अ- / अन- / निर्-

Negative Prefixes

Level 5Sounds Like a-, ana- ra nir

अ-, अन- and निर्- are prefixes that turn a word into its opposite: उचित becomes अनुचित.

How It Works

These prefixes mostly work on Sanskrit-based words. They are common in writing, news and official talk.

PrefixBase wordNew word
अ-स्वस्थ (healthy)अस्वस्थ (unwell)
अन-उचित (proper)अनुचित (improper)
अन-आवश्यक (needed)अनावश्यक (unneeded)
निर्-धन (wealth)निर्धन (poor)
निर्-भय (fear)निर्भय (fearless)

Before a vowel the prefix is अन्, and it joins the vowel: अन् + उचित gives अनुचित, with the उ sitting on the न, and अन् + आवश्यक gives अनावश्यक.

निर्- adds the meaning of without, so it names the lack of something. Everyday Nepali words usually do not take these prefixes. They take the prefix न- or the word छैन: नराम्रो (bad) from राम्रो.

Examples (5)

  1. आज म अस्वस्थ छु, त्यसैले अफिस जान सक्दिनँ।

    I am unwell today, so I cannot go to the office.

    स्वस्थ becomes अस्वस्थ.

  2. यस्तो व्यवहार अनुचित हो।

    This kind of behavior is improper.

    उचित becomes अनुचित.

  3. निर्धन परिवारलाई सरकारले सहयोग दियो।

    The government helped the poor families.

    धन becomes निर्धन.

  4. अनावश्यक खर्च नगर्नुहोस्।

    Please do not spend on things you do not need.

    आवश्यक becomes अनावश्यक.

  5. निर्भय भएर बोल्नुहोस्।

    Speak without fear.

    भय becomes निर्भय.

Common Mistakes

  • Learners add अ- to an everyday word.

    यो चिया अराम्रो छ।
    यो चिया नराम्रो छ।

    राम्रो is an everyday word. Everyday words usually use न- or छैन instead of अ-.

How It Connects

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

अ- / अन- / निर्-Level 5Negative Prefixes

Learn This First

Negative prefixes change meaning.