नहीं

Saying No or Not

Level 1Sounds Like nahīṁ

नहीं means no, and before a verb it means not.

How It Works

नहीं has two jobs. On its own it means no. Inside a sentence it means not, and it goes right before the verb.

PositiveNegative
मैं घर पर हूँ।मैं घर पर नहीं हूँ।
वह चाय पीता है।वह चाय नहीं पीता।
वे आ रहे हैं।वे नहीं आ रहे।

In the present, the helper at the end (हूँ, है or हैं) is often dropped after नहीं. This is usual with -ता and रहा forms: मैं नहीं जानता (I don't know), वह चाय नहीं पीती (she doesn't drink tea). Keeping the helper is also correct.

With plain to be, speech sometimes drops it too (मैं तैयार नहीं), but keep it while you learn: मैं तैयार नहीं हूँ.

To tell someone not to do something, Hindi uses मत: अंदर मत आओ (Don't come in).

For a polite no, say जी नहीं.

Examples (5)

  1. मैं घर पर नहीं हूँ।

    I'm not at home.

    नहीं goes right before हूँ.

  2. वह डॉक्टर नहीं है।

    She isn't a doctor.

    नहीं before है makes the sentence negative.

  3. वह चाय नहीं पीता।

    He doesn't drink tea.

    The helper है is dropped after नहीं.

  4. नहीं, मैं नहीं जानती।

    No, I don't know.

    The first नहीं means no; the second means not.

  5. हम तैयार नहीं हैं।

    We are not ready.

    With plain to be, keep the helper while you learn.

Common Mistakes

  • Using नहीं to say don't in a command.

    अंदर नहीं आओ।
    अंदर मत आओ।

    For don't with a command, put मत (or polite न) before the verb: अंदर मत आओ. नहीं before a command sounds wrong.

How It Connects

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नहींLevel 1Saying No or Not

Learn This First

The first negatives learners make deny a simple है sentence.

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Patterns that build on this one.

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