Oblique Infinitive with से

### Overview

So, you've mastered the basic Hindi infinitive, right? That friendly form ending in nā like khānā (to eat) or jānā (to go). It's the vanilla ice cream of Hindi verbs—classic, reliable. But sometimes, vanilla needs a topping. When you add the postposition se (from/with/by) to a verb, that nā ending can't stay vanilla. It has to shape-shift.

This grammar point is about transforming nā into ne before se. It's a small tweak that unlocks huge expressive power, letting you compare actions, explain causes, and express fears. It's the difference between saying "Eat from" (makes no sense) and "From eating" (makes perfect sense).

### How This Grammar Works

Think of the infinitive (-nā) as a noun. Just like laṛkā (boy) becomes laṛke when you add se (to make laṛke se), verbs do the exact same acrobatic move.

When a verb acts like a noun and gets hit with a postposition like se, it bends. The ā sound at the end gets crushed into an e sound. That’s it. That’s the whole mechanical trick.

Why do we use it? Usually to say things like:

• "I'm tired of listening."
• "Walking is better than running."
• "He got sick from eating too much."

### Formation Pattern

It's a simple two-step dance:

1. 1Take the infinitive verb.

Example: bolnā (to speak)

1. 1Change the final ā to e.

bolnā → bolne

1. 1Add se.

bolne se

The Formula:

Verb Stem + ne + se

### When To Use It

You'll use this pattern in three main scenarios. Think of them as the "Three C's":

1. 1Comparison: When comparing two actions.

• "Trying is better than crying." (rone se koshish karnā behtar hai)

1. 1Causation: When an action causes a result.

• "The road closed due to raining." (bārish hone se...)

1. 1Connection (Specific Verbs): Certain verbs just love se. If you use them, you must use ne se.

• darnā (to fear): "I'm scared of falling." (girne se)
• rokna (to stop/prevent): "Stop him from going." (jāne se)
• inkār karnā (to refuse): "He refused to listen." (sunne se)

### When Not To Use It

Don't use this just because you see the English word "to" or "from" in your head.

• Don't use it for destination. You go *to* a place (Delhi ko/taraf), not Delhi se (that means *from* Delhi).
• Don't use it for simple future plans like "I am going to eat." That's just khāne jā rahā hūn. No se needed there unless you are being stopped *from* eating.

### Common Mistakes

1. 1The "Vanilla" Stubbornness: Keeping the ā.

• Wrong: jānā se ❌
• Right: jāne se ✅

(Native speakers will understand you, but it sounds like you're speaking with a mouth full of marbles.)

1. 1Mixing up se and ko:

• main usko milne se gayā (I went from meeting him?) ❌
• main usse milne gayā (I went to meet him) ✅

### Contrast With Similar Patterns

ne se vs. kar (The Conjunctive Participle)

• kar (having done): Focuses on sequence. First I did X, then Y happened.
• khānā khākar main soyā (Having eaten, I slept).
• ne se (due to/by doing): Focuses on cause or origin.
• zyādā khāne se peṭ dard huā (Due to eating too much, stomach ache happened).

Think of kar as a timeline, and ne se as a reason-line.

### Quick FAQ

Q: Can I use this with any verb?

Pretty much! If the logic holds up (comparison, cause, or specific verb connection), go for it.

Q: Does gender matter here?

Nope! Infinitives in the oblique form are always masculine singular oblique (-ne). It doesn't matter if a boy or a girl is doing the action. It's always ne.