nahi

Nahi is a common negation particle in several Indo-Aryan languages, principally Hindi and Urdu, and it is also used in related languages such as Punjabi and Marathi. In its standard written forms, it appears as नहीं in Devanagari (Hindi, Marathi) and as نہیں in Urdu script. In transliteration it is typically written as nahi, nahin, or nahī. The word conveys negation, meaning "no" or "not" and is used to negate verbs, adjectives, and clauses.

In grammar, nahi usually precedes the main verb in declarative sentences, e.g., Main nahi jaata (I do not go). It can also appear after the subject in past constructions: Maine nahi khaya (I did not eat). As a response, simply "Nahi" can express a negative answer: No. The phrase "nahi" can combine with other particles to form phrases such as "abhi nahi" (not yet) or "bilkul nahi" (not at all).

Regional variation: Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, and Marathi all use a form of this negation word, with slight pronunciation and script differences. In Bengali, negation is typically expressed with "na" rather than "nahi," reflecting separate linguistic development, though the general function is analogous. The term’s high frequency means it features prominently in everyday speech, literature, media, and education.

Etymology: The exact origin of the modern form is the subject of linguistic study, but it belongs to a common Indo-Aryan negation system that also yields words like "na" across related languages.

See also: negation in Indo-Aryan languages; Hindi; Urdu.