Negation: don't, doesn't, isn't
निषेध वाक्य: don't, doesn't, isn't
Just like questions, English negation needs the helper verb do/does for ordinary verbs — but 'to be' and modals negate directly, without any helper at all. Hindi skips this split entirely and negates every verb type the same way.
Grammar Comparison
व्याकरण तुलना
Two negation systems in English, one uniform system in Hindi
I don't like coffee. (ordinary verb, needs do) vs. I am not tired. (to be, negates directly, no do)
मुझे कॉफ़ी पसंद नहीं है। / मैं थका हुआ नहीं हूँ। — दोनों में सिर्फ़ नहीं, कोई अलग रूप नहीं
Hindi negates every verb through the exact same mechanism, regardless of type: place नहीं before the verb phrase (or before है/हैं) — मुझे कॉफ़ी पसंद नहीं है, मैं थका हुआ नहीं हूँ, मैं नहीं आ सकता — ordinary verbs, 'to be', and modals all take the identical नहीं with no special conjugated negative form. English splits negation in two: ordinary verbs need the do-support from the questions lesson, plus not (don't/doesn't), while 'to be' and modal verbs (can, must, should) simply add not directly with no helper (isn't, can't, shouldn't). Check which category a verb falls into before negating it — the wrong pattern (like 'I not like it', built on the Hindi habit of just inserting a single negator) is one of the most common learner errors.
Vocabulary
शब्दावली
| English | Pronunciation | Hindi |
|---|---|---|
| I don't like coffee. | eye dohnt lyk KAW-fee | मुझे कॉफ़ी पसंद नहीं है।mujhe kofī pasand nahīñ hai. |
| She doesn't know. | shee DUZ-int noh | उसे पता नहीं है।use patā nahīñ hai. |
| I am not tired. | eye am not TY-erd | मैं थका हुआ नहीं हूँ।maiñ thakā huā nahīñ hūñ. |
| I can't come. | eye kant kum | मैं नहीं आ सकता।maiñ nahīñ ā saktā. |