कधीच नाही / कधीही
Never and Ever
कधीही with नाही also means never, and it is common in promises and plans.
How It Works
Both words come from कधी (when). With -च and नाही together the meaning is a firm never. With -ही the meaning is any time.
| Form | Meaning |
|---|---|
| कधीच + नाही | never |
| कधीही (positive) | at any time |
| कधीही + नाही | never ever |
With a verb like बोलणे, the past verb shows the speaker. A man says मी कधीच खोटे बोललो नाही, and a woman says मी कधीच खोटे बोलले नाही. (I have never lied.)
कधीही with a negative means never ever, as in a promise or a plan: मी हे कधीही विसरणार नाही. (I will never forget this.)
For never, कधीच needs a negative verb. In a past sentence without नाही, कधीच can mean long ago or already: तो कधीच गेला. (He left long ago.) The same rule holds for कधीही when it means never: the verb must be negative. A positive verb with कधीही always means any time, as in तुम्ही कधीही या. (Come any time.)
Examples (5)
- मी कधीच उशीर करत नाही.
I am never late.
कधीच and नाही together mean never.
- तुम्ही कधीही फोन करू शकता.
You can call at any time.
कधीही in a positive sentence means any time.
- आजी कधीच रागावत नाहीत.
Grandma never gets angry.
आजी takes the respectful plural verb रागावत नाहीत.
- मी कधीच खोटे बोललो नाही.
I have never lied. A man is speaking.
बोललो shows the speaker is a man.
- मी तुझ्या घरी कधीच गेले नाही.
I have never been to your house. A woman is speaking.
गेले shows the speaker is a woman.
Common Mistakes
Leaving out नाही with कधीच.
मी कधीच उशीर करतो.मी कधीच उशीर करत नाही.कधीच means never only with a negative verb.
Using कधीच for any time.
तुम्ही कधीच फोन करू शकता.तुम्ही कधीही फोन करू शकता.कधीच belongs to never. Any time is कधीही.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Never and ever combine कधी with -च and -ही.
Related Patterns
Words in This Pattern
Practice कधीच नाही / कधीही in Bubblegum
Poppy, your AI tutor, writes Marathi lessons at your level. Tap any grammar point in a lesson to see its full explanation.
