यूनीवर्सिटी ऑफ़ मिशिगन

Inclusive imperatives.
                   In Hindi, when speakers wish to include themselves in a suggestion or a command, they use the subjunctive:
 1.  चलो , अब हम घर चलें।
       'C'mon, let's go home now.'
 2.   हम कोई तरक़ीब निकालें।
      'Let's think of a solution. '
Since the speaker is included, this mood is used in asking for assent, too:
 3.  यहाँ से खिसक जाएँ हम ?
      'Shall we split this scene? '
 4.  अब थोड़ा आराम कर लें ?
      'Shall we rest up a bit?'
The passive is very frequently used in such inclusives:
 5.   चलो ,  यार ,  आज रात पिक्चर देखी जाए ,   पिक्चर !
       'C'mon, good buddy, let's take in a show tonight!'
 6.   तो मुन्नी को आज नई फ़्रॉक पहनाई जाए ?
       'So shall we put Munni's new dress on (her) today?'
As an inclusive, this construction freely occurs with intransitives:
 7.  हम यहाँ बैठें।  यहाँ बैठा जाए।
      'Let's sit here.'
 8.  हम जाएँ अब ?    अब जाया जाए ?
      'Shall we go now?'
It is possible to use the subjunctive of the antitransitive in the same way:
 9.  चलो,  अब सामान बँध जाए।
      'C'mon, let's pack the stuff now.'
But without context or an indication like  चलो,  the subjunctive of the antitransitive can apply to any person:
 10. लारी कब तक लदे ?
       'When shall I (you, he, we, they, etc. ) load the truck?'
To exercise on the inclusive imperative.
To index of grammatical notes.
To index of  मल्हार.
Keyed in by  विवेक अगरवाल in Mar 2001.
Posted 12 Apr 2001.