Language/Dari/Grammar/Negation

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Dari → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Negation

Welcome to our lesson on negation in Dari! This is an essential part of any language, as it allows you to express what is not true, what is absent, or what you don't want. Understanding negation will help you create more complex sentences and express your thoughts more clearly.

In this lesson, we will explore how to form negative sentences in Dari, focusing on negation words and expressions, and how to negate verbs and adjectives. By the end of this lesson, you will have a solid understanding of how to communicate negation effectively in Dari.

Importance of Understanding Negation

Negation is crucial for effective communication. Whether you’re stating that you do not like a particular food, or you don’t understand something, knowing how to properly construct negative sentences is vital. In Dari, negation is generally straightforward, but it does have its nuances that we will cover in detail.

Structure of the Lesson

This lesson is structured as follows:

• Introduction to Negation

• Negation in Verbs

• Negation in Adjectives

• Common Negation Words and Expressions

• Examples of Negation

• Practice Exercises

Introduction to Negation

In Dari, negation is primarily achieved using the word "نه" (na), which translates to "no" or "not" in English. This word can be used in various contexts to negate verbs and adjectives.

Some examples of negation in sentences might include:

• "من نمی‌دانم" (man nami-danam) - "I do not know."

• "این کتاب نیست" (in kitab nist) - "This is not a book."

Negation in Verbs

When negating verbs in Dari, the structure typically involves placing "نمی" (nami) before the verb. This is similar to how "do not" is used in English.

Structure for Negating Verbs

• Subject + نمی (nami) + Verb

Here are some examples:

Dari	Pronunciation	English
من نمی‌خوانم	man nami-khanam	I do not read
تو نمی‌روی	to nami-ravi	You do not go
او نمی‌داند	u nami-danad	He/She does not know
ما نمی‌خوریم	ma nami-khorim	We do not eat
آنها نمی‌خوابند	anha nami-khaband	They do not sleep

Negation in Adjectives

Negating adjectives in Dari is quite different from verbs. Instead of using "نمی" (nami), you often use "نیست" (nist), which means "is not" or "are not."

Structure for Negating Adjectives

• Subject + نیست (nist) + Adjective

Here are some examples:

Dari	Pronunciation	English
این خوب نیست	in khub nist	This is not good
آن بزرگ نیست	an bozorg nist	That is not big
این رنگ زیبا نیست	in rang ziba nist	This color is not beautiful
او خوشحال نیست	u khushhal nist	He/She is not happy
این خانه کوچک نیست	in khana kuchak nist	This house is not small

Common Negation Words and Expressions

In addition to "نه" (na), "نمی" (nami), and "نیست" (nist), there are other expressions that are commonly used in negation.

• "هرگز" (hargez) - Never

• "هیچ" (hich) - None / No

• "هرگز نمی" (hargez nami) - Never

Examples of Negation Expressions

Dari	Pronunciation	English
من هرگز نمی‌خوابم	man hargez nami-khabam	I never sleep
او هیچ ندارد	u hich nadarad	He/She has none
این هرگز خوب نیست	in hargez khub nist	This is never good
من هیچ وقت نمی‌آیم	man hich waqt nami-ayam	I never come
او هیچ غذایی نمی‌خورد	u hich ghazayi nami-khorad	He/She eats no food

Examples of Negation

Let's look at more complex examples that demonstrate negation in various contexts.

• "من نمی‌دانم که او کجاست" (man nami-danam ke u kujast) - "I do not know where he/she is."

• "این کتاب خوب نیست، اما آن یکی خوب است" (in kitab khub nist, ama an yeki khub ast) - "This book is not good, but that one is good."

To help you understand better, here are some additional examples:

Dari	Pronunciation	English
من هرگز نمی‌خوانم	man hargez nami-khanam	I never read
تو هیچ چیزی نمی‌دانی	to hich chizi nami-dani	You know nothing
او نمی‌تواند بیاید	u nami-tanavad biayad	He/She cannot come
ما هیچ وقت نمی‌خوابیم	ma hich waqt nami-khabim	We never sleep
آنها نمی‌خواهند بروند	anha nami-khahanand beravand	They do not want to go

Practice Exercises

Now it's time to put your knowledge to the test! Below are some exercises to reinforce what you’ve learned about negation in Dari.

Exercise 1: Negate the Following Verbs

Transform the following sentences into negative form.

1. من می‌رویم (I go)

2. او می‌خورد (He/She eats)

3. ما می‌دانیم (We know)

Solutions for Exercise 1

1. من نمی‌رویم (man nami-ravim) - I do not go

2. او نمی‌خورد (u nami-khorad) - He/She does not eat

3. ما نمی‌دانیم (ma nami-dananim) - We do not know

Exercise 2: Negate the Following Adjectives

Transform the following sentences into negative form.

1. این زیباست (This is beautiful)

2. آن خوب است (That is good)

3. این بزرگ است (This is big)

Solutions for Exercise 2

1. این زیبا نیست (in ziba nist) - This is not beautiful

2. آن خوب نیست (an khub nist) - That is not good

3. این بزرگ نیست (in bozorg nist) - This is not big

Exercise 3: Fill in the Blanks

Complete the following sentences with the correct negation.

1. او __________ می‌خوابد. (He/She does not sleep)

2. ما __________ می‌آییم. (We do not come)

3. این __________ کتاب است. (This is not a book)

Solutions for Exercise 3

1. او نمی‌خوابد (u nami-khabad) - He/She does not sleep

2. ما نمی‌آییم (ma nami-ayim) - We do not come

3. این نیست کتاب (in nist kitab) - This is not a book

Exercise 4: Translate to Dari

Translate the following sentences into Dari using negation.

1. I do not want to go.

2. She does not like this food.

3. They have no time.

Solutions for Exercise 4

1. من نمی‌خواهم بروم (man nami-khahham beravam) - I do not want to go.

2. او این غذا را دوست ندارد (u in ghaza ra dust nadarad) - She does not like this food.

3. آنها هیچ وقتی ندارند (anha hich waqt nadarad) - They have no time.

Exercise 5: Create Your Own Sentences

Write your own sentences using negation. Try to use both verbs and adjectives.

Solutions for Exercise 5

This exercise is subjective; however, make sure your sentences follow the negation structure you have learned.

Example:

• من خوشحال نیستم (man khushhal nistam) - I am not happy.

Conclusion

Congratulations on completing the lesson on negation in Dari! You have learned how to form negative sentences using negation words and expressions, as well as how to negate verbs and adjectives.

Remember to practice regularly, as repetition is key to mastering any language. Keep building your vocabulary, and soon enough, you will be able to express yourself more freely in Dari.

Table of Contents - Dari Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Greetings and Introductions

• Basic Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

  ---

Pronouns and Verbs

• Personal Pronouns
• Basic Verb Conjugation

  ---

Numbers and Time

• Numbers 1-20
• Telling Time

  ---

Nouns and Articles

• Noun Gender and Plurals
• Definite and Indefinite Articles

  ---

Family and Relationships

• Family Members
• Relationships

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Describing People and Things
• Comparatives and Superlatives
• Adverbs

  ---

Food and Dining

• Common Food Items
• Eating Out

  ---

Prepositions and Conjunctions

• Basic Prepositions
• Conjunctions

  ---

Dari-speaking Countries and Traditions

• Afghanistan and Iran
• Holidays and Celebrations

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Travel-related Vocabulary

  ---

Questions and Negations

• Asking Questions
• Negation

  ---

Weather and Seasons

• Weather Vocabulary
• Seasons

  ---

Past and Future Tenses

• Past Tense
• Future Tense

  ---

Dari Literature and Media

• Famous Dari Writers
• Dari Media

Sources

• Dari Grammar | LEARN101.ORG
• Dari Negation
• A Learner's Grammar of Dari

Other Lessons

• Gender
• Give your Opinion
• Questions
• How to Use Have
• Plurals
• How to Use Be
• Adjectives
• Nouns
• Pronouns

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