Breakdown of लाइब्रेरियन को पुस्तकालय कार्ड दिखाइए और पत्रिका उधार लीजिए।
Questions & Answers about लाइब्रेरियन को पुस्तकालय कार्ड दिखाइए और पत्रिका उधार लीजिए।
Why is को used after लाइब्रेरियन?
को marks the person the action is directed to. Here, लाइब्रेरियन को means to the librarian.
So the structure is:
- लाइब्रेरियन को = to the librarian
- पुस्तकालय कार्ड = library card
- दिखाइए = show
In other words: Show the library card to the librarian.
Why is the word order different from English?
Hindi usually puts the verb at the end. English says:
Show the library card to the librarian
but Hindi naturally says something more like:
To the librarian the library card show
So in लाइब्रेरियन को पुस्तकालय कार्ड दिखाइए, the verb दिखाइए comes last. The same thing happens in the second part:
- पत्रिका उधार लीजिए = magazine borrow take
This verb-final order is very normal in Hindi.
Is पुस्तकालय कार्ड just a compound meaning library card?
Yes. पुस्तकालय कार्ड is a noun + noun combination, where the first noun describes the second.
- पुस्तकालय = library
- कार्ड = card
Together: library card
Hindi often uses this kind of compound structure, just like English does in phrases such as library card, school bus, or coffee cup.
Also, in everyday Hindi, many speakers might say लाइब्रेरी कार्ड instead. Both are understandable.
What form is दिखाइए?
दिखाइए is a polite command form of दिखाना, which means to show.
So:
- दिखाना = to show
- दिखाइए = please show / show (polite)
This is the kind of form you use when speaking respectfully, usually to आप.
What form is लीजिए?
लीजिए is a polite command form of लेना, meaning to take.
So:
- लेना = to take
- लीजिए = please take / take (polite)
In this sentence, it combines with उधार to mean borrow:
- उधार लीजिए = borrow / take on loan
Like दिखाइए, this is a respectful आप-style command.
Why does Hindi say पत्रिका उधार लीजिए instead of using one simple verb for borrow?
Hindi often expresses ideas with a noun or adverb-like word plus a verb. Here:
- उधार = on loan / borrowed
- लेना = to take
So उधार लेना literally means to take on loan, which is the normal way to say to borrow.
This is very natural Hindi. Many actions are expressed this way rather than with a single verb.
Why doesn’t पत्रिका have को?
Because पत्रिका is the direct object, and in Hindi direct objects are often left unmarked, especially when they are inanimate.
Here:
- लाइब्रेरियन को = indirect object / recipient
- पत्रिका = direct object
Hindi often uses को with people, animate nouns, or very specific/emphasized direct objects, but not always with ordinary inanimate objects like पत्रिका.
So पत्रिका उधार लीजिए sounds normal.
Why are there no words for the or a?
Hindi does not normally use articles the way English does. There is no exact everyday equivalent of a/an/the that has to appear in sentences like this.
So Hindi can simply say:
- लाइब्रेरियन = the librarian / a librarian
- पत्रिका = the magazine / a magazine
The exact meaning depends on context. English needs articles; Hindi usually does not.
Do I need to add a word like please to make this polite?
Not necessarily. The polite verb forms दिखाइए and लीजिए already make the sentence respectful.
So this sentence already sounds polite.
If you want to make it even more explicitly polite, you could add कृपया at the beginning:
कृपया लाइब्रेरियन को पुस्तकालय कार्ड दिखाइए और पत्रिका उधार लीजिए।
But it is not required.
Is this sentence formal? How would I say it less formally?
Yes, this sentence is polite/respectful because it uses दिखाइए and लीजिए, which go with आप-style speech.
If you were speaking less formally to a friend, you might say something like:
लाइब्रेरियन को लाइब्रेरी कार्ड दिखाओ और पत्रिका उधार लो।
That is less polite and more casual.
So the original sentence is a good choice for instructions, public notices, or respectful speech.
Why does the sentence use पुस्तकालय but also लाइब्रेरियन? Why mix Hindi and English-based words?
Because modern Hindi mixes vocabulary from different sources very freely.
- पुस्तकालय is a more Sanskrit-based Hindi word for library
- लाइब्रेरियन is an English loanword adapted into Hindi
This kind of mixing is extremely common in real Hindi. In fact, many speakers would also say लाइब्रेरी instead of पुस्तकालय.
There is also a more formal Hindi word for librarian: पुस्तकालयाध्यक्ष, but in everyday usage लाइब्रेरियन is much more common.
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning HindiMaster Hindi — from लाइब्रेरियन को पुस्तकालय कार्ड दिखाइए और पत्रिका उधार लीजिए। to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions