Bengali-Beginner-Personal Pronouns

Personal Pronouns

Bengali Pronouns

Bengali pronouns are an essential part of the language.

What Are Pronouns?

Pronouns are words that replace nouns in a sentence. They help avoid repetition and make sentences more fluid. In Bengali, pronouns also reflect levels of formality and respect, making them crucial for polite and appropriate communication.

Categories of Bengali Pronouns

Bengali pronouns can be broadly classified into:

  1. Personal Pronouns 

  2. Possessive Pronouns

  3. Demonstrative Pronouns

  4. Reflexive Pronouns

  5. Interrogative Pronouns

Today we’ll learn the personal pronouns. As you will advance through this course, you will get to know more on how to use the other pronouns too. 

Personal Pronouns in Bengali

Have a look at the table below.

Singular PronounBengaliPlural PronounBengali
IআমিWeআমরা
YouVIতুইYou (all)VIতোরা
IতুমিIতোমরা
FআপনিFআপনারা
He/she/it informalHThey informalHএরা
TTওরা
EসেEতারা
He/she/it formalHইনিThey formalHএঁরা
TউনিTওঁরা
EতিনিEতাঁরা
VI = very informal, I = informal, F = formal
H = here, T = there, E = elsewhere

 

There are several things to note about Bengali personal pronouns. Let’s explore them together.

  • In Bengali, there are three words that mean “you” but they are used in different contexts:
    • তুই: very informal. This pronoun is used when addressing children or someone very close, such as a sibling or a very close friend. If used inappropriately, it comes across disrespectful.
    • তুমি: informal. This pronoun is used when addressing someone you know well, such as a friend, someone younger, or a peer.
    • আপনি: formal, respectful. Typically, this pronoun is used when addressing someone older, in a formal setting, or when you are not familiar with the person.

  • In the 3rd person, proximity matters (H, T, E). Gender isn’t distinguished, so that for expressing “he” or “she”, both সে is used.

  • The plural pronouns can be identified by their রা ending.

Well done! Today’s lesson was rather short. Next time we will continue with the possessive pronouns, the second point on our list of Bengali pronouns categories. See you then!