Negation with नहीं, न, and मत
Can make negative statements and prohibitions
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
मैं चाय नहीं पीता।
I don't drink tea.
यहाँ मत बैठो!
Don't sit here!
वह आज नहीं आएगा।
He won't come today.
कृपया यहाँ न बैठें।
Please don't sit here.
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
Hindi has three negation words:
| Word | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| नहीं | General negation (statements) | मैं नहीं जाता |
| मत | Prohibitive (don't!) | मत जाओ! |
| न | Formal/literary negation | कृपया न बैठें |
नहीं is placed before the verb: वह नहीं आता (He doesn't come). With compound tenses, it goes before the main verb: मैं नहीं जा रहा हूँ. मत is used only with imperatives (तू/तुम forms): मत करो! (Don't do it!). न is the polite/formal variant: कृपया यहाँ न बैठें (Please don't sit here).
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises
Practice ExercisesUsing नहीं in commands instead of मत, or vice versa
Use नहीं for statements, मत for commands (तू/तुम), न for polite requests (आप)
Placing negation word after the verb
Negation words go before the verb: नहीं जाता, not जाता नहीं
मैं चाय नहीं पीता।
I don't drink tea.
नहीं before the verb पीता negates the statement.
यहाँ मत बैठो!
Don't sit here!
मत is used for prohibitive commands (तुम form).
वह आज नहीं आएगा।
He won't come today.
नहीं before आएगा negates the future statement.
कृपया यहाँ न बैठें।
Please don't sit here.
न is the polite/formal negation, used with आप imperatives.
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises