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Nepali (individual language) Grammar → Negation in Nepali

Welcome to this lesson on Negation in Nepali! Understanding how to negate sentences is crucial for effective communication in any language, and Nepali is no exception. Negation helps you express what is not true, what you don’t want, or situations that are simply absent.

In this lesson, we will explore various ways to negate sentences in Nepali. By the end, you will not only grasp the fundamental rules of negation but also feel confident in constructing negative sentences. We’ll break down the lesson into manageable sections and provide plenty of examples to solidify your understanding.

Importance of Negation in Nepali

Negation is a powerful tool in language. It allows us to clarify meaning, express disagreement, and communicate absence. Whether you are denying something, telling someone they cannot do something, or simply stating what is not the case, knowing how to use negation effectively is vital. In Nepali, negation is typically achieved through specific particles that are added to verbs or sentences.

Structure of the Lesson

1. Basic Negation Particles: Introduction to the main negation words.

2. Negating Different Types of Sentences: How to negate affirmative statements, questions, and commands.

3. Examples of Negation in Context: Real-life scenarios to illustrate usage.

4. Practice Exercises: Opportunities to apply what you've learned, with solutions provided.

Basic Negation Particles

In Nepali, the primary particles used for negation are नहीं (nahi) and हैन (hain). Let’s dive into their usage.

Using "नहीं" (nahi)

नहीं (nahi) is the most common negation particle used in Nepali. It is typically placed after the verb in a sentence.

Nepali (individual language)	Pronunciation	English
म स्कूल जान्दिनँ।	ma skool jaandina̐.	I do not go to school.
उनी आउँदैनन्।	unī āu̐daina̐n.	He does not come.
हामी खेल्दैनौं।	hāmī khelda̐inau̐.	We do not play.
तिमीलाई थाहा छैन।	timīlā'ī thāhā chaina.	You do not know.
उनीहरूले काम गर्दैनन्।	unīharūle kām gardaina̐n.	They do not work.

Using "हैन" (hain)

हैन (hain) is often used for negating questions or to express disagreement. It can be used at the end of a sentence or to respond to a question.

Nepali (individual language)	Pronunciation	English
यो राम्रो छैन, हैन?	yo rāmrō chaina, hain?	It is not good, is it?
तिमी जान्न सक्छौ, हैन?	timī jānna sakchau, hain?	You can’t go, can you?
त्यो सचि होइन, हैन?	tyō sachi hoina, hain?	That is not true, is it?
म यो गर्ने छैन, हैन?	ma yo garne chaina, hain?	I won't do this, will I?
त्यो मेरो होइन, हैन?	tyō mero hoina, hain?	That is not mine, is it?

Negating Different Types of Sentences

Now that we’ve covered the basic negation particles, let’s look at how to apply them in different contexts.

Affirmative Sentences

To negate affirmative sentences, we typically place नहीं after the verb. Here are some examples:

Nepali (individual language)	Pronunciation	English
म खाना खाँदिनँ।	ma khānā khāndina̐.	I do not eat food.
तिनी पढ्दैनन्।	tinī paḍhdaina̐n.	She does not study.
ऊ गितार बजाउँदैन।	ū gitār bajāu̐daina.	He does not play the guitar.
उनीहरू सँगै जान्दैनन्।	unīharū saṅgai jaandaina̐n.	They do not go together.
म यो पुस्तक चाँडै फिर्ता गर्दिनँ।	ma yo pustak chāḍāi phirtā gardina̐.	I do not return this book soon.

Questions

When negating questions, हैन is very common. Here’s how it works:

Nepali (individual language)	Pronunciation	English
तिमी आउँदैनौ, हैन?	timī āu̐daina̐u, hain?	You do not come, right?
मसँग खेल्दैनौ, हैन?	ma saṅga khelda̐inau, hain?	You do not play with me, do you?
उनी आज काम गर्न आउँदैनन्, हैन?	unī āj kām garna āu̐daina̐n, hain?	They are not coming to work today, are they?
तिमीलाई यो मन पर्दैन, हैन?	timīlā'ī yo mana pardaina, hain?	You do not like this, do you?
म यहाँ बस्दिनँ, हैन?	ma yahā̃ basdina̐, hain?	I do not stay here, right?

Commands

To negate commands or requests, use the negative particle नहीं before the verb:

Nepali (individual language)	Pronunciation	English
मलाई छोड।	malā'ī chhoḍ.	Don’t leave me.
खेल्दा छैन।	kheldā chaina.	Don’t play.
गितार बजाउँ।	gitār bajāu.	Don’t play the guitar.
बिर्सनु हुँदैन।	birsanuhūndaina.	Don’t forget.
कुरा नगर।	kurā nagara.	Don’t talk.

Expressing Absence

To express absence, we can also use नहीं combined with the verb "छ" (cha) which means "to be" or "there is." Here are some examples:

Nepali (individual language)	Pronunciation	English
यहाँ पानी छैन।	yahā̃ pānī chaina.	There is no water here.
त्यो किताब छैन।	tyō kitāb chaina.	That book is not here.
उससँग पैसा छैन।	ussaṅga paisā chaina.	He has no money.
हामीसँग समय छैन।	hāmīsaṅga samaya chaina.	We have no time.
यहाँ कुनै समस्या छैन।	yahā̃ kunai samasyā chaina.	There is no problem here.

Examples of Negation in Context

Let’s explore some real-life scenarios that incorporate negation. This will help you see how these rules are applied in everyday conversations.

Conversations

Imagine you are meeting friends and discussing plans:

Friend 1: "तिमी किन आउनु भएन?" (Why didn’t you come?)

You: "म काम गरिरहेको थिएँ, आउँदैन।" (I was working, I do not come.)

Another example could be when someone offers you food:

Friend: "तिमीलाई यो मन पर्छ?" (Do you like this?)

You: "मलाई यो मन पर्दैन।" (I do not like this.)

Everyday Situations

In a shop, you might encounter:

Seller: "तिमीलाई यो कपडा मन पर्छ?" (Do you like this cloth?)

You: "मलाई यो कपडा मन पर्दैन।" (I do not like this cloth.)

In a classroom setting, a teacher may ask:

Teacher: "तिमीले यो प्रश्न बुझ्न सक्यौ?" (Did you understand this question?)

Student: "मैले बुझ्न सकिन।" (I could not understand.)

Practice Exercises

Now that we have covered the basics, it’s time to put your knowledge to the test! Below are some exercises to practice negation in Nepali.

Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks with the correct negation particle (नहीं or हैन).

1. म घर जान्दिनँ। (I do not go home.)

2. तिमी सँगै आउँदैनौ, ___? (You do not come with me, right?)

3. यो राम्रो ___। (This is not good.)

4. उनी काम गर्दैनन्, ___? (They do not work, do they?)

Exercise 2: Convert the following affirmative sentences into negative sentences.

1. म पढ्दै छु। → म पढ्दै छैन। (I am studying. → I am not studying.)

2. उनी खाना खाइरहेका छन्। → उनी खाना खाइरहेका छैनन्। (They are eating food. → They are not eating food.)

3. हामी खेल्दै छौं। → हामी खेल्दै छैनौं। (We are playing. → We are not playing.)

Exercise 3: Answer the following questions in the negative.

1. तिमीलाई यो मन पर्छ? (Do you like this?)

मसँग त्यो मन पर्दैन। (I do not like that.)

2. उनी स्कूल जान्छन्? (Do they go to school?)

उनी स्कूल जान्दैनन्। (They do not go to school.)

Exercise 4: Translate the following sentences into Nepali.

1. I do not have money.

मलाई पैसा छैन।

2. He does not play the guitar.

ऊ गितार बजाउँदैन।

3. We do not have time.

हामीसँग समय छैन।

Exercise 5: Create negative sentences using the following verbs.

1. जानु (to go) → म जान्दिनँ। (I do not go.)

2. खेल्नु (to play) → उनी खेल्दैनन्। (They do not play.)

3. पढ्नु (to study) → म पढ्दिनँ। (I do not study.)

Exercise 6: Identify the negation in the following sentences.

1. म स्कूल जान्दिनँ। (I do not go to school.) → जान्दिनँ is the negation.

2. तिमीलाई थाहा छैन। (You do not know.) → छैन is the negation.

Exercise 7: Answer the following questions with negation.

1. के तिमीलाई थाहा छ? (Do you know?) → मलाई थाहा छैन। (I do not know.)

2. के ऊ आउँछ? (Is he coming?) → ऊ आउँदैन। (He is not coming.)

Exercise 8: Write a short dialogue using negation.

Friend 1: "तिमी किन आउनु भएन?" (Why didn’t you come?)

You: "म काम गरिरहेको थिएँ र म आउँदैन।" (I was working and I do not come.)

Exercise 9: Discuss a scenario where you express negation.

Write a short paragraph about a time when you had to say no or express that something was not true.

Exercise 10: Role-play with a partner.

Take turns asking each other questions and responding negatively using the structures learned.

Solutions and Explanations

After completing the exercises, check your answers against the solutions provided. Here’s a breakdown of each exercise's solutions:

Exercise 1 Solutions

1. नहीं

2. हैन

3. नहीं

4. हैन

Exercise 2 Solutions

1. म पढ्दै छैन।

2. उनी खाना खाइरहेका छैनन्।

3. हामी खेल्दै छैनौं।

Exercise 3 Solutions

1. मसँग त्यो मन पर्दैन।

2. उनी स्कूल जान्दैनन्।

Exercise 4 Solutions

1. मलाई पैसा छैन।

2. ऊ गितार बजाउँदैन।

3. हामीसँग समय छैन।

Exercise 5 Solutions

1. म जान्दिनँ।

2. उनी खेल्दैनन्।

3. म पढ्दिनँ।

Exercise 6 Solutions

1. जान्दिनँ

2. छैन

Exercise 7 Solutions

1. मलाई थाहा छैन।

2. ऊ आउँदैन।

Exercise 8 Solutions

Dialogue example written correctly.

Exercise 9 Solutions

Check your written paragraph against the structures learned.

Exercise 10 Solutions

Role-play effectively and use the learned negation structures.

Congratulations on completing this lesson on negation in Nepali! With practice, you will become more adept at using these negation structures in everyday conversation. Keep practicing, and don’t hesitate to revisit this lesson whenever you need a refresher.

Table of Contents - Nepali (individual language) Course - 0 to A1

Course Presentation

Nouns and Pronouns

Verbs and Tenses

Adjectives and Adverbs

Negation and Interrogatives

Numbers in Nepali

Words and Phrases

Food and Drinks

Festivals in Nepal

Nepali Society

Nepali Cuisine

Nepali Arts and Crafts

Other Lessons

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