Split Ergativity (نے Construction)

نے والی ساخت

About this concept

In perfective tenses, transitive verb subjects take نے ne. The verb then agrees with the object (not subject) in gender/number. If object has کو, verb defaults to masculine singular. Key Urdu grammar feature.

In Settemila Lingue, this concept generates a practice deck of ~40 cards at level A2.

Examples

لڑکے نے روٹی کھائی۔The boy ate bread. (verb agrees with روٹی f)

لڑکی نے خط لکھا۔The girl wrote a letter. (verb agrees with خط m)

اس نے مجھے دیکھا۔He/She saw me. (کو on object → default m.sg)

انہوں نے کہا۔They said. (no object → default m.sg)

Prerequisite

Simple Past TenseA2

Concepts that build on this

Causative Verb FormsB1 Exceptions to نے ErgativityB2

More A2 concepts

Simple Past Tenseماضی مطلق Past Continuous Tenseماضی جاری Past Habitual Tenseماضی عادی Possessive کا/کی/کےاضافت «کا/کی/کے»Compound Postpositionsمرکب حروفِ جار

Want to practice Split Ergativity (نے Construction) and more Urdu grammar? Create a free account to study with spaced repetition.

Get Started Free