पिछले सप्ताह
Chapter Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Describe activities, visits, and errands from last week.
- Use ने productively with first-person मैंने and common transitive verbs.
- Recognize object agreement in simple unmarked-object perfective sentences such as मैंने किताब पढ़ी.
- Connect two or three events in a short personal story using expanded chronological connectors.
- Ask and answer questions about recent activities using ने-marked sentences.
- Read a simple past narrative in Devanagari with reduced romanization support.
Communication Scenario
Priya calls her friend Rohan on Sunday evening to catch up on the past week. Rohan tells her about a visit to his parents, an errand he ran, and a book he finished reading. Priya shares what she did too, and together they compare their weeks.
- Notice how मैंने now appears freely with several different transitive verbs, not only the two fixed formulas from Chapter 14.
- Notice how the verb changes form to agree with the object in sentences like मैंने किताब पढ़ी and मैंने ईमेल लिखा.
Where This Chapter Fits
Chapter 16 opens Unit IV, अनुभव, योजना और कहानी. It returns to ने, which appeared only receptively and formulaically in Chapters 14 and 15, and develops it into a controlled productive system.
Coming Into This Chapter
You can narrate a simple completed event with intransitive perfective verbs such as गया/गई and आया/आई, and you have seen ने only in the two fixed formulas मैंने खाना खाया and मैंने चाय पी.
New in This Chapter
ने becomes productive with first-person मैंने and a small set of common transitive verbs. You will practice object agreement in unmarked-object sentences and expand your chronological connectors.
Looking Forward
Chapter 17, आगे की योजनाएँ, shifts to future forms and planning language. Later chapters continue expanding ने to more subjects and more verbs.
Core Vocabulary
16.1 Weekly activities and errands
| Hindi | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| पिछला सप्ताह / पिछले सप्ताह | last week | time expression; oblique form used adverbially |
| पिछला हफ़्ता / पिछले हफ़्ते | last week (informal) | common everyday alternative to सप्ताह |
| शनिवार, रविवार | Saturday, Sunday | recycled from Chapter 9 days of the week |
| मिलना | to meet | intransitive; does not take ने |
| मिलने जाना | to go to meet, to visit | compound expression; recognition-level nuance |
| काम निपटाना | to take care of a task, to run an errand | everyday expression |
| आराम करना | to rest | recycled from Chapter 12 |
16.2 High-frequency transitive verbs for controlled ने
| Hindi | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| पढ़ना | to read | perfective: पढ़ा/पढ़ी/पढ़े, agrees with object |
| लिखना | to write | perfective: लिखा/लिखी/लिखे, agrees with object |
| देखना | to see, to watch | perfective: देखा/देखी/देखे, agrees with object |
| बनाना | to make, to prepare | perfective: बनाया/बनाई/बनाए, agrees with object |
| ख़रीदना / खरीदना | to buy | perfective: ख़रीदा/ख़रीदी/ख़रीदे; nukta variant noted |
| भेजना | to send | perfective: भेजा/भेजी/भेजे, agrees with object |
16.3 Chronological connectors (expanded)
| Hindi | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| पहले | first, before that | recycled from Chapter 11 |
| फिर | then | recycled sequencer |
| उसके बाद | after that | recycled from Chapter 14 |
| उससे पहले | before that | new expanded connector for this chapter |
| आख़िर में / आखिर में | finally, in the end | new expanded connector; nukta variant noted |
| पूरे सप्ताह | all week, throughout the week | new expanded time expression |
Productive vocabulary for this chapter is limited to the items above: weekly-activity and errand vocabulary, six controlled transitive verbs for ने practice, and expanded chronological connectors. All other vocabulary in this chapter is recycled from earlier chapters.
Devanagari and Pronunciation Focus
This chapter introduces no new letters or matras. It focuses on the rhythm of ने-clauses and continues building fluent reading of connected past narration with reduced romanization support.
Practice the phrase-level rhythm of मैंने किताब पढ़ी and मैंने ईमेल लिखा. Notice that ने is unstressed and pronounced smoothly with the subject: मैंने forms one connected unit, not two separate words spoken slowly.
Review schwa deletion in familiar words such as हफ़्ता, सप्ताह, and निपटाना. Read each aloud as a natural spoken word rather than sounding out every written vowel.
Listen carefully for the difference between पढ़ा, पढ़ी, and पढ़े. The final vowel sound signals the gender and number of the object, not the subject. This is a genuinely new listening target for this chapter.
Grammar and Sentence Patterns
16.4 Language Focus — Productive ने with first-person मैंने
In Chapters 14 and 15, ने appeared only in two fixed formulas that you memorized without full analysis. In this chapter, ने becomes a productive grammatical marker for the first time. In many perfective sentences with a transitive verb, the subject is followed by ने, and the verb agrees with the object rather than with the subject.
Compare an ordinary present-tense sentence with its perfective ने counterpart:
Do not translate ने as "by." It is a grammatical marker that appears with the agent of many perfective transitive clauses. It has no independent English translation.
16.5 Language Focus — Object agreement in unmarked-object sentences
When the object of a ने sentence has no postposition of its own (an "unmarked object"), the verb agrees with that object in gender and number, not with the subject मैंने. This is true even though मैं may refer to a man or a woman.
This chapter limits productive practice to a small set of controlled transitive verbs used with unmarked, familiar, singular objects. Plural-object agreement is included only in the recognition example above.
16.6 Language Building Block — Chronological connectors in narration
This chapter does not introduce full ergative theory, को-marked objects and agreement blocking, irregular perfective stems, second- or third-person ने subjects beyond recognition, or literary narrative style. Productive practice remains limited to first-person मैंने with the six verbs listed in the vocabulary section above and familiar singular objects.
Model Dialogue
Setting: Priya calls her friend Rohan on Sunday evening. They compare their weeks.
समझ के प्रश्न — Comprehension questions:
- रोहन ने सबसे पहले क्या किया? (What did Rohan do first?)
- रोहन ने किसे ईमेल भेजा? (Who did Rohan send an email to?)
- प्रिया ने पिछले सप्ताह क्या पढ़ा? (What did Priya read last week?)
Listening Practice
Ask your instructor, a study partner, or a fluent Hindi speaker to read the model dialogue and the passage below aloud twice. On the first listen, note only the sequence of Meera's week. On the second listen, complete the table.
If no speaker is available, this is a Listening Script for Independent Use. Read the passage slowly at first, then at a natural pace. Any spoken model should be verified by a fluent Hindi speaker before being treated as a pronunciation standard.
मीरा का सप्ताह — Meera's Week:
"पिछले सप्ताह मीरा बहुत व्यस्त थी। पहले उसने अपने दफ़्तर के लिए एक ज़रूरी रिपोर्ट लिखी। फिर उसने अपनी माँ के लिए एक तोहफ़ा ख़रीदा। उसके बाद उसने अपने भाई को एक संदेश भेजा और उससे बात की। आख़िर में उसने एक अच्छी फ़िल्म देखी और थोड़ा आराम किया।"
सुनने का काम — Listening task:
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| मीरा ने पहले क्या लिखी? (What did Meera write first?) | ______ |
| मीरा ने किसके लिए तोहफ़ा ख़रीदा? (Who did Meera buy a gift for?) | ______ |
| मीरा ने किसे संदेश भेजा? (Who did Meera send a message to?) | ______ |
| आख़िर में मीरा ने क्या देखी? (What did Meera watch at the end?) | ______ |
Reading Practice
Read the short diary entry below, sounding out unfamiliar words carefully, then answer the questions.
समझ के प्रश्न — Comprehension questions:
- What did Amit do on Saturday, in order?
- Who did Amit cook for on Sunday?
- What did Amit send after cooking?
Writing Workshop
Write a short personal narrative about last week using at least three sentences with productive ने.
लेखन कार्य — Writing task: Write six to eight sentences describing your last week. Include: (1) a time expression such as पिछले सप्ताह or शनिवार को, (2) at least three मैंने sentences using verbs from this chapter's vocabulary list, (3) correct object agreement in each ने sentence, and (4) at least two chronological connectors.
- Set the scene. Begin with a time expression, such as पिछले सप्ताह or पिछले हफ़्ते.
- Narrate a first event. Use पहले मैंने ... with one of the six controlled verbs.
- Narrate a second event. Use फिर मैंने ..., checking that the verb agrees with its object.
- Narrate a third event. Use उसके बाद मैंने ... or उससे पहले मैंने ....
- Close the account. Use आख़िर में with either a ने sentence or an intransitive perfective sentence from Chapter 14.
संपादन सूची — Editing checklist:
- Every मैंने sentence uses one of the six verbs from this chapter's vocabulary list.
- The perfective verb ending matches the gender and number of the object, not the subject.
- At least two different chronological connectors are used.
- Intransitive perfective forms from Chapter 14, if used, still agree with the subject's gender.
- A danda (।) ends each sentence, and spelling matches this chapter's vocabulary.
Speaking Practice
नियंत्रित अभ्यास — Controlled practice: substitution drill
Practice the pattern मैंने ___ ___ by substituting different objects and matching verbs: मैंने किताब पढ़ी, मैंने पत्र लिखा, मैंने खाना बनाया. Say each sentence aloud and check the agreement.
संचार कार्य — Communicative task: comparing your weeks
With a partner, take turns describing three things you did last week using मैंने sentences and at least two chronological connectors. Ask your partner one follow-up question about each event.
अकेले अभ्यास — Solo alternative
Record yourself narrating last week's activities using at least three मैंने sentences, then listen back and check your object agreement.
Culture and Communication
Catching up with friends or family after time apart is common across many Hindi-speaking communities, whether by phone, video call, or in person. What counts as noteworthy news, and how much detail is shared, varies by relationship, generation, and personal style rather than by one fixed convention.
Weekly routines often include visiting family, running errands, and resting, but the balance of these activities differs by household, city or village setting, work schedule, and family structure. Avoid assuming that any single weekly pattern applies to all Hindi-speaking households.
Common Mistakes
Error: Saying मैंने किताब पढ़ा when the speaker is describing a feminine noun, किताब.
Correction: The verb must agree with the unmarked object: मैंने किताब पढ़ी. The subject मैंने does not control the verb ending in this pattern.
Error: Saying मैंने गया for "I went."
Correction: Intransitive verbs like जाना do not take ने: मैं गया/गई. ने in this chapter appears only with the six transitive verbs listed in the vocabulary section.
Error: Trying to translate ने word-for-word as "by" in every sentence.
Correction: ने is a grammatical marker with no independent English translation. Translate the whole sentence naturally: मैंने ईमेल लिखा means "I wrote the email," not "By me the email wrote."
Chapter Review
भाग A — समझ (Comprehension)
1. Return to the model dialogue and answer in English:
- What three things did Rohan do last week, in order?
- What did Priya say she did, and what limited her?
भाग B — व्याकरण (Grammar)
1. Complete with the correct agreeing verb form:
- मैंने एक किताब ______। (read, feminine object)
- मैंने एक ईमेल ______। (wrote, masculine object)
- मैंने खाना ______। (made, masculine object)
2. Combine these two events with फिर: मैंने किताब ख़रीदी। / मैंने उसे पढ़ी।
3. Correct the error: मैंने गया दफ़्तर। (intended meaning: "I went to the office")
भाग C — पठन (Reading)
1. Return to Amit's diary entry above and answer:
- What two things did Amit do on Saturday?
- What did Amit send his grandmother, and when?
भाग D — लेखन (Writing)
1. Write the connected account described in the Writing Workshop above, following all five steps.
भाग E — वाचन (Speaking)
1. With a partner, compare your weeks using at least three मैंने sentences each, and ask one follow-up question per event.
Cumulative Review
This chapter recycles daily routine and time expressions (Chapter 9), movement verbs (Chapter 11), study/work vocabulary (Chapter 13), and intransitive perfective narration with formulaic ने (Chapters 14-15), while developing controlled productive ने for the first time.
Practical Performance Task
पिछले सप्ताह की कहानी — The Story of Last Week
Complete the following four connected tasks in order.
- Listen to the model dialogue or listening passage above and complete the listening table.
- Speak with a partner (or record yourself): compare your weeks using at least three मैंने sentences and two chronological connectors.
- Read Amit's diary entry above and answer the comprehension questions.
- Write the connected account following the Writing Workshop checklist.
| Criterion | What is assessed |
|---|---|
| Productive ने | Correct use of first-person मैंने with at least three of the six controlled transitive verbs. |
| Object agreement | The perfective verb ending correctly matches the gender and number of the unmarked object. |
| Chronological connectors | At least two connectors used to sequence events clearly. |
| Intransitive perfective | Any intransitive perfective forms used still agree correctly with the subject. |
| Devanagari reading and writing | Diary entry and dialogue read accurately; account written with correct spelling and minimal romanization. |
This task evaluates only what this chapter has taught. It does not require second- or third-person productive ने, को-marked objects and agreement blocking, or literary narrative style.
Answer Key
Model Dialogue — Comprehension
- Rohan first visited his parents, then bought and read a book, then emailed his sister, and finally took care of errands and rested (पहले ... माता-पिता से मिलने गया, फिर ... किताब ख़रीदी और पढ़ी, उसके बाद ... ईमेल भेजा, आख़िर में ... काम निपटाए).
- Priya also read a book, but she had less time (मुझे समय कम मिला).
Listening
- Meera first wrote an important report for her office.
- She bought a gift for her mother.
- She sent a message to her brother.
- At the end she watched a good film.
Reading — Comprehension
- Amit cleaned his room and then read an old book (कमरे की सफ़ाई की, किताब पढ़ी).
- Amit cooked for his grandmother, on Sunday (रविवार को).
- After cooking, Amit sent her a card (कार्ड भेजा).
Chapter Review — भाग B
- (a) पढ़ी (b) लिखा (c) बनाया
- मैंने किताब ख़रीदी। फिर मैंने उसे पढ़ी।
- मैं दफ़्तर गया / मैं दफ़्तर गई। (जाना is intransitive and does not take ने.)
Looking Ahead
अब आप क्या कर सकते हैं — What you can do now
You can describe last week's activities, use मैंने productively with common transitive verbs, apply correct object agreement in unmarked-object sentences, and connect a short personal narrative with expanded chronological connectors.