नै

Stressing with नै

Level 2Sounds Like nai

नै is a stress word: आज नै is this very day.

How It Works

नै is a small word that stresses the word before it. In English you might add exactly, right, very or just: आज नै (this very day), अहिले नै (right now), भोलि नै (as early as tomorrow).

It follows the word it stresses and is written as a separate word. Do not join it: आज नै, not आजनै.

नै can add urgency: उनी अहिले नै आउँछन् (he is coming right now). It can also add a sense of surprise or certainty: मलाई यो किताब नै चाहिन्छ (it is this book that I need).

Do not mix it up with मात्र. मात्र limits (only), while नै sharpens (exactly). You can use both in one sentence, but they do different jobs.

Examples (4)

  1. म आज नै जान्छु।

    I am going this very day.

    नै follows आज and stresses it.

  2. उनी अहिले नै आउँछन्।

    He is coming right now.

    अहिले नै adds urgency.

  3. मलाई यो किताब नै चाहिन्छ।

    It is this book that I need.

    नै stresses यो किताब.

  4. तपाईं भोलि नै जानुहुन्छ?

    Are you going as early as tomorrow?

    नै stresses भोलि and shows surprise at how soon it is.

Common Mistakes

  • Learners join नै to the word before it.

    म आजनै जान्छु।
    म आज नै जान्छु।

    In print, नै is a separate word.

How It Connects

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नैLevel 2Stressing with नै

Learn This First

नै adds stress.

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Patterns that build on this one.