Language/Central-pashto/Grammar/Negation
Hi Central Pashto learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn about negation in Central Pashto. We will cover basic and intermediate level topics. Before we dive into the lesson, let's remind ourselves of some grammar concepts.
Grammar review
Central Pashto is a SOV (Subject-Object-Verb) language. This means that the verb appears at the end of a sentence. The negation in Central Pashto is formed by adding "نه" "na" after the verb.
Before we proceed to examples of negation in Central Pashto, let's learn some cultural information about negation.
Cultural insight
In Central Pashto culture, being polite and respectful is highly valued. This reflects in their communication style. Directly saying "no" can be considered impolite. Therefore, Central Pashto speakers use indirect ways of expressing negation. People may use silence, ambiguity, or euphemisms to avoid direct negative responses.
Basic Negation
To create a basic negation sentence, you only need to add "نه" "na" right after the verb.
Example
| Central Pashto | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| کار کوله نه | "kar kawle na" | "not working" |
Intermediate Negation
Now let's look at some more complex sentences using negation.
Negation with future tense
If we want to have a negative sentence in the future tense, we add "نه" "na" before the auxiliary verb "ش'و" "sha wo".
Example
| Central Pashto | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| زه غشته راغلم نه شوم | "za goeshte raghlelam na showm" | "I will not go tomorrow" |
Negation with past tense
Past negation is formed by adding "نه" "na" after the verb in past.
Example
| Central Pashto | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| زه خو بليني نه کووم | "za khwub leni na kawom" | "I did not sleep well" |
Dialogue
Here is a dialogue example to demonstrate negation in Central Pashto.
- Person 1: ما تا جوړه واي؟ (ma ta jora way?) ("Do you want to come with me?")
- Person 2: نه، زه د غواړو جانګنه راشئ، مې د بيز نشته وه. (na, za da ghawaaro janagana rashay, me da baiz nashta wah.) ("No, I have to attend a meeting, I am not free now.")
Conclusion
In conclusion, we learned about negation in Central Pashto. We covered basic and intermediate topics, and had a glimpse into Central Pashto culture. To improve your Central Pashto Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!
Sources