Posts from December 2009

The Dative Case

Posted by kunthra No Comments
Dec 30 2009

When an object is transferred to someone or for someone, the receiver of the object will be in the dative case.

Here are some examples:

I gave him the ball : मैंने उसको गेंद दी 

You brought food for me : आप मेरे लिए खाना लाए

Ramesh sings for you : रमेश आपके लिए गाती है

We gave them a letter (we gave a letter to them) : हमने उसको पत्र दिया

They cooked food for us : उन्होंने हमारे लिए खाना बनाया

In the sentences above, को = to. के लिए = for.

To be more exact, the dative of a sentence like this ”I give money to the woman” is ”to the woman”. 

The dative also has a contracted form as well.

For example, “to me” is मुझको but a contracted form of this is मुझे

“to us” is हमको and the contracted form is हमें

“to you” familar तुमको, contracted form = तुम्हें

“to you” polite आपको no contracted form of आपको 

 ”to him, her” उसको, contracted form = उसे

“to them” उनको, contracted form = उन्हें

Here’s an example of a sentence using a contracted form:

We gave money to him : हमने उसे पैसे दिए

Hinglish

Posted by kunthra 1 Comment
Dec 27 2009

Hinglish is a term used to describe the mixing of Hindi and English words in one sentence. In India, you’ll hear some quirky English phrases that have formed from the grammar and syntax of Hindi. Some of these phrases are also idomatic, and you might at first have to ponder the meanings of these phrases. You might be surprised to know that certain outdated phrases like, “Please do the needful” (meaning, “Please do what is necessary” from colonial British English) is still used in India. Take a look at some of the phrases below. (As a tourist in India, they may be very helpful.) Perhaps you’ve heard of some of them?

“She’s right, ah?” used in Southern India to mean, “She’s right, no?” (the ah is replaced with no)

“Where are you put up?” used in Southern India to mean, “Where do you live?”

“What is good name?” means “What is your full name?” (may hear this at the police station, at the airport)

“Tell me” when used on the phone may mean, “What can I do for you?” or “How can I help you?”

“I don’t take meat” means “I don’t eat meat”

“Hotel” can mean “restaurant” and a “lodge” can mean a “hotel

“Where are you getting down?” means, “Where are you getting off?” especially used at a train station

“चल” can be used as the word “okay” like in the sentence, “चल (okay) I have to sleep now”

“Kindly” may be used instead of “please” like in this sentence, “Kindly (please) sit down”

“Curd” is used to mean “Yogurt”

The use of “slow” and “soft” may be switched. If you say “Drive slower” to a taxi driver, he may think you meant “Drive softer” as in “Don’t don’t drive on the bumpy side of the road”

The use of “wala” after an occupation like, “The bus wala was late”

“pass out” may mean “to have graduated from college”

“upgradation” means to “update” and “upgrade”

“ऊफ़” is an interjection used to show frustration or anger like here, “ऊफ़, the taxi driver overcharged me”

The Active and Passive Voice

Posted by kunthra No Comments
Dec 24 2009

The instrumental case can also be used to convert a speech from an active voice to a passive voice. In the active voice, the subject performs the verb. In the passive voice the verb is performed on the object by or through the subject. The subject acts as a king of instrument.

Here are some examples:

You drink tea: आप चाय पीते हैं (active)

Tea is drunk by you: चाय आपसे पी जाती है (passive)

She reads a book: वह किताब पढ़ती है (active)

The gets read by her: किताब उसके द्वारा पढ़ी जाती है (passive)

He wrote the letter: उसने खत लिखा (active)

The letter was written by him: खत उससे लिखा गया (passive)

I ate a mango: मैंने आम खाया (active)

A mango was eaten by me: आम मुझसे खाया गया था (passive)

You drink: आप पीते हैं (active)

It is drunk by you: आपके द्वारा पीया जाता है (passive)

Raam killed Raavana: रामने रावण को मारा (active)

Raavana was killed by Raam: रावण रामके द्वारा मारा गया था (passive)

Here’s a mini quiz: which is passive? active? 

 उससे आईना टूट गया (The mirror was broken by her)

उसने उमा से कहा कि… (He told Uma that…)

Must See Nighttime Attractions

Posted by kunthra No Comments
Dec 21 2009

India is a host to a number of beautiful attractions. Some of my favorite attractions are those that are more beautiful to behold in the nighttime. This is not an exhaustive list, but here are some of my favorite sites. 

लाल क़िला or Red Fort is located in Delhi (दिल्ली), India. Red Fort was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. For a time the British used Red Fort as a military base. After India gained independence in 1947, it became a tourist site. Within the Red Fort lies a series of buildings such as the Pearl Mosque (मोती मस्जिद). Red Fort is currently also used by the Prime Minister as a place to address a speech on August 15th, India’s Independence Day.

Konark Sun Temple in Konark, Orissa is lined with carvings dedicated to the sun god Suurya (सूर्य). The temple is also famous for its erotic carvings. Some of the old structures of the temple have been destroyed by the natural elements and of course by human warfare. For example, only parts of the main sanctum, the Dining Hall and the Dancing Hall have survived. Despite this, the Konark Sun Temple still remains a glowing tribute to Orissan art.

छत्रपती शिवाजी टर्मिनस or the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus is located in Mumbaii (मुंबई). It is better known as CST. CST is one of the busiest railway stations in India and one of the most historic as well. The CST was built by an architect by the name of Frederick William Stevens. The CST was built in the architectual style of Victorian Gothic art. At night when the CST is lighted, it looks like a castle in a 19th century fantasy.

ताज महल or the Taj Mahal is stunning in the daytime, but absolutely divine to behold in the light of the moon. In the night, the Taj Mahal has this melancholy and fragile atmosphere. The white marble lighting of the Taj stands as a contrast to the dark night, and from afar, the bulbous shape of the dome is very well highlighted. The Taj is certaintly one of the most romantic and scenic places to view at night in India!

Indian Sweets

Posted by kunthra No Comments
Dec 18 2009

Anyone craving Indian sweets? Here are some of my favorite kinds of sweets!

जलेबी is the Indian version of a funnel cake. It is orangy-yellowish in color, but sometimes white as well. A जलेबी is a snack that looks as if several rings are intertwined together. First a batter consisting of flour, saffron, sugar and some butter is mixed together. Then the जलेबी is deep fried and soaked in syrup. After that some confectionary sugar is added to the surface, and crystallizes into an edible snack.                                     

 

बाल मिठाई is made by mixing evaporated milk with sugar cane. When the mixture turns black, it is left to harden a bit and cut into cubes. Then the cubes are coated with sugar balls. A बाल मिठाई reminds me of a brownie covered with sprinkles. Originally the बाल मिठाई was coated with opium poppy seeds.

बर्फ़ी is made by mixing condensed milk with sugar until it solidifies. There are different kinds of बर्फ़ी. Some are flavored with ground pistachio nuts, apricots, cashews, mangos, coconut, or almonds. Sometimes an edible foil made of pure silver called वरख is coated on top. Although बर्फ़ी isn’t made of cheese, it’s called the “Indian cheesecake” because वरख can be white and resemble cheese in that way.

गुलाब जामुन is made be preparing a dough that is made of flour, creamy milk powder and sugar. After the dough is fried, the surface is coated with rosewater syrup, honey, or saffron syrup, and sometimes sprinkled with coconut shavings. गुलाब जामुन is usually brown or dark brown in color. The गुलाब जामुन kind of reminds me of a mini doughnut. गुलाब जामुन is usually consumed for joyous events like weddings.

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