न (n)
particle/conjunction
A small but very active negation/tag word: it means 'no'/'not' in negation, shows up as the 'isn't it?' tag at the end of sentences, and links two negative alternatives in the sense of 'neither... nor.' (English; inline Hindi as Devanagari (n)
Sense
1
:
tag question ('isn't it?', 'right?')
particle Placed at the very end of a statement to turn it into a request for agreement or confirmation, much like English 'isn't it?' or 'right?'.
Synonyms: है ना (hai naa, colloquial variant), क्या (kyaa, different construction, seeking confirmation)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is the Hindi equivalent of tacking 'na?' onto a sentence in casual English-Hindi code-switching -- Delhi speakers use 'है ना' (hai naa) constantly to seek a nod of agreement, from haggling in a market to confirming plans with friends.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes confuse this tag-question न (n) with the negation sense; in speech it is almost always heard as ना (naa) in this role, e.g. 'सही है ना' (sahii hai naa, 'that's right, isn't it?'). 2) Overusing it in writing where it sounds distinctly conversational.
Sample Sentences:
उसने तुम्हें बता दिया था ना?
He'd told you, hadn't he?
(usne tumhen bataa diyaa thaa naa?)
Listen: F85
यह दुकान सस्ती है ना, भाई साहब?
This shop is cheap, right, sir?
(yah dukaan sastii hai naa, bhaaii saahab?)
Listen: M85
तुम रोज़ इतना काम करते हो ना, थक जाते होगे।
You do this much work every day, right? You must get tired.
(tum roz itnaa kaam karte ho naa, thak jaate hoge।)
Listen: M85
अगर तुम पहले बता देते तो मैं आ जाता, है ना?
If you had told me earlier, I would have come, right?
(agar tum pahle bataa dete to main aa jaataa, hai naa?)
Listen: F85
आपने यह फ़ॉर्म भर दिया है ना?
You've filled out this form, haven't you?
(aapne yah form bhar diyaa hai naa?)
Listen: M85
यह गाड़ी आज ही ठीक हो जाएगी ना?
This car will get fixed today itself, won't it?
(yah gaadii aaj hii thiik ho jaaegii naa?)
Listen: M85
थोड़ा कम कर दो ना, यार, सस्ते में दे दो।
Lower it a bit, come on, give it to me cheap.
(thodaa kam kar do naa, yaar, saste men de do।)
Listen: M85
Sense
2
:
negation ('not')
particle Used mainly in fixed or formal negative constructions (e.g. with चाहे, कोई, कुछ, or before certain verb forms) rather than as the everyday standalone negator, which is नहीं (nahiin).
Synonyms: नहीं (nahiin), मत (mat, used for prohibitions/commands)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: Think of न (n) as the more compact, slightly literary cousin of नहीं (nahiin) -- you will hear it a lot in songs, proverbs, and set phrases (जो न हो सके, jo n ho sake, 'what cannot happen') where नहीं (nahiin) would feel heavier.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for न (n) where नहीं (nahiin) is the natural everyday choice; न (n) alone sounds clipped or literary in plain statements like 'main nahin jaata' rather than 'main na jaata'. 2) In prohibitions ('don't go'), मत (mat) is the normal choice, not न (n), though न (n) does appear in gentler or more formal prohibitions.
Sample Sentences:
जो न हो सके, वह मत सोचो।
Don't think about what cannot happen.
(jo n ho sake, vah mat socho।)
Listen: F85
मुझसे यह गलती न होती तो अच्छा था।
It would have been better if this mistake hadn't happened from me.
(mujhse yah galtii n hotii to achchhaa thaa।)
Listen: M85
कहीं देर न हो जाए, इसलिए हम अभी निकलते हैं।
We're leaving right now, in case it gets late.
(kahiin der n ho jaae, islie ham abhii nikalte hain।)
Listen: F85
न वह आया, न उसने फोन किया।
He neither came nor did he call.
(n vah aayaa, n usne phon kiyaa।)
Listen: M85
यह काम इतना आसान न था जितना हमने सोचा था।
This work was not as easy as we had thought.
(yah kaam itnaa aasaan n thaa jitnaa hamne sochaa thaa।)
Listen: M85
उससे न डरो, वह तो बहुत भला आदमी है।
Don't be afraid of him, he is actually a very good man.
(usse n daro, vah to bahut bhalaa aadmii hai।)
Listen: F85
समय रहते न चेते तो पछताओगे।
If you don't wake up to it in time, you will regret it.
(samay rahte n chete to pachhtaaoge।)
Listen: F85
उम्मीद है वह यह राज़ किसी से न कहे।
I hope he doesn't tell this secret to anyone.
(ummiid hai vah yah raaz kisii se n kahe।)
Listen: M85
Sense
3
:
correlative negative conjunction ('neither... nor')
conjunction Appears paired as न...न (n ... n) linking two negated alternatives, e.g. 'न वह आया, न उसने फोन किया' (n vah aayaa, n usne phon kiyaa, 'he neither came nor called').
Synonyms: ना...ना (naa ... naa, colloquial variant)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This paired न...न (n ... n) construction is a clean, elegant way to dismiss two things at once, and you'll hear it often in complaints or excuses, like 'न पैसा है, न समय' (n paisaa hai, n samay, 'there's neither money nor time').
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners forget to repeat न (n) before each item in the pair -- both halves need their own न (n), unlike English where 'nor' alone can carry the second clause.
Sample Sentences:
वह न इधर का रहा, न उधर का।
He ended up belonging neither here nor there.
(vah n idhar kaa rahaa, n udhar kaa।)
Listen: F85
मुझे न चाय पसंद है, न कॉफ़ी।
I like neither tea nor coffee.
(mujhe n chaay pasand hai, n kofii।)
Listen: M85
न वह आएगा, न उसका भाई।
Neither he nor his brother will come.
(n vah aaegaa, n uskaa bhaaii।)
Listen: F85
काश न मैं जाता, न वह बुलाता।
If only neither I had gone nor he had called.
(kaash n main jaataa, n vah bulaataa।)
Listen: F85
न रो, न परेशान हो, सब ठीक हो जाएगा।
Don't cry, and don't worry either -- everything will be fine.
(n ro, n pareshaan ho, sab thiik ho jaaegaa।)
Listen: F85
उस मीटिंग में न कोई फ़ैसला लिया गया, न कोई सवाल पूछा गया।
In that meeting, neither was any decision taken nor was any question asked.
(us miiting men n koii faislaa liyaa gayaa, n koii savaal poochhaa gayaa।)
Listen: M85
हो सकता है न वह जीते, न हम।
It's possible that neither he wins nor we do.
(ho saktaa hai n vah jiite, n ham।)
Listen: M85
न यह घर बिकता है, न वह ज़मीन।
Neither this house sells, nor that plot of land.
(n yah ghar biktaa hai, n vah zamiin।)
Listen: F85
न दिन को नींद आती है, न रात को।
I get sleep neither in the day nor at night.
(n din ko niind aatii hai, n raat ko।)
Listen: M85