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Connecting Your Thoughts

Rule 6 of 6 in this chapter
B1 conjunctions_connectors 4 min read

The Conjunction

Mark as Learned

Mastering 'kyonki' (cause) versus 'isliye' (effect) transforms your Hindi from simple statements to complex, flowing narratives.

The Rule in 30 Seconds

  • Use 'aur' to add, 'lekin' to contrast.
  • 'Kyonki' gives a reason (because).
  • 'Isliye' gives a result (therefore/so).
  • Never drop 'ki' (that) like in English.

Quick Reference

Hindi Word English Meaning Function Example Phrase
Aur And Addition Main **aur** tum (Me and you)
Lekin / Par But Contrast Mehnga **lekin** badhiya (Expensive but great)
Ya Or Option Aaj **ya** kal? (Today or tomorrow?)
Kyonki Because Reason Main soya **kyonki** thaka tha (I slept because I was tired)
Isliye So / Therefore Result Thaka tha **isliye** soya (Was tired so I slept)
Ki That Connector Usne kaha **ki**... (He said that...)

Key Examples

3 of 10
1

Mujhe chai pasand hai, lekin coffee nahin.

I like tea, but not coffee.

2

Kya tum aaj aaoge ya kal?

Will you come today or tomorrow?

3

Main market gaya aur sabzi khareedi.

I went to the market and bought vegetables.

⚠️

The 'Ki' Trap

Never confuse the conjunction `की` (`ki`) (that) with the possessive `की` (`ki`) (of). Pronunciation matters! Short click vs long stretch.

🎯

Isliye Shortcut

In very casual Hindi, you might hear people drop `isliye` and just use `तो` (`to`) (so/then) to connect results. "Paisa nahin tha, **to** main nahin gaya."

The Rule in 30 Seconds

  • Use 'aur' to add, 'lekin' to contrast.
  • 'Kyonki' gives a reason (because).
  • 'Isliye' gives a result (therefore/so).
  • Never drop 'ki' (that) like in English.

Overview

Think of conjunctions as the Super Glue of Hindi. Without them, your speech is just a choppy list of facts. "I woke up. I ate. I went to work." Boring, right? Conjunctions let you say, "I woke up and ate because I had to go to work." Suddenly, you have flow. You have style. In this guide, we're mastering the heavy hitters: और (aur) (and), लेकिन (lekin) (but), kyonki (because), isliye (so/therefore), and the trickster की (ki) (that). These are your bread and butter for B1 level conversations.

How This Grammar Works

Conjunctions join two words, two phrases, or two entire sentences together. In Hindi, they usually sit right in the middle of the action, just like in English. However, Hindi has a specific rhythm. Some conjunctions signal that a reason is coming (kyonki), while others signal a result is coming (isliye). Mastering this cause-and-effect swap is key to sounding like a local and not a translation bot.

Formation Pattern

  1. 1The placement is generally straightforward:
  2. 2Clause A + Conjunction + Clause B.
  3. 3Example: मैं आया (Main aaya) (I came) + और (aur) (and) + वो गया (woh gaya) (he went).
  4. 4The की (Ki) Exception:
  5. 5की (Ki) (that) connects a thought/speech verb to what was said.
  6. 6Pattern: Subject + Said/Thought + की (ki) + The Statement.
  7. 7Example: उसने कहा (Usne kaha) (He said) + की (ki) (that) + वो ayega (woh ayega) (he will come).

When To Use It

  • और (Aur) (And): When adding information. "Chai aur biscuit." (Tea and biscuits).
  • लेकिन (Lekin) / Magar / पर (Par) (But): When giving a contrast. "Sasta hai lekin achha hai." (It's cheap but good).
  • Kyonki (Because): When explaining *why*. "Main khush hoon kyonki pizza aaya." (I'm happy because pizza arrived).
  • Isliye (Therefore/So): When explaining the *result*. "Barish thi, isliye main nahin aaya." (It was raining, so I didn't come).
  • की (Ki) (That): When reporting speech or thoughts. "Mujhe laga ki..." (I felt that...).

When Not To Use It

  • Don't use और (aur) to start every single sentence. It's a common nervous habit! If you start 5 sentences in a row with और (aur), you sound like a breathless toddler telling a story.
  • Don't use की (ki) (short 'i', connective) when you mean की (ki) (long 'i', possessive 'of'). The spelling is similar, but the function is totally different. We'll cover this in the mistakes section.

Common Mistakes

  • The की (Ki) vs की (Ki) Disaster: This is the #1 error.
  • की (Ki) (connective 'that') has a short sound (towards the left in Devanagari).
  • की (Ki) (possessive 'of' for feminine objects) has a long sound (towards the right).
  • *Wrong:* उसने कहा ki (long) बात suno. (Usne kaha ki (long) baat suno.)
  • *Right:* उसने कहा ki (short) बात suno. (Usne kaha ki (short) baat suno.)
  • Mixing up Cause and Effect: Using kyonki (because) when you mean isliye (so).
  • *Wrong:* "I was hungry, because I ate." (Wait, what?)
  • *Right:* "I was hungry, so (isliye) I ate."
  • Over-formalizing: Using tatha or evam for "and" in casual chat. Save those for your PhD thesis or a wedding invitation. Stick to और (aur).

Contrast With Similar Patterns

  • लेकिन (Lekin) vs. पर (Par): Both mean "but". लेकिन (Lekin) is the standard reliable choice. पर (Par) is shorter, punchier, and very common in spoken Hindi. Magar is a bit more dramatic or literary (think Bollywood dialogue), but still used.
  • English "That" vs. Hindi की (Ki): In English, we often drop "that" ("I think [that] he is nice"). In Hindi, you cannot drop the की (ki). You must say मुझे lagta है ki वो achha है (Mujhe lagta hai ki woh achha hai).

Quick FAQ

  • Q: Can I start a sentence with Kyonki?
  • A: In conversation? Absolutely. "Why are you late?" "Kyonki traffic tha."
  • Q: Is या (ya) the same as "yeah"?
  • A: No! या (Ya) means "or". "Chai ya coffee?"
  • Q: How do I pronounce kyonki?
  • A: Many locals slur it to "kyunki". Both are understood, but stick to the spelling first.

Reference Table

Hindi Word English Meaning Function Example Phrase
Aur And Addition Main **aur** tum (Me and you)
Lekin / Par But Contrast Mehnga **lekin** badhiya (Expensive but great)
Ya Or Option Aaj **ya** kal? (Today or tomorrow?)
Kyonki Because Reason Main soya **kyonki** thaka tha (I slept because I was tired)
Isliye So / Therefore Result Thaka tha **isliye** soya (Was tired so I slept)
Ki That Connector Usne kaha **ki**... (He said that...)
⚠️

The 'Ki' Trap

Never confuse the conjunction `की` (`ki`) (that) with the possessive `की` (`ki`) (of). Pronunciation matters! Short click vs long stretch.

🎯

Isliye Shortcut

In very casual Hindi, you might hear people drop `isliye` and just use `तो` (`to`) (so/then) to connect results. "Paisa nahin tha, **to** main nahin gaya."

💬

Drama Kings

You'll hear `magar` often in songs and movies. It carries a bit more emotional weight than `लेकिन` (`lekin`), like a dramatic pause.

💡

Sentence Length

Hindi speakers love long sentences connected by `और` (`aur`). Don't be afraid to chain 3-4 actions together. It's not considered 'run-on' like in English writing.

Examples

10
#1 Mujhe chai pasand hai, lekin coffee nahin.

Mujhe chai pasand hai, lekin coffee nahin.

Focus: लेकिन (lekin)

I like tea, but not coffee.

Standard contrast usage.

#2 Kya tum aaj aaoge ya kal?

Kya tum aaj aaoge ya kal?

Focus: या (ya)

Will you come today or tomorrow?

Giving choices.

#3 Main market gaya aur sabzi khareedi.

Main market gaya aur sabzi khareedi.

Focus: और (aur)

I went to the market and bought vegetables.

Connecting two actions.

#4 Usne mujhe bataya ki woh beemar hai.

Usne mujhe bataya ki woh beemar hai.

Focus: की (ki)

He told me that he is sick.

Don't drop the 'ki'!

#5 Bahar barish hai, isliye main ghar par hoon.

Bahar barish hai, isliye main ghar par hoon.

Focus: isliye

It's raining outside, so I am at home.

Showing the result/effect.

#6 Main ghar par hoon kyonki bahar barish hai.

Main ghar par hoon kyonki bahar barish hai.

Focus: kyonki

I am at home because it's raining outside.

Showing the cause/reason.

#7 Gari purani hai magar chalti hai.

Gari purani hai magar chalti hai.

Focus: magar

The car is old but it runs.

'Magar' adds a slightly dramatic flair compared to 'lekin'.

#8 ✗ Maine socha main pass ho jaunga.

✓ Maine socha ki main pass ho jaunga.

Focus: की (ki)

I thought (that) I would pass.

Correction: Missing 'ki' is a common error for English speakers.

#9 ✗ Main late tha, kyonki traffic.

✓ Main late tha kyonki traffic bahut tha.

Focus: kyonki

I was late because there was a lot of traffic.

Correction: 'Kyonki' usually needs a full clause after it, not just a noun.

#10 Chahe tum aao ya na aao, main jaunga.

Chahe tum aao ya na aao, main jaunga.

Focus: या (ya)

Whether you come or not, I will go.

Advanced: Using 'Chahe... ya' (Whether... or).

Test Yourself

Choose the correct conjunction to show the result.

मुझे bhookh लगी thi, ___ maine खाना khaya. (Mujhe bhookh lagi thi, ___ maine khana khaya.)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: isliye

You are stating the result (eating) of the hunger, so you use 'isliye' (so).

Connect these contrasting ideas.

हिन्दी मुश्किल hai, ___ मज़ेदार hai. (Hindi mushkil hai, ___ mazedaar hai.)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: लेकिन (lekin)

You are contrasting 'difficult' with 'fun', so 'lekin' (but) is the best fit.

Select the connector for reported speech.

papa ne कहा ___ आज chutti hai. (Papa ne kaha ___ aaj chutti hai.)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: की (ki)

To connect 'Papa said' with what he said, use 'ki' (that).

🎉 Score: /3

Visual Learning Aids

Cause vs. Effect

Reason (Why?)
Kyonki Because
Chunki Since/As (Formal)
Result (What happened?)
Isliye Therefore/So
To Then/So

Choosing 'But'

1

Is it a formal writing?

YES ↓
NO
Use 'Par' (Casual/Quick)
2

Is it standard speech/text?

YES ↓
NO
Use 'Kintu/Parantu' (Very Formal - Avoid)
3

Do you want to be safe?

YES ↓
NO
Use 'Magar' (Dramatic)
4

Use 'Lekin'

YES ↓
NO
Most common choice

The Many Faces of 'Or'

🤷

Choice

  • • Ya (This or That)
  • • Athva (Formal Or)
🤔

Condition

  • • Varna (Otherwise/Or else)
  • • Nahin to (Or else)

Frequently Asked Questions

21 questions

और (Aur) is what you use 99% of the time. Tatha is extremely formal, mostly found in religious texts or government documents.

Yes, especially when answering a question. "Why did you do it?" "Kyonki mujhe pasand hai." (Because I like it).

Good catch! Yes, पर (par) means "on" (meze par = on the table) AND "but". Context tells you which is which. If it connects sentences, it's "but".

In writing, yes, it helps clarity. In speaking, just a short pause works wonders.

Varna means "otherwise" or "or else". "Padhai karo, varna fail ho jaoge." (Study, or else you'll fail).

Yes, Hinglish (Hindi+English) is very common in cities. You will hear "Main late tha **so** maine taxi li." But for learning proper Hindi, stick to isliye.

Use Haalaanki. It's a bit advanced. "Haalaanki woh bimar tha, phir bhi aya." (Although he was sick, still he came).

Yes, the conjunction की (ki) is quick. If you drag it out to 'keee', it sounds like the possessive marker.

Usually a full new clause. "Usne kaha की (ki) [woh ayega]."

Yes! और (Aur) implies addition. "Ek और (aur) roti dena" (Give one **more** bread).

Balki means "rather" or "in fact". It's used to correct a previous statement. "Woh bura nahin, balki achha hai."

Use या to... या (Ya to... ya). "या तो (Ya to) yeh lo या (ya) woh lo." (Either take this or take that).

Use ना to... ना (Na to... na). "ना तो (Na to) main gaya ना (na) woh." (Neither I went nor he).

No. Like tatha, evam is very formal Sanskritized Hindi. Avoid it in daily chat.

Yes, तो (to) often acts as "then" or "so". "Agar tum aaoge, तो (to) main chalunga." (If you come, **then** I will go).

You can structure it as a result. Instead of "I ate because I was hungry", say "I was hungry so (isliye) I ate".

No! This is the best news. Conjunctions never change based on gender or number. और (Aur) is always और (aur).

Yes, और (Aur) can start a sentence to continue a story. "और (Aur) phir kya hua?" (And then what happened?).

Chunki means "since" or "as" and is slightly more formal. It usually starts the sentence. "Chunki barish thi..."

Use jaise ही (Jaise hi). "jaise ही (Jaise hi) main aya..." (As soon as I came...).

Atah is a formal synonym found in books, but isliye is the king of conversation.

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