Etymology
Uncertain. Several etymologies are proposed and a merger of some or all of them is likely.[1]
- Inherited from Sanskrit समम् (samam, “together; similarly, as”), from सम (samá, “same”), from Proto-Indo-Aryan *samHás, from Proto-Indo-Iranian *samHás, from Proto-Indo-European *somHós (“same”). Compare Braj सौं (sa͠u, “to, with”).[2][3]
- Inherited from Sanskrit सङ्गे (saṅge), locative of सङ्ग (saṅgá, “contact; battle”). Doublet of संग (saṅg).
- Inherited from Sauraseni Prakrit 𑀲𑀳𑀺𑀤 (sahida), 𑀲𑀳𑀺𑀅 (sahia), from Sanskrit सहित (sahita, “with”), from स- (sa-, “with”) + हित (hita, “placed”).[4]
Postposition
से • (se) (Urdu spelling سے)
- indicates association or mutual dealing; comitative case: by; with; to
वह रोज़ अपने पड़ोसी से लड़ता है।- vah roz apne paṛosī se laṛtā hai.
- He fights with his neighbor every day.
- indicates a sense of removal or going; ablative case: from
- indicates exiting or separation
वह घर से निकलके डाक-घर चला।- vah ghar se nikalke ḍāk-ghar calā.
- He left from the house and went to the post office.
- indicates source, cause, reason
यह तलवार दो सदियों पहले लोहे से बनाया गया था।- yah talvār do sadiyõ pahle lohe se banāyā gayā thā.
- This sword was made from iron two centuries ago.
वह परेशानी से रोने लगा।- vah pareśānī se rone lagā.
- He started to cry from anxiety.
- मैंने अपनी माँ से पूछा। ― ma͠ine apnī mā̃ se pūchā. ― I asked my mother.
- indicates origin, beginning
- मैं चेन्नई से आया हूँ। ― ma͠i cennaī se āyā hū̃. ― I've come here from Chennai.
- यहाँ से वहाँ तक ― yahā̃ se vahā̃ tak ― from here to there
- कल से ― kal se ― since yesterday
- comparative postposition: than
- मैं उससे होशियार हूँ। ― ma͠i usse hośiyār hū̃. ― I'm smarter than him.
केला इससे मीठा होना चाहिए।- kelā isse mīṭhā honā cāhie.
- Bananas should be sweeter than this.
- indicates passage of time
मम्मा देर से यहाँ बैठी हुई है।- mammā der se yahā̃ baiṭhī huī hai.
- Mom has been sitting here for a while.
- indicates means or agency; instrumental case
चाकू से प्याज़ काटो और फिर कटोरी में डलो।- cākū se pyāz kāṭo aur phir kaṭorī mẽ ḍalo.
- Cut some onions using the knife and then put them in the bowl.
इस कपड़े को पानी से धोना होगा।- is kapṛe ko pānī se dhonā hogā.
- This cloth will have to be washed with water.
- indicates manner of doing; forms adverbs
ध्यान से सुनो।- dhyān se suno.
- Listen carefully.
- (literally, “Listen with attention.”)
मैं बहुत मुश्किल से परीक्षा/इम्तहान पास हुआ।- ma͠i bahut muśkil se parīkṣā/imtahān pās huā.
- I passed the exam with great difficulty.
- ग़लती से ― ġaltī se ― accidentally
Usage notes
- When used with pronouns, it is suffixed to the oblique-case form of pronoun:
- मैं (ma͠i) + से (se) → मुझसे (mujhse)
References
Reinöhl, Uta (2016) “The diverse origins of the Hindi simple postpositions”, in Grammaticalization and the Rise of Configurationality in Indo-Aryan, →ISBN Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985) “samá1”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press Jaroslav Strnad (2013) Morphology and Syntax of Old Hindī : Edition and Analysis of One Hundred Kabīr Vānī Poems From Rājasthān (Brill's Indological Library; 45), Leiden, →OCLC Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985) “sahita”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press
Further reading
- McGregor, Ronald Stuart (1993) “से”, in The Oxford Hindi-English Dictionary, London: Oxford University Press
- Omkar N. Koul (2008) Modern Hindi Grammar, Dunwoody Press, →ISBN
- Platts, John T. (1884) “से”, in A dictionary of Urdu, classical Hindi, and English, London: W. H. Allen & Co.
