Using the Relative Pron

Hindi loves pairs. Just like you have "if... then" (agar... toh), you have "relative... correlative" pairs. The relative part starts with a J-word (like jo), and the correlative part usually responds with a V-word (like voh).

Think of them as a call and response. The jo clause identifies *who* or *what* we are talking about. The voh clause tells us the news about them. They are like best friends; if you invite jo to the party, voh usually needs to come along to complete the thought.

1. 1Building these sentences is like making a sandwich. Here is your recipe:
2. 2The Identifier (Jo clause): Start with jo + the noun + the description.
3. 3The Pause: Add a comma. This is crucial for rhythm.
4. 4The Main Point (Voh clause): Start with voh (or its forms like us, un) + the rest of the sentence.
5. 5*Example:* Jo laDka wahaaN hai, voh mera dost hai. (The boy who is there, he is my friend.)

Use this pattern whenever you want to define a specific person or object based on an action or quality. It is perfect for:

• Clarifying identity: "The book *that* you gave me."
• Adding detail: "The place *where* we met."
• Job interviews: "The skills *that* I learned..."
• Gossiping: "The guy *who* was shouting yesterday..." (Yes, grammar is vital for drama).

Don't use jo for simple questions. Jo is not kaun (Who?).

• Wrong: Jo wahaaN hai? (Who is there?)
• Right: Kaun wahaaN hai?

Also, avoid it when a simple adjective will do. If you just mean "The tall boy," say lamba laDka. You don't always need "The boy who is tall" (Jo laDka lamba hai). Keep it simple unless you need the complexity.

• Forgetting the voh: In English, we don't say "The man who came, *he* is my dad." We just say "is my dad." In Hindi, that second voh is often required for emphasis and structure.
• Mixing up Jo and Kaun: Beginners love using kaun (question word) as a connector. Big no-no. It sounds like "The man *who?* came is my dad."
• Oblique Case Ouchies: Remember, if there is a postposition (like ne, ko, se) involved, jo changes to jis (singular) or jin (plural). Ignoring this is like wearing socks with sandals—technically functional, but everyone notices.

• Jo vs. Ki: Ki means "that" connecting two clauses (He said *that* he is busy). Jo means "who/which" describing a noun (The man *who* is busy). Don't swap them!
• Jo vs. Waala: You can often replace a jo sentence with a waala phrase. Jo laDka naach rahaa hai (The boy who is dancing) -> Naachne waala laDka (The dancing boy). Waala is the casual, shortcut version.

Q: Can I put the voh part first?

Yes! Voh mera dost hai, jo wahaaN hai. It puts more emphasis on the "friend" part. But the Jo... Voh order is classic.

Q: Do I always need jo?

In casual speech, sometimes people drop the jo if the context is obvious, but voh (or the specific noun) usually stays. Stick to the full pair while learning.