Postposition के

In Hindi, postpositions change based on the noun they follow. This is called the "oblique case." But के is also used for possession. It depends on the noun that comes after it. If the thing being owned is masculine and plural, you use के. If you are talking about someone with respect, you use के. It is like a chameleon. It changes its color to match its surroundings. Imagine you are talking about your brothers. Since "brothers" is masculine and plural, you need के. Now imagine you are talking about your boss. Even though there is only one boss, you use के to show respect. This is a very common feature in Indian culture. Using the wrong form can make you sound a bit blunt. It is like forgetting to say "please" or "sir."

1. 1Building a phrase with के is like following a recipe.
2. 2Start with the Owner: This is the person or thing that has something. For example, राज (Raj).
3. 3Add the Postposition: Put के right after the owner.
4. 4Add the Owned Item: This must be a masculine plural noun or a respectful masculine singular noun. For example, दोस्त (friends).
5. 5The Result: राज के दोस्त (Raj's friends).
6. 6If you are using a pronoun, it changes too. मैं (I) becomes मेरे (my). तुम (you) becomes तुम्हारे (your). वह (he/she) becomes उसके (his/her). Notice how they all end in the "e" sound? That is the signature of के. It is a very consistent pattern once you spot it.

There are three main scenarios for using के:

• Masculine Plural Possession: When you have more than one masculine item. Example: मेरे जूते (My shoes).
• Respectful Singular Masculine: When talking about elders or formal figures. Example: मेरे पिता के पास (With my father).
• Compound Postpositions: This is the most common use. Many Hindi prepositions are actually two words. They almost always start with के.
• के पास (Near/To have)
• के लिए (For)
• के साथ (With)
• के बारे में (About)
• के पीछे (Behind)

Imagine you are at a restaurant. You want a pizza with extra cheese. You would say एक्स्ट्रा चीज़ के साथ. Or you are looking for a bank behind the park. You would say पार्क के पीछे. It is the ultimate connector for locations and relationships.

Do not use के if the noun following it is feminine. For that, you need की.

• Wrong: राम के बहन (Ram's sister)
• Right: राम की बहन (Ram's sister)

Do not use के for a single masculine noun that is not respectful and not in the oblique case.

• Wrong: राम के कुत्ता (Ram's dog - singular)
• Right: राम का कुत्ता (Ram's dog - singular)

Think of it like a puzzle piece. If the edges do not match, the piece won't fit. के only fits with masculine plural or oblique shapes. If you use it with a singular masculine noun, it sounds like you are talking about multiple things. It might confuse your listener!

One of the biggest traps is the "Respect Trap." You might forget to use के for your teacher or parents.

• ✗ मेरा पिता (My father - sounds a bit childish/disrespectful)
• ✓ मेरे पिता (My father - respectful and correct)

Another mistake is forgetting that के triggers the oblique case for the word before it. If you say "In Raj's house," the word घर (house) is singular, but because में (in) is coming, का turns into के.

• ✗ राज का घर में
• ✓ राज के घर में

It is like a domino effect. One postposition at the end of the sentence can change everything that came before it. It feels like a lot to track, but it becomes second nature with practice. Just remember: if there is a "preposition-like" word at the end, के is usually your best friend.

Let’s compare the "Big Three": का, के, and की.

• का: Use for one masculine thing. राहुल का फ़ोन (Rahul's phone).
• की: Use for any feminine thing (singular or plural). राहुल की चाबी (Rahul's key).
• के: Use for many masculine things or respect. राहुल के कपड़े (Rahul's clothes).

Think of का as singular, की as feminine, and के as "everything else masculine." It is the most flexible of the three. It is also the only one used in compound phrases like के लिए (for). You will never say का लिए or की लिए. के owns that territory completely.