V-ना → V (Verb stem)
The base form of a verb — remove -ना from the infinitive to get the stem used in all verb forms
Example
करना → कर, खाना → खा, जाना → जा
to do → do, to eat → eat, to go → go
Usage Notes
Every Hindi verb form is built by adding something to the stem. Knowing the stem lets you form every tense: stem + ता = habitual, stem + रहा = continuous, stem + एगा = future, etc.
A handful of verbs have irregular stems: देना → दे (but दिया in past), लेना → ले (but लिया in past), करना → कर (but किया in past), पीना → पी (but पिया in past).
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Related — Foundational Grammar
Hindi nouns and adjectives are either masculine or feminine, which affects verb endings, adjective forms, and postpositions
Hindi nouns, adjectives, and verbs change form for singular (one) vs plural (more than one)
Nouns change form before postpositions — direct case for subjects, oblique case before को, में, से, etc.
Verb forms used as adjectives — habitual (V-ता हुआ = 'doing') or perfective (V-आ हुआ = 'done')
Comparative (-तर) and superlative (-तम) suffixes, or ज़्यादा (more) and सबसे (most) in everyday Hindi