नहीं तो (nahiin to)
conjunction/particle
A fixed connective meaning 'otherwise' or 'or else' -- literally 'not then' -- used to warn of a consequence if a condition isn't met. Related to नहीं (nahiin, 'no/not') and तो (to, 'then'), but functions as its own frozen unit.
Sense
1
:
otherwise / or else (consequence warning)
conjunction Joins two clauses where the second states what happens if the first (often an implicit command or requirement) isn't followed: जल्दी करो, नहीं तो बस छूट जाएगी (jaldii karo, nahiin to bas chhoot jaaegii, 'hurry up, otherwise the bus will be missed').
Synonyms: वरना (varnaa)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You'll hear this constantly from parents, teachers, and shopkeepers alike -- it's the classic shape of a Hindi warning: do X, नहीं तो (nahiin to) Y (bad thing) happens. वरना (varnaa) is a near-perfect synonym and the two are used interchangeably in casual speech; नहीं तो (nahiin to) feels a shade more conversational to my ear.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes try to translate this word-for-word as 'no then', missing that as a fixed unit it means 'otherwise' -- the individual pieces नहीं (nahiin) and तो (to) don't need to be parsed separately once you know the phrase. 2) It comes second, after the instruction or condition, never first: डरो नहीं, नहीं तो गिर जाओगे (daro nahiin, nahiin to gir jaaoge, 'don't be afraid, otherwise you'll fall') -- not placed before the warning.
Sample Sentences:
जल्दी चलो, नहीं तो बस छूट जाएगी।
Hurry up, otherwise we'll miss the bus.
(jaldii chalo, nahiin to bas chhoot jaaegii।)
खाना खा लो, नहीं तो ठंडा हो जाएगा।
Eat your food, otherwise it will get cold.
(khaanaa khaa lo, nahiin to thandaa ho jaaegaa।)
उसने छत्री ले ली, नहीं तो वह भीग जाता।
He took an umbrella, otherwise he would have gotten soaked.
(usne chhatrii le lii, nahiin to vah bhiig jaataa।)
समय पर दवा लेते रहो, नहीं तो तबीयत फिर बिगड़ सकती है।
Keep taking the medicine on time, otherwise your health might get worse again.
(samay par davaa lete raho, nahiin to tabiiyat phir bigad saktii hai।)
साहब, कागज़ात पूरे कर दीजिए, नहीं तो फ़ाइल आगे नहीं बढ़ेगी।
Sir, please complete the documents, otherwise the file won't move forward.
(saahab, kaagzaat poore kar diijie, nahiin to faail aage nahiin badhegii।)
अगर तुम मेहनत नहीं करते, नहीं तो नतीजा अच्छा नहीं होता।
If you hadn't worked hard, otherwise the result wouldn't have been good.
(agar tum mehnat nahiin karte, nahiin to natiijaa achchhaa nahiin hotaa।)
दरवाज़ा बंद कर दो, नहीं तो मच्छर घर में आ जाएँगे।
Close the door, otherwise mosquitoes will get into the house.
(darvaazaa band kar do, nahiin to machchhar ghar men aa jaaenge।)
बच्चों को समझाया गया कि सड़क पार करते समय ध्यान रखें, नहीं तो कोई हादसा हो सकता है।
The children were told to be careful while crossing the road, otherwise an accident could happen.
(bachchon ko samjhaayaa gayaa ki sadak paar karte samay dhyaan rakhen, nahiin to koii haadsaa ho saktaa hai।)
किराया आज ही चुका दो, नहीं तो मकान मालिक नाराज़ हो जाएगा।
Pay the rent today itself, otherwise the landlord will get angry.
(kiraayaa aaj hii chukaa do, nahiin to makaan maalik naaraaz ho jaaegaa।)
अपनी सेहत का ख़याल रखिए, नहीं तो बुढ़ापे में परेशानी होगी।
Take care of your health, otherwise you'll face trouble in old age.
(apnii sehat kaa khayaal rakhie, nahiin to budhaape men pareshaanii hogii।)
Sense
2
:
or, alternatively (offering a choice)
particle Used at the end of a suggestion to offer an alternative, softer than a strict warning: चाय पी लो, नहीं तो कॉफ़ी बना दूँ? (chaay pii lo, nahiin to kofii banaa doon?, 'have some tea, or else should I make coffee?').
Synonyms: या (yaa)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This is the same phrase softened into a hostess's or friend's offer rather than a threat -- context and tone of voice do the work of telling you which flavor of नहीं तो (nahiin to) you're hearing.
Sample Sentences:
चाय पीएँगे, नहीं तो कॉफ़ी मंगवा दूँ?
Will you have tea, or should I get coffee ordered instead?
(chaay piienge, nahiin to kofii mangvaa doon?)
पिज़्ज़ा मंगवा लेते हैं, नहीं तो बर्गर भी ठीक है।
Let's order pizza, or a burger is fine too.
(pizzaa mangvaa lete hain, nahiin to bargar bhii thiik hai।)
आप यहाँ बैठ जाइए, नहीं तो बाहर वाली कुर्सी भी अच्छी है।
Please sit here, or the chair outside is nice too.
(aap yahaan baith jaaie, nahiin to baahar vaalii kursii bhii achchhii hai।)
मीठे में गुलाब जामुन बनवाया है, नहीं तो हलवा भी है।
For dessert I've had gulab jamun made, or there's also halwa.
(miithe men gulaab jaamun banvaayaa hai, nahiin to halvaa bhii hai।)
फ़िल्म देखने चलें, नहीं तो घर पर ही कोई गेम खेल लेते हैं।
Let's go watch a movie, or we could just play some game at home.
(film dekhne chalen, nahiin to ghar par hii koii gem khel lete hain।)
अगर वो साड़ी पसंद न आए, नहीं तो हम दूसरी दिखा देते हैं।
If you don't like that sari, or else we can show you another one.
(agar vo saadii pasand n aae, nahiin to ham doosrii dikhaa dete hain।)
क्या आप कल आएँगे, नहीं तो परसों भी चलेगा।
Will you come tomorrow, or the day after would also work?
(kyaa aap kal aaenge, nahiin to parson bhii chalegaa।)
थोड़ा और रुक जाओ, नहीं तो अभी निकल भी सकते हो, जैसी तुम्हारी मर्ज़ी।
Stay a bit longer, or you can leave right now too, whatever you prefer.
(thodaa aur ruk jaao, nahiin to abhii nikal bhii sakte ho, jaisii tumhaarii marzii।)