जो भी (jo bhii)
pronoun/adjective
The relative pronoun जो (jo, 'who/which/that') combined with भी (bhii, 'even/also') to mean 'whoever' or 'whatever/whichever' -- an all-inclusive relative form used to set up correlative sentences.
Sense
1
:
whoever, whatever (person)
pronoun Works in a correlative frame with वो/वह or उसे later in the sentence: जो भी आए, उसे बता देना (jo bhii aae, use bataa denaa, 'tell whoever comes'). The correlative pronoun picks up the oblique/case marking, not जो भी (jo bhii) itself.
Synonyms: जो कोई (jo koii, less common)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This jo-vo (relative-correlative) pattern is a core Hindi structure, quite different from English relative clauses -- think of जो भी (jo bhii) as opening a slot that वो/उसे (vo/use) later fills in. You will hear this constantly in advice-giving or instructions, like a parent saying जो भी हो, मुझे बता देना (jo bhii ho, mujhe bataa denaa, 'whatever happens, tell me').
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often forget to add the correlative वो/उसे (vo/use) later in the sentence -- Hindi usually wants both halves of the pair, unlike English which can drop 'that person'. 2) जो भी (jo bhii) itself does not take postpositions directly; the postposition attaches to the correlative pronoun instead, e.g. जो भी मिले, उससे पूछना (jo bhii mile, usse poochhnaa, 'ask whoever you meet') -- not जो भी से।
Sample Sentences:
जो भी यह काम करेगा, उसे इनाम मिलेगा।
Whoever does this work will get a reward.
(jo bhii yah kaam karegaa, use inaam milegaa।)
Listen: M85
जो भी दरवाज़े पर खड़ा है, उससे पूछो कि वह कौन है।
Whoever is standing at the door, ask them who they are.
(jo bhii darvaaze par khadaa hai, usse poochho ki vah kaun hai।)
Listen: F85
जो भी सच बोलता है, उसका सम्मान होना चाहिए।
Whoever speaks the truth should be respected.
(jo bhii sach boltaa hai, uskaa sammaan honaa chaahie।)
Listen: M85
जो भी मेरे घर आया था, उसने यह किताब छोड़ी थी।
Whoever came to my house had left this book.
(jo bhii mere ghar aayaa thaa, usne yah kitaab chhodii thii।)
Listen: M85
अगर जो भी वहाँ होता, तो वह ज़रूर मदद करता।
Whoever had been there would definitely have helped.
(agar jo bhii vahaan hotaa, to vah zaroor madad kartaa।)
Listen: M85
जो भी हो, मुझे बता देना।
Whoever it may be, let me know.
(jo bhii ho, mujhe bataa denaa।)
Listen: F85
जो भी इस पद के लिए योग्य हो, उसे नियुक्त किया जाएगा।
Whoever is qualified for this position will be appointed.
(jo bhii is pad ke lie yogy ho, use niyukt kiyaa jaaegaa।)
Listen: M85
जो भी पहले पहुँचेगा, उसे सबसे अच्छी सीट मिलेगी।
Whoever arrives first will get the best seat.
(jo bhii pahle pahunchegaa, use sabse achchhii siit milegii।)
Listen: M85
जो भी इस रहस्य को जानता था, वह अब खामोश है।
Whoever knew this secret is now silent.
(jo bhii is rahasy ko jaantaa thaa, vah ab khaamosh hai।)
Listen: M85
जो भी आत्मा भगवान की शरण में आती है, उसे मुक्ति मिलती है।
Whichever soul comes to God's refuge attains liberation.
(jo bhii aatmaa bhagvaan kii sharan men aatii hai, use mukti miltii hai।)
Listen: F85
जो भी हमारे साथ चलना चाहे, वह अभी बोल दे।
Whoever wants to come along with us should speak up now.
(jo bhii hamaare saath chalnaa chaahe, vah abhii bol de।)
Listen: F85
Sense
2
:
whatever (thing), anything at all
pronoun Used for things/actions rather than people: जो भी हो (jo bhii ho, 'whatever it may be') is a very common fixed phrase of resignation or open-endedness.
Synonyms: जो कुछ (jo kuchh)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: जो भी हो (jo bhii ho, 'whatever the case') is a classic conversational shrug -- you will hear people use it to pivot a conversation, much like English speakers say 'anyway' or 'whatever the case may be'.
Common Mistakes: 1) जो भी हो (jo bhii ho) as a standalone phrase means 'anyway / be that as it may' -- learners sometimes translate it too literally instead of hearing it as a discourse filler.
Sample Sentences:
जो भी हो, हमें कल मिलना ही है।
Whatever the case, we have to meet tomorrow.
(jo bhii ho, hamen kal milnaa hii hai।)
Listen: M85
जो भी हुआ, अच्छा हुआ।
Whatever happened, it happened for the good.
(jo bhii huaa, achchhaa huaa।)
Listen: M85
जो भी तुम्हारे मन में है, बोल दो।
Whatever is on your mind, just say it.
(jo bhii tumhaare man men hai, bol do।)
Listen: F85
जो भी वह कहेगी, मैं मान लूँगा।
Whatever she says, I will accept.
(jo bhii vah kahegii, main maan loongaa।)
Listen: M85
अगर तुम जो भी माँगते, मैं दे देता।
Whatever you had asked for, I would have given it.
(agar tum jo bhii maangte, main de detaa।)
Listen: M85
जो भी हो रहा है, उसे स्वीकार करो।
Whatever is happening, accept it.
(jo bhii ho rahaa hai, use sviikaar karo।)
Listen: M85
उन्होंने कहा कि जो भी उपलब्ध हो, वह भेज दिया जाए।
He said that whatever is available should be sent.
(unhonne kahaa ki jo bhii uplabdh ho, vah bhej diyaa jaae।)
Listen: M85
जो भी निर्णय लिया जाएगा, वह सबको मंज़ूर होगा।
Whatever decision is made, everyone will accept it.
(jo bhii nirnay liyaa jaaegaa, vah sabko manzoor hogaa।)
Listen: F85
जो भी नाशवान है, वह अंततः मिट्टी में मिल जाता है।
Whatever is perishable eventually returns to dust.
(jo bhii naashvaan hai, vah anttah mittii men mil jaataa hai।)
Listen: M85
छोड़ो, जो भी हो, अब बात खत्म।
Forget it, whatever the case, the matter's closed now.
(chhodo, jo bhii ho, ab baat khatm।)
Listen: M85
Sense
3
:
whichever, any (modifying a noun)
adjective Directly modifies a noun in the same correlative frame: जो भी किताब तुम्हें पसंद हो, ले लो (jo bhii kitaab tumhen pasand ho, le lo, 'take whichever book you like').
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This is the same जो भी (jo bhii) pattern extended to modify a noun rather than stand alone -- learners who are comfortable with the pronoun use will find this a natural next step.
Sample Sentences:
जो भी किताब तुम्हें पसंद हो, ले लो।
Take whichever book you like.
(jo bhii kitaab tumhen pasand ho, le lo।)
Listen: M85
जो भी रास्ता सबसे छोटा हो, उसी से चलते हैं।
Let's go by whichever route is the shortest.
(jo bhii raastaa sabse chhotaa ho, usii se chalte hain।)
Listen: M85
जो भी कमरा खाली था, हमने वही ले लिया।
We took whichever room was empty.
(jo bhii kamraa khaalii thaa, hamne vahii le liyaa।)
Listen: F85
जो भी नौकरी मिलेगी, वह कर लेगा।
He will take whichever job he gets.
(jo bhii naukrii milegii, vah kar legaa।)
Listen: F85
जो भी दुकान खुली मिले, वहाँ से सामान ले लेना।
Buy the goods from whichever shop you find open.
(jo bhii dukaan khulii mile, vahaan se saamaan le lenaa।)
Listen: F85
अगर जो भी योजना बेहतर होती, हम उसी पर अमल करते।
We would have implemented whichever plan had been better.
(agar jo bhii yojnaa behtar hotii, ham usii par amal karte।)
Listen: F85
आपको जो भी जवाब सही लगे, वह लिख दीजिए।
Write down whichever answer seems correct to you.
(aapko jo bhii javaab sahii lage, vah likh diijie।)
Listen: F85
समिति जो भी निर्णय ले, उसे सभी को मानना होगा।
Whichever decision the committee makes, everyone will have to accept it.
(samiti jo bhii nirnay le, use sabhii ko maannaa hogaa।)
Listen: F85
जो भी फल ताज़ा दिखे, वही खरीद लेना।
Buy whichever fruit looks fresh.
(jo bhii phal taazaa dikhe, vahii khariid lenaa।)
Listen: F85
जो भी उपाय अपनाया गया, उससे कोई फ़ायदा नहीं हुआ।
Whichever measure was adopted, it did not help at all.
(jo bhii upaay apnaayaa gayaa, usse koii faaydaa nahiin huaa।)
Listen: M85
Morphology
Adjective (invariant)
invariant:
जो भी
(jo bhii)