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{{Short description|Grammatical rules and syntax in the Bhojpuri language}}
{{Contains special characters|Indic}}

'''Bhojpuri grammar''' ({{langx|bho|भोजपुरी व्याकरण}}) is the [[grammar]] of the Bhojpuri language. In many aspects, it is quite similar to other [[Eastern Indo-Aryan languages]]. Modern Bhojpuri grammar was written in 1915 by Pt. Shivadas Ojha.

== Nouns ==
{{Main|Bhojpuri Nouns}}
[[Noun]]s in Bhojpuri have three forms, viz. short, long and redundant. Thus, for ''ghōṛā'' ("horse"), the forms will be ''ghōṛā'', ''ghoṛwā'' and ''ghoṛawā'' respectively. In some cases, the long form ends with /ē/, ''ghoṛwē''.{{Sfn|Greirson|1903|p=50}} The redundant form has two more variants, /-ā/ and /-yā/. Thus for ''kukur'' ("a dog"), it can take the form ''kukurā'' and for ''māli'' ("a gardener") ''maliyā''. /-ā/ is used with nouns which have a disyllabic structure like ''bhatār'', ''bhatarā'' ("husband") or ''sonār'', ''sonarā'' ("goldsmith"). The suffix /-yā/ is added to nouns ending in /-i/, including feminine forms derived by adding /-i/, like ''bētī'', ''betiyā'' ("daughter") and ''aurat, auratiyā'' ("women").{{Sfn|Jain|Cardona|2007|p=524}} The oblique forms of nouns are identical to the nominative with the exception of verbal nouns.{{Sfn|Greirson|1903|p=50}}

=== Definitness ===
The redundant form, as it is called by [[George Abraham Grierson|Greirson]], actually does the grammatical task of coding [[definiteness]] in the noun morphology. It is same as the definite articles ''the'' and ''la'' of [[English language|English]] and [[French language|French]] respectively. Thus, ''ghorawā'' is "the horse" and ''maliyā'' is "the gardener".{{Sfn|Jain|Cardona|p=524|2007}}

=== Morphology ===
To characterize nouns the suffixes ''-wala'' and ''-iya'' are extensively used. ''-wala'' is also used in [[Hindustani language|Hindustani]] but its use is more extensive in Bhojpuri where it can replace the adjective-forming suffixes of borrowed words, e.g. /-dār/. For instance, {{Langx|hi|इज़्ज़तदार|translit=izzatdār}} becomes ''ijjatwalā'' in Bhojpuri. The suffix /-iyā/ (also /-aiyā/, /-vaiyā/ variations) is also used extensively as characterizing suffix, as in ''kalkatiyā'', characteristic or belonging to [[Kolkata]], and ''puraniyā'', characterized by old age.{{Sfn|Jain|Cardona|p=525|2007}}

=== Gender ===
The [[Animate noun]]s in Bhojpuri are gendered. Those referring to females are feminine and rest are masculine. The feminine is formed by adding /-i/, /-in/ and /-ni/ to masculine nouns, e.g. /ājā/ ("grandfather") → /ājī/ ("grandmother") or /māli - mālin/ and /babuā - babunī/ (boy - girl).{{Sfn|Jain|Cardona|p=525|2007}}

=== Number ===
To form the plural in Bhojpuri, the final long vowel is shortened and ''-n'', ''-nh'' or ''-ni'' is added. In some cases, nouns of multitude like ''sabh'' (all) or ''lōg'' (people) are added to nouns to make plurals.{{Sfn|Greirson|1903|p=50}}

{| class="wikitable"
!Definition
!Singular Form (Short)
!Singular Form (long)
!Plural Form
|-
|House
|ghar
|gharwā
|gharan/gharwan/ ghar sabh
|-
|Horse
|ghoṛā
|ghoṛwā
|ghoṛan/ghoṛwan/ghōṛā sabh
|-
|Boy
|laïkā
|laïkwā
|laïkan/laïka sabh
|-
|King
|rājā
|rajwā
|rājā lōg
|}

=== Cases ===
Cases are generally formed by adding postpositions to the [[Nominative case]] or the oblique form (if exists) of the nouns. Sometimes true cases are also found, such as an [[Instrumental case|Instrumental]] and [[Locative case|Locative]] formed by adding ''-ē'', as in [[Bengali language|Bengali]]''.'' Thus, the locative and Instrumental case of ''ghar'' ("house") is ''ghare'' ("in/by the house"). These case forms are only found in the singular, however.{{Sfn|Greirson|1903|p=50}}

{| class="wikitable"
|+Noun Inflection
! rowspan="2" |
! colspan="2" |Short
! colspan="2" |Long
|-
!Singular || Plural
!Singular || Plural
|-
! Nominative
| {{fs interlinear|𑂐𑂩|ghar|the house}}
| {{fs interlinear|𑂐𑂩𑂢 |gharana|the Houses}}
| {{fs interlinear|𑂐𑂩𑂫𑂰 |gharvā|the House}}
| {{fs interlinear|𑂐𑂩𑂫𑂢 |gharvana|the Houses}}
|-
! Accusative
| {{fs interlinear| 𑂐𑂩 '''𑂍𑂵/𑂍'''|ghar '''ke/ka''''|(to) the House}}
| {{fs interlinear|𑂐𑂩𑂢 '''𑂍𑂵/𑂍'''|gharan '''ke/ka'''|(to) the houses}}
| {{fs interlinear|𑂐𑂩𑂫𑂰 '''𑂍𑂵/𑂍'''|gharvā '''ke/ka''''|(to) the House}}
| {{fs interlinear|𑂐𑂩𑂫𑂢 '''𑂍𑂵/𑂍'''|gharvana '''ke/ka''''|(to) the House}}
|-
! Genitive
| {{fs interlinear| 𑂐𑂩 '''𑂍𑂵/𑂍'''|ghar '''ke/ka''''|(of) the House}}
| {{fs interlinear|𑂐𑂩𑂢 '''𑂍𑂵/𑂍'''|gharan '''ke/ka'''|(of) the houses}}
| {{fs interlinear|𑂐𑂩𑂫𑂰 '''𑂍𑂵/𑂍'''|gharvā '''ke/ka''''|(of) the House}}
| {{fs interlinear|𑂐𑂩𑂫𑂢 '''𑂍𑂵/𑂍'''|gharvana '''ke/ka''''|(of) the House}}
|-
! Locative
| {{fs interlinear| 𑂐𑂩 '''𑂧𑂵''', 𑂐𑂩𑂵|ghar '''me''', gharē|(in/on) the House}}
| {{fs interlinear|𑂐𑂩𑂢 '''𑂧𑂵'''|gharan '''me'''|(in/on) the houses}}
| {{fs interlinear|𑂐𑂩𑂫𑂰 '''𑂧𑂵'''|gharvā '''me''''|(in/on) the House}}
| {{fs interlinear|𑂐𑂩𑂫𑂢 '''𑂧𑂵'''|gharvana '''me''''|(in/on) the House}}
|}

* To form the instrumental case; ''sē'', ''tē'', ''santē'' and ''kartē'' are also added to the noun forms, hence ''ghar se'' is ''to the house''.
* To form the [[Dative case|dative]], ''lā'', ''lag'', ''khātir'' are added, ex:- ''ghar la'' (for the house)
* For the [[ablative case]], ''sē'', ''lē'' are added.

=== Noun Phrases ===
Nouns can be preceded by quantifiers. The quantifiers ''-gō'', ''-ṭhō'' and ''-ṭhē'' are used with numeral to emphasize countability as opposed to totality. The limiter expression in Bhojpuri are marked morphologically by using the suffixes ''-ē'' and ''-ō'', to show inclusiveness and exclusiveness respectively, as in ''ham āmē khāïb'' (I will eat only mangoes) and ''ham āmō khāïb'' (I will eat mango, too).{{Sfn|Jain|Cardona|2007|p=528}}

== Pronouns ==

===Personal Pronouns===
The first-person pronoun has two forms viz. inferior (''mē'') and superior (''ham''). The inferior form was used in Old Bhojpuri but is obsolete in Modern Bhojpuri and is mostly found in poetry. '''''Ham''''' is used as the first-person singular pronoun; the oblique form is ''Hamrā'', however sometimes ''ham'' (ham-kē) also serves as oblique form. In the [[Nagpuri language|Sadri]] dialect, ''mōe'' is used instead of ''ham''.{{Sfn|Tiwari|1960|p=127-128}}
{| class="wikitable"
|+
! rowspan="2" |Number
! rowspan="2" |Form
! colspan="2" |First Person
! colspan="3" |Second Person
! colspan="3" |Third Person
|-
!Inferior || Superior
!Inf. || Formal
!Honorific
!Inf.
!Formal
!Honorific
|-
! rowspan="3" | Singular
!Nom.
|मे (mē)
|हम (ham)
|तें (tēṃ)
|तूँ (tūṃ)
|रउवा (raüvā) / रवा (ravā) / रउरा (raürā) / अपने (apnē)
| colspan="2" |ई (ī), ऊ (ū)
|इहाँ के (ihāṁ kē), उहाँ के (uhāṁ kē)
|-
!Obl.
|मोहि (mohi) / मो (mō)
|हमरा (hamrā)
|तो (tō) / तोहि (tōhi) / तोरा (tōrā)
|तोहरा (tohrā)
|रउवा (raüvā) / रवा (ravā) / रउरा (raürā) / अपना (apnā)
|ए (ē), एह (ēh), एकरा (ekrā), ओ (ō), ओह (ōh), ओकरा (okrā)
|इन (in), इनका (inkā), इनकरा (inkarā), उन (un), उनका (unkā), उनकरा (unkarā)
|इहाँ (ihāṁ), उहाँ (uhāṁ)
|-
!Gen.
|मोर (mōr), मोरे (mōrē)
|हमार (hamār) / हमरे (hamarē)
|तोर (tōr) / तोरे (tōre)
|तोहार (tohār) / तोहरे (tohrē)
|राउर (rāür) / रउरे (raürē) / अपने के (apnē kē)
|एकर (ekar), ओकर (okar)
|इनकर (inkar), उनकर (unkar)
|इहाँ के (ihāṁ kē), उहाँ के (uhāṁ kē)
|-
! rowspan="2" |Plural
!Nom.
|हमनी के (hamnī kē)
|हमहन (hamhan)
|तोहनी के (tohnī ke)
|तूँ लोग (tuṃ lōg)
| rowspan="2" |रउरा सभ/लोग, अपने सभ/लोग (raürā sabh/lōg, apnē sabh/log)
| एकनी के (ekanī kē), ओकनी के (okanī kē)
| rowspan="2" |इ लोग (I Iōg), उ लोग (u lōg)
| rowspan="2" |इहाँ सभ (ihāṁ sabh), उहाँ सभ (uhāṁ sabh)
|-
!Obl.
|हमनी (hamnī)
|हमहन (hamhan)
|तोहनी (tohnī)
|तूँ लोग (tūṃ lōg)
|एकनी (ekanī), ओकनी (okanī)
|}
In the second person, ''tē'' is the most non-honorific form, used toward people younger than the speaker, to servants, and also while speaking disrespectfully. It can also show deep affection, informality and intimacy in a relationship.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Anupriya |first=Anupriya |date=2020 |title=The Hierarchy of Honorifics in Bhojpuri |url=https://ijels.com/detail/the-hierarchy-of-honorifics-in-bhojpuri/ |journal=International Journal of English Literature and Social Sciences |volume=5 |issue=5 |pages=1468–1483 |doi=10.22161/ijels.55.21|s2cid=226495186 |url-access=subscription |doi-access=free }}</ref> For instance, a son always uses ''tē'' for his mother. ''tū'' is ordinarily respectful term and can be used to address anyone, whether younger or older. To show extreme respect or honour, ''raüwā'' or ''apnē'' is used.{{Sfn|Tiwari|1960|p=130}} The demonstrative pronouns ''ī'' and ''ū'' are used as third-person pronouns in Modern Bhojpuri; the ''sē'' and ''tē'' of Old Bhojpuri survive but are not used frequently or mostly only in a proverbial sense. For instance, ''jē jaïsan karī tē taïsan pāï'' (lit. "Who as he does, he so obtains").{{Sfn|Tiwari|1960|p=131-132}}

=== Demonstrative Pronouns ===

The proximate demonstrative pronouns ("this" or "those") of Modern Bhojpuri are given in the following table.{{Sfn|Tiwari|1960|p=132}}{{Sfn|Greirson|1903|p=51}}

{| class="wikitable"
|+
! colspan="2" |Forms
!Singular
!Plural
|-
! rowspan="3" |Nominative
!Non Honorific
| rowspan="2" |ī, haï
|eknī kē, inhan kē, hekni kē, hinhan kē
|-
!Formal
|ī lōg
|-
!Honorific
|{{fs interlinear|lang=bho|इहाँ के|ihāṁ kē|}}
|{{fs interlinear|lang=bho|इहाँ सभ / सभन / सभनी के|ihaṁ sabh / sabhan / sabhani ke|}}
|-
! rowspan="3" |Oblique
!Non Honorific
|{{fs interlinear|lang=bho|ए, एह, हे|ē, eh, hē|}}
|{{fs interlinear|lang=bho|एकनी, इनहन, हेकनी, हिनहन|eknī, inhan, hekni, hinhan|}}
|-
!Formal
|{{fs interlinear|lang=bho|इनका, इनकरा|inakā, inakarā|}}
|{{fs interlinear|lang=bho|ई लोग|ī lōg|}}
|-
!Honorific
|{{fs interlinear|lang=bho|इहाँ|ihāṁ|}}
|{{fs interlinear|lang=bho|इहाँ सभ / सभन / सभनी के|ihaṁ sabh / sabham / sabhani ke|}}
|}
The genitive form is ''ēkar'', ''hēkar'', ''inkar'', ''hinkar''. Sometimes the suffix ''-i'' is added to them and used a feminine.{{Sfn|Tiwari|1960|p=132}} The remote form of demonstrative adjectives can be made by replacing ''i'' with ''u'' and ''e'' with ''o'' in the proximate form. Thus, ''eknī'' will becomes ''oknī'' and so on.

=== Relative Pronouns ===

{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Forms
!Singular
!Plural
|-
|Direct
|jē, jawan, jaün, jinhī or sabh
| rowspan="3" |Same as Singular along with जिन्हनि (jinhani) and जिन्हनि लोग (jinhani log)
|-
!Oblique
|जे (jē), जवना (javanā), जउना (jaünā), जेह (jeh), जिन्हि (jinhi), जेकरा (jekrā), जिनकरा (jinkarā), जेहकरा (jehkarā)
|-
!Genitive
|जेकर (jēkar), जेहकर (jehkar), जिनकर (jinkar)
|}
The relative pronoun ''jē'' in Bhojpuri is the same as other [[Eastern Indo-Aryan languages]].{{Sfn|Tiwari|1960|p=138}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="2" rowspan="4" |Case
! colspan="4" |[[Demonstrative pronouns|Demonstrative]]
! colspan="2" |[[Relative pronoun|Relative]]
! colspan="2" |[[Interrogative word|Interrogative]]
|-
! colspan="8" |3rd person
|-
! colspan="2" |Proximal
! colspan="2" |Non-proximal
! rowspan="2" |{{abbr|sg.|singular}}
! rowspan="2" |{{abbr|pl.|plural}}
! rowspan="2" |{{abbr|sg.|singular}}
! rowspan="2" |{{abbr|pl.|plural}}
|-
!{{abbr|sg.|singular}}
!{{abbr|pl.|plural}}
!{{abbr|sg.|singular}}
!{{abbr|pl.|plural}}
|-
! rowspan="3" |[[Nominative case|Nominative]]
!Informal
|''ī, haï''
| rowspan="2" |''eknī ke, hēknī ke, inhan ke, hinhan ke, ī log (logan/sabh)''
|''ū, haü''
|''oknī ke, hoknī ke, unban ke, hunhan ke, ū log (logan/sabh)''
| rowspan="2" |jē, jawan, jaün
|jeknī kē, jinhan kē,
| rowspan="3" |kē, kewan, kawan, kaün
| rowspan="3" |kē, kewan, kawan lōg, kaün
|-
!Formal
|ī, inhī, hinhī
|ū, unhī, hunhī
|ū log (logan, sabh)
|jē lōg, jinhan lōg
|-
!Honorific
|ihāṃ kē
|ihāṃ sabh (sabhan/sabhani ke)
|uhāṃ kē
|uhāṃ sabh (sabhan/sabhani ke)
|jihāṃ kē
|jihāṃ sabh (sabhani)
|-
! rowspan="3" |[[Oblique case|Oblique]]
!Informal
|''ē, eh, hē, ekrā, hekrā''
|eknī, heknī, inhani, hinhanī
|''ō, oh, ho, okrā, hokrā''
|''okanī, hoknī, unhani''
|''jē, jekrā, jeh, jawanā, jaünā''
|''jeknī, jinhan''
|''kē, keh, kawanā, kaünā, kewanā, kekrā, kehakarā''
|''kē, keknī, kinhan''
|-
!Formal
|''in, inkarā, inkā, inhani ka''
|''i log (logan)''
|''un, unkā, unkarā,. hunkā, hunkarā''
|''u log (logan)''
|''jē, jeh, jawanā, jaünā, jin, jinkā, jinkarā''
|''jē lōg, jawan lōg''
|kinkarā, kinkā
|kinhan, kawan log
|-
!Honorific
|ihāṃ
|ihāṃ (sabh/sabhan/sabhani)
|uhāṃ
|uhāṃ (sabh/sabhan/sabhani)
|jihāṃ
|jihāṃ sabh (sabhan/sabhani)
|kihāṃ
|
|-
! rowspan="3" |[[Genitive case|Genitive]]
!Informal
|''ēkar, hēkar''
|eknī ke, heknī ke
|ōkar, hōkar
|oknī kē, ''hokni kē''
|jēkar, jehakar
|jeknī ke
|kēkar
|keknī ke
|-
!Formal
|''inkar, hinkar''
|''i log (logan)''
|''unkar, hunkar''
|''u log (logan)''
|''jinkar''
|je/jawan/jaün log ke
|kinkar
|kawan log
|-
!Honorific
|''ihaṃ ke''
|''ihāṃ sabh ke (sabhan/logan/log)''
|''uhāṃ kē''
|''uhāṃ sabh ke (sabhan/logan/log)''
|jihaṃ
|''jihāṃ sabh ke (sabhan/logan/log)''
|
|
|}

=== Other Pronouns ===

* ''Keu'', ''Kēhu'' and ''Kawano'' are used as animate forms of indefinite pronouns and ''kichu'', ''kuchu'', ''kichuo'', ''kuchuo'' as inanimate forms.{{Sfn|Tiwari|1960|p=144}}
*''apanā'' and ''apne'' are used to show relative sense, ''nija'' is used in instrumental case.{{Sfn|Tiwari|1960|p=145-146}}

== Adjectives ==
Like the nouns, adjectives also have short, long and redundant forms, e.g. ''baṛ'', ''baṛkā'', ''baṛkawā''. Sometimes, the suffixes ''-han'' and ''-har'' are also used with adjectives, e.g. ''lām - lamhar'' and ''baṛ - baṛhan''.{{Sfn|Tiwari|1960|p=116}}

Adjectives do not [[Agreement (linguistics)|agree]] in gender with the noun. Hence the adjective ''baṛ'' (big) is same for ''laïkā'' ("boy") and ''laïki'' ("girl"), just as in other [[Magadhan languages]]. In Bhojpuri, however, the long form with suffix /-ka/ and /-kī/ is gendered, thus ''baṛkā'' and ''baṛkī'' are used for masculine and feminine respectively.{{Sfn|Jain|Cardona|2007|p=527}}

=== Degree of Comparison ===
There are no inflexions for comparative and superlative forms. The words equivalent to "more" like ''besi'', ''jiādā'', ''dhēr'' and "less" like ''kam'' are used before the adjectives while comparing:{{Sfn|Tiwari|1960|p=116-117}}

{{fs interlinear|lang=bho|indent=2
| ई लइक ओकरा से '''ढेर''' सुन्नर बाटे
| ī laïkā okarā se '''''ḍhera''''' sunnara bāṭe
| This boy is fairer than that.}}

Sometime comparison is done using the numerals ''unaïs'' (nineteen) and ''bīs'' (twenty), where former is used for less and later for more.{{Sfn|Tiwari|1960|p=117}}

{{fs interlinear|lang=bho|indent=2
| ऊ लइका एकरा से उमिर मे तनि '''उनइस''' हवे
| ū laīkā ekarā se umira me tani '''unaïsa''' hawe
|The boy is a bit younger in age. ({{lit}} That boy is slightly '''nineteen''' than this in age.}}

The superlative is expressed by adding ''sabh mē'' or ''sabh sē'' or ''sabh mē baṛhi kē'' or ''sabh se baṛhi kē'' (best of all) before the adjective, for example ''u laïka '''sabh mē''' '''nīk''' hawe'' (the boy is '''''best''''' of all).{{Sfn|Tiwari|1960|p=117}}

== Verbs ==
Chaterji has classified Bhojpuri verbs into two categories viz. primary root and secondary root. The former one are those which are inherited from Old Indo-Aryan while the latter are causative, denominative or compounded.{{Sfn|Tiwari|1960|p=151}} Like [[Bengali language|Bengali]], Bhojpuri has two moods, indicative and imperative.{{Sfn|Tiwari|1960|p=161}}

== History of Bhojpuri Grammars ==
The earliest mentions of some grammatical features of Bhojpuri can he found in Buchanan's report on [[Shahabad district|Shahabad]] in 1812. A detailed grammatical sketch of Bhojpuri was first published by Beames in 1868.{{Sfn|Tiwari|1960|p=xxxiii}} In 1877, J.R. Reid tried to give a picture of the Bhojpuri spoken in [[Azamgarh district]].{{Sfn|Tiwari|1960|p=xxxiii}} [[George Abraham Grierson|Greirson]]'s [[Linguistic Survey of India]] Vol. V, Part II, published in 1903, contained a skeleton grammar of Bhojpuri with specimens.{{Sfn|Tiwari|1960|p=xxxiii}}

Current Bhojpuri grammar which is widely used is '''Bhojpuri Bayakaran,''' written by Pt. Shivdas Ojha in 1915. He was a Bhojpuri scholar from [[Shahabad district|Shahabad]] district of Bihar. It was later published by Bhojpuri Akademi, Patna.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Adrikshit |date=2024-09-01 |title=Did you know Bhojpuri grammer book was written before Hindi grammer book? |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Bhojpuriyas/comments/1f6ivrk/did_you_know_bhojpuri_grammer_book_was_written/?share_id=lyYT6E7AGTCenIDZ2HJrb&utm_content=1&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_source=share&utm_term=1&rdt=36927 |access-date=2024-10-13 |website=r/Bhojpuriyas}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==References==
* {{cite book
| last = Greirson | first = G.A
| date = 1903
| title = Linguistic Survey of India, Vol. V, Part II
|url = https://dsal.uchicago.edu/books/lsi/lsi.php?volume=5-2&pages=466#page/64/mode/1up
}}
*{{Cite book |last1=Jain |first1=Danesh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OtCPAgAAQBAJ&dq=Bhojpuri+grammar&pg=PA536 |title=The Indo-Aryan Languages |last2=Cardona |first2=George |publisher=Taylor & Francis |year=2007 |isbn=9781135797119}}
* {{Cite book |last=Tiwari |first=Uday Narayan |title=The Origin And Development Of Bhojpuri |publisher=The Asiatic Society |year=1960}}

{{Grammars of South Asian languages}}
{{language grammars}}

[[Category:Indo-Aryan grammars]]
[[Category:Bhojpuri language|grammar]]

Bhojpuri grammar - Revision history

BrodieAlfonso45: adding the details needs work