same in oblique

Hindi uses things called "postpositions." Think of them like prepositions in English. These are words like "in," "on," "to," or "from." In Hindi, these come *after* the noun. Usually, this triggers a change in the noun. We call this the "oblique case." For many masculine nouns, the ending shifts. For example, लड़का (boy) becomes लड़के. But आदमी refuses to change in the singular form. It stays आदमी even when a postposition follows it. This is a huge relief for your brain. You have one less thing to transform! Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes when they are tired. But you will be a pro.

1. 1Start with the base word आदमी (man).
2. 2Identify if you are talking about one man.
3. 3Check if a postposition like को (to) or से (from) is present.
4. 4If it is singular, do not change the ending.
5. 5The result is simply आदमी + [postposition].
6. 6Example: आदमी को (To the man).
7. 7For plural oblique, the ending changes to आदमियों.
8. 8Example: आदमियों को (To the men).

Use this whenever you talk about a man in a specific role. Are you ordering food for a man? Use उस आदमी को खाना दो. Are you asking for directions? Use उस आदमी से पूछो. It works in formal and informal settings. Imagine you are in a job interview. You want to talk about your boss. "I worked with that man." In Hindi: मैंने उस आदमी के साथ काम किया. Notice आदमी didn't change at all. Even with के साथ (with) right after it. It sounds professional and correct. It is a very common, everyday word. You will hear it in movies, markets, and meetings.

Don't use this rule for nouns ending in a long -ā. Words like लड़का (boy) or कमरा (room) must change. Don't use the plural form आदमियों for just one person. That would sound very strange to native speakers. It's like saying "to the mans" in English. Also, don't confuse it with feminine nouns. The word औरत (woman) follows its own set of rules. Finally, don't change the vowel to आदमे. That word does not exist in Hindi. It’s a common trap for new learners. Your brain might scream "Change it!" Tell your brain to relax.

The biggest mistake is over-correcting. You might think every noun must change its shape. You might try to say आदमे को. This is a classic error. Another mistake is forgetting the plural oblique. Remember, आदमी only stays the same in singular. If you mean many men, you must use आदमियों. Think of it like a grammar traffic light. Singular is green (stay the same). Plural oblique is red (stop and change). Also, watch your adjectives. While आदमी stays the same, the adjective before it might change. For example, "to the good man" is अच्छे आदमी को.

Compare आदमी with लड़का (boy). लड़का + को = लड़के को. The "a" becomes "e." Now look at आदमी. आदमी + को = आदमी को. The "i" stays "i." This is the core of the rule. Now compare it with घर (house). घर also stays the same: घर में. आदमी belongs to this "stable" group of masculine nouns. These are nouns that don't end in the long -ā sound. Think of लड़का as a liquid. It takes the shape of its container. Think of आदमी as a solid rock. It keeps its shape no matter what happens around it.