heẽ / nahániri
Yes and No
Heẽ means yes and nahániri means no.
How It Works
These two words answer a yes-or-no question. Put them first, then say more if you want.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Ndépa Pablo? “Are you Pablo?” | Heẽ, che Pablo. “Yes, I am Pablo.” |
| Oĩpa pakova? “Are there bananas?” | Nahániri, ndaipóri. “No, there are none.” |
| Reñeʼẽpiko guaraníme? “Do you speak Guarani?” | Heẽ, añeʼẽ. “Yes, I do.” |
A short answer can repeat just the verb of the question, as in Heẽ, añeʼẽ. After nahániri the verb is negative: Nahániri, nañeʼẽi. “No, I do not speak it.”
Nahániri is stressed on há, which is why the accent is written there. The shorter form ahániri is also used.
Examples (4)
- Ndépa Pablo? Heẽ, che Pablo.
Are you Pablo? Yes, I am Pablo.
Heẽ says yes, and a short sentence follows.
- Oĩpa pakova? Nahániri, ndaipóri.
Are there bananas? No, there are none.
Nahániri says no, and ndaipóri adds there is none.
- Reñeʼẽpiko guaraníme? Heẽ, añeʼẽ.
Do you speak Guarani? Yes, I do.
The answer repeats just the verb.
- Nahániri, ndaikatúi roho.
No, we cannot go.
The sentence after nahániri is negative.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Yes and no answer a question, and nahániri is built with the same na- as the negative.
- The Question Marker -pa
Know the question marker -pa, because heẽ and nahániri are the answers to a yes-or-no question: Nahániri, ndaikatúi roho “No, we cannot go”.
Level 1 - nd(a)- ... -iSaying No with Nd- and -i
Know nd(a)- ... -i, since the second half of that answer is built this way: ndaikatúi “we cannot”.
Level 1
Related Patterns
Words in This Pattern
Practice heẽ / nahániri in Bubblegum
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