Number (वचन)

Many of you might have a confusion on how the noun changes from singular to plural in Hindi. The understanding of grammatical number is important to understand the meaning of whole sentence, let me show you how you can determine or change the number from singular to plural.

In Hindi, there are two kind of grammatical numbers:

1. एकवचन (Ek Vachan) (Singular Number)
The word through which we get to know that the quantity is one i.e. लता (Creeper), बच्चा (Child), कुत्ता (Dog), कमरा (Room) etc.

2. बहुवचन (Bahu Vachan) (Plural Number)
The word through which we get to know that the quantity of something is more than one i.e. लताएँ (Creepers), बच्चे (Children), कुत्ते (Dogs) , कमरे (Rooms)  etc.

Let me show you how you can make plural form from singular form. This will also help you to differentiate between singular and plural in Hindi.First bracket shows the romanised spelling and second one shows the meaning in English.

Masculine Nouns

Some noun require that you change the आ at the end to ए to convert them to a plural.

Singular	Plural
लड़का (ladka)(Boy)	लड़के (ladke)(boys)
कमरा (kamra)(Room)	कमरे  (kamre)(rooms)
घोड़ा (ghoda)(Horse)	घोड़े (ghode)(horses)
कुत्ता (kutta)(Dog)	कुत्ते (kutte)(dogs)
बेटा (beta)(Son)	बेटे (bete)(sons)
रास्ता (rasta)(Way)	रास्ते (raste)(ways)

Some of the noun require that you add ने,  से,  में at the end of a plural.

Singular	Plural
घर (ghar)(Home)	घरों (gharoon) में, से, के (ne, mein, se)
डाकू (daku)(Deciot)	डाकुयो (dakoon) ने, में, से (ne, mein, se)
साधु (sadu)(Sage)	साधुओ (sadoon)(Sages) ने, में, से (ne, mein, se)

Feminine Nouns

Noun that require the change of अ at the end to एं to convert them to a  plural.

Singular	Plural
आँख (aakh)(Eye)	आँखे (aankein)(eyes)
पुस्तक (pustak)(Book)	पुस्तकें (pustakein)(books)
रात (raat) (Night)	रातें (raatein)(nights)
बहन (bahen) (Sister)	बहनें (bahenein) (sisters)
बांह (banh)(Arm)	बांहें (banhein)(arms)

Noun that require to add याँ at the end to convert them to a plural.

Singular	Plural
नीति (niti)(Policy)	नीतियाँ (nitiyan)(policies)
लिपि (lipi)(Script)	लिपियाँ (lipiyan)(scripts)
गति (gati) (Speed)	गतियाँ (gatiyan)(speeds)
प्रति (prati)(Copy)	प्रतियाँ (pratiyan)(copies)

Noun that require to change the ई at the end to इया to convert them to a plural.

Singular	Plural
नारी (nari)(Woman)	नारियाँ (nariyan)(women)
चाबी (chabi)(Key)	चाबियाँ (chabiyan)(keys)
नदी (nadi)(River)	नदियाँ (nadiyan)(rivers)
सीढ़ी (sidhi)(Stair)	सीढियाँ (sidhiyan)(stairs)
सखी (sakhi)(Fem. friend)	सखियाँ (sakhiyan) (fem. friends)

Noun that require a chandra bindu (ँ ) at the end to convert them to a plural.

Singular	Plural
चिड़िया (chidiya)(Sparrow)	चिड़ियाँ (chidiyan)(sparrows)
बुढ़िया (budiya)(Old lady)	बुढ़ियाँ (budiyan)(old ladies)
पुड़िया (pudiya)(Small packet)	पुड़ियाँ (pudiyan)(small packets)

Noun that require एँ at the end. Another important change in that some of the noun need to change their ऊ to उ  in plural i.e. वधू to वधुएँ

Singular	Plural
लता (lata)(Crepper)	लताएँ (latein)(creppers)
वधू (vadu) (Bride)	वधुएँ (vaduein)(brides)
वस्तु (vastu)(Thing)	वस्तुएँ (vastuein)(things)
बहू (badu)(Daughter-in-law)	बहुएँ (bahuein)(Daughters-in-law)