नहीं
nahīṃeveryday, Hindi
The Hindi word for no is नहीं (nahīṃ). Adding जी (jī) makes it polite, जी नहीं (jī nahīṃ), and a casual short form is ना (nā).
Meaning: negative answer (adverb)
Ways to say it
| Indian | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| नहीं | nahīṃ | everyday, Hindi |
| जी नहीं | jī nahīṃ | polite |
| ना | nā | casual |
नहीं (nahīṃ) answers a question and also negates a verb, as in मैं नहीं जाऊँगा (maiṃ nahīṃ jāūṅgā), I will not go. जी नहीं (jī nahīṃ) is for elders and formal situations.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Tamil, Bengali, Telugu and other languages of India use different words.
How do you pronounce it?
The final nasal sound in नहीं (nahīṃ) is a soft nasal vowel and does not end in a hard "n".
Did you know?
- Shaking the head side to side can mean "yes" or "okay" in India, so a spoken नहीं (nahīṃ) is clearer than a gesture.
Examples in context
- नहीं, मैं नहीं जाऊँगा।nahīṃ, maiṃ nahīṃ jāūṅgā.No, I will not go.
- जी नहीं, धन्यवाद।jī nahīṃ, dhanyavād.No, thank you.
- ना, मुझे नहीं चाहिए।nā, mujhe nahīṃ chāhiye.No, I do not want it.
Example conversation
A teacher asks student Riya about her homework.
- Teacherरिया, क्या तुमने होमवर्क किया?riyā, kyā tumne homvark kiyā?Riya, did you do your homework?
- Riyaजी नहीं, मैम।jī nahīṃ, maim.No, ma'am.
- Teacherकल ज़रूर कर लाना।kal zarūr kar lānā.Be sure to bring it done tomorrow.
