वह किताब नई है।

to be

Breakdown of वह किताब नई है।

• वह: that
• नया: new
• किताब: book

Questions & Answers about वह किताब नई है।

What does वह mean here, and is it he/she or that?

वह can mean either he, she, it, or that, depending on context.

In this sentence, because it comes before किताब (book), it is usually understood as that:

• वह किताब = that book

Hindi often uses the same word for both a third-person pronoun and a demonstrative:

• वह आया। = He came.
• वह किताब नई है। = That book is new.

So you decide from context which meaning is intended.

Why is the word order different from English?

Hindi normally follows Subject–Object–Verb order, and in simple equational sentences like this, the verb usually comes at the end.

So the structure is:

• वह किताब = that book
• नई = new
• है = is

Literally, it is closer to:

• That book new is.

This is completely normal in Hindi. The verb है usually comes at the end of the sentence.

Why is नई used instead of नया?

Because किताब is a feminine noun, and the adjective must agree with it.