ना / हो ना

Checking and Softening with ना

Level 2Sounds Like nā / hō nā

हो ना replies yes, indeed.

How It Works

UseExampleMeaning
check agreementछान आहे ना?It's nice, isn't it?
soften a requestये ना!Do come!
agree warmlyहो ना!Yes, right!

ना is a separate word and it is spoken lightly. It differs from the question word का?, which asks a real question: छान आहे का? leaves the answer open. ना expects yes.

Another tag is नाही का?: छान आहे, नाही का? It means the same.

ना with an order often has a friendly feel: बस ना, चल ना, सांग ना.

Keep the tone friendly. With strangers, add जरा or कृपया to the order, and use ना only after it.

Answer a ना question with हो (yes) or नाही (no).

ना also fits a negative statement: तू आज येणार नाहीस ना? means you are not coming today, right?

Examples (5)

  1. छान आहे ना?

    It's nice, isn't it?

    ना asks the listener to agree.

  2. ये ना!

    Do come!

    ना makes the invitation warm.

  3. तू रोज चालतोस ना?

    You walk every day, right? A man is being asked.

    ना checks a fact.

  4. हो ना, आज खूप गर्दी आहे!

    Yes, right, it is very crowded today!

    हो ना agrees warmly with what was said.

  5. मला मदत कर ना.

    Do help me.

    ना softens the order.

Common Mistakes

  • Joining ना to the verb.

    छान आहेना?
    छान आहे ना?

    ना is a separate word.

How It Connects

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

ना / हो नाLevel 2Checking and Softening with ना

Learn This First

Tag questions add ना or हो ना to a statement.