Infinitive form: verb stem + ना

Every Hindi verb has two parts: the stem and the ending. The stem is the core meaning. For example, चल (chal) means the idea of moving or walking. But चल by itself feels naked. It is like saying "walk" without any context. To make it a proper infinitive, we dress it up with ना. So, चल + ना becomes चलना (chalna), which means "to walk." It is a simple addition, but it changes everything. Think of the stem as the root of a tree and ना as the trunk that lets it stand tall. You will find that almost every verb in Hindi follows this exact pattern. It is incredibly consistent. Yes, even native speakers mess up complex conjugations, but nobody messes up the infinitive. It is the one part of Hindi grammar that is as steady as a mountain.

1. 1Creating an infinitive is a three-step process that you can master in about ten seconds.
2. 2Start with the verb stem. This is the shortest possible form of the verb.
3. 3Add the suffix ना (na) to the end of that stem.
4. 4Join them together under the horizontal line (the shirorekha).
5. 5Let's look at some examples. If the stem is खा (kha), you add ना to get खाना (khaana - to eat). If the stem is दे (de), you add ना to get देना (dena - to give). It does not matter if the stem ends in a vowel or a consonant. The rule remains the same. It is like a universal adapter for your verbs. Just plug in ना and you are ready to go.

When do you actually use this? First, use it when you are talking about an action as a concept. For instance, if you want to say "To err is human," you would use the infinitive. Second, use it when the verb acts like a noun. If you are at a gym and want to say "Running is good," you use दौड़ना (daudna). Third, it is perfect for polite, general commands. If you see a sign in a park that says "Do not walk on the grass," it will likely use the infinitive. It is less bossy than other command forms. It is like a gentle nudge rather than a shove. Finally, use it when you are expressing likes or dislikes. "I like to sing" uses the infinitive गाना (gaana). It is the most versatile tool in your kit.

This is where things get tricky. Do not use the infinitive when you are describing a specific action happening right now. You cannot say "I खाना (to eat) food" to mean "I am eating." That is like saying "I to eat pizza" in English. It sounds robotic and a bit confusing. The infinitive is the starting point, not the finish line. You also should not use it when you are talking about the past or the future in a specific way. If the action is tied to a person (I, you, she, they), the ना usually has to go away or change. Think of the infinitive like a suit in a closet. It looks great on the hanger, but you have to take it off the hanger and actually put it on (conjugate it) to go to the party.

One big mistake is treating ना as if it were part of the stem. It is not! When you start learning tenses, you will need to rip that ना off. If you keep it on, your sentences will sound very strange. Another mistake is forgetting that the infinitive is technically a masculine noun. This matters later when you use adjectives with it. Also, watch out for verbs that look like nouns. खाना means "to eat," but it also means "food." Context is your best friend here. If someone says "खाना खाना है," they are saying "I have to eat food." It sounds like a glitch in the matrix, but it is perfectly normal Hindi!

New learners often confuse the infinitive with the imperative (commands). While you can use the infinitive for polite, general instructions, specific commands like "Eat!" or "Go!" usually use different endings like ओ (o) or इए (iye). For example, बैठना is "to sit" (the concept), while बैठो is "Sit!" (to a friend). The infinitive is neutral and detached. The imperative is direct and personal. It is the difference between a recipe saying "Add salt" and your mom yelling "Add salt!" while you are cooking.