कुछ नहीं (kuchh nahiin)
pronoun/interjection
A combination of कुछ (kuchh, 'something/anything') and नहीं (nahiin, 'not') that means 'nothing'; also doubles as a dismissive reply meaning 'it's nothing' or 'never mind.'
Sense
1
:
nothing (negative quantity/thing)
pronoun Functions as the negative counterpart of कुछ (kuchh) used alone -- कुछ (kuchh) means 'something/anything' and needs a separate नहीं (nahiin) in the sentence to become negative; कुछ नहीं (kuchh nahiin) is that pairing fixed together as one answer or object.
Synonyms: शून्य (shoony, literary/formal, 'zero, nil')
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will hear this constantly as a short, complete answer: कुछ नहीं (kuchh nahiin, 'nothing') on its own, said with a shrug, closes off a question like क्या हुआ? (kyaa huaa?, 'what happened?') -- it is one of the most common two-word answers in everyday Hindi.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often say मुझे कुछ नहीं चाहिए (mujhe kuchh nahiin chaahie, 'I don't want anything') but forget that कुछ नहीं (kuchh nahiin) already carries the negation, so adding a second नहीं (nahiin) later in the sentence is wrong and creates a double negative. 2) As an object, it behaves like कुछ (kuchh) and does not trigger ने-agreement changes on its own -- the verb still agrees per the usual transitive/intransitive rules of the main verb, not because of this word.
Sample Sentences:
फ्रिज में खाने के लिए कुछ नहीं बचा।
Nothing was left to eat in the fridge.
(phrij men khaane ke lie kuchh nahiin bachaa।)
Listen: M85
उसने कुछ नहीं कहा, बस चुपचाप चला गया।
He said nothing, and just walked away quietly.
(usne kuchh nahiin kahaa, bas chupchaap chalaa gayaa।)
Listen: F85
अगर तुम मेहनत नहीं करोगे तो हाथ में कुछ नहीं आएगा।
If you don't work hard, you'll end up with nothing.
(agar tum mehnat nahiin karoge to haath men kuchh nahiin aaegaa।)
Listen: F85
इस दुकान में हमारे बजट का कुछ नहीं है।
There's nothing in this shop within our budget.
(is dukaan men hamaare bajat kaa kuchh nahiin hai।)
Listen: F85
काश मुझे कुछ नहीं करना पड़ता, तो मैं आज ही सो जाता।
If only I had nothing to do, I would just sleep today.
(kaash mujhe kuchh nahiin karnaa padtaa, to main aaj hii so jaataa।)
Listen: M85
उम्मीद है कि इस बार परीक्षा में कुछ नहीं छूटा हो।
I hope nothing was left out in the exam this time.
(ummiid hai ki is baar pariikshaa men kuchh nahiin chhootaa ho।)
Listen: F85
जब कुछ नहीं बचता, तब इंसान सच में टूट जाता है।
When nothing remains, a person truly breaks down.
(jab kuchh nahiin bachtaa, tab insaan sach men toot jaataa hai।)
Listen: M85
मरते वक़्त वो अपने साथ कुछ नहीं ले जाएगा।
He will take nothing with him when he dies.
(marte vaqt vo apne saath kuchh nahiin le jaaegaa।)
Listen: F85
इस मामले में उसका कुछ नहीं किया जा सकता।
Nothing can be done about him in this matter.
(is maamle men uskaa kuchh nahiin kiyaa jaa saktaa।)
Listen: F85
Sense
2
:
dismissive reply: 'it's nothing', 'never mind', 'don't worry about it'
interjection
Synonyms: कोई बात नहीं (koii baat nahiin, 'no problem'), छोड़ो (chhodo, colloquial, 'forget it')
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is the classic non-answer in Hindi conversation -- said with a certain tone, कुछ नहीं (kuchh nahiin) politely shuts a topic down, much like English 'oh, nothing' when someone catches you sighing.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes translate this too literally as 'nothing' when a native speaker uses it purely as a social deflection -- e.g. when asked तुम उदास क्यों हो? (tum udaas kyon ho?, 'why are you sad?'), the reply कुछ नहीं (kuchh nahiin) often really means 'I don't want to talk about it' rather than a literal denial.
Sample Sentences:
क्या हुआ? -- कुछ नहीं, बस थकान है।
What happened? -- It's nothing, just tiredness.
(kyaa huaa? -- kuchh nahiin, bas thakaan hai।)
Listen: M85
तुम इतनी उदास क्यों लग रही हो? -- कुछ नहीं यार, छोड़ो।
Why do you look so sad? -- It's nothing, man, forget it.
(tum itnii udaas kyon lag rahii ho? -- kuchh nahiin yaar, chhodo।)
Listen: M85
अरे कुछ नहीं, आप बेकार में परेशान हो रहे हैं।
Oh, it's nothing, you're worrying for no reason.
(are kuchh nahiin, aap bekaar men pareshaan ho rahe hain।)
Listen: F85
मैंने पूछा कि क्या बात है, पर उसने कहा कुछ नहीं।
I asked what the matter was, but she said it was nothing.
(mainne poochhaa ki kyaa baat hai, par usne kahaa kuchh nahiin।)
Listen: M85
इतना मत सोचो, कुछ नहीं हुआ है।
Don't think so much, it's nothing.
(itnaa mat socho, kuchh nahiin huaa hai।)
Listen: M85
सर, कुछ नहीं, आप चिंता न करें।
Sir, it's nothing, please don't worry.
(sar, kuchh nahiin, aap chintaa n karen।)
Listen: M85
अगर कोई पूछे कि क्या हुआ, तो बस कह देना कुछ नहीं।
If someone asks what happened, just say it's nothing.
(agar koii poochhe ki kyaa huaa, to bas kah denaa kuchh nahiin।)
Listen: M85
अगर मुझसे कोई पूछता, तो मैं भी कह देता कुछ नहीं।
If someone had asked me, I too would have said it's nothing.
(agar mujhse koii poochhtaa, to main bhii kah detaa kuchh nahiin।)
Listen: F85
वो रो रही थी, फिर भी बोली कुछ नहीं।
She was crying, yet she said it was nothing.
(vo ro rahii thii, phir bhii bolii kuchh nahiin।)
Listen: F85
उसने हल्के से मुस्कुराकर कहा, कुछ नहीं, सब ठीक है।
He smiled faintly and said, it's nothing, everything is fine.
(usne halke se muskuraakar kahaa, kuchh nahiin, sab thiik hai।)
Listen: F85