B2 morphology 3 min read

Negative Commands Using the Particle Mat

For all direct commands—whether you're begging, ordering, or advising—swap out `nahin` for `mat` to say 'don't'.

The Rule in 30 Seconds

  • Use `mat` only for commands/imperatives.
  • Place `mat` directly before the verb.
  • Never use `nahin` for orders.
  • Works for strict orders and polite requests.

Quick Reference

Subject (Implied) Formality Structure Example
Tu Intimate/Rude mat + verb root + (o) Tu mat ja (Don't go)
Tum Familiar mat + verb root + o Tum mat jao (Don't go)
Aap Formal/Polite mat + verb root + iye Aap mat jaiye (Please don't go)
None (Infinitive) Public Sign/General mat + verb infinitive Yahan mat thookna (Don't spit here)
Any Emphatic verb + mat Bholo mat! (Don't forget!)
Tum/Aap Compound Verb mat + stem + operator Use mat jaane do (Don't let him go)

Key Examples

3 of 10
1

तुम वहाँ मत जाओ।

Don't go there. (Familiar)

2

कृपया शोर मत मचाइए।

Please don't make noise. (Formal)

3

मुझे फ़ोन मत करना।

Don't call me. (Casual/Future implication)

⚠️

The Fact vs. Act Rule

If you are stating a **fact** (he isn't eating), use `nahin`. If you are blocking an **act** (don't eat!), use `mat`.

🎯

Don't Fear the 'Mat'

Some learners feel `mat` sounds rude. It's not! The rudeness is determined by the verb ending (`ja` vs `jaiye`), not the word `mat`.

The Rule in 30 Seconds

  • Use `mat` only for commands/imperatives.
  • Place `mat` directly before the verb.
  • Never use `nahin` for orders.
  • Works for strict orders and polite requests.

Overview

Meet mat, the traffic cop of Hindi sentences. While you might already know nahin (no/not) as the go-to word for negation, mat has a very specific, high-authority job: it stops actions from happening. It’s strictly for commands, requests, and prohibitions. If you want to tell someone *not* to do something—whether it's "Don't go!" or "Please don't worry"—mat is your word. Think of it as the difference between saying "He doesn't eat" (fact) vs. "Don't eat!" (order).

How This Grammar Works

In Hindi, negation isn't one-size-fits-all. You use nahin for statements of fact (indicative mood), but you swap it out for mat whenever you enter the "Imperative Mood" (commands). This particle works with all levels of formality—tu, tum, and aap. It doesn't change form; it sits there looking stern and doing its job regardless of who you are talking to. It typically hangs out right before the verb.

Formation Pattern

  1. 1The structure is refreshingly simple. You don't need to conjugate mat itself. It usually slots in immediately before the main verb.
  2. 2Identify the subject (often implied): tu (intimate), tum (familiar), or aap (formal).
  3. 3Conjugate the verb into the corresponding imperative form.
  4. 4Place mat directly before that verb.
  5. 5Standard: (Subject) + Object + mat + Verb (Imperative)
  6. 6Emphatic: (Subject) + Object + Verb (Imperative) + mat (less common, adds punch)

When To Use It

Use mat whenever you are directly addressing someone and asking them to refrain from an action. This covers:

  • Strict orders: "Don't touch that!"
  • Friendly advice: "Don't stay up too late."
  • Polite requests: "Please don't bother yourself."
  • Emergency warnings: "Don't run!"

When Not To Use It

This is where students often trip up. Do not use mat if you are describing a situation rather than commanding it.

  • If you are saying "He isn't going," use nahin (vah nahin ja raha hai).
  • If you are saying "I won't eat," use nahin (main nahin khaunga).
  • If you are using the future tense to mean "won't" rather than a command, stick to nahin.

Common Mistakes

The biggest blunder is the "Nahin Trap." Beginners often say yahan nahin aao (Don't come here). While a native speaker will understand you, it sounds weirdly disjointed—like you're stating a fact about the universe instead of giving an order. Another mistake is mixing levels of formality, like using a respectful mat with a rude verb form. That's just confusing for everyone.

Contrast With Similar Patterns

  • mat vs. nahin: Mat = Stop the action! (Command). Nahin = The action isn't happening (Fact).
  • mat vs. na: Na is the softer cousin. In polite or poetic contexts (especially with the Subjunctive mood), you might hear aisa na karein (Please don't do this). Na is polite suggestion; mat is direct prohibition. In standard spoken Hindi, mat is the default for "don't."

Quick FAQ

Q: Can I put mat at the end of the sentence?

Occasionally, for dramatic effect or casual emphasis, like Daro mat! (Don't be scared!). It sounds punchy.

Q: Is mat rude?

Not by itself! The rudeness comes from the verb ending (tu form). Aap chinta mat kijiye is perfectly polite.

Reference Table

Subject (Implied) Formality Structure Example
Tu Intimate/Rude mat + verb root + (o) Tu mat ja (Don't go)
Tum Familiar mat + verb root + o Tum mat jao (Don't go)
Aap Formal/Polite mat + verb root + iye Aap mat jaiye (Please don't go)
None (Infinitive) Public Sign/General mat + verb infinitive Yahan mat thookna (Don't spit here)
Any Emphatic verb + mat Bholo mat! (Don't forget!)
Tum/Aap Compound Verb mat + stem + operator Use mat jaane do (Don't let him go)
⚠️

The Fact vs. Act Rule

If you are stating a **fact** (he isn't eating), use `nahin`. If you are blocking an **act** (don't eat!), use `mat`.

🎯

Don't Fear the 'Mat'

Some learners feel `mat` sounds rude. It's not! The rudeness is determined by the verb ending (`ja` vs `jaiye`), not the word `mat`.

💬

The Soft 'Na'

In very formal Urdu-influenced Hindi or poetry, you might hear `na` instead of `mat` (e.g., `Aisa na karein`). It's softer, but `mat` is the standard 'daily driver' for prohibition.

💡

The Bouncer Analogy

Think of `mat` as a nightclub bouncer. It stands right in front of the verb and says, 'Not tonight, buddy.' It blocks the verb from happening.

Examples

10
#1 Tum wahan mat jao.

तुम वहाँ मत जाओ।

Focus: mat

Don't go there. (Familiar)

Standard usage with 'tum'.

#2 Kripaya shor mat machaiye.

कृपया शोर मत मचाइए।

Focus: shor mat machaiye

Please don't make noise. (Formal)

Even with 'please', we use 'mat'.

#3 Mujhe phone mat karna.

मुझे फ़ोन मत करना।

Focus: mat karna

Don't call me. (Casual/Future implication)

Using the infinitive 'karna' acts as a casual command.

#4 Daro mat, main hoon na.

डरो मत, मैं हूँ ना।

Focus: Daro mat

Don't be afraid, I'm here. (Reassuring)

Post-verbal 'mat' for emphasis/comfort.

#5 Use mat batao!

उसे मत बताओ!

Focus: mat batao

Don't tell him/her!

Direct prohibition.

#6 ✗ Tum wahan nahin jao.

✗ तुम वहाँ नहीं जाओ।

Focus: nahin

Don't go there. (Incorrect)

Using 'nahin' with an imperative is grammatically wrong.

#7 ✓ Tum wahan mat jao.

✓ तुम वहाँ मत जाओ।

Focus: mat

Don't go there. (Correct)

Corrected with 'mat'.

#8 Zyada mat socho.

ज़्यादा मत सोचो।

Focus: mat socho

Don't think too much.

Advice context.

#9 Mere liye intzaar mat kijiye.

मेरे लिए इंतज़ार मत कीजिये।

Focus: mat kijiye

Please don't wait for me.

Polite refusal/consideration.

#10 Bachche ko mat rulao.

बच्चे को मत रुलाओ।

Focus: mat rulao

Don't make the child cry.

Causative verb usage.

Test Yourself

Choose the correct negative particle for this command.

Please don't eat this. = Kripaya yeh ___ khaiye.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: mat

Since 'khaiye' is a command (imperative), we must use 'mat', not 'nahin'.

Select the correct sentence structure for 'Don't speak'.

___ !

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Bolo mat

'Bolo mat' is a common, emphatic way to say 'Don't speak'. 'Nahin bolo' is incorrect grammar for a command.

Complete the warning.

Tez gaadi ___ chalao. (Don't drive fast)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: mat

We use 'mat' to prohibit the action of driving fast.

🎉 Score: /3

Visual Learning Aids

Nahin vs. Mat

Nahin (Indicative)
Vah nahin khata He doesn't eat
Main nahin jaunga I won't go
Mat (Imperative)
Mat khao Don't eat!
Mat jao Don't go!

Which Negative to Use?

1

Are you giving an order or advice?

YES ↓
NO
Use 'Nahin'
2

Is it a polite request or strict command?

YES ↓
NO
Use 'Nahin' (for facts)
3

Result

NO
Use 'Mat'

Common Contexts for Mat

🚦

Traffic/Safety

  • • Ruko mat (Don't stop)
  • • Tez mat chalao
📚

Classroom

  • • Baat mat karo
  • • Mat likho
😊

Emotions

  • • Chinta mat karo
  • • Ghabrao mat

Frequently Asked Questions

20 questions

Generally, no. If you say tum nahin aaoge (you won't come), that's a prediction/fact, so use nahin. If you want to order them not to come in the future, you still use the imperative: kal mat aana.

People will understand you, but it sounds foreign. Saying wahan nahin jao sounds like 'You do not go there' (descriptive) rather than 'Don't go there!' (directive).

Rarely. You wouldn't say 'Do you mat go?' You would use kya and nahin for facts. However, in rhetorical tags like 'Don't do that, okay?' you might hear mat karna, theek hai?.

Nope! Mat is indeclinable. It stays mat whether you are talking to a man, a woman, or a group. The verb after it might change (mat jao vs mat jaiye), but mat stays rock solid.

You can, but na is often considered either very formal/literary or just a soft suggestion. Mat is the clear, unambiguous 'Do Not'. Stick to mat for clarity.

It hugs the verb. Even in a long sentence like 'Please don't eat the spicy food on the table,' mat will stay right next to 'eat' (...khana mat khaiye).

It translates strictly to 'Don't'. It doesn't mean 'no' (that's nahin or ji nahin). It is purely the 'do not' part of a command.

No. For 'should not', we use nahin. Tumhe nahin jana chahiye (You should not go). Mat is for direct orders, not suggestions of duty.

No. 'You cannot go' is a capability statement, so use nahin: Tum nahin ja sakte. Mat implies you have the choice, but I'm telling you not to.

Chinta mat karo (informal) or Chinta mat kijiye (formal). This is a very common phrase where mat is essential.

Yes! Wahan mat jana (Don't go there). Using the infinitive (-na form) as an imperative is very common for general or future instructions.

Not really. If someone asks 'Can I go?', you usually answer nahin (no) or mat jao (don't go). Saying just mat sounds incomplete.

Not at all. It is standard Hindi grammar used in everything from ancient texts to modern street signs.

Yes, it relates to the Sanskrit prohibitive particle maa. You find similar sounds in other Indo-Aryan languages too.

You can place mat after the verb: Jao mat! (Don't go!). It sounds like you are shouting or pleading effectively.

No, because you don't give commands to yourself (usually). You'd use nahin for your own intentions: Main nahin karunga.

In some colloquial dialects (like Bambaiya Hindi), people might use nako or other words, but standard Hindi always uses mat.

Yes! Use jane mat do (Don't let him go). Mat comes before the 'give/allow' verb.

Pagal mat bano. Here mat negates the state of 'becoming' silly.

All the time! 'Chhuyo mat' (Don't touch), 'Jao mat' (Don't go). It fits rhythmically well because it's short.

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