How to Say “No” in Hmong

By •
tsis yog
The Hmong word for "no" is tsis yog.
tsis yog is a particle used to express negation or to show disagreement with a statement.
Meaning: used to show disagreement or negation (particle)

Did you know?

  • Hmong uses different negation particles depending on whether you are denying a fact, a verb, or an adjective, making tsis yog specific to identity and truth.
  • The particle yog shares a common ancestor with the word nyob, which means 'to live' or 'to be at'.
  • Because Hmong is a tonal language, changing the tone of the words in tsis yog can completely alter the meaning or render the negation unintelligible.

Examples in context

  • Tsis yog.
    That is not right.
  • Nws tsis yog kuv.
    It is not me.

Example conversation

Cheng is asking Mai if she is the new teacher.

  1. Cheng

    Koj puas yog tus xib ntawm tsev kawm?
    Are you the teacher at the school?
  2. Mai

    Tsis yog, kuv yog ib tug tub ntxha.
    No, I am a nephew.
  3. Cheng

    Koj puas paub qhov tsev kawm nyob qov twg?
    Do you know where the school is located?
  4. Mai

    Yog, kuv paub qhov ntawd.
    Yes, I know that.

Sources

⭐Share⭐ to appreciate human effort 🙏
Joanne Violet
Joanne VioletHelp make this guide better. Spot a mistake, know another way to say it, or have an example from real life? Share it below.
guest
0 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Scroll to Top