Background
Let’s understand how to say I can do something:
Radha dekh-ti hai = Radha sees
sak = to be able
Radha sak-ti hai = Radha can (template sentence)
sak is very useful for asking permission and requesting
You Try...
Radha speaks =
I can =
Grammar Construction
1) First we conjugate sak:
Radha sak-ti hai = Radha can (template sentence)
2) Add the verb: bol (no conjugation)
Radha bol sak-ti hai = Radha can speak
One more time:
mai sak-ti hu -> mai sun sak-ti hu = I can hear
You Try...
I can speak =
I can speak Hindi =
Asking questions for permissions
Using sak, we can ask for permissions:
Radha cricket khel sak-ti hai = Radha can play cricket
now we add a question inflection at the end
Radha cricket khel sak-ti hai? = Radha can play cricket?
= May Radha play cricket?
Can you guess the meaning of this?
Radha kab cricket khel sak-ti hai?
You Try...
May I make the dosa? =
How may I make the dosa? (kaise) =
Making a request
When we ask a question using aap, it becomes a request:
aap window khol sak-ti hai = You can open a window
aap window khol sak-ti hai? = Can you open the window?
= Could you (please) open the window?
You Try...
Could you go to the market? =
Two way of requesting
So far, we’ve learned two ways to requesting:
1) with sak (very polite):
aap market ja sak-ti hai? = Could you go please to the market? (Very polite)
2) with the Gentle Request -iye conjugation (moderately polite)
market ja-iye = Please go the market
You Try...
Try both ways to request someone to make tea
