Expressing Certainty

At the B2 level, certainty isn't just about adding words like zarur (definitely) or pakka (for sure)—though those help! The real magic is in the verb endings.

We use the auxiliary verb hona (to be) in its future form (hoga, honge, hogi) to express "must be" or "probably is" regarding a current state or action.

• If you say Woh ghar par hai (He is at home), it's a fact. You saw him.
• If you say Woh ghar par hoga (He must be at home), it's a strong assumption. You see his car, the lights are on, so you are certain, even if you aren't in the room.

Think of hoga here not as "will be" (future), but as "must be" (logical deduction).

1. 1Here is how to build these "certainty" sentences for different timelines.
2. 21. Certainty about a State (Noun/Adjective)
3. 3Subject + Object/Adjective + hoga / hogi / honge
4. 4*Example:* Yeh rasta sahi hoga. (This route must be correct.)
5. 52. Certainty about a Present Action (Continuous)
6. 6Subject + Verb Stem + ta / te / ti + hoga / hogi / honge
7. 7*Example:* Woh abhi so raha hoga. (He must be sleeping right now.)
8. 83. Certainty about a Completed Action (Past)
9. 9Subject + Verb (Past Form) + hoga / hogi / honge
10. 10*Example:* Bas nikal gayi hogi. (The bus must have left.)

Use this pattern when you are connecting the dots but don't have visual confirmation yet.

• Deducing location: "His phone is off? He must be in a meeting." (Woh meeting mein hoga)
• Predicting habits: "It's 8 PM. Mom must be cooking dinner." (Maa khana bana rahi hogi)
• Reassuring someone: "Don't worry, he must have reached safely." (Woh pahunch gaya hoga)
• Strong Agreement: When adding pakka or zarur. "He will definitely come." (Woh zarur aayega)

• Absolute witnessed facts: If you are looking at the rain, don't say Baarish hoti hogi (It must be raining). Just say Baarish ho rahi hai (It is raining).
• Wild guesses: If you have no clue, use shayad (maybe) with the subjunctive, not this strong hoga structure.
• Talking about the actual future: Wait, actually, you DO use hoga for the future! Context is key. Kal chhutti hogi can mean "Tomorrow will be a holiday" OR "Tomorrow must be a holiday (I assume)." Usually, time words like kal (tomorrow) vs abhi (now) clarify this.

• The "Will" Trap: Beginners see hoga and translate it as "will." When they hear Woh sota hoga, they think "He will sleep." Nope! It means "He must be sleeping."
• Gender Blunders: Forgetting to match hoga/hogi with the subject. Daal (lentils) is feminine. So, Daal acchi bani hogi (The lentils must be made well), not bana hoga.
• Overusing Hai: Sticking to simple present tense. "I think he is busy" → Mujhe lagta hai woh busy hai. This is fine, but Woh busy hoga is punchier and more native-sounding.

• Lagta hai vs. Hoga:
• Lagta hai baarish hogi: "It seems it will rain." (Opinion/Feeling)
• Baarish hoti hogi: "It must be raining (somewhere else/I assume)." (Deduction)
• Shayad (Maybe) vs. Pakka (Definite):
• Shayad woh aayega: Maybe he will come. (50% chance)
• Woh aayega: He will come. (100% fact/plan)
• Woh aata hoga: He must be on his way. (90% deduction)

Q: Can I just add zarur to any sentence?

Pretty much! Zarur works like "definitely." Woh zarur aayega (He will definitely come).

Q: Is pakka formal?

Not really. Pakka is very common in spoken Hindi (like "for sure"). For a job interview, use avashya or nischit roop se if you want to sound fancy.

Q: How do I know if hoga is Future or Presumptive?

Look for time markers! Abhi (now) = Presumptive (Must be). Kal (tomorrow) = Future (Will be).

Q: Is this rude?

No! It actually sounds polite because you aren't forcing a fact, you're sharing a strong thought.