कभी नहीं (kabhii nahiin)
adverb
A fixed two-word phrase meaning 'never', combining कभी (kabhii, 'ever/sometime') with the negator नहीं (nahiin); functions as a single adverbial unit in the sentence.
Sense
1
:
never (at no time)
adverb Placed like any time adverb, typically before the verb; कभी (kabhii) alone means 'ever/sometime' and only gets the 'never' sense when paired with नहीं (nahiin).
Synonyms: कदापि नहीं (kadaapi nahiin, literary), किसी भी वक़्त नहीं (kisii bhii vaqt nahiin, rare)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This phrase pairs naturally with the perfective past to make firm, sometimes dramatic denials, as in मैंने ऐसा कभी नहीं कहा (mainne aisaa kabhii nahiin kahaa, 'I never said such a thing') -- a classic line in any Indian household argument. It's the direct answer to a कभी (kabhii) question: कभी गए हो? -- कभी नहीं! (kabhii gae ho?, 'have you ever been?' -- kabhii nahiin, 'never!').
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes drop नहीं (nahiin) and use कभी (kabhii) alone hoping it means 'never' -- by itself it means 'ever' or 'sometime,' and needs the negator to flip to 'never.' 2) For emphatic 'never ever,' speakers often say कभी भी नहीं (kabhii bhii nahiin, 'never at all'), inserting भी (bhii) between the two words -- learners unfamiliar with this pattern may find the extra भी (bhii) confusing.
Sample Sentences:
मैंने ऐसा कभी नहीं कहा।
I never said such a thing.
(mainne aisaa kabhii nahiin kahaa।)
क्या तुम कभी पेरिस गए हो? कभी नहीं!
Have you ever been to Paris? Never!
(kyaa tum kabhii peris gae ho? kabhii nahiin!)
वह कभी नहीं झूठ बोलता।
He never lies.
(vah kabhii nahiin jhooth boltaa।)
मैं कभी नहीं भूलूँगा कि तुमने मेरी मदद की थी।
I will never forget that you helped me.
(main kabhii nahiin bhooloongaa ki tumne merii madad kii thii।)
कभी नहीं भूलना कि तुम्हारे माता-पिता ने तुम्हारे लिए क्या किया है।
Never forget what your parents have done for you.
(kabhii nahiin bhoolnaa ki tumhaare maataa-pitaa ne tumhaare lie kyaa kiyaa hai।)
अगर मैं समय पर पहुँच जाता, तो यह कभी नहीं होता।
If I had arrived on time, this would never have happened.
(agar main samay par pahunch jaataa, to yah kabhii nahiin hotaa।)
उसने कभी नहीं सोचा था कि उसकी बेटी इतनी बड़ी अफसर बनेगी।
She had never thought that her daughter would become such a big officer.
(usne kabhii nahiin sochaa thaa ki uskii betii itnii badii aphsar banegii।)
यह राज़ कभी नहीं खोला जाना चाहिए।
This secret should never be revealed.
(yah raaz kabhii nahiin kholaa jaanaa chaahie।)
कभी नहीं, बापू ने कहा, इस घर में झूठ का स्वागत कभी नहीं हुआ।
Never, said Bapu, has a lie ever been welcomed in this house.
(kabhii nahiin, baapoo ne kahaa, is ghar men jhooth kaa svaagat kabhii nahiin huaa।)
प्रभु की कृपा से जिसका सहारा मिल जाए, वह कभी नहीं डूबता।
By the Lord's grace, whoever gets that support never drowns.
(prabhu kii kripaa se jiskaa sahaaraa mil jaae, vah kabhii nahiin doobtaa।)
अरे यार, मैं ऐसी हरकत कभी नहीं करूँगी, चाहे कुछ भी हो जाए।
Oh come on, I will never do such a thing, no matter what happens.
(are yaar, main aisii harkat kabhii nahiin karoongii, chaahe kuchh bhii ho jaae।)