वरना / नहीं तो

Otherwise

Level 3Sounds Like varanā aura nahīṁ tō

वरना and नहीं तो introduce what will happen if the first part doesn't.

How It Works

वरना and नहीं तो join two clauses. The first says what should happen. The second says what will happen if it doesn't.

  • छाता ले लो, वरना भीग जाओगे. Take an umbrella, or you'll get wet.
  • धीरे बोलो, नहीं तो बच्चा जाग जाएगा. Speak softly, otherwise the baby will wake up.

The first part is often a command, advice with चाहिए, or a must with -ना है. The second part usually uses the future. A comma comes before वरना or नहीं तो, and the result always comes second.

When the first part already happened, the second part uses the -ता form to mean would have: अच्छा हुआ तुमने बताया, वरना मैं भूल जाता (Good thing you told me, or I'd have forgotten).

नहीं तो is slightly more casual than वरना. In formal writing and official notices you will see अन्यथा instead.

Examples (4)

  1. जल्दी चलो, वरना बस छूट जाएगी।

    Hurry up, or we'll miss the bus.

    वरना opens the result of not hurrying.

  2. छाता ले लीजिए, नहीं तो आप भीग जाएँगे।

    Take an umbrella, otherwise you'll get wet.

    नहीं तो works the same way as वरना.

  3. तुम्हें दवाई समय पर लेनी चाहिए, वरना बुख़ार फिर आ जाएगा।

    You should take the medicine on time, or the fever will come back.

    The first part is advice with चाहिए; the result is in the future.

  4. अच्छा हुआ कि तुमने याद दिलाया, नहीं तो मैं भूल जाती।

    Good thing you reminded me, or I'd have forgotten.

    After something that already happened, भूल जाती means would have forgotten.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

वरना / नहीं तोLevel 3Otherwise

Learn This First

Otherwise is a shortened negative condition.

Words in This Pattern

वरनातो