Neg

In Hindi, the negator usually sits right before the main verb. This is the golden rule of Hindi syntax. If you move it elsewhere, you change the emphasis. Most of the time, nahī̃ is your default choice. It handles about 90% of your daily needs. However, Hindi loves to drop things for efficiency. When you use nahī̃ in the present tense, you often drop the auxiliary verb. For example, maĩ nahī̃ jātā hū̃ becomes maĩ nahī̃ jātā. It sounds cleaner and more native. mat is strictly for commands and prohibitions. It is the "Stop!" sign of the language. na is the most versatile and poetic. It handles everything from "neither/nor" to soft requests. It is like the Swiss Army knife of negation. Using the wrong one is like wearing flip-flops to a wedding. You will be noticed, but for the wrong reasons.

1. 1For general facts, place nahī̃ before the verb.
2. 2In the present tense, remove the auxiliary hai or hū̃.
3. 3For commands, place mat before the verb.
4. 4For polite requests, use na instead of mat.
5. 5For "neither/nor", use the na... na structure.
6. 6In conditional agar (if) clauses, na is preferred over nahī̃.
7. 7For tag questions (e.g., "..., right?"), add na at the very end.
8. 8With the past tense (Perfective), nahī̃ stays, but the auxiliary is gone.

Use nahī̃ when you are stating facts or answering questions. If someone asks if you like spicy food, say nahī̃. It is direct and clear. Use mat when you are giving orders to friends. "Don't go there" becomes vahā̃ mat jāo. It is punchy and effective. Use na when you want to be a diplomat. If you are in a job interview, use na for soft suggestions. It shows you have social grace. Use na... na when you are being decisive about choices. "I want neither tea nor coffee" sounds very elegant as mujhe na cāy cāhiye na kofī. Also, use na in "until" clauses. jab tak vo na āye means "until he comes." It feels very sophisticated. It is the kind of grammar that makes native speakers nod in approval.

Do not use mat with your boss or elders. It sounds incredibly rude and bossy. It is like shouting at a librarian. Instead, use na or nahī̃ with the respectful verb form. Do not use nahī̃ in tag questions. hai nahī̃? sounds clunky compared to a simple na?. Avoid using nahī̃ in the middle of a list of choices. It breaks the flow of the sentence. Do not use nahī̃ with the word shāyad (perhaps) if you want to sound poetic. shāyad vo na āye is much better than shāyad vo nahī̃ āegā. Also, avoid double negatives. Hindi does not really do the "I don't have nothing" thing. It just sounds like you are confused. Keep it simple and keep it single.

Many people keep the hai when using nahī̃. maĩ nahī̃ hū̃ is okay, but maĩ nahī̃ jātā hū̃ is redundant. Just say maĩ nahī̃ jātā. It is faster and sounds better. Another mistake is using nahī̃ for prohibitions. vahā̃ nahī̃ jāo is grammatically okay but sounds weak. Use mat for real impact. Some people forget that na changes the meaning in tag questions. If you say it with a rising tone, it is a question. If you say it flat, it is a confirmation. Don't mix them up or you might agree to something you hate! Lastly, don't put the negative after the verb. maĩ jātā nahī̃ is only for extreme poetic emphasis. In a normal conversation, it just sounds like you are lagging.

Let's compare nahī̃ and na. nahī̃ is a hard wall. It stops the action completely. na is more like a velvet rope. It suggests a boundary but remains elegant. Think of mat versus na in commands. mat khāo is what you say to a kid eating dirt. na khāiye is what you say to a guest who looks full. One is a command, the other is a polite suggestion. Then there is the binā (without) vs negation. binā bole means "without speaking." nahī̃ bolā means "did not speak." They look similar but function differently. binā is a preposition, while our negatives are adverbs. Knowing the difference keeps your syntax sharp.